Central European journal of public health最新文献

{"title":"Association between air pollution and paediatric intestinal intussusception in Seoul, Korea: a time-series regression approach.","authors":"Kiook Baek","doi":"10.21101/cejph.a8806","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21101/cejph.a8806","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The impact of air pollution on gastrointestinal diseases remains unclear. This study examines the association between air pollutants and paediatric intussusception incidence.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>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 pollutant and intussusception incidence, adjusting for long-term trends and seasonality. A distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) examined non-linear cumulative lag effects.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the model without lag and non-linear effects, NO2 was significantly associated with intussusception incidence, while other pollutants and temperature showed no significant associations. DLNM analysis with a 3-day cumulative lag demonstrated a gradual increase in intussusception incidence with rising NO2 levels, with significant rate ratio changes at lag 0 and lag 1 but not at lag 2 or lag 3. Extending the cumulative lag to 2, 4 and 5 days showed progressively decreasing significant intervals.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest a potential link between NO2 exposure and paediatric intussusception. Further studies are needed to clarify underlying mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":9823,"journal":{"name":"Central European journal of public health","volume":"34 2","pages":"98-104"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148435282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cytisine for smoking cessation in clinical practice: a retrospective analysis of early outcomes in Türkiye.","authors":"Feyzanur Erdem, Hatice Rümeysa Selvi, Ayşe Didem Esen, Mahnur Mahdum, Begüm Yildirim Erence, Muhammed Nezir Çetin, Erdoğan Öz, Seçil Arica","doi":"10.21101/cejph.a8654","DOIUrl":"10.21101/cejph.a8654","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>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.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>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 analysed. Smoking cessation status was self-reported. Analyses were conducted using the intention-to-treat principle, with participants lost to follow-up classified as non-quitters.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Cytisine was prescribed according to the national 25-day tapering regimen, and the actual duration of use was recorded. In the intention-to-treat population, smoking cessation was achieved by 42.6% of participants at 1 month and by 39.8% at 6 months. At both follow-up points, participants who quit smoking were younger and had shorter smoking duration and lower cumulative smoking exposure. Higher educational attainment was associated with greater cessation success, whereas sex, marital status, chronic disease, daily cigarette consumption, smoking exposure, previous quit attempts, and baseline nicotine dependence were not. In multivariable analyses, higher educational level independently reduced the likelihood of cessation failure at 1 month (adjusted odds ratio = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.29-0.96), while longer duration of cytisine use was independently associated with greater smoking cessation success at 6 months, with each additional treatment day increasing the odds of cessation by approximately 15.0% (aOR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.10-1.19, p < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Cytisine showed promising early effectiveness as a smoking cessation aid in Türkiye. Treatment adherence appears to be a key determinant of cessation success, supporting its potential role in national smoking cessation programmes.</p>","PeriodicalId":9823,"journal":{"name":"Central European journal of public health","volume":"34 2","pages":"129-134"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148435288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HIV mortuary surveillance system in Kyiv, Ukraine, July-December 2021.","authors":"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","doi":"10.21101/cejph.a8708","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21101/cejph.a8708","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>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.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>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, to assess statistical significance. Multivariable logistic regression explored correlates of HIV.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 1,513 cadavers, 39 (2.6%) tested positive for HIV, among whom, 31 (79.5%) had documentation of an HIV-positive status before death. Overall, medical records for 94% of all 1,513 cadavers did not contain information about HIV status at the time of death.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>HIV testing in cadavers can be used to understand burden of HIV disease; data from clinical record from the deceased can be used to assess morbidity and mortality associated with HIV.