1,721,023 research outputs found
Global health, international health and public health: which relationship?
No full textThe international scientific community has recently seen a growing debate on global health, and what similarities exist between this, public health and international health. Going through the definitions of global health found in the literature, we will highlight points of contact and differences, and discuss the definition of global health provided by the Italian Network Global Health Education.
Finally, we will stress the need to incorporate the global health approach in the training of future medical doctors,in particular public health specialists, with the aim of providing current and future health professionals with the skills to deal with the challenges posed by globalization at the local level
The planning of prevention in Italy: the perspective of the university. [La programmazione della prevenzione in Italia: la prospettiva dell'università]
No full textOBJECTIVE:
The Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases of Sapienza University of Rome conducted a critical appraisal of Regional Prevention Plans (RPPs) 2010-2012 aimed at exploring different quality elements of the RPPs, including the coherence with the epidemiological context and with regional health planning, the degree of attention to specific public health issues, the adherence to the principles of Project Cycle Management (PCM) and Evidence-Based Prevention (EBP), as well as at analyzing possible determinants of the quality of RPPs, such as the influence of Recovery Plans.
METHODS:
A grid analysis evidence-based was use to conduct, for the two RPPs areas (i.e. strategic and operative planning): 1. the descriptive analysis of RPPs; 2. the analysis of the projects included in RPPs.
RESULTS:
The analysis showed some strengths and weaknesses in the prevention planning process, including a low adherence to the principles of EBP and a low degree of attention towards the reduction of health inequalities. Furthermore, projects developed by Regions with recovery plans showed a lower quality.
CONCLUSIONS:
The role of the University in the ongoing evaluation of the planning process, but also in monitoring the health status of the population, with particular attention to regional differences, can be crucial to support regional capacity building in prevention planning
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
The cost-effectiveness of genetic screening for familial hypercholesterolemia: a systematic review
No full textFamilial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder that leads to elevated plasma LDL-cholesterol levels and premature coronary heart disease (CHD). An understanding of the mutations responsible for FH and the effectiveness of statins in lowering the risk of CHD in FH patients has increased interest in genetic screening strategies to improve FH diagnosis. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of such strategies
The need to improve implementation and use of lifestyle surveillance systems for planning prevention activities: an analysis of the Italian Regions
Full text linkObjectives: To describe the level of use of lifestyle surveillance systems in Italy and to identify predictors of their use by the Italian Regions for planning and monitoring purposes. Study design: Data were extracted from the 19 Regional Prevention Plans (RPPs) and the health promotion and prevention projects included in them developed by the Italian Regions within the National Prevention Plan 2010-2013. Methods: The 19 RPPs and the 702 projects were appraised using a tool specifically developed for the purpose. Multiple logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of use of surveillance systems in the 359 projects that could use them. Results: The analysis of regional epidemiological contexts does not always rely upon surveillance system data and there were too few projects aimed at the maintenance and the development of these systems. Moreover, fewer than half of projects that could have used surveillance systems for planning and evaluation procedures actually did so, despite the potential value of these data. There was a statistically significant association between Regional Health Care Expenditure (RHCE) and the use of surveillance system data for planning and/or evaluation of the projects (OR 7.81, 95% CI 2.86-21.29). Conclusions: Use of surveillance systems for regional prevention planning in Italy is not optimal due to late implementation, presence of different data collecting systems and RGDP inequalities. There is a pressing need for full implementation of surveillance systems to allow better definition of the priorities and objectives of public health interventions
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Vaccination hesitancy: agreement between WHO and ChatGPT-4.0 or Gemini Advanced
No full textBackground: An increasing number of individuals use online Artificial Intelligence (AI) - based chatbots to retrieve information on health-related topics. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy in answering vaccine-related answers of the currently most commonly used, advanced chatbots - ChatGPT-4.0 and Google Gemini Advanced. Methods: We compared the answers provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) to 38 open questions on vaccination myths and misconception, with the answers created by ChatGPT-4.0 and Gemini Advanced. Responses were considered as "appropriate", if the information provided was coherent and not in contrast to current WHO recommendations or to drug regulatory indications. Results and conclusions: The rate of agreement between WHO answers and Chat-GPT-4.0 or Gemini Advanced was very high, as both provided 36 (94.7%) appropriate responses. The few discrepancies between WHO and AI-chatbots answers could not be considered "harmful", and both chatbots often invited the user to check reliable sources, such as CDC or the WHO websites, or to contact a local healthcare professional. In their current versions, both AI-chatbots may already be powerful instrument to support the traditional communication tools in primary prevention, with the potential to improve health literacy, medication adherence, and vaccine hesitancy and concerns. Given the rapid evolution of AI-based systems, further studies are strongly needed to monitor their accuracy and reliability over time
The impact of financial deficit and decentralization of health care on public health capacities for prevention planning: an analysis of 702 projects developed by Italian Regions in their Regional Prevention Plans
No full textBackground
Financial crisis and federalization of health care may have substantial impact on prevention activities in Europe. The process of decentralization of health care to Italian Regions, initiated more than 10 years ago, has led to regional discrepancies in health spending: in the period 2001-2010 a 38 billion Euros cumulative deficit was generated, mostly concentrated in a few Regions, for which the central government introduced the adoption and implementation of regional recovery plans. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of recovery plans on the regional capacities in the field of prevention planning.
Methods
Several multiple logistic regression models were built to analyze the impact of recovery plans on different elements of the quality of 702 projects included in the 19 Regional Prevention Plans (RPPs) 2010-2012. Projects’ quality was assessed through a specific tool developed within a Ministry of Health project to conduct an evidence-based analysis of RPPs. Models were stratified by GPD, using geographic area, overall quality of RPP and area of intervention as covariates.
Results
An association between recovery plans and lower levels of projects’ coherence with the regional epidemiological context (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.25-0.70), a lack of evidence on the effectiveness (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.19-0.85, in regions with low GDP) and cost-effectiveness (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.19-0.67) of the interventions proposed, and a lack of consideration of sustainability (OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.02-0.16, in regions with low GDP) was found. Recovery plans led to a higher coherence of projects with regional health programming (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.01-4.17, in regions with high GDP).
Conclusions
The quality of prevention projects of Italian Regions with recovery plans is lower. This may be due to weak regional management skills and public health capacities, which caused financial deficit too. By contrast, Regions with recovery plans are likely to be focused mainly on short-term issues with a high impact on health care costs (i.e. restructuring hospital care and reducing hospital stay) leaving few resources available for prevention. A different approach to financial deficit focused on long-term strategies, including those for health promotion and disease prevention, is needed.
Key messages
Financial deficit and decentralization of health care may have an impact on the quality of prevention planning.
A different approach to financial deficit in health care focused on long term strategies and prevention activities is needed
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