Eleonora Ferrari, Patrizia Scannavini, Lucia Palandri, Elisa Fabbri, Grazia Tura, Catia Bedosti, Angela Zanni, Daniela Mosci, Elena Righi, Elena Vecchi
Background: In the context of Infections Prevention and Control activities, the training of healthcare-associated infection control figures is crucial; the COVID-19 pandemic further emphasized the necessity of ensuring a widespread and stable level of skills over time for such professionals. The present work aims to identify the number and training needs of the personnel working in the Emilia-Romagna Region's healthcare facilities as "healthcare-associated infection control figures".
Methods: Data were collected through a survey created by experts from the Regional Group "Training in the prevention and control of antibiotic resistance". The questionnaire explored the number, professional and educational background, and training requirements of Healthcare-associated infections control figures in Emilia-Romagna.
Results: With 73 figures dedicated to Healthcare-associated infections control, the Emilia-Romagna Region appears to be in line with the European standard ratio (1 professional every 125 beds). Professionals with a nursing background, over 50 years old and of female sex prevail in the group, while the training needs expressed include both theoretical and practical aspects.
Conclusions: Healthcare assistants and nursing staff represent a fundamental resource for the implementation of infection prevention and control programs in our healthcare facilities; continuous, multidisciplinary and targeted training of these professionals is confirmed as necessary.
{"title":"Training in infection prevention and control: survey on the volume and on the learning demands of healthcare-associated infections control figures in the Emilia-Romagna Region (Northern Italy).","authors":"Eleonora Ferrari, Patrizia Scannavini, Lucia Palandri, Elisa Fabbri, Grazia Tura, Catia Bedosti, Angela Zanni, Daniela Mosci, Elena Righi, Elena Vecchi","doi":"10.7416/ai.2024.2643","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2024.2643","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In the context of Infections Prevention and Control activities, the training of healthcare-associated infection control figures is crucial; the COVID-19 pandemic further emphasized the necessity of ensuring a widespread and stable level of skills over time for such professionals. The present work aims to identify the number and training needs of the personnel working in the Emilia-Romagna Region's healthcare facilities as \"healthcare-associated infection control figures\".</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were collected through a survey created by experts from the Regional Group \"Training in the prevention and control of antibiotic resistance\". The questionnaire explored the number, professional and educational background, and training requirements of Healthcare-associated infections control figures in Emilia-Romagna.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>With 73 figures dedicated to Healthcare-associated infections control, the Emilia-Romagna Region appears to be in line with the European standard ratio (1 professional every 125 beds). Professionals with a nursing background, over 50 years old and of female sex prevail in the group, while the training needs expressed include both theoretical and practical aspects.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Healthcare assistants and nursing staff represent a fundamental resource for the implementation of infection prevention and control programs in our healthcare facilities; continuous, multidisciplinary and targeted training of these professionals is confirmed as necessary.</p>","PeriodicalId":7999,"journal":{"name":"Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141426162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sara Dionisi, Noemi Giannetta, Gloria Liquori, Aurora De Leo, Nicolò Panattoni, Mariasole Caiafa, Marco Di Muzio, Emanuele Di Simone
Background: The changes in health, social and demographic needs impose new approaches to cures and care without giving up patients' safety. Although several studies analysed the patient safety approach and strategies, the literature considering the home care setting seems still scarce. The analysis of the phenomenon of medication errors in the primary care setting highlights the necessity of exploring the specific variables to understand how to prevent or reduce the occurrence of a medication error in the home context. This review investigates the main preventive strategies implemented at the patients' home to prevent and/or limit the possibility of a medication error.
Design: The scoping review was conducted under the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses ex-tension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) statement and based on the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute.
Methods: No time or language limit was set to obtain the most comprehensive results possible. The following databases were queried: PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, ERIC and PsycINFO via EBSCO. All literature published up to 31 December 2022 was considered for data collection.
Results: The main preventive strategies implemented in the patient's home to prevent a medication error are: Multidisciplinary teams, therapeutic reconciliation and computerised systems that improve information sharing. As evidenced by all of the included studies, no educational intervention or preventive strategy individually reduces the risk of making a medication error.