</p>","PeriodicalId":9823,"journal":{"name":"Central European journal of public health","volume":"34 2","pages":"123-128"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148435279","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vaccination coverage against COVID-19 among people living with HIV infection in the Czech Republic.","authors":"Lukáš Fleischhans, Barbora Králíčková, Marek Malý, Ladislav Machala, David Jilich","doi":"10.21101/cejph.a8674","DOIUrl":"10.21101/cejph.a8674","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected hundreds of millions of individuals globally. Vaccination has become a promptly effective preventive procedure. People living with HIV (PLHIV) are in increased risk of many infections including COVID-19. We aimed to analyse the first phase of vaccination (January 2021-June 2022) in the Czech Republic in PLHIV focusing on vaccination coverage, vaccine hesitancy and breakthrough infections.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this single-centre, open-label, prospective study we have enrolled 1,758 PLHIV with median age of 42.5 years and median CD4+ T cells count (cluster of differentiation) 800/µL.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Vaccination coverage was 84.7% and first booster dose was received by 71.7% of those who completed vaccination. Only 78 individuals (4.4%) have actively rejected vaccination. The most frequent vaccination scheme (60.3%) was Comirnaty vaccine plus booster of the same vaccine. There was a significant difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in age, CD4+ count, CD4/CD8 ratio, virological suppression on antiretroviral therapy (ART) duration of HIV and level of education (p < 0.001). Prevalence of breakthrough infection was seen in 21.4%. There was no significant difference among individual vaccines (p = 0.715). Individuals with breakthrough infections were statistically younger (p = 0.001) with some risk factors in 25.1%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this prospective study we have seen higher vaccination coverage against COVID-19 in PLHIV in the Czech Republic in comparison with the general Czech population. Hesitancy, resulting in rejection of vaccination, was lower in our cohort as regards affinity to the HIV clinic, and breakthrough infections were noticed and occurred particularly in younger age groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":9823,"journal":{"name":"Central European journal of public health","volume":"34 1","pages":"16-21"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147670738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlation between waist-to-height ratio and other anthropometric indices in the Bosnian elderly.","authors":"Asija Začiragić, Amela Dervišević, Orhan Lepara, Amila Huremović, Amina Valjevac","doi":"10.21101/cejph.a8533","DOIUrl":"10.21101/cejph.a8533","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The objective of the present study was to explore whether gender differences exist in waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) values and to assess the correlation between WtHR and other obesity indicators after categorising older adults of Bosnian descent based on the presence or absence of abdominal obesity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study included 151 inhabitants of the Geriatric Centre in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, aged 65 years and older (66 males and 85 females). Anthropometric indices and blood pressure values were measured by standard methods. WtHR was calculated using the following formula: waist circumference (WC) (cm)/height (cm). Differences between compared groups were analysed using the Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test or chi-square test. Correlations were assessed by Spearman's or Pearson's test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Females had significantly higher WtHR values compared to males. Significant positive correlation was determined between WtHR and body mass index (BMI), WC, hip circumference (HC), neck circumference (NC), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), calf circumference (CC), and the weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) in both male and female elderly individuals. In elderly participants with abdominal obesity, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between WtHR and all of the tested anthropometric indices. Amongst elderly participants without abdominal obesity, a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between WtHR and BMI, WC, MUAC, and the WWI. However, no statistically significant correlations were observed between WtHR and HC, NC or CC in elderly participants without abdominal obesity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results of this study imply that WtHR is a valid parameter for assessing abdominal obesity in elderly individuals. The observed WtHR values indicate that women are at greater health risk than men. Given the high prevalence of sarcopenic obesity in older adults and the demonstrated limitations of BMI, we propose that WtHR should be incorporated into routine clinical practice for obesity assessment in this age group.</p>","PeriodicalId":9823,"journal":{"name":"Central European journal of public health","volume":"34 1","pages":"47-52"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147670895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unusual occurrence of temporo-spatial cluster of human prion disease in northern part of central Slovakia.","authors":"Pavol Skáčik, Štefan Sivák, Egon Kurča","doi":"10.21101/cejph.a8670","DOIUrl":"10.21101/cejph.a8670","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Clusters of human prion diseases have been reported in several endemic regions, notably in Slovakia, Italy, Chile, and Israel, predominantly linked to genetic forms (E200K mutation). Isolated temporo-spatial clusters that include sporadic forms are rarely documented and remain poorly understood. This report describes a unique cluster of prionopathies observed in northern central Slovakia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Between July 2021 and March 2022, three definitive cases of prion disease were identified in two neighbouring rural villages, Pribovce and Rakovo, in the Martin District of Slovakia. The villages, located within a radius of approximately three kilometres, have a combined population of 1,468. Clinical records, epidemiological data, and neuropathological findings were reviewed in all cases.