Editor-in-Chief

Prof. Jerneja Farkaš Lainščak, PhD
Editor-in-Chief of the Slovenian Journal of Public Health (2025–present), National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

Assistant Professor of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana and University of Maribor
Clinical Epidemiologist, General Hospital Murska Sobota
Reviewer for prominent public health journals
Head, Research Department, General Hospital Murska Sobota (2017–present)
Deputy Head, School of Public Health Centre, National Institute of Public Health (2023–present)
Former State Secretary, Ministry of Health, Slovenia (2020)
Coordinator, Slovenian Network of Health Promoting Hospitals (2011–2014); Member, International Network of Health Promoting Hospitals Governance Board (2014–2019)
Research focus in clinical epidemiology, prevention of noncommunicable diseases, hospital health promotion, population-level health interventions
May 2025 over 80 scientific publications (2000–2025), 730 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 14
Recipient of DAAD scholarship, Pomurje Research Award, Prešeren’s Award, Krka’s Award, and Medical Achievement of the Year 2018 for early detection of heart failure
Recognized for leadership in public health research, hospital health promotion, and preventive healthcare initiatives

Editors

Prof. Rado Pišot, PhD
Director, Science and Research Centre Koper (ZRS Koper), Slovenia
Full Professor of Kinesiology, University of Maribor; Euro-Mediterranean University; AMEU
Founder and former Head, Institute for Kinesiology Research (IKARUS 20023 - 2013) at ZRS Koper
First Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Primorska (2003–2007)
Vice-Rector for Research and Development, University of Primorska (2007–2011)
Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health and reviewer for several international journals in kinesiology and sports science
Research focus in motor development and learning, skeletal muscle diagnostics, adaptive capacities of the musculoskeletal system, applied innovations in healthcare
Principal Investigator of national and international projects including PANGEA – Physical Activity and Nutrition for Great Ageing; WADA’s insulin detection in athletes; BEDREST – research program in space physiology research
May 2025 over 350 scientific publications (2000–2025), 4,624 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 29
Honorary Senator, University of Primorska; Honorary Invited Professor, University of Zagreb
Recipient of Bloudek Plaque Award, Alfonso Borelli International award for scientific contribution to the field of space physiology, University of Naples, Italy; and multiple national and international honors for contributions to kinesiology and sports development

Prof. Genc Burazeri, PhD
Full Professor of Epidemiology and Research Methods, University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania
Visiting Lecturer, Department of International Health, CAPHRI, Maastricht University, The Netherlands Editor, Journal of Global, Public and One Health alongside Ulrich Laaser; Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health; reviewer for multiple public health journals
Research focus in epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, physical activity, and metabolic disorders
May 2025 over 100 scientific publications (2000–2025), with 7,440 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 25

Prof. Gregor Štiglic, PhD
Full Professor of Computer Science and Vice Dean for Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor, Slovenia
Honorary Fellow, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Head, Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor (since 2013)
Co-founder, Bioinformatics Master’s Program, FHS UM
Board Member, Slovenian AI Society and Slovenian Medical Informatics Association
Executive Editor, Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (Elsevier); Associate Editor, Big Data (Mary Ann Liebert); Editorial Board Member, BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, PLoS ONE, Journal of Healthcare Informatics Research, Slovenian Journal of Public Health
Visiting positions at Stanford University (2013), Temple University (2012), University of Edinburgh (2019)
Co-organizer of workshops at SIAM SDM and AMIA conferences (2013–2016); Program Chair, Analytics Track, IEEE International Conference on Healthcare Informatics (2016)
Invited speaker at leading research institutions including IBM T.J. Watson Research Center and Stanford University
Research focus in machine learning in healthcare analytics, bioinformatics, classifier interpretability, human-interaction classification, feature selection stability, meta-learning, longitudinal rule discovery May 2025 over 200 publications (2000–2025), 1,956 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 22

Prof. Borut Jug, PhD
Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Head, Department of Vascular Medicine, University Medical Centre Ljubljana
National coordinator, Slovenian Cardiac Rehabilitation Network
Co-Chair, Preventive Cardiology Working Group, Slovenian Society of Cardiology
Member, Organizing and Scientific Committees, Slovenian Cardiology Society’s Contemporary Cardiology conferences (2022–2023)
Fellow, European Society of Cardiology
Principal Investigator on research projects funded by Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency and Ministry of Health
Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health; reviewer for many cardiovascular medicine journals
External Advisory Board Member, SmartCHANGE, providing strategic guidance on machine learning applications in non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
Collaborations, Research partnerships with institutions like the University of Ljubljana’s Faculty of Medicine
Invited speaker at national and international cardiovascular conferences
Research focus in cardiovascular medicine, preventive cardiology, outcomes research, cardiovascular epidemiology, and clinical research in NCDs, integration of machine learning in healthcare research through advisory roles May 2025 over 95 scientific publications (2000–2025), 2,664 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 21
Member, European Society of Cardiology

