Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2)

Editorial. Defining public health as a basis for expressing the subject coverage of a scientific journal

Milan Tuček

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):71  

Economic cost of excess body weight among adults in Estonia

Johann Saavaste, Aleksei Baburin, Mall Leinsalu, Rainer Reile

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):72-79 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8761

Objectives: High disease burden related to excess body weight (EBW) poses a substantial burden to healthcare systems globally. This study aims to assess the economic impact of EBW in Estonia, where over 60% of adult population are overweight or obese. Methods: Using population attributable fraction approach, this cost-of-illness study included 29 health conditions associated with overweight and obesity. The annual costs were calculated from the health care/government perspective for the year 2021 using individual level and administrative data. The direct costs were defined as a sum of treatment and medication costs, sickness benefits and care leave,...

Comparing step count strategies: the impact of walking on cardiometabolic health in women with obesity

Merve Kal, Nazime Cebi, Meral Kucuk Yetgin

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):80-87 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8661

Objectives: This study aims to compare the effect of 10 thousand steps per day (10TSPD) and 3 thousand steps per 30 minutes (30M3TS) supported by medical nutritional therapy on body composition, 6-minute walking distance (6MWT), cardio-metabolic parameters comprising insulin, glucose, glycohaemoglobin (HbA1c), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and total cholesterol in women with obesity. Methods: Thirty women with obesity supported by individual-specific medical nutrition therapy were divided into two groups with a target (10TSPD) at a frequency of 3-5 days/week...

Longitudinal changes in health-related quality of life in working-age adults one year after ischaemic stroke: findings from the FRAILTY study

Elena Gurková, Daniel Šaňák, Daniela Bartoníčková, Šárka Šaňáková, Lenka Štureková, David Franc, Jana Zapletalová, Petra Divišová

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):88-97 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8809

Objectives: Limited evidence exists on how working-age adults perceive the impact of ischaemic stroke (IS) during the first months post-event, and longitudinal data on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are scarce. The aim of the study was to examine 12-month changes in HRQoL, functional outcomes, cognitive function, and psychosocial sequelae in working-age adults after IS, and to explore age-related differences (< 50 vs. ≥ 50 years). Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 220 patients aged 18-65 years with first-ever IS were assessed before hospital discharge, 3-, 6-, and 12-month post-discharge. Measures included the Stroke Impact...

Association between air pollution and paediatric intestinal intussusception in Seoul, Korea: a time-series regression approach

Kiook Baek

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):98-104 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8806

Objectives: The impact of air pollution on gastrointestinal diseases remains unclear. This study examines the association between air pollutants and paediatric intussusception incidence. Methods: Using data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), we analysed daily intussusception cases in Seoul (2009-2019). Air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM₁₀), ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and sulphur dioxide (SO₂), were assessed alongside temperature. A generalized linear model with a negative binomial link function evaluated the relationship between each...

Pathogen occurrence and antimicrobial resistance in long-term care units before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: an analysis from a Polish district hospital (2017–2023)

Rafał Kuczma, Szymon Barwiński, Barbara Symula, Katarzyna Jermakow

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):105-110 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8932

Objectives: The study aimed to analyse trends in pathogen occurrence and antimicrobial resistance patterns in two long-term care (LTC) units operating within a Polish district hospital from 2017 to 2023, with a particular focus on changes across the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted using epidemiological and microbiological data from two LTC units (nursing home and inpatient hospice) in Poland. Isolation rates (per 1,000 patient-days) for ESKAPE pathogens and Clostridioides difficile were analysed. The pre-pandemic period (2017-2019) was compared with the pandemic/post-pandemic period (2020-2023) using rate...

Transmission of infectious agents in healthcare settings: a systematic review of healthcare-associated infections

Renata Trajerová, Ladislav Štěpánek

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):111-116 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8870

Objectives: This study aimed to systematically analyse original research publications to provide a comprehensive assessment of the transmission chain of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The review focused on identifying transmission routes, sources of pathogen detection, and the predominant microorganisms detected in healthcare environments. Methods: A systematic review was performed following PRISMA methodology. Relevant studies were searched in PubMed and Scopus databases using predefined keywords. Results: Forty-four original studies published in English between January 2015 and July 2025 were included. Indirect transmission was reported...

