1,720,975 research outputs found
Country-level correlates of e-cigarette use in the European Union
Full text linkObjectives The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the prevalence of e-cigarette use and
country-level factors across 28 European countries.
Methods The study objectives were addressed in an
ecological design in which both exposures and outcomes
were measured at the country level. Data from the Eurobarometer Report, the Eurostat database and the WHO
observatory were analyzed. Bivariate and multivariate
analyses were performed considering the rates of current
and ever smokers of e-cigarettes as dependent variables,
and socio-economic factors, health status and policies
against tobacco as independent variables.
Results Both the rate of current smokers and ever
smokers of e-cigarette were positively associated to the
offer of help to quit tobacco use (P\0.01; P = 0.04) and
to the raise of taxes on tobacco (P = 0.01; P = 0.01). The
warn on dangers of tobacco negatively correlated with the
rate of e-cigarette current smokers. The rate of current
e-cigarette smokers correlated with the rate of current
smokers and with national Gross Domestic Product, while
the rate of ever e-cigarette smokers did not correlate with
any socio-economic factor.
Conclusions Our analysis suggests that both policy and
non-policy factors are associated with the geographical
variability seen in the prevalence of e-cigarette use. Policies against the consumption of conventional tobacco
products may lead to an increase of e-cigarette smokers
School-based intervention against tobacco consumption for students of physiotherapy: a three-years not randomized trial
No full textSmoke & Thriving: an ecological study
Full text linkStudies suggest a possible inverse correlation between smoking attitude and happiness levels.The present paper investigates the relation between males and females smoking prevalence and thriving levels in 155 countries worldwide. Analyses, after adjusting for socio-economic factors, reveal a different relationship between happiness and prevalence of tobacco smoking in the two genders. Countries with highest prevalence of males smoking show the lowest wellbeing levels (Beta coefficient: -0.350; P Value <0.001) while countries with highest prevalence of females smoking show the highest levels of wellbeing (Beta coefficient: 0.144; P Value: 0.030).The countries with the highest prevalence of people thriving are those with the highest prevalence of women smoking and the lowest prevalence of males smoking. </p
How are the undocumented migrants in Rome? Assessment of quality of life and its determinants among migrant population
Full text linkAim
The aim of this study is to evaluate the level of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and its determinants among migrants in irregular situations in Italy.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was held in Rome in 2014. HRQoL was assessed through SF-12 questionnaire and physical (PCS) and mental component scores (MCS) were calculated; socio-demographic information and medical conditions were collected. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the impact of demographic and pathological variables on the HRQoL.
Results
The median PCS among the 200 migrants enrolled was 46.5 and the median MCS was 37.9, some points below the Italian average. The multivariate analysis revealed a negative association between PCS and age (P < 0.01), respiratory (P: 0.03) and Poverty-Related Diseases (PRDs) (P < 0.01). MCS, on the other hand, resulted negatively associated with neuropsychiatric diseases (P: < 0.01) and PRDs (P < 0.01).
Conclusion
Although multivariate analyses revealed that gender acts as an effect modifier the negative association between PRDs and the two dimensions of HRQoL is confirmed in both genders. This suggests a great impact of socio-economic status on the HRQoL. Public health could contribute to improve the HRQoL of migrants only taking into account social aspects of diseases and tailoring intervention on the specific needs of migrants
How would plain packaging and pictorial warning impact on smoking reduction, cessation and initiation?
No full textThe European Commission has proposed a review of the directive on tobacco products on labeling and packaging of tobacco products by introducing warning text with pictorial warning that occupies 75% of the cigarette packages. The aim of the survey was to assess the impact of plain packaging and pictorial warning in smoking reduction, cessation and initiation among a sample of adult. The cross-sectional study was conducted in Rome between September and November 2012. The questionnaires administered were 227, with a response rate of 82.4%. 35.8% (No. 67) of the respondents considered the image of the gangrene the most effective in communicating smoking-related damages, followed by the image on lung cancer (No. 60; 32.1%). Distinguishing between smokers and non-smokers (both former and never smokers), the picture on lung cancer was the most effective for smokers (No. 22; 38.6%); if cigarette packages have pictorial warnings like the ones shown, more than half (No. 33; 57.9%) of smokers would change brand; 66.7%(No. 38) of them would feel uncomfortable in showing the package. Comparing the 3 packagings, classic packaging, plain packaging with textual warning, and plain packaging with both textual and pictorial warning, the majority of people declared that the third is the most effective in preventing smoking initiation (No. 169; 90.9%), in motivating to quit (No. 158; 84.9%), and in changing smoking habits (No. 149; 80.5%). The survey, although its small sample size and being not representative of all strata of Italian population, shows that the plain packaging with pictorial warning is the most convincing in the three outcomes considered
La percezione del problema alcol fra i lavoratori in aziende dei settori trasporti, sanità ed edilizia nella Regione Lazio. Risultati di uno studio osservazionale
No full textAIM: To perform an analysis of the perception of alcohol use among workers of the transportation, healthcare and building sectors.
