Annali dell'Istituto Superiore di Sanità
Not a member yet
755 research outputs found
Sort by
Do demographic and socio-economic factors predict Sense of Coherence among university students?
Get PDFIntroduction. The COVID-19 pandemic and related containment measures have been threatful for psychological well-being, particularly for young people such as university students. Sense of Coherence (SoC) can help in coping with stressful and anxiety-provoking situations.Aim. The aim of this study is to describe the levels of SoC and to investigate the socioeconomic, and demographic predictors in a sample of students attending Florence University, in the timespan between August, 17th and October, 3rd 2020.Method and results. The cross-sectional online survey was completed by 2,996 students. Higher levels of SoC have been found among males and for respondents reporting a better socioeconomic condition. Regarding the dimensions of SoC, lower levels were reported for comprehensibility and manageability, higher for meaningfulness.Conclusions. These results reinforce the need to plan and implement health promotion interventions aimed to support and sustain university students in general and specifically those at higher risk of low level of SoC
Vaccination against human papilloma virus in a Northeastern Italian area : HPV vaccination in a Northeastern Italian area
No full textObjectives. Vaccination against human papilloma virus (HPV) in adolescents and personsat increased risk of infection and related consequences is an effective strategy to prevent genital cancers. The objective of this study was to assess vaccination activity and coverages in a Northeastern Italian area.Methods. Anonymous data from various health administrative databases of the Italian 530,000-inhabitant Health Authority “Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale” were deterministically linked at the individual level through an anonymous stochastic key. Doses of HPV vaccine administered by year and coverages in different birth cohorts were calculated. Vaccinations of women treated for a CIN2+ lesion were also identified.Results. The number of doses administered by year followed the evolution of national and regional laws. A steep drop was observed in 2020 and 2021 in both males and females (from 6,907 in 2019 to 5,027 in 2020 in males and from 6,989 in 2019 to 4,348 in 2020 in females). Coverages in adolescents were variable across Vaccination Services located in different sub-areas (complete cycle coverage in the 2008 cohort ranged from <40% in some Districts to >70% in others). Vaccination doses administered in adult women have increased almost steadily since 2018. One third of women treated for a CIN2+ were vaccinated.Conclusions. In this area, efforts must be done to catch-up with doses missed during the pandemic and to overcome differences among different sub-areas
A glimpse into Long COVID characteristics and the mental health impact within a highly vaccinated population: A Malta observational study
Get PDFBackground. Post-acute COVID-19 consequences are gaining global recognition. This study explores Long COVID characteristics and associated mental health impact/s among the highly vaccinated adult population of Malta.Methods. A social media survey gathered demographics, vaccination, and COVID-19 data. Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 assessment tools were used for anxiety and depression. Quantitative analyses were performed.Results. 41% reported Long COVID, mostly female, 30-39 years, absence of chronic disease/s and vaccinated. Shortness of breath commonest persistent symptom among males, and fatigue for females. Significantly higher depression scores were present in Long COVID cohort compared to no persistent symptoms (p=0.001) and never acquiring COVID-19 (p=<0.01). A significant higher anxiety scores was present for Long COVID cohort than never acquiring COVID-19 (p=<0.01).Conclusions. Long COVID occurs even in healthy individuals and vaccinated, while exacerbating mental health burdens. Urgent action is required to manage Long COVID and preventing the sequela
Molecular characterization of Yersinia enterocolitica strains to evaluate virulence associated genes
Get PDFIntroduction. Yersinia enterocolitica (Ye) species is divided into 6 biotypes (BT), 1A, 1B, 2, 3, 4, 5 classified based on biochemical reactions and about 70 serotypes, classified based on the structure of the lipopolysaccharide O-antigen. The BT1A is considered non-pathogenic, while the BT 1B-5 are considered pathogenic.Methods. Evaluate the distribution of eleven chromosomal and plasmid virulence genes, ail, ystA, ystB, myfA, hreP, fes, fepD, ymoA, sat, virF and yadA, in 87 Ye strains isolated from food, animals and humans, using two SYBR Green real-time PCR platforms.Results. The main results showed the presence of the ail and ystA genes in all the pathogenic bioserotypes analyzed. The ystB, on the other hand, was identified in all non-pathogenic strains biotype 1A. The target fes, fepD, sat and hreP were found in both pathogenic biotypes and in BT1A strains. The myfA gene was found in all pathogenic biotype and insome Ye BT1A strains. The virF and yadA plasmid genes were mainly detected in bioserotype 4/O:3 and 2/O:9, while ymoA was identified in all strains.Conclusions. The two molecular platforms could be used to better define some specific molecular targets for the characterization and rapid detection of Ye in different sources which important implications for food safety and animal and human health
Culture, religion and gender: considerations in facing migration related health inequalities in Italy: Access to care for immigrants in Italy