Conclusions: It would be desirable for healthcare professionals to be constantly updated about their knowledge and understand the importance of introducing the aforementioned preventive strategies to guarantee safe care that protects the person from me-dication errors even at the patient's home.
{"title":"The prevention of medication errors in the home care setting: a scoping review.","authors":"Sara Dionisi, Noemi Giannetta, Gloria Liquori, Aurora De Leo, Nicolò Panattoni, Mariasole Caiafa, Marco Di Muzio, Emanuele Di Simone","doi":"10.7416/ai.2024.2641","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2024.2641","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The changes in health, social and demographic needs impose new approaches to cures and care without giving up patients' safety. Although several studies analysed the patient safety approach and strategies, the literature considering the home care setting seems still scarce. The analysis of the phenomenon of medication errors in the primary care setting highlights the necessity of exploring the specific variables to understand how to prevent or reduce the occurrence of a medication error in the home context. This review investigates the main preventive strategies implemented at the patients' home to prevent and/or limit the possibility of a medication error.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>The scoping review was conducted under the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses ex-tension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) statement and based on the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>No time or language limit was set to obtain the most comprehensive results possible. The following databases were queried: PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, ERIC and PsycINFO via EBSCO. All literature published up to 31 December 2022 was considered for data collection.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The main preventive strategies implemented in the patient's home to prevent a medication error are: Multidisciplinary teams, therapeutic reconciliation and computerised systems that improve information sharing. As evidenced by all of the included studies, no educational intervention or preventive strategy individually reduces the risk of making a medication error.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>It would be desirable for healthcare professionals to be constantly updated about their knowledge and understand the importance of introducing the aforementioned preventive strategies to guarantee safe care that protects the person from me-dication errors even at the patient's home.</p>","PeriodicalId":7999,"journal":{"name":"Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141178031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mariateresa Ceparano, Antonio Covelli, Valentina Baccolini, Claudia Isonne, Antonio Sciurti, Giuseppe Migliara, Maria De Giusti, Carolina Marzuillo, Paolo Villari
Introduction: Hand hygiene is the most cost-effective procedure for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections, but healthcare worker compliance is often insufficient.
Research design: The objective of this second cross-sectional study was to quantify hand hygiene compliance among the healthcare workers of a large teaching hospital, to explore associated factors and to compare results to those of the 2021 study.
Methods: In 2022, educational sessions were conducted within each hospital department during which hospital healthcare workers received tailored feedback on the hand hygiene compliance registered in the previous year. Then, one month later, direct observations hand hygiene compliance with five World Health Organization recommendations were collected again by anonymous observers in each ward. Data were grouped by healthcare area (clinical, surgical and intensive care), and three multivariable logistic regression models were built to identify predictors of hand hygiene compliance.
Result: Overall, 5,426 observations were collected by 73 observers in three weeks. Hand hygiene compliance was 79.7%, 73.5% and 63.1% in clinical, surgical and intensive care areas, respectively, increasing in clinical wards but decreasing in surgical departments compared to the 2021 study. The multivariable analyses showed that hand hygiene compliance after patient contact was consistently higher than before patient contact, while there was some variability in compliance with other factors across the three areas.
Conclusion: The study found suboptimal adherence to good hand hygiene practice, with the lowest rates observed before patient interaction, which, together with the variability recorded across departments, underscores the challenges involved in achieving a uniform level of compliance. Hence, additional training is essential to raise awareness among healthcare workers, while repeating this survey over time will also be crucial, so that hand hygiene compliance can be monitored and any major issue identified.