Prof. Ksenija Rener Sitar, PhD
Full Professor of Prosthetic Dentistry and Chair, Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana
Senior Specialist for Prosthetic Dentistry, University Medical Centre Ljubljana
Prosthodontist, Orofacial Pain Specialist, American Board of Orofacial Pain, USA
Past President, Slovenian Prosthodontic Association
Editorial Board Member, BMC Oral Health (2018-2020), Slovenian Journal of Public Health, Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice (2019-2021), Journal of Oral & Facial Pain and Headache (from 2024); Reviewer for multiple dental and prosthetic journals
Research focus in prosthetic dentistry, orofacial pain, oral rehabilitation, digital/CAD-CAM prosthetics, temporomandibular disorders, complex prosthetic cases
May 2025 over 60 publications (2000–2025), 1,075 citations (2015–2025), h-index 17

Prof. Mitja Kos, PhD
Head, Department of Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Full Professor of Social Pharmacy and Head of nationally recognized reference centre for pharmacoeconomics, pharmacoepidemiology, and evidence-based pharmacy practice
Chair, Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE); Honorary Life Member of PCNE and International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF)
Member, Health Council, Ministry of Health of Slovenia; expert in clinical trials evaluation and drug pricing at the Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices of Slovenia
Guest Editor, Slovenian Pharmaceutical Society’s journal special issue on Digital Transformation in Pharmacy; Editorial Board Member of Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, Farmacevtski vestnik, and the Slovenian Journal of Public Health; reviewer for scientific journals and European Commission projects
Research focus in pharmacoeconomics, pharmacoepidemiology, evidence-based pharmacy, digital health innovations including clinical decision support systems, mHealth, and AI in pharmacy
May 2025 over 120 scientific publications (2000–2025), 980 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 17
Recipient of Minařik Recognition Award from the Slovenian Pharmaceutical Society

Prof. Brigita Skela Savič, PhD
Professor of Research Methodology and Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare
Management Science at Angela Boškin Faculty of Health Care (ABFHC) and Contract Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Full Professor and Research Councillor at ABFHC since its establishment and Past dean of ABFHC (2006-2017)
Researcher and project leader in professionalization of nursing, advanced competency development in nursing and human resources development in the health care sector
Member of the Board of Directors at the International Council of Nurses (ICN, 2017-2021) and member of the Advisory Board at the European Federation of Nurse Educators (FINE) (2020-2024).
Editor in Chief of the Slovenian Nursing Review (2013-2018)
Editorial Board Member, Nurse Education Today and Slovenian Journal of Public Health; reviewer for multiple nursing journals
Research focus in professionalization of nursing, interprofessional collaboration, healthcare workforce, human resources development in the health care sector, competency models, structural barriers to advanced nursing education
May 2025 over 300 scientific publications (2000–2025), 754 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 16
Recognized for critical discourse analysis of nursing’s role in Slovenia’s healthcare system and leadership in national and international nursing projects; active public presence in healthcare system reform debates
Awards for leading projects at national and international levels (e.g., collaboration with ICN)

Prof. Valentina Prevolnik Rupel, PhD
Minister of Health, Government of Slovenia (since October 2023)
Former State Secretary, Ministry of Health (July–October 2023)
Senior Researcher, Institute for Economic Research (1994–2023); President, Scientific Council, IER
Member, Strategic Council for Health under the Prime Minister
Lecturer, DOBA Faculty of Applied Business and Social Studies
Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health and PharmacoEconomics; reviewer for multiple health economics and policy journals
Research focus in health economics and policy, health outcomes, quality indicators, value-based care, financing, insurance, and health technology assessment
May 2025 over 80 scientific publications (2000–2025), 801 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 16

Prof. Mateja Krajc, PhD
Assistant Professor of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Slovenia
Head, Department of Clinical Cancer Genetics and MDT for Hereditary Cancers, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana
National Coordinator, ERN GENTURIS (European Reference Network for Genetic Tumour Risk Syndromes)
Lecturer at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, and University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences
Editorial Board Member, European Journal of Medical Genetics and Slovenian Journal of Public Health; reviewer for oncological journals
Research focus in genetic epidemiology and clinical cancer genetics, hereditary cancer syndromes (e.g., Li-Fraumeni syndrome), personalized cancer prevention, integration of genetics into treatment planning
May 2025 over 90 scientific publications (2000–2025), 1,228 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 16
Active in clinical research and real-world data analysis, recognized internationally for leadership in hereditary cancer genetics