No full textBackground. The presence in Italy of a significant foreign population (5-6 million includingboth formally residents and not officially registered ones) introduces significant transformations in the Italian demography with important challenges on ensuring fundamental rights including work, education and above all, health.Access to healthcare. Issues common to the entire migrant population concern the difficultyof accessing the health system of the host country due to the lack of knowledge of its rules and its functioning, the linguistic and cultural barriers and the distrust towards a system that is not recognized as his own, as well as the difficulties and misunderstandings encountered in the relationship with health professionals. Religion, culture and gender may even increase these difficulties.Conlusion and future perspective. Culture and religion should be taken into account when designing and implementing healthcare services and healthcare workers need to be trained in acknowledging these challenges. The National Health Service should become more sensitive to the increasing cultural and religious pluralism of patients starting with investing more in the training of health professionals
Two years of COVID-19. Impacts on accessibility of a mental health service for immigrants and individuals in socio-economic difficulties
Get PDFObjectives. Mental health services utilization decreased dramatically during the COVID19 pandemic. For persons who are highly vulnerable and at risk of health and social care exclusion, restrictions negatively affected the accessibility to treatments and their mental conditions.Methods. All psychiatric and psychological interviews carried out at National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty (INMP) Italy from January 2018 to February 2022 were included in the study. To measure services use, an interrupted time-series analysis using March 2020 as the starting data of COVID-19 pandemic period was considered, and first visits vs follow-up session numbered.Results. A significant decrease was observed in March 2020 due to the lockdown restrictive measures (p<0.001). Later on, the number of psychological interventions significantly increased (p<0.05), whereas the increment of the psychiatric interventions was not significant. By the end of February 2022 the number of visits returned to pre-COVID-19 levels, although recovery was slower than expected, especially for psychiatric visits.Conclusions. After a dramatic drop during the lockdown, access to mental health outpatient clinics slowly returned to pre-pandemic levels in the next two years. Considering that mental health needs have increased during the pandemic, mental health services should improve their efforts to reduce barriers of access and to implement outreach referral
Should I give kids money? The role of pocket money on at-risk behaviors in Italian adolescents
Get PDFBackground. Discussion on the impact of pocket money on positive behaviors is still debated.Objective. To investigate the effect of diverse money allowance schemes on risky behaviors (smoking, alcohol, binge drinking, drug use, gambling) during adolescence.Method. 989 students aged 15 from Lombardy (Italy) reported information on money availability in the 2018 wave of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. To analyze the relationship between money availability and risky behaviors we computed odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals through unconditional multiple logistic regression models.Results. Spending more than 10€ weekly was associated with higher likelihood to smoke, binge drink or gamble. Receiving pocket money (rather than receiving money upon request) was related to higher likelihood to engage in risky behaviors.Conclusions. Pocket money may have a negative impact on adolescents, particularly with a substantial amount of money. More research is needed to understand why providing money only if needed may serve as a protective factor against risky behaviors
Epidemiology and drug susceptibility of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in Italy in 2016-2020
Get PDFIntroduction. Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are environmental mycobacteria which may cause pulmonary and extrapulmonary diseases. These organisms are difficult to treat due to their intrinsic drug-resistance. In Italy, no major nationwide study on NTM epidemiology and drug susceptibility was performed.Methods. Data on the epidemiology of 7,469 NTM clinical isolates identified in Italy in 2016-2020 and on the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 1,506 of these strains were analysed.Results. Overall, 63 species were identified in 42 hospital laboratories located in 16 out of 20 regions, with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) being the most frequently isolated, followed by M. gordonae, M. xenopi, M. abscessus. The MICs of 12 drugs for MAC, M. xenopi, M. kansasii, M. abscessus, M. fortuitum and M. chelonae were interpreted for clinical significance (susceptible, intermediate, resistant) based on the guidelines published by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute in November 2018.Conclusions. Our data are in line with other nationwide studies and may be of value for further update of microbiological and clinical guidelines
Guillain-Barré syndrome in patients dying with COVID-19 in Italy: a retrospective study: Guillain-Barré syndrome in 4 COVID-19 deads
No full textIntroduction. We presented a four-case series of COVID-19 related deaths occurred in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) between February 2020 and January 2022 in Italy.Methods. They were extracted from 8,436 medical charts of COVID-19 patients dying. All cases, ranged 48-73 years, showed classical GBS clinical onset – limb weakness, sensory deficits, hypoareflexia – and three of them were admitted in intensive care unit (ICU) for ventilator support.Results. The cerebrospinal fluid showing albumin-cytological dissociation was performed in two cases. Nerve conduction studies supported the diagnosis in all cases. Interstitial pneumonia was documented by chest X-rays or CT scans in all cases: they were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and the drugs used for COVID-19 infection.Conclusions. Although the mechanism of GBS onset is still unclear in COVID-19, fatal cases may be more frequent than other virus-related GBS, so that strictly monitoring in high-risk patients could dramatically decrease the mortality of GBS