Dinamiche della colonizzazione da pneumococco in Sicilia tra il 2009 ed il 2017: implicazioni nella vaccinazione anti-pneumococcica in soggetti di tutte le età

Introduzione Streptococcus pneumoniae è uno dei maggiori responsabili di meningiti, sepsi e polmoniti a livello globale. La colonizzazione asintomatica da pneumococco (carriage) rappresenta il reservoir di sierotipi batterici ed è considerata un pre-requisito per lo sviluppo della malattia. In questo lavoro viene descritto l’andamento del carriage da pneumococco e la distribuzione dei sierotipi circolanti in Sicilia, una delle regioni italiane a proporre nei nuovi nati, già dal 2004, la vaccinazione universale con il vaccino anti pneumococcico coniugato e dal 2013 anche nei soggetti a rischio di qualsiasi età e negli adulti over-65. Materiali e metodi Soggetti di tutte