1. Perceived psychological consequences of multiple overlapping crises in Slovenia : findings from a qualitative studyEva Sedlašek, Meta Lavrič, Lucia Rojs, Polonca Borko, Vita Poštuvan, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Background Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, people in Slovenia have faced a series of overlapping crises at both global and national levels, including the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, rising economic costs, and major natural disasters. Although extensive quantitative research has examined pandemic-related mental health outcomes, comparatively little is known about how individuals subjectively perceive multiple overlapping crises, given the cumulative and interactive nature of contemporary crises – situations in which crises across multiple systems become causally entangled and mutually amplify their effects. This study aimed to explore the perceived psychological consequences of multiple overlapping crises among adults in Slovenia, guided by the polycrisis framework. Methods Using a qualitative research design based on Constructivist Grounded Theory, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews between June and November 2023 with 24 participants (16 women, 8 men; mean age 49 years, range 21–76). Interviews were audio-recorded, manually transcribed, and analyzed using ATLAS.ti 24 software. Analysis involved initial and focused coding, constant comparison, and analytic memo-writing, continuing until theoretical saturation was reached. A total of 274 quotations were coded into 16 final codes. Results Three analytical categories of perceived psychological consequences emerged: duration (short-term vs. long-term), valence (positive vs. negative), and level of impact (individual vs. societal). Short-term consequences were predominantly individual-level experiences tied to the acute pandemic period, including negative outcomes (e.g., stress, mental health decline, social polarization) and positive outcomes (e.g., increased time with close ones, time in nature, reduced pressure). Positive long-term consequences included closer relationships and increased gratitude; negative ones included a reduced sense of safety, distrust in authorities, weaker social ties, and a perceived decline in social cohesion. Conclusions Based on the analytical findings, we developed the Fortress Wall Model of Psychological Adaptation to Crisis, which conceptualizes the experience of compounding crises as a dynamic, phased psychological process. The findings underscore the need to address people’s emotional experiences during acute crisis phases and to maintain monitoring and support of psychological well-being beyond the acute period, as negative consequences – particularly heightened uncertainty, distrust, and a diminished sense of safety – persist long after crises subside and are intensified by subsequent stressors.
Ključne besede: polycrisis, psychological, consequences, qualitative research, Grounded theory, Slovenia
Objavljeno v RUP: 01.09.2026; Ogledov: 531; Prenosov: 10
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2. Experiences and perceptions of patients participating in prehabilitation and early rehabilitation for hip and knee arthroplasty : a systematic review and narrative synthesis of qualitative evidenceManca Zupančič Opara, Žiga Kozinc, Stefan Loefler, Karl Miedler, Nejc Šarabon, 2026, pregledni znanstveni članek Opis: Objective: To synthesize qualitative evidence on patients’ experiences and perceptions of prehabilitation and early rehabilitation in the context of hip and knee arthroplasty. Methods: A systematic review was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, with the databases searched from inception to March 2026. Eligible studies included individuals referred for or undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty and reporting qualitative data on experiences with prehabilitation or early rehabilitation. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened by one reviewer and independently checked by a second reviewer, while data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme qualitative checklist. Findings were synthesized using a primarily descriptive narrative approach with thematic organization into facilitators and barriers; a formal qualitative meta-synthesis was not conducted. The review protocol was not registered. Results: Twelve studies were included: 11 focused on prehabilitation and two on early postoperative rehabilitation. The included studies involved patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, or both procedures. Patient experiences were grouped into five thematic domains: symptoms and physical condition, understanding and information, behavior, psychological well-being, and intervention delivery. Reported facilitators included improved symptoms and physical function, greater understanding and preparedness for surgery, better pain coping, improved psychological well-being, and positive experiences with different delivery formats. Reported barriers included increased pain, information overload, language barriers, limited individualization, restricted interaction, and varying delivery preferences. The evidence base was heterogeneous in terms of intervention content, delivery mode, patient populations, and depth of qualitative reporting. Conclusion: Prehabilitation and early rehabilitation were generally perceived positively, but several barriers were identified. The findings highlight the importance of symptom monitoring, individualized exercise prescription, clear tailored education, and flexible delivery formats. However, the findings should be interpreted cautiously because the synthesis was primarily descriptive, the included studies were heterogeneous, and the evidence was substantially stronger for prehabilitation than for early rehabilitation.