Prof. Ivan Eržen, PhD
Scientific Director, National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia
Full Professor of Public Health, University of Ljubljana and University of Maribor, Faculty of Medicine
Former Director, National Institute of Public Health (2013–2018)
Former State Secretary, Ministry of Health (2008–2012)
Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health; reviewer for multiple public health journals Contributor to high-impact journals including Environment International and American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Research focus in environmental health (air pollution, heavy metals, pesticides), chronic disease epidemiology (cardiovascular, respiratory, occupational hazards), public health policy (COVID-19 mortality, behavioral risks, healthcare system evaluations)
May 2025 over 100 scientific publications (2000–2025), 647 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 13
Recognized for leadership in national environmental health projects and public health policy development

Prof. Andreja Kukec, PhD
Associate Professor of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana
National Expert in Public Health, National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia
Lecturer in Public Health at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in medicine, dental medicine, and other health sciences
Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health; peer reviewer for several environmental health journals
Research focus in environmental health, exposure assessment, environmental health interventions, and methodological approaches in public health
May 2025 over 80 scientific publications (2000–2025), with 647 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 12

Prof. Lijana Zaletel Kragelj, PhD
Full Professor and Head of Chair of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Active contributor to national and international public health strategies, focusing on health promotion and non-communicable diseases
Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health; reviewer for multiple public health journals
Contributor to publications such as the South Eastern European Journal of Public Health
Research focus in public health systems analysis, epidemiology, health promotion, improving population health outcomes, and addressing non-communicable diseases
May 2025 over 160 scientific publications (2000–2025), 387 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 11
Frequently invited speaker at major public health conferences, recognized for expertise in post-pandemic public health strategies

Prof. Tanja Kamin, PhD
Full Professor and Head of Research Centre for Social Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Member, Strategic Council for Nutrition, Government of Slovenia
Principal Investigator on national and international projects on behavioral and social change in health and sustainability
Awarded scholar
Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health, Health Marketing Quarterly (2022–2023), Družboslovne razprave (2013–2020); reviewer for journals in social marketing, health communication, and public health
Research focus in social marketing, critical development of social interventions, health promotion, health communication, empowerment, behavioral change theories, cultural capital’s impact on health, participatory research, and co-creation
May 2025 over 80 scientific publications (2000–2025), 442 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 11

Prof. Tit Albreht, PhD
Assistant Professor of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana and Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor, Slovenia
Head, Centre for Health Care, National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia
President, European Public Health Association (2024-2028)
President, Slovenian Preventive Medicine Society (2016-2022)
Member, Health Council of the Ministry of Health of Slovenia (2002-2018)
Work Package Leader, European Partnership for Action Against Cancer (EPAAC) Joint Action (2011–2014), contributing to the European Guide on National Cancer Control Programmes
Coordinator, EU-funded Joint Action iPAAC (Innovative Partnership for Action Against Cancer) and Joint Actions CraNE (Comprehensive Cancer Centres in the EU) and OriON (National Cancer Control Programmes)
Editorial Board Member, European Journal of Public Health, Central European Journal of Public Health, Slovenian Journal of Public Health, Zdravniški vestnik; and reviewer for many public health scientific journals and European Commission projects
Member, Scientific Committee, European Public Health Association (EUPHA)
Research focus in health systems research, health policy, cancer control, public health epidemiology, preventive medicine
May 2025 over 70 scientific publications (2000–2025), 1,156 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 10

Prof. Marjan Bilban, PhD
Former Head, Centre for Occupational Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2003-2023)
Former Full Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana (2003-2023)
Specialist in occupational, traffic, and sports medicine with extensive experience in work ability assessment and preventive medicine
Member of multiple professional bodies including the Slovenian Association for Occupational, Traffic and Sports Medicine, Slovenian Preventive Medicine Association, International Commission on Occupational Health, and American Academy of Sciences, New York
Member of expert councils on occupational health, road safety, alcohol policy, and environmental protection in Slovenia
Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health
May 2025 over 120 scientific publications (2000–2025), 211 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 9
Recipient of the Hribernik Award (2000) for outstanding contributions to occupational medicine
Research focus in occupational health, work ability evaluation, preventive medicine, public health, environmental health, and health promotion
Recognized for leadership in occupational medicine and public health education in Slovenia

Prof. Sara Atanasova, PhD
Assistant Professor, Centre for Methodology and Informatics, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Active researcher in studying the impact of information and communication technologies on various social aspects of health and healthcare
Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health, European Journal of Health Communication; reviewer for journals in health informatics, digital health literacy, social science methodology, health communication
Research focus in e-health literacy, vaccine literacy, empowerment theory, social science methodology and impact of digital technologies on healthcare practices and patient-provider relationships, online health information seeking behavior
May 2025 over 20 scientific publications (2000–2025), 250 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 7

Mitja Vrdelja, PhD
Head, Communication Centre, National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia
Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health
Research focus in public relations, communications, health behavior and behavior change, health communication, health literacy
May 2025 over 30 scientific publications (2000–2025), 187 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 5

