Our findings indicate that multiple factors are adversely associated with students' HRQoL. Appropriate health education programs to target modifiable risk factors may improve students' HRQoL.

Background/Aim. Around 30% of university students have chronic diseases and/or special care needs. As future taskforce in various job sectors will be drawn from current university student population, it is essential that their healthrelated problems are recognized and properly managed. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence and patterns of chronic diseases in the university student population and to assess their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods. A total of 1,624 Belgrade University students were recruited from April to June 2009 at the Student Public Health Center. The students filled in sociodemographic and behavioral questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the SF-36 questionnaire. Data on chronic diseases were self-reported and thereafter validated in medical records. The impact of chronic diseases on HRQoL was evaluated through series of linear regression models. Results. The prevalence of chronic diseases was 16.5%. The most common chronic diseases were asthma and chronic bronchitis (4.2% and 3.1%, respectively). All SF-36 domains, both composite and total scores were lower compared to healthy students (p < 0.001). Females with chronic diseases reported all eight HRQoL domains as worse, whilst males with chronic diseases reported some HRQoL domains as worse. After adjustment, having chronic diseases remained significantly associated with worse HRQoL [beta (β)-5.69; 95% confidence interval (CI)-8.09,-3.28]. Conclusion. To meet the needs of university students, the health care service should provide support in prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.

Objective: To identify the intensity of COVID-19 symptoms during the on-going epidemic wave (July-September 2021) and explore factors associated with having moderate and severe symptoms of COVID-19 in the population of the affected students from the University of Belgrade. Material and Methods: This study was carried out at the Institute for Students’ Health (ISH) in Belgrade, Serbia. The ISH is the referral institution for health care delivery at primary and secondary levels. This analysis includes the students who presented in ISH from July 1 until September 30, 2021, when the latest epidemic wave of COVID-19 was observed among university students. Data were extracted from students’ electronic medical records. Three levels of COVID-19 symptom intensity were defined: mild, moderate and severe. Results: Of students seeking medical care at the ISH who were diagnosed with COVID-19, 27.3% had mild disease and the majority, 59.3%, had moderate disease. A total of 13.4% had severe symptoms. Of all students, 124 (21.8%) were fully vaccinated (with 2 doses) with either Sinopharm (81, 60.9%), Pfizer-BioNTech (38, 28.6%), Sputnik V (7, 5.3%) or Oxford-AstraZeneca (7, 5.3%). The multiple multinomial regression model suggests that students who were vaccinated against COVID-19 were 78% less likely to develop moderate symptoms and 96% less likely to develop severe symptoms of COVID-19. Conclusion: Students who were vaccinated against COVID-19 are at lower risk of developing moderate and severe symptoms of the disease.

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