{"title":"Prevalence and predictors of hand hygiene compliance in clinical, surgical and intensive care unit wards: results of a second cross sectional study at the Umberto I teaching hospital of Rome.","authors":"Mariateresa Ceparano, Antonio Covelli, Valentina Baccolini, Claudia Isonne, Antonio Sciurti, Giuseppe Migliara, Maria De Giusti, Carolina Marzuillo, Paolo Villari","doi":"10.7416/ai.2024.2642","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2024.2642","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Hand hygiene is the most cost-effective procedure for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections, but healthcare worker compliance is often insufficient.</p><p><strong>Research design: </strong>The objective of this second cross-sectional study was to quantify hand hygiene compliance among the healthcare workers of a large teaching hospital, to explore associated factors and to compare results to those of the 2021 study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In 2022, educational sessions were conducted within each hospital department during which hospital healthcare workers received tailored feedback on the hand hygiene compliance registered in the previous year. Then, one month later, direct observations hand hygiene compliance with five World Health Organization recommendations were collected again by anonymous observers in each ward. Data were grouped by healthcare area (clinical, surgical and intensive care), and three multivariable logistic regression models were built to identify predictors of hand hygiene compliance.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>Overall, 5,426 observations were collected by 73 observers in three weeks. Hand hygiene compliance was 79.7%, 73.5% and 63.1% in clinical, surgical and intensive care areas, respectively, increasing in clinical wards but decreasing in surgical departments compared to the 2021 study. The multivariable analyses showed that hand hygiene compliance after patient contact was consistently higher than before patient contact, while there was some variability in compliance with other factors across the three areas.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study found suboptimal adherence to good hand hygiene practice, with the lowest rates observed before patient interaction, which, together with the variability recorded across departments, underscores the challenges involved in achieving a uniform level of compliance. Hence, additional training is essential to raise awareness among healthcare workers, while repeating this survey over time will also be crucial, so that hand hygiene compliance can be monitored and any major issue identified.</p>","PeriodicalId":7999,"journal":{"name":"Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141154387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Giuseppe Stirparo, Luca Gambolò, Dario Bottignole, Daniele Solla, Martino Trapani, Giuseppe Ristagno, Fabrizio Pregliasco, Carlo Signorelli
Background: In medical emergencies adherence to standardized clinical protocols is crucial to ensure a better outcome for patients. Newly qualified physicians may play several roles in serving the National Health Service (substituting general practitioners, on-call duty, working in emergency rooms, etc.) in Italy. In these situations, the physician may have to manage critical patients autonomously. Moreover, newly qualified physicians may show a considerable deficiency in routine medical activities. In fact, many universities do not provide a practical simulation training programme, which is why a substantial number of students only face clinical emergencies when they start working after graduation.
Study design: A cross-sectional study was performed by engaging medical doctors. Both experienced physicians and newly licensed physicians (graduated less than 24 months ago) were included in the study.
Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to each participant during SIMED's Courses from June 2021 to December 2022. The questionnaire consisted of two sections. The first one analyzed participation in standardized practical courses on medical emer gencies (Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, International Trauma Life Support and a course on Advanced Airway Management). The second section analyzed the perceived autonomy of health professionals in the management of five different work settings, using a 5-point likert scale.
Results: 2,168 questionnaires were analyzed, of which 68.7% were from newly qualified doctors and 31.3% from more experienced doctors The highest rate of physicians who undertook training courses was achieved for the basic life support course (77.5%) and the lowest rate for the advanced trauma course (15.9%). Physicians perceive themselves the highest autonomy in Primary Care setting (63.1%), while in the Emergency Department they perceive themselves with less autonomy (24.0%). In the analyzed sample, experienced physicians show a higher percentage of autonomy than newly qualified doctors (31.4% vs 8.1%) in all scenarios.
Conclusions: Our analysis shows a possible correlation between the self-perceived autonomy of physicians and attending practical simulation courses. Although the role of training through practical courses is relevant, the percentage of trained professionals is insufficient and therefore the implementation of practical training projects has to be encouraged.