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The cluster included one genetic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (gCJD) with the PRNP E200K mutation and M/M genotype at codon 129; one sporadic CJD (sCJD); and one sporadic fatal familial insomnia (sFFI), the first such case reported in Slovakia. The cases occurred sequentially within a ten-month interval. No familial, environmental, or iatrogenic links were identified.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The coexistence of distinct prionopathies in such a confined population and period is exceptional. Despite comprehensive investigation, no explanatory factor was found, and this cluster likely represents a chance occurrence of epidemiological interest. The finding underscores the importance of systematic neuropathological confirmation, molecular testing, and regional surveillance in prion disease monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":9823,"journal":{"name":"Central European journal of public health","volume":"34 1","pages":"67-68"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147670600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Human health risk assessment of trihalomethanes in outdoor swimming pool waters in Montenegro.","authors":"Dijana Đurović, Nevena Cupara, Irena Nikolić, Milena Tadić, Jelka Vuković","doi":"10.21101/cejph.a8555","DOIUrl":"10.21101/cejph.a8555","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This paper deals with the characterization of outdoor swimming pool waters to study the occurrence of trihalomethanes (THMs) and to assess the health risk of THMs exposure for three population groups (male, female, and children). The concentration of total THMs and individual species (chloroform, bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane (DBCM), and bromoform) were monitored during the seven months of 2022 in outdoor swimming pools in the coastal area of Montenegro.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 73 water samples from outdoor swimming pools were collected and tested for the content of THMs using an Agilent 7890 A GC. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks of total THMs and each species were assessed through lifetime cancer risk (CR) and hazard index (HI), respectively. Health risk assessment was assessed through the oral and dermal exposure pathways.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The concentration of total THMs in investigated water samples ranged between 0.19 and 237.18 μg/L when 26% of tested water samples had values above the maximal permitted value (100 μg/L) established by Montenegrin legislation. Chloroform concentration was in a range of 1.13-217.16 μg/L, while contents of BDCM and DBCM were in a range of 1.01-29.43 μg/L and 0.18-16.19 μg/L, respectively. Calculated values of dermal CR were higher than 10^-⁶, thus CR values of total THMs exposure were higher than 10^-⁶ for all population groups. On the other hand, CR via ingestion values were meagre, HI values of total THMs exposure for three population groups were calculated to be below 1.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There is no non-carcinogenic risk for the children population while male and female populations were faced with non-carcinogenic health risk of total THMs exposure. On the other hand, all investigated population groups were faced with unacceptable cancer health risks and dermal contact was recognized as the main exposure route for all investigated populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":9823,"journal":{"name":"Central European journal of public health","volume":"34 1","pages":"33-39"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147670947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Atherosclerosis and dementia development: an epidemiological case-control study.","authors":"Veronika Koutná, Ladislav Štěpánek, Martina Kovalová, Ondřej Machaczka, Petr Ambroz, Anna Zatloukalová, Eva Mrázková, Michal Bar, Martin Roubec, Petra Bártová, Richard Novobilský, Martin Sabela, Pavlína Kušnierová, David Stejskal, Lucie Faldynová, Sylwia Walczysková, Lukáš Školoudík, Libor Šimůnek, Petra Šolínová, David Školoudík, Jana Janoutová, Vladimír Janout","doi":"10.21101/cejph.a8574","DOIUrl":"10.21101/cejph.a8574","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>With increasing life expectancy, the prevalence of atherosclerosis and dementia is expected to rise in the future and as such represents a public health threat. This study focused on analysis of atherosclerosis risk factors and the protective factors of leisure-time activities in the development of dementia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The sample comprised 1,298 participants that were selected from university hospitals and outpatient clinics between 2019-2023. All participants completed a questionnaire and medical data were obtained. We used logistic regression to identify dementia risk factors and we also compared the leisure-time protective factors between four groups based on the presence of atherosclerosis and/or dementia.