METHODS: A survey was carried out on alcohol consumption and knowledge of deriving health effects. Socio-demographic characteristics of the workers were collected. Risk indexes for habitual alcohol and binge consumption were calculated.
RESULTS: The number of workers entering the survey is 3,914 (57% males; 58% married). Two-thirds of the sample reported good knowledge of alcohol-related risks that could occur at the workplace, and 55% of alcohol-related health risks. Binge drinking is inversely associated with female gender, good perceived health and good knowledge of alcohol-related risks at the workplace and of alcohol-related health risks. People who are single, young and working in the building sector show higher odds for binge drinking. The habitual use is positively associated with marital status (OR=1.51 for single) and working sector (in the building sector OR=3.28; in the healthcare OR=1.90); and inversely associated with good health (OR=0.70), good knowledge of alcohol-related risks at the workplace (OR=0.54) and of alcohol-related health risks (OR=0.41).
CONCLUSIONS: Socio-demographic factors, such as age, gender and marital status are associated with different patterns of alcohol consumption, that in turn are inversely associated with good knowledge of alcohol-related risks at the workplace and of alcohol-related health risks. These results suggest the need to increase knowledge of alcohol-related issues among the workers, both at the workplace and in everyday life
The relationship between physical activity and quality of life in prisoners: a pilot study
Full text linkIntroduction. Imprisoned people have usually a poor health
status in comparison with the general population. The aim is to
investigate a possible association between the quality of life and
physical activity level in male inmates.
Methods. A cross-sectional pilot study was carried out between
2010 and 2011. A questionnaire contained SF12 and International
Physical Activity Questionnaire was administered. Mental
Component Score (MCS) and Physical Component Score (PCS)
were computed. The physical activity level was measured using
Metabolic Equivalents score (MET). Results. 121 inmates entered the survey. MCS is directly correlated
to MET of physical activity (β = 0.23; P = 0.03) and negatively
to BMI variations (β = -0.24; P = 0.02) and smoking status
(β = -0.24; P = 0.02).
Discussion. This pilot study suggests to improve the investigation
to support the promotion of physical activity programs in Italian
prisons in order to improve inmates QoL and allow a better social
integration at the end of detention
Protocol of the project pain & disasters: assessment of critical issues and possible solutions
Full text linkBackground: Disasters cause almost 100 thousand deaths and affect 200 million people every year. Operators working in disaster zones reported problems in importing medications, in particular pain killers and narcotics, in areas of disasters. The importance of ensuring access to painkillers, including major analgesics, is pinpointed by the World Health Organization which through its “Access to Controlled Medications Programme” provides normative guidance, policy analysis and training of healthcare workers onthis issue. Nevertheless the little evidence available on the assessment and treatment of pain in disasters suggests that the management of pain in disaster zones may be affected by several factors mainly due to the availability of drugs, the skills of health personnel and cultural issues.Aim:The main aims of this project are: evaluating whether pain is correctly assessed and treated in disaster zones, assessing which are the main limitations to its treatment and producing suggestions and reccomandations to improve its treatment. Materials & Methods: In order to achieve our aims we will adopt a combined approach made by: ‐A systematic review of the evidence will be conducted in the scientific databases Medline and Scopus. ‐A review of grey literature concerning the issue on the Web pages of international organizations and NGOs working in the field of humanitarian aid. ‐A survey among healthcare workers who took part to the international humanitarian actions. ‐A survey among expert of the humanitarian field not necessary involved in projects on the field e.g. lawyer expert in international law, international organizations representatives working in the headquarters etc. ‐A technical table with European experts in the field of pain treatment and/or disaster reaponse
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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