Awareness of community about patient safety, medical errors and patient engagement: a cross-sectional study

Emel Filiz

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):117-122 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8463

Objective: Preventable medical errors are recognized as an important public health problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the awareness of adults in the community about patient safety, medical errors and patient participation; and to determine their experiences of medical errors. Methods: Adults older than 18 years living in the Konya city centre in Türkiye were included in the study. The implementation of the questionnaire took approximately two months, and a total of 780 valid questionnaires were obtained. Participants were asked questions about their views and attitudes towards medical errors. In addition, participants' engagement in behaviours...

HIV mortuary surveillance system in Kyiv, Ukraine, July–December 2021

Carlie L. Sulpizio, Roksolana Kulchynska, Violetta Martsynovska, Anna Meteliuk, Lyudmyla Dobrovolska, Nataliia Bugaienko, Irina Andrianova, Petro Kuzyk, Daryna Krenytska, Marianna Azarskova, Nataliya Podolchak, Ezra Barzilay, Hammad Ali

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):123-128 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8708

Objectives: In Ukraine, accurate HIV mortality data are lacking due to limited information on HIV-related deaths. This study focuses on Kyiv to track HIV-related deaths among undiagnosed individuals living with HIV and evaluate HIV programming for cause-of-death identification. Methods: Five mortuaries in Kyiv were selected to participate (July–December 2021) with cadavers from people aged 18+ years. HIV status was determined through serology; patient files were examined for prior diagnosis and treatment. Bivariate analyses were conducted to assess HIV status and select characteristics and chi-square or Fisher's exact tests were used, as appropriate,...

Cytisine for smoking cessation in clinical practice: a retrospective analysis of early outcomes in Türkiye

Feyzanur Erdem, Hatice Rümeysa Selvi, Ayşe Didem Esen, Mahnur Mahdum, Begüm Yildirim Erence, Muhammed Nezir Çetin, Erdoğan Öz, Seçil Arica

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):129-134 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8654

Objectives: Smoking remains a major global public health problem, and pharmacological therapies are central to cessation strategies. Cytisine, a plant-derived alkaloid, has recently been introduced in Türkiye as a smoking cessation aid. This study aimed to evaluate the early effectiveness and cessation outcomes of cytisine in a Turkish population. Methods: This retrospective observational study included 289 patients who were prescribed cytisine at a smoking cessation clinic between March and May 2024. Socio-demographic characteristics, smoking history, nicotine dependence, treatment duration, and smoking cessation outcomes at 1 month and 6 months were...

Examining the psychometric properties of the Czech versions of Illinois Bully Scale

Štěpán Komrska, Alžběta Váňová, Martin Dolejš, Jaroslava Suchá

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):135-140 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8731

Objectives: The main objective of the study was to adapt and verify the psychometric properties of the Illinois Bully Scale (IBS) in Czech adolescents. Methods: The analysis utilized quantitative data from 1,321 respondents, aged 12 to 14 years, who were enrolled in 7th grade of lower secondary or grammar school. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including chi-square tests and Mann-Whitney U tests, were used to examine group differences. Results: The IBS demonstrated strong internal consistency and construct validity across all subscales (Victim: 0.84, Bully: 0.80, Fight: 0.79, total IBS: 0.87). Boys and elementary school students reported significant...

Perceptions of dental amalgam use and regulation among health and science students and academic staff in the Czech Republic: a cross-sectional study

Lenka Vavřičková, Jan Schmidt, Anna Krejčová, Anna Horňáková, Milan Tuček, Martin Kapitán

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):141-148 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8978

Objectives: This study assessed perceptions of health and science students and academic staff regarding the health risks, environmental impact, and regulation of dental amalgam (DA). As DA faces increasing restrictions, understanding the views of students and academic staff is essential for evaluating educational and policy readiness. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was distributed to 1,230 participants in the Czech Republic. The questionnaire explored awareness of mercury exposure from DA, health and environmental concerns, and familiarity with regulations. Responses were statistically compared across disciplines. Results: Overall, 35.8% of respondents...

Correction to: Trends in sexual initiation and contraception use among Czech adolescents between 2002–2022 (vol. 33, pg 255, 2025)

Anna Ševčíková, Vít Suchý, Peter Kolarčik, Lukas Blinka

Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):149-150 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a9122  

We would like to submit the following correction to our recently published paper due to an error in the Table 1.