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Hypercholesterolemia (aOR = 3.25, p > 0.001), stroke (aOR = 1.43, p = 0.015), and carotid stenosis (aOR = 2.23, p > 0.001) were significantly associated with risk of dementia whereas age (aOR = 0.93, p < 0.001) and female gender (aOR = 0.70, p = 0.012) were negatively associated. The model of these factors demonstrated moderate discriminatory ability of AUC 0.737 (95% CI: 0.702-0.769). Higher education levels and regular cognitive and physical activities such as reading and exercise had positive effects against dementia.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings accentuate the importance of cardiovascular health in reducing risk of dementia. Preventive strategies targeting hypercholesterolemia, carotid stenosis and inactivity, along with promotion of cognitive engagement and education, could substantially reduce the global burden of dementia.</p>","PeriodicalId":9823,"journal":{"name":"Central European journal of public health","volume":"34 1","pages":"53-58"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147670861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors influencing attitudes toward vaccination in general and against COVID-19 among family medicine patients with and without chronic disease in Croatia.","authors":"Vedrana Tudor Špalj, Branislava Popović, Nives Radošević Quadranti, Gordana Mičetić Balog, Zoran Adžić","doi":"10.21101/cejph.a8477","DOIUrl":"10.21101/cejph.a8477","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The aim of the study was to analyse the attitudes and decisions regarding vaccination in general and against COVID-19 among general practitioner (GP) patients in Croatia, and to identify influencing factors, with particular attention to chronic conditions and anxiety.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 184 patients (stratified by sex and presence of chronic disease) from a GP's offices, aged 18-87 years (average 50.3 ± 1.3 years, 49.5% women) were included. Data were collected using a questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Attitudes toward vaccination in general did not differ between patients with and without chronic diseases and were not influenced by anxiety. Chronically ill patients were more likely than those without chronic disease to believe in the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine and to express fear of contracting SARS-CoV-2 (p ≤ 0.003). Anxiety was associated with fear of infection (p < 0.001), but not with confidence in vaccine safety or efficacy. After controlling for sex, age, education, chronic illness, anxiety, and knowing someone infected and hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2, factors associated with the decision to be vaccinated against COVID-19 were absence of prior infection (OR = 3.9, 95% CI: 1.6-9.5, p = 0.003), history of influenza vaccination (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.4-10.4, p = 0.009), and knowing someone who had died from COVID-19 (OR = 3.2, 95% CI: 1.1-9.7, p = 0.037).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The decision to vaccinate against COVID-19 was associated with absence of prior infection, knowing someone who died from the disease, and prior influenza vaccination, but not with chronic illness, anxiety, or socio-demographic factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":9823,"journal":{"name":"Central European journal of public health","volume":"34 1","pages":"9-15"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147670909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Early diagnosis and risk groups: comorbidities in newly diagnosed adults with HIV in Turkey.","authors":"Şemsi Nur Karabela, Fatma Bayrak Erdem, Esra Canbolat Ünlü, Beyza Kaplan Yapar, Sevtap Şenoğlu, Habip Gedik, Kadriye Kart Yaşar","doi":"10.21101/cejph.a8538","DOIUrl":"10.21101/cejph.a8538","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to identify factors contributing to the early diagnosis of HIV in Turkey, with a particular focus on high-risk populations, comorbid conditions, and temporal trends. It also evaluated whether initial clinical findings could inform the expansion of screening strategies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1,703 individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who attended our clinic between 2004 and 2023. Patients were grouped into five-year intervals and assessed based on demographic characteristics, reasons for testing, and reported comorbidities.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the participants, 90.3% were males, with a mean age of 36.6 years. Of those who disclosed their sexual orientation, 46.8% identified as heterosexual. Common comorbidities included anal region disorders, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, diabetes, and syphilis. HBsAg positivity was 5%, and anti-HCV positivity was 0.86%. Nearly half of the patients (48.6%) were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis. Physician-initiated testing and routine screenings played a significant role in early detection.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Early diagnosis of HIV is essential for reducing transmission and improving patient outcomes. Screening programmes should be expanded to include not only high-risk groups but also sexually active individuals presenting with relevant clinical symptoms. Public health efforts must address stigma and improve access to HIV testing to optimize early detection and treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":9823,"journal":{"name":"Central European journal of public health","volume":"34 1","pages":"22-27"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147670900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}