Prof. Matic Mihevc, PhD
Assistant Professor at the Medical Faculty University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Family Medicine Specialist at the Community Health Centre Trebnje, Slovenia
Researcher at the Medical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, National Institute of Public Health, and Primary Healthcare Research and Development Institute, Community Health Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia
Research focus in primary care, integrated care, hybrid care, chronic disease management, cardiovascular disease, and sustainability
May 2026 over 25 scientific publications (2000–2025), 84 citations in the last 10 years (2016–2026), h-index 6

Zoran Simonović, MD
Head, Regional Unit Maribor, National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia
Specialist in public health with leadership role in regional public health management
Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health
Research focus in infectious prevention and control, epidemiology, health promotion and public health policy in Slovenia, vaccine preventable disease and coordination of vaccination, AMR (anti microbial resistance) and AMC (antimicrobial consumption), travel medicine
May 2025 over 20 scientific publications (2000–2025), 71 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 4

Matej Vinko, PhD
Head, Mental Health Centre, National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia
Head, National Mental Health Programme 2018–2028
Editor-in-Chief, Javno zdravje; Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health
Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana
Research focus in mental health epidemiology, public mental health policy, public health workforce development
May 2025 over 25 scientific publications (2000–2025), 96 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 3
Recognized for leadership in national mental health strategy and international collaboration

Rok Poličnik, PhD
Researcher in Public Health Nutrition, National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia
Editorial Board Member, Slovenian Journal of Public Health
Research focus in health promotion and public health nutrition activities, including research related to dietary habits and nutrition among Slovenian adolescents
May 2025 over 20 scientific publications (2000–2025), 16 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 3

Editorial Advisor

Prof. Igor Švab, PhD
Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Full Professor and Founding Head, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana
Former President, WONCA Europe (2004–2010)
Former Editor-in-Chief, Slovenian Journal of Public Health (2003-2024); European Journal of General Practice
Member, Slovenian and Croatian Academy of Medical Sciences; European Academy of Sciences and Arts
Honorary Member, Royal College of General Practitioners (UK); WONCA World Fellow
Research focus in family medicine, general practice development, geriatric medicine, cardiology, medical ethics, education, and public health services organization in the era of big data and genomics
Coordinator of international family medicine development projects, especially in Southeast Europe
May 2025 over 170 scientific publications (2000–2025), 2085 citations in the last 10 years (2015–2025), h-index 21
Recognized for leadership in family medicine nationally and internationally and contributions to medical ethics and health education

Associate Editors

Prof. Birgit Babitsch, PhD, Universität Osnabrück, Germany
Prof. Jadranka Božikov, PhD, Institute of Public Health Dr. Andrija Štampar, Zagreb, Croatia
Prof. Niek Klazinga, PhD, University of Amsterdam, Department of Social Medicine, the Netherlands
Prof. Jan de Maeseneer, PhD, University of Ghent, Belgium
Prof. Reinhard Burger, PhD, Robert Koch Institute, Germany
Prof. Björn Hibell, PhD, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Sweden
Prof. David M. Salisbury, PhD, Immunisation Department of Health, London, UK
Prof. Debbie Tolson, PhD, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK
Prof. John E. Morley, PhD, Saint Louis University, USA
Prof. Josep Figueras, PhD, WHO European Centre on Health Policy, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Belgium
Prof. Lynne Friedli, PhD, Mental Health Promotion specialist, UK
Prof. Eva Kralikova, PhD, Charles University Prague, Czech Republic
Prof. Douglas Crews, PhD, OSU Department of Anthropology, Columbus, USA

Executive Editor and Contact Person
Saša Zupanič, National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

Publisher's General Director
Prof. Branko Gabrovec, PhD, National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

Reader for Slovenian
Mihaela Törnar, National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

Reader for English and Translations
GORR d.o.o., Grosuplje, Slovenia

Contact
National Institute of Public Health
Slovenian Journal of Public Health
Editorial Office
Saša Zupanič
Trubarjeva cesta 2
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
zdrav.var@nijz.si

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Slovenian Journal of Public Health

The Journal of the National Institute of Public Health (The print edition of this journal is published under the name Zdravstveno Varstvo (Zdr Varst))

About the journal

Editor-in-chief

All volumes and issues in this journal

Volume 65 (2026)

Volume 64 (2025)

Volume 63 (2024)

Volume 62 (2023)

Volume 61 (2022)

Volume 60 (2021)

Volume 59 (2020)

Volume 58 (2019)

Volume 57 (2018)

Volume 56 (2017)

Volume 55 (2016)

Volume 54 (2015)

Volume 53 (2014)

Volume 52 (2013)

Volume 51 (2012)

Volume 50 (2011)

Volume 49 (2010)

Journal details

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