Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene最新文献

Background: To improve the sexual satisfaction of pregnant women, there needs to be a culturally appropriate sex education program. This study aimed at determining the effectiveness of a sexual enrichment program on the sexual satisfaction of pregnant women.

Methods: This single-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 61 pregnant women aged 18 to 35 years old with low-risk pregnancies and gestational ages of 14 to 32 weeks, who had referred to three healthcare centers in Mashhad. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups of control (n = 31) and intervention (n = 30) based on a table of blocks of four. The intervention group, in addition to receiving routine pregnancy training, participated in six one-hour sessions of a sexual enrichment program held on a weekly basis, while the control group received only the routine pregnancy healthcare. Larson's sexual satisfaction questionnaire was used to assess the sexual satisfaction of pregnant women prior to the study and two weeks after the intervention. Comparison of mean scores between and within the two groups was performed using SPSS software (version 21) using independent and paired t-tests.

Results: After the intervention, there was a significant difference between the mean sexual satisfaction scores of the two groups (p = 0.02). Comparison of the differences between the mean sexual satisfaction scores of the intervention group before and after the intervention indicated a significant change (p = 0.009), while in case of the control group this change was not significant (p = 0.46).

Conclusion: A sexual enrichment program can be effective in improving the sexual satisfaction of pregnant mothers.

Background: On February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Beyond Poland, Romania, Russia, several refugees reached Italy also. In the past, several factors contributed to low vaccination coverage in Ukraine and the occurrence of epidemic outbreaks. The purpose of our study was to analyze the main characteristics of Ukrainian refugees who accessed the Rozzano Vaccination Center (Italy), and the attitude towards proposed vaccinations.

Methods: In March-July 2022, we conducted a cross-sectional study on Ukrainian refugees under the age of 18. On the basis of their vaccination certificates or antibody dosages, the doctor proposed to the parents (or legal guardians) any vaccinations to be carried out on the basis of the Italian childhood vaccination schedule. Refused or accepted vaccinations were registered and the data exported for statistical analysis. COVID-19 vaccination was excluded from the analysis.

Results: 27 refugees missed the appointment, so 79 Ukrainian refugees have been included in the study. Females represented the 51.90% of patients; the average age was 7.11 (sd 4.92) years. The most refused vaccinations were: HPV, MMR and men C. Significant differences due to age were found for Men C and Chickenpox acceptance.

Conclusions: The efforts made to ensure complete care and to promote vaccination among refugees, offering them a complete evaluation of the vaccination status and the possibility of being vaccinated for free, seem to be insufficient to convince most refugees to get vaccinated.

Introduction: With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the terms quarantine, contagion and infection have again become part of our everyday speech, prompting historians to reflect on the settings in which they were originally used and to make comparisons with the present time. How did people cope with epidemics in the past? What measures were taken?

Objectives: Here, we analyse the institutional response of the Republic of Genoa to a calamity that shook the city - the plague of 1656-1657. In doing so, we focus particularly on the public health measures implemented, as recorded also in unpublished and archival documents.

Discussion: In order to tighten control over the population, Genoa was divided into 20 zones, each of which was placed under the authority of a Commissioner endowed with criminal jurisdiction. The Commissioners' duties concerned the spheres of public health, public order and those tasks which today we would assign to "civil protection". Through the official documentation and the trial records kept by the Chancellor of one of these zones, we can shed light on the Commissioners' everyday activities and assess the impact of the public health measures on the population.

Conclusions: The 17^th century plague in Genoa provides us with an important testimony of a well-organised and structured public health policy - an institutional response involving the adoption of efficacious measures of safety and prevention in the field of hygiene and public health. From the historical-social, normative and public health perspectives, this meaningful experience highlights the organisation of a large port city, which was at the time a flourishing commercial and financial hub.

Introduction: Urinary incontinence (UI), a discomforting condition is predominantly seen in women. Affected women are forced to modify their lifestyles to alleviate symptoms and associated complications.

Objectives: To find the prevalence, determinants and association of UI with Socio-demographic, obstetrical, gynecological and personal history and its impact on quality of life.

Methods: Research was conducted with a mixed method approach (quantitative and qualitative assessment) among women residing in urban slum of Ahmedabad city, India. Sample size calculated was 457. The study was conducted in urban slums served by one of the Urban Health Centre (UHC) of Ahmedabad city. A modified pre-evaluated standard questionnaire developed by International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ) was used for quantitative part. Qualitative part consisted of Focused Group Discussions (FGD) which was carried out amongst the women in batches of 5-7 per discussion at the nearest anganwadi center.

Results: Prevalence of UI was found to be 30% among study-participants. A statistical significant relation was seen between the presence of UI and age, marital status, parity, past history of abortion, and occurrence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in last year (P < 0.05). Comparison of severity of UI by calculating ICIQ score showed statistical significant relation of same with age, occupation, literacy, socioeconomic status, and parity (P < 0.05). More than 50% of women suffering from UI were having chronic constipation, reduced daily sleep, and diabetes. Only 7% of the total women suffering from UI had consulted doctor for their problem.