{"title":"Enhancing Physicians' Autonomy through Practical Trainings.","authors":"Giuseppe Stirparo, Luca Gambolò, Dario Bottignole, Daniele Solla, Martino Trapani, Giuseppe Ristagno, Fabrizio Pregliasco, Carlo Signorelli","doi":"10.7416/ai.2024.2638","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2024.2638","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In medical emergencies adherence to standardized clinical protocols is crucial to ensure a better outcome for patients. Newly qualified physicians may play several roles in serving the National Health Service (substituting general practitioners, on-call duty, working in emergency rooms, etc.) in Italy. In these situations, the physician may have to manage critical patients autonomously. Moreover, newly qualified physicians may show a considerable deficiency in routine medical activities. In fact, many universities do not provide a practical simulation training programme, which is why a substantial number of students only face clinical emergencies when they start working after graduation.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>A cross-sectional study was performed by engaging medical doctors. Both experienced physicians and newly licensed physicians (graduated less than 24 months ago) were included in the study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A questionnaire was distributed to each participant during SIMED's Courses from June 2021 to December 2022. The questionnaire consisted of two sections. The first one analyzed participation in standardized practical courses on medical emer gencies (Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, International Trauma Life Support and a course on Advanced Airway Management). The second section analyzed the perceived autonomy of health professionals in the management of five different work settings, using a 5-point likert scale.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>2,168 questionnaires were analyzed, of which 68.7% were from newly qualified doctors and 31.3% from more experienced doctors The highest rate of physicians who undertook training courses was achieved for the basic life support course (77.5%) and the lowest rate for the advanced trauma course (15.9%). Physicians perceive themselves the highest autonomy in Primary Care setting (63.1%), while in the Emergency Department they perceive themselves with less autonomy (24.0%). In the analyzed sample, experienced physicians show a higher percentage of autonomy than newly qualified doctors (31.4% vs 8.1%) in all scenarios.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our analysis shows a possible correlation between the self-perceived autonomy of physicians and attending practical simulation courses. Although the role of training through practical courses is relevant, the percentage of trained professionals is insufficient and therefore the implementation of practical training projects has to be encouraged.</p>","PeriodicalId":7999,"journal":{"name":"Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141154329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pietro Gallo, Norman Galea, Anna Colucci, Rudi Valli, Matteo Schwarz, Emanuele Fanales Belasio, Alfredo d'Ari, Francesca Furiozzi, Anna Caraglia, Rosa Dalla Torre, Anna D'Agostini
Background: Up until recently, monkeypox (mpox) was considered to be a rare zoonotic infection restricted to Central and West Africa. However, in July 2022, the World Health Organization declared mpox to be a public health emergency of international concern, after there were several outbreaks in non-endemic countries. This study assessed the information channels used by individuals accessing the "Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse" of Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health in Italy) with regard to mpox. We also evaluated their awareness, and knowledge about mpox focusing on transmission and prevention.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on "Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse" users, between January and April 2023. The target population was helpline users who were older than 18 years of age, and were phoning the service for the first time (i.e. who have not phoned in the last 12 months). Participants were interviewed using a questionnaire containing 19 questions filled by the interviewer. Collected data were analysed through descriptive statistics, and significance testing.
Results: From January to April 2023, "Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse" received 2,389 phone calls, 216 of which participated in this study. Most of these were male (85.2%; n=186), single (79.2%; n=171) and in employment (72.2%; n=156). Awareness about mpox was high (71.3%; n=154), with the central and south/islands regional areas having the highest percentage of participants who heard about the virus (84.3%; n=43 vs 72.4%; n=42; p=0.078). Television was the most frequently mentioned source of information about mpox by participants (63%; n=97; p<0.001). This medium was also the most preferred source of information about mpox (39%; n=60; p=0.109). The majority of participants stated that they did not know what mpox is (67.6%; n=146), and less than half knew that it is preventable (42.4%; n=89). Of those who stated that mpox is a preventable illness, less than half knew about the existence of a vaccine (44.9%; n=40; p<0.001).
Conclusions: This study provides insights into the awareness, knowledge, prevention tools and information channels of individuals who contacted the "Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse". Useful indications for defining future information campaigns were obtained.