Ključne besede: prehabilitation, early rehabilitation, hip arthroplasty, knee arthroplasty, patient experience, qualitative research
Objavljeno v RUP: 30.08.2026; Ogledov: 476; Prenosov: 5
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4. Health and well-being of military nurses in high-reliability, high-stress environments : a qualitative study in the slovenian armed forcesZlatko Kvržić, Mirko Prosen, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Aim: To investigate how female military nurses experience high-reliability, high-stress environments and how these conditionsshape their well-being.Background: Military nursing involves complex demands that extend beyond clinical care, including dual professional roles,operational unpredictability, and gendered expectations. These pressures can undermine physical, psychological, and social well-being, yet the lived experiences of military nurses, particularly women, remain underexplored.Design: A qualitative descriptive design was used.Methods: Ten female military nurses were recruited through purposive sampling and interviewed individually in semi-structuredonline interviews. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured through reflexive coding,an audit trail, and adherence to COREQ guidelines.Results: Five overarching categories captured the factors shaping well-being: organisational and structural demands; high-stressoperational environments; emotional and psychological burden; coping and resilience; and gendered identity and work–familybalance. Participants described constrained autonomy, communication gaps, and role ambiguity within hierarchical structures.Psychological pressures were heightened by moral tensions, responsibility for colleagues, and expectations of emotional control.Coping relied mainly on informal peer support, as formal services were rarely used due to stigma. Gendered norms and familyresponsibilities further influenced well-being and career decisions.Conclusion: Military nurse well-being is shaped less by individual resilience and more by organisational culture, operationaldemands, and gendered expectations. Addressing these systemic factors is essential for sustaining the military nursing workforce.Implication for Nursing: Strengthening leadership support, communication, psychological safety, and professional autonomymay improve working conditions and support nurses’ well-being in demanding operational contexts.Implications for Health Policy: Policies should promote supportive organisational cultures, reduce stigma around help-seeking,and facilitate work–family reconciliation to sustain and retain the military nursing workforce.
Ključne besede: military medicine, occupational health, psychological stress, qualitative research, work–family conflict, work environment
Objavljeno v RUP: 17.04.2026; Ogledov: 868; Prenosov: 18
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5. Experiences and perceptions of a 12-week combined exercise and dietary supplement program for individuals with knee osteoarthritis : a qualitative focus group studyTina Čeh, Jernej Završnik, Nejc Šarabon, Mirko Prosen, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Background Exercise program and dietary supplements are commonly used in the conservative management of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and have both been shown to reduce pain and improve physical function. Combining these approaches may offer additive benefits or introduce specific adherence challenges from the patient perspective. The combination of structured exercise with dietary supplements remains underexplored, especially through qualitative approaches. This study aims to investigate the lived experiences, perceived benefits, challenges, and motivational factors among participants of a targeted exercise program combined with dietary supplementation. Methods A qualitative study design with three focus group was used to explore participants overall experiences, motivational factors, and barriers to participation immediately after program. The sample included 16 older adults with KOA (Kellgren–Lawrence grade 1–3, 14 women and 2 men). Two moderators facilitated each focus group using topic guide. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results Six main themes were identified: (1) recognized effects of exercise, (2) motivators and barriers to exercise, (3) group exercise and its impact on daily life, (4) recognized health care limitations, (5) experiences and practices of dietary supplement use, and (6) perspectives on program continuation and expansion. Conclusions Participants’ experiences with the combined exercise and dietary supplementation program for KOA highlighted the importance of social support, professional guidance, and self-motivation. Barriers included physical limitations, time constraints, and psychological challenges, while reported benefits included reduced pain, improved mood, and enhanced social engagement. Participants’ tendency to perceive exercise and supplementation as separate components indicates that, in practice, combined interventions may function as parallel rather than integrated strategies unless explicitly framed and supported as a unified approach
Ključne besede: knee osteoarthritis, exercise program, dietary supplements, qualitative study, physical rehabilitation, patient experience, motivation
Objavljeno v RUP: 21.02.2026; Ogledov: 906; Prenosov: 4
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6. Qualitative control learning can be much faster than reinforcement learningDomen Šoberl, Ivan Bratko, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Reinforcement learning has emerged as a prominent method for controlling dynamic systems in the absence of a precise mathematical model. However, its reliance on extensive interactions with the environment often leads to prolonged training periods. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach to learning control policies that focuses on learning qualitative models and uses symbolic planning to derive a qualitative plan for the control task, which is executed by an adaptive reactive controller. We conduct experiments utilizing our approach on the cart-pole problem, a standard benchmark in dynamic system control. We additionally extend this problem domain to include uneven terrains, such as driving over craters or hills, to assess the robustness of learned controllers. Our results indicate that qualitative learning offers significant advantages over reinforcement learning in terms of sample efficiency, transferability, and interpretability. We demonstrate that our proposed approach is at least two orders of magnitude more sample efficient in the cart-pole domain than the usual variants of reinforcement learning.
Ključne besede: qualitative modeling, qualitative reasoning, qualitative control, transfer learning
Objavljeno v RUP: 07.08.2025; Ogledov: 1416; Prenosov: 85
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8. The valorisation of olive mill wastewater from Slovenian Istria by Fe[sub]3O[sub]4 particles to recover polyphenolic compounds for the chemical specialties sectorKelly Peeters, Ana Miklavčič Višnjevec, Esakkiammal Sudha Esakkimuthu, Matthew Schwarzkopf, Črtomir Tavzes, 2021, izvirni znanstveni članek Ključne besede: polyphenolic compounds, olive mill wastewater, extraction techniques, Fe3O4 particles, magnetic collection, adsorption and desorption, quantitative and qualitative analysis
Objavljeno v RUP: 24.11.2021; Ogledov: 3630; Prenosov: 65
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