Annali dell'Istituto Superiore di Sanità
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Sexual behaviour in 15-year-old adolescents: insights into the role of family, peer, teacher, and classmate support.
Get PDFObjective. The aim was to investigate the role of different forms of social support in earlysexual intercourse and contraceptive use.Materials and methods. The study sample included 18,918 15-year-olds who took partin the 2018 Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Multivariable multilevellogistic regressions were performed taking into account geographical region andsocioeconomic status.Results. 21.7% of adolescents reported early sexual intercourse. 71.9% used a condomat last sexual intercourse, 12.2% oral contraceptives 41.2% other contraceptive methods(multiple response question). High support from family and from teachers were associatedwith a lower likelihood of early sexual intercourse in both genders, while peersupport was shown to increase this likelihood among boys. Adolescents with high socialsupport were more likely to use condoms.Conclusions. Social support can have a positive influence on adolescents’ sexual behaviour.Sexual education programmes should aim to engage peers and those significantadults who can influence adolescents’ lives, in and out of school
Unequal effects of the national lockdown on mental and social health in Italy
Get PDFWith the exception of a few countries that chose a different approach, the worldwidereaction to the COVID-19 pandemic was a (longer or shorter) period of national lockdown.While the economic consequences of shutting down national economies were immediatelyevident, the sociopsychiatric implications of the social confinement of the entirepopulation remain hidden and not fully understood. Italy has been the first Europeancountry to be severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to which it respondedthrough strict lockdown measurements. The results of a timely survey on mental and socialhealth, carried out by students and teachers of a middle school in Rome, might helpidentify the most vulnerable groups of the population. This evidence could be crucial inconceiving and enacting targeted public health policies to mitigate the consequences ofthe pandemic on mental health and to prevent intolerance to containment measures insome population segments, which could hamper worldwide efforts in the fight againstCOVID-19
Long-term consequences in survivors of critical illness. Analysis of incidence and risk factors
Get PDFAim. This study investigates the incidence of long-term consequences in survivors of critical illness 6 months after ICU care. A retrospective analysis of the risk factors was also completed.Methods. A mixed-method design was used. A qualitative design was used in the questionnaire study (phase 1), and a quantitative design was used for the retrospective study (phase 2).Results. 116 patients were interviewed. Forty-eight patients (41.4%) reported at least one long-term consequence 6 months after ICU discharge. The most frequent consequences were anxiety (n = 33, 28.4%), depression (n = 32, 27.6%) and chronic pain (n = 24, 20.7%). The interview showed the concurrent caseness of PTSD, anxiety and depression in 14 (12.1%) patients. Observed risk factors were age > 60 years (OR = 2.65, IC = 1.23-5.69; p = 0.0119), trauma diagnosis (OR = 5.3, IC = 1.60-17.76; p = 0.0033), length of mechanical ventilation > 7 days (OR = 2.18, IC = 1-4.74; p = 0.0471) length of ICU stay > 10 days (OR = 2.47, IC = 1.16-5.26; p = 0.0185) and clinical conditions at the ICU admission. The quality of life score was lower if the respondent had long-term consequences.Discussion. A high incidence of long-term consequences is found in survivors of critical illness. In future, studies that investigate interventions to prevent these issues after ICU care are need
Study on the health status of the population living in Marghera (Venice, Italy) through the use of a Longitudinal Surveillance System
Get PDFAbstractThe aim of this study is to carry out an investigation to evaluate the industrial area ofPorto Marghera (the only Site of National Interest – SNI – for clearance operations inthe Veneto region) by means of data from the Venetian Epidemiological SurveillanceSystem (SEIVE – Sistema Epidemiologico Integrato di Venezia). In particular, the aimis to assess the extent at which chronic exposure to industrial pollutants contributes tothe genesis of non-communicable diseases such as tumors. We have employed healthcareadministrative databases to analyze health conditions of the population residingin the area of Marghera, separately from the rest of the mainland. The results obtainedhighlight a series of critical problems concerning the population residing in Marghera.These issues, such as an excess in the overall cancer mortality rate, have been observedin both genders, as well as in the lung cancer incidence and mortality rate. In addition,we detected an increase in mortality for respiratory diseases only in the male population
Effects of a practice-focused nutrition intervention in Hungarian adolescents
Get PDFIntroduction. This work evaluated the impact of a nutrition intervention in school children of 6th and 7th grade and assessed whether changes persisted after the summer break.Materials and methods. Eight classes of Hungarian adolescents (45% boys; 12.6 ± 0.1 years) were randomized into intervention (n = 117) and control (n = 112) groups. The 9-month long intervention included: 1) weekly classroom-based education with strong focus on practical elements such as tasting and meal preparation; 2) five sessions of afterschool cooking classes (open to children, parents and grandparents); and 3) online education materials. Anthropometric parameters (weight, height, waist circumference and body fat), aerobic fitness (Cooper test, 20-meter shuttle run test), nutrition knowledge and behaviors (questionnaires) were measured three times at baseline, post-intervention and after the summer holiday.Results. Slight improvement in dietary knowledge and habits from baseline to post-intervention which did not persist after summer. Aerobic fitness increased in the intervention group, while did not change among controls. Anthropometric parameters remained unchanged in the intervention group, but waist circumference increased in controls, particularly in summer.Conclusions. Findings suggest a positive impact of this intervention. Measures to mitigate unhealthy changes during the summer break are needed