背景:直到最近,猴痘一直被认为是一种罕见的人畜共患传染病,仅限于非洲中部和西部。然而,2022年7月,在非流行国家爆发了几起猴痘疫情后,世界卫生组织宣布猴痘为国际关注的突发公共卫生事件。本研究评估了使用意大利国家卫生研究院 "Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse "的个人所使用的有关天花的信息渠道。我们还评估了他们对水痘的认识和知识,重点是水痘的传播和预防:这是一项横断面研究,研究对象是 2023 年 1 月至 4 月期间的 "Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse "用户。目标人群为 18 岁以上、首次拨打求助热线的用户(即在过去 12 个月内未曾拨打过电话的用户)。受访者接受了由访谈者填写的包含 19 个问题的调查问卷。收集到的数据通过描述性统计和显著性检验进行分析:从 2023 年 1 月到 4 月,"Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse "共接到 2389 个电话,其中 216 个参与了本研究。其中大部分为男性(85.2%;n=186)、单身(79.2%;n=171)和在职人员(72.2%;n=156)。对水痘的认知度较高(71.3%;n=154),中部和南部/岛屿地区听说过该病毒的参与者比例最高(84.3%;n=43 vs 72.4%;n=42;p=0.078)。电视是参与者最常提及的有关水痘的信息来源(63%;n=97;p=0.078):这项研究有助于深入了解与 "Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse "联系的个人的意识、知识、预防工具和信息渠道。这项研究为确定今后的宣传活动提供了有益的参考。
{"title":"Mpox: Awareness, knowledge and information channels used by individuals accessing a sexually transmitted infections Helpline.","authors":"Pietro Gallo, Norman Galea, Anna Colucci, Rudi Valli, Matteo Schwarz, Emanuele Fanales Belasio, Alfredo d'Ari, Francesca Furiozzi, Anna Caraglia, Rosa Dalla Torre, Anna D'Agostini","doi":"10.7416/ai.2024.2637","DOIUrl":"10.7416/ai.2024.2637","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Up until recently, monkeypox (mpox) was considered to be a rare zoonotic infection restricted to Central and West Africa. However, in July 2022, the World Health Organization declared mpox to be a public health emergency of international concern, after there were several outbreaks in non-endemic countries. This study assessed the information channels used by individuals accessing the \"Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse\" of Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health in Italy) with regard to mpox. We also evaluated their awareness, and knowledge about mpox focusing on transmission and prevention.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a cross-sectional study conducted on \"Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse\" users, between January and April 2023. The target population was helpline users who were older than 18 years of age, and were phoning the service for the first time (i.e. who have not phoned in the last 12 months). Participants were interviewed using a questionnaire containing 19 questions filled by the interviewer. Collected data were analysed through descriptive statistics, and significance testing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From January to April 2023, \"Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse\" received 2,389 phone calls, 216 of which participated in this study. Most of these were male (85.2%; n=186), single (79.2%; n=171) and in employment (72.2%; n=156). Awareness about mpox was high (71.3%; n=154), with the central and south/islands regional areas having the highest percentage of participants who heard about the virus (84.3%; n=43 vs 72.4%; n=42; p=0.078). Television was the most frequently mentioned source of information about mpox by participants (63%; n=97; p<0.001). This medium was also the most preferred source of information about mpox (39%; n=60; p=0.109). The majority of participants stated that they did not know what mpox is (67.6%; n=146), and less than half knew that it is preventable (42.4%; n=89). Of those who stated that mpox is a preventable illness, less than half knew about the existence of a vaccine (44.9%; n=40; p<0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study provides insights into the awareness, knowledge, prevention tools and information channels of individuals who contacted the \"Telefono Verde AIDS e Infezioni Sessualmente Trasmesse\". Useful indications for defining future information campaigns were obtained.</p>","PeriodicalId":7999,"journal":{"name":"Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141154338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Roberto Venuto, Roberta Pappalardo, Cristina Genovese, Giuseppe Trimarchi, Raffaele Squeri, Giuseppe La Spada, Vincenza La Fauci
Background: Indoor air pollution negatively affects population health and the national health services in terms of socio-economic costs. The presence of indoor pollutants depends a lot on lifestyles.
Study design: The aim of this work is to evaluate knowledge, daily habits and the preventive behaviors in order to contrast the effects on health caused by indoor pollutants.
Methods: The study was conducted through the administration of questionnaires to the population resident in the metropolitan city of Messina (Italy), asking about sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, daily habits and preventive behaviors.