Conclusion: Prevalence of UI was found to be 30% in study participants. Sociodemographic factors like age, marital status and socio-economic class were found to have statistical significant effect on existing UI at the time of interview. ICIQ categories of UI were found to be influenced statistically with age, occupation, literacy, socio-economic classe, parity and obstetric factors like place of delivery and facilitator of delivery. Majority of participants (93%) had never consulted doctor for various reasons/myths like perception that it shall resolve on its' own, Belief that it is an age-related normal phenomenon, shyness to discuss issue with male doctors/members of family and financial reasons.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a main challenge of the health system worldwide. Health policymakers in most countries attempt to help HBV patients by implementing support programs in addition to controlling HBV in their community so that the economic burden caused by HBV do not deprive the patients of accessing health services and reducing their quality of life. There are several health interventions for the prevention and control of HBV. Providing the first dose of the HBV vaccine within 24 hours after the infant is born is the most cost-effective way to prevent and control HBV. The purpose of this study is to review the nature of HBV, its epidemiology in Iran and worldwide, and to review the various policies and programs in Iran regarding the prevention and control of HBV, especially the use of vaccination. One of the goals of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to consider hepatitis as a threat to human health. In this regard, one of the top priorities of WHO is the prevention and control of HBV. In connection with the prevention of HBV, it is claimed that vaccination is the most effective and best intervention. Thus, vaccination in the safe's program of countries is highly recommended. According to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) reports, Iran has the lowest prevalence of HBV among the countries in Eastern Mediterranean Region Organization (EMRO). There is a hepatitis unit in MOHME whose responsibility is to coordinate and implement the hepatitis prevention and control programs. The HBV vaccine has been officially included in the vaccination program for children in Iran since 1993, and three doses of the vaccine are given to all infants. In 2007, during a large-scale program in Iran, 17-year-olds received the HBV vaccine, followed by adolescents born in 1990 and 1991. In recent years, the health system in Iran has made significant progress in preventing and controlling HBV. Over 95% coverage of the HBV vaccination is one of the achievements that have had a great impact on reducing the trend of HBV infection. In order to achieve the 2030 goals, the Iranian government, in addition to paying more attention to HBV elimination programs, should encourage other organizations to cooperate more effectively with MOHME.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted routine immunization activities and a decline in vaccination coverage has been documented around the world. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine childhood vaccination coverage in the Province of Siracusa, Italy.

Methods: We compared 2020 and 2019 vaccination coverage by age group and vaccine type. Results were considered statistically significant at a two-tailed p-value ≤ 0.05.

Results: Our findings show that vaccination coverage rates for mandatory and recommended vaccinations decreased in 2020 compared with the previous year (range from -1.4% to -7.8%). Anti-rotavirus vaccination increased (+4.8%, as compared to 2019), while the reductions observed for polio vaccination (hexavalent) and human papillomavirus vaccination in males were not statistically significant. The reduction did not hit the population in the same manner, with the greater decreases observed for children aged > 24 months compared to the younger (-5.7% vs -2.2%) and for booster doses compared to the primary vaccinations (-6.4% vs -2.6%).

Conclusions: This study found that vaccination coverage of routine childhood immunisations was negatively affected during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Province of Siracusa. It is of huge importance to put in place some catch-up programs to ensure vaccinations at the earliest of individuals who missed immunization during the pandemic.

Objectives: Optimal regulation of modifiable risk factors has been proposed as the standard of care both for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to assess primary and secondary cardiovascular risk management received before admission for an acute coronary event.

Methods: Data were analyzed for 185 consecutive hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the Cardiology department of a University hospital during an annual period (1/7/2019 until 30/6/2020). The study population was divided into two groups, the primary and secondary prevention subgroups, according to previous medical history of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Results: The mean age of the participants was 65.5 ±12.2 years and most patients were male (81.6%). Previous CVD was present in 51 patients (27.9%). Fifty-seven patients (30.8%) had a history of diabetes mellitus (DM) and 97 (52.4%) had a history of dyslipidemia. Hypertension was present in 101 (54.6%) patients. In the secondary prevention group, the LDL-C was on target in only 33.3% of the patients, while 20% patients did not use statins. The use of antiplatelet/anticoagulant agents was 94.5%. Among patients with diabetes, only 20% had been using a GLP-1 receptor agonist or/and an SGLT-2 inhibitor, while the HbA_1c was on target in 47.8%. Twenty-five percent of the patients were active smokers. In the primary prevention group, the use of statins was overall low (25.8%) but more frequent in patients with diabetes and those without diabetes at very high-risk for CVD (47.1% and 32.1% respectively). The LDL-C was on target in less than 23.1% of the patients. The use of antiplatelet/anticoagulant agents was low (20.1%), but higher in those with diabetes (52.9%). In the diabetic group, HbA_1c was on target in 61.8%. Active smoking was practiced by 46.3% of the patients.

Conclusions: Our data show that in a substantial proportion of patients presenting with ACS, previous CVD prevention, both primary and secondary, fails to meet the current recommendations provided by scientific societies.