Malaria in pediatric age in the Piedmont Region
Get PDFIntroduction. Pediatric malaria, even in countries considered as free as Italy, is an important problem of public health because children have a high variability of the clinical picture. The objective of this brief note is to determine the incidence of pediatric malaria in the Piedmont Region during the period 1989-2015.Materials and methods. All cases of pediatric malaria notified were considered thanks to the regional information flow over the period 1989-2015. Cases of congenital malaria, unconfirmed malaria cases, and aged 14 and older were excluded of the study.Results. In Piedmont in the period 1989-2015, pediatric malaria accounts for 8.8% of the total (172/1946 cases). 74% of patients are of foreign nationality, to which must be added the 14% represented by those born in Italy from foreign parents, while it is 100% the fraction of patients who have made a trip to the abroad. The notification of cases is greater in the autumn months. Only 7.6% of the sample carried out a complete chemoprophylaxis. In 79% of cases, the primary care physician advised chemoprophylaxis on trips to endemic areas.Conclusions. At present, lacking an effective vaccine, the prevention and implementation of standard precautions such as chemoprophylaxis, represent the safest strategy to put into practice to eradicate the disease especially for the groups at greater risk as visiting friends and relatives
Lack of protection for measles among Italian nurses. A potential for hospital outbreak
Get PDF Background and aims. Nurse’s job involves staying close to the patient for an extendedtime period and a high risk of transmission for airborne pathogens, including measles.Previous studies found high rate of operators unprotected for measles. We evaluated theimmunization status for measles in nurses of a large hospital in Rome.Methods. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical records of nurses working in Tor Vergatahospital who underwent the occupational health screening program. Gender, age,work area and levels measles-specific IgG were evaluated.Results. This study included 358 nurses. 77.7% (217) had a protective measles-specificIgG antibodies level. Protection rate was higher among workers aging 40 years (82.6% vs68.7%; p < 0.01). The mean value of the anti-measles IgG was 217.2 ± 91.1 AU/ml. Malesshowed higher values than females (253.3 vs 214.6; p < 0.01).Conclusions. Our study revealed a non-protective anti measles IgG level in a high percentageof nurses, even among those working in high risk areas
‘Verba volant, scripta manent’: breastfeeding information and health messages provided to parents in the neonatal discharge summary in the Lazio Region, Italy
Get PDFObjective. We aimed to evaluate the contents of the neonatal discharge summary (NDS), an important communication tool that should contain evidence-based information.Methods. A quali-quantitative study of NDSs delivered from 29 hospitals of Lazio (Italy) in 2014 and 2017 was conducted. We used content analysis to assess the written information and logistic regression to estimate the association between outcomes (compliance with the International Code, health messages, and information on neonatal screenings) and some hospital’s characteristics.Results. NDSs conforming to International Code were associated with low rate of C-section (p<0.05). Hospitals belonging to Local Health Authorities (p<0.05) and with a lower prevalence of C-section (p<0.05) had a greater attitude to promote infant health. The year of collection was associated with information on neonatal screenings (p<0.05).Conclusions. An effort is required by hospitals to reduce their level of medicalization, in clinical practice and prescriptive attitudes, which affects the NDSs delivered to parents
Social farming as an innovative approach to promote mental health, social inclusion and community engagement
Get PDFI fattori contestuali astratti basati sulla natura vengono riconosciuti come fondamentali per la prevenzione e la promozione della salute mentale . Le aree rurali, infatti, sono sempre più riconosciute come luogo elettivo per la promozione della salute mentale. Negli ultimi anni c\u27è stata un\u27ondata di modelli di governance ibrida con base rurale in cui enti pubblici, comunità locali e attori economici uniscono le forze per creare soluzioni di welfare innovative per facilitare le sfide finanziarie (e organizzative) affrontate dai sistemi sanitari nazionali. Utilizzando risorse agricole, come animali e piante, l\u27agricoltura sociale è in grado di soddisfare esigenze sociali specifiche, tra cui riabilitazione, occupazione protetta, istruzione permanentee altre attività che contribuiscono all\u27inclusione sociale. Allo stesso tempo, l\u27agricoltura sociale è in grado di rafforzare la redditività economica e sociale delle comunità rurali. Abbiamo studiato i fattori alla base delle potenzialità delle fattorie sociali per fornire programmi di inserimento lavorativo e riabilitazione per le persone con disturbi mentali. Utilizzando nuove metodologie e strumenti adeguati, abbiamo raccolto dati che indicano gli effetti positivi delle attività agricole sul funzionamento sociale dell\u27individuo, nonché l\u27impatto del networking delle aziende agricole sulla sostenibilità del sistema