Results: The questionnaire was filled by 894 subjects (46.8% M; 53.2% F). Regarding knowledge, 66.8% had heard of indoor air pollution and 94.9% knew what the most common indoor pollutants are; regarding daily habits they often aired out the house (91.9% in the morning and 71.4% after cleaning), 24.8% were smokers and 36.7 of them smoked indoors; regarding preventive behaviors, 41.6% chose the cleaning products based on habit and only 32.9% bought plants able to purify environments.
Conclusions: Although the analyzed population had adequate knowledge of indoor air pollution, this did not strongly impact on the adoption of healthy lifestyles. Therefore, it becomes necessary to intervene on a social level with environmental education activities, starting from school age.
{"title":"Indoor air pollution: an Italian Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) study among the general population.","authors":"Roberto Venuto, Roberta Pappalardo, Cristina Genovese, Giuseppe Trimarchi, Raffaele Squeri, Giuseppe La Spada, Vincenza La Fauci","doi":"10.7416/ai.2024.2640","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2024.2640","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Indoor air pollution negatively affects population health and the national health services in terms of socio-economic costs. The presence of indoor pollutants depends a lot on lifestyles.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>The aim of this work is to evaluate knowledge, daily habits and the preventive behaviors in order to contrast the effects on health caused by indoor pollutants.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study was conducted through the administration of questionnaires to the population resident in the metropolitan city of Messina (Italy), asking about sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, daily habits and preventive behaviors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The questionnaire was filled by 894 subjects (46.8% M; 53.2% F). Regarding knowledge, 66.8% had heard of indoor air pollution and 94.9% knew what the most common indoor pollutants are; regarding daily habits they often aired out the house (91.9% in the morning and 71.4% after cleaning), 24.8% were smokers and 36.7 of them smoked indoors; regarding preventive behaviors, 41.6% chose the cleaning products based on habit and only 32.9% bought plants able to purify environments.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although the analyzed population had adequate knowledge of indoor air pollution, this did not strongly impact on the adoption of healthy lifestyles. Therefore, it becomes necessary to intervene on a social level with environmental education activities, starting from school age.</p>","PeriodicalId":7999,"journal":{"name":"Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141064448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Camilla Lugli, Lucia Palandri, Simona Pedretti, Romana Bacchi, Daniela Altariva, Giulia Guerzoni, Alessia Sala, Claudia Vaccari, Tommaso Filippini, Elena Righi, Marco Vinceti, Gabriele Romani
Background: Modena's Local Health Authority (AUSL) is a public service with more than 5,000 employees. In its facilities, drinking water is available as tap water. However, disposable plastic bottles are also widely used, thus increasing plastic waste.
Study design and methods: In the present study, we aimed to investigate employees' drinking habits through an ad hoc 10-item online questionnaire, which was administered in spring 2023.
Results: Of the 584 participants (10.8% response rate), 75% of workers reported drinking less than 1.5 liters of water per day. In addition, 74% of workers brought water from home, while 62% used disposable plastic containers bought in the workplace or outside. When asked if they would appreciate a water refilling station in the workplace, whether that would induce them to consume less plastic and to drink more water, 91%, 82%, and 72% of workers said "yes", respectively. By installing water coolers, the estimated mean number of plastic bottles spared every day at the AUSL would be about 6,000.
Conclusions: Our data shed light on most employees' perceived need for alternative sources of drinking water, not only in order to drink more for health benefits, but also to reduce plastic usage in favor of reusable, more environmentally friendly materials.
{"title":"A survey on hydration and use of plastic water bottles among Italian health sector workers.","authors":"Camilla Lugli, Lucia Palandri, Simona Pedretti, Romana Bacchi, Daniela Altariva, Giulia Guerzoni, Alessia Sala, Claudia Vaccari, Tommaso Filippini, Elena Righi, Marco Vinceti, Gabriele Romani","doi":"10.7416/ai.2024.2639","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2024.2639","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Modena's Local Health Authority (AUSL) is a public service with more than 5,000 employees. In its facilities, drinking water is available as tap water. However, disposable plastic bottles are also widely used, thus increasing plastic waste.</p><p><strong>Study design and methods: </strong>In the present study, we aimed to investigate employees' drinking habits through an ad hoc 10-item online questionnaire, which was administered in spring 2023.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 584 participants (10.8% response rate), 75% of workers reported drinking less than 1.5 liters of water per day. In addition, 74% of workers brought water from home, while 62% used disposable plastic containers bought in the workplace or outside. When asked if they would appreciate a water refilling station in the workplace, whether that would induce them to consume less plastic and to drink more water, 91%, 82%, and 72% of workers said \"yes\", respectively. By installing water coolers, the estimated mean number of plastic bottles spared every day at the AUSL would be about 6,000.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our data shed light on most employees' perceived need for alternative sources of drinking water, not only in order to drink more for health benefits, but also to reduce plastic usage in favor of reusable, more environmentally friendly materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":7999,"journal":{"name":"Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140915737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna Voltolini, Vincenzo Marcotrigiano, Serena Cian, Nahuel Fiorito, Alfonsina Sollano, Ilaria Dall'O, Marica Battistin, Erica Bino, Alberto Lovat, Pamela D'Incà, Tatjana Baldovin, Vincenzo Baldo, Sandro Cinquetti
Abstract: Among invasive bacterial diseases, meningococcal meningitis is a serious and contagious disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis. The disease has a high lethality grade and could have long-term sequelae. This paper describes a case of meningitis that occurred in the territory under the jurisdiction of Local Health Authority ULSS 1 Dolomiti and the related management methods. The activities described concern rapid alerts, an epidemiological investigation, the administration of chemoprophylaxis and offering vaccinations, implemented according to the current Public Health protocol through different healthcare workers. This case report aims to support the management of possible similar cases, underlining the conditions that favoured the application of the envisaged measures, including an on-call ready availability service; the presence of population vaccination centres located in the area investigated; and a network sensitive to early warnings and collaboration within and between Local Health Authorities.
{"title":"Management of a Neisseria meningitidis case: factors that guarantee the effectiveness of supporting Public Health actions.","authors":"Anna Voltolini, Vincenzo Marcotrigiano, Serena Cian, Nahuel Fiorito, Alfonsina Sollano, Ilaria Dall'O, Marica Battistin, Erica Bino, Alberto Lovat, Pamela D'Incà, Tatjana Baldovin, Vincenzo Baldo, Sandro Cinquetti","doi":"10.7416/ai.2024.2634","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2024.2634","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Among invasive bacterial diseases, meningococcal meningitis is a serious and contagious disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis. The disease has a high lethality grade and could have long-term sequelae. This paper describes a case of meningitis that occurred in the territory under the jurisdiction of Local Health Authority ULSS 1 Dolomiti and the related management methods. The activities described concern rapid alerts, an epidemiological investigation, the administration of chemoprophylaxis and offering vaccinations, implemented according to the current Public Health protocol through different healthcare workers. This case report aims to support the management of possible similar cases, underlining the conditions that favoured the application of the envisaged measures, including an on-call ready availability service; the presence of population vaccination centres located in the area investigated; and a network sensitive to early warnings and collaboration within and between Local Health Authorities.</p>","PeriodicalId":7999,"journal":{"name":"Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140875697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Angela Bechini, Beatrice Zanella, Benedetta Bonito, Marta Betti, Enrica Stancanelli, Marco Del Riccio, Cristina Salvati, Paolo Bonanni, Jacopo Bianchi, Ilaria Biondi, Martina Chellini, Maddalena Innocenti, Federico Manzi, Diana Paolini, Gino Sartor, Lorenzo Baggiani, Simonetta Baretti, Monica Della Fonte, Giorgio Garofalo, Giovanna Mereu, Maria Grazia Santini, Sara Boccalini
Introduction: Despite global immunization efforts, rubella remains a public health concern, particularly in high- and middle-income countries. This study focused on rubella seroprevalence in the province of Florence, Italy, aiming to identify susceptibility clusters, especially among women in their childbearing age.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2018 and December 2019, enrolling 430 adult subjects (age over 18 years). Serum samples were collected, and anti-rubella antibodies were quantified using the ELISA test. Data were analyzed descriptively and compared by sex, nationality, and age groups using statistical tests.
Results: The overall rubella seroprevalence was high (92.3%), with no significant differences between genders or nationalities. Among childbearing-age females (18-49 years), the highest seroprevalence was observed in the 30-39 age group (94.1%). However, susceptibility clusters exceeding the 5% threshold set by WHO were identified, especially in females aged 40-49 years (7.0%).
Conclusions: Despite high overall seroprevalence, the study identified pockets of susceptibility, even in childbearing age women. Continuous monitoring, targeted immunization strategies, and public health interventions are recommended to maintain rubella elimination, emphasizing the importance of sustained vaccination efforts to protect vulnerable populations.
{"title":"Anti-rubella seroprevalence assessment in an adult sample population in Italy.","authors":"Angela Bechini, Beatrice Zanella, Benedetta Bonito, Marta Betti, Enrica Stancanelli, Marco Del Riccio, Cristina Salvati, Paolo Bonanni, Jacopo Bianchi, Ilaria Biondi, Martina Chellini, Maddalena Innocenti, Federico Manzi, Diana Paolini, Gino Sartor, Lorenzo Baggiani, Simonetta Baretti, Monica Della Fonte, Giorgio Garofalo, Giovanna Mereu, Maria Grazia Santini, Sara Boccalini","doi":"10.7416/ai.2024.2632","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2024.2632","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Despite global immunization efforts, rubella remains a public health concern, particularly in high- and middle-income countries. This study focused on rubella seroprevalence in the province of Florence, Italy, aiming to identify susceptibility clusters, especially among women in their childbearing age.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2018 and December 2019, enrolling 430 adult subjects (age over 18 years). Serum samples were collected, and anti-rubella antibodies were quantified using the ELISA test. Data were analyzed descriptively and compared by sex, nationality, and age groups using statistical tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall rubella seroprevalence was high (92.3%), with no significant differences between genders or nationalities. Among childbearing-age females (18-49 years), the highest seroprevalence was observed in the 30-39 age group (94.1%). However, susceptibility clusters exceeding the 5% threshold set by WHO were identified, especially in females aged 40-49 years (7.0%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Despite high overall seroprevalence, the study identified pockets of susceptibility, even in childbearing age women. Continuous monitoring, targeted immunization strategies, and public health interventions are recommended to maintain rubella elimination, emphasizing the importance of sustained vaccination efforts to protect vulnerable populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":7999,"journal":{"name":"Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140875696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-01Epub Date: 2024-03-01DOI: 10.7416/ai.2024.2616
Pier Luigi Lopalco, Luigi Roberto Biasio
Abstract: Japanese encephalitis, caused by the JE virus transmitted by mosquitoes, is the most common type of epidemic encephalitis in Asia. It is endemic in most of South and Southeast Asia, but the number of cases can vary greatly between areas. While many infections do not lead to disease, the symptomatic cases can be very severe and life-threatening. It mainly affects children, whereas adults are generally immune to the disease due to either being infected in childhood or receiving vaccination. However, individuals who are not immune, such as travelers from non-endemic countries, are susceptible to the disease when exposed to the virus for the first time, regardless of age. Without antiviral treatment options, vaccination is the only strategy to establish effective protection against Japanese encephalitis.
{"title":"Japanese Encephalitis can be devastating.","authors":"Pier Luigi Lopalco, Luigi Roberto Biasio","doi":"10.7416/ai.2024.2616","DOIUrl":"10.7416/ai.2024.2616","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Japanese encephalitis, caused by the JE virus transmitted by mosquitoes, is the most common type of epidemic encephalitis in Asia. It is endemic in most of South and Southeast Asia, but the number of cases can vary greatly between areas. While many infections do not lead to disease, the symptomatic cases can be very severe and life-threatening. It mainly affects children, whereas adults are generally immune to the disease due to either being infected in childhood or receiving vaccination. However, individuals who are not immune, such as travelers from non-endemic countries, are susceptible to the disease when exposed to the virus for the first time, regardless of age. Without antiviral treatment options, vaccination is the only strategy to establish effective protection against Japanese encephalitis.</p>","PeriodicalId":7999,"journal":{"name":"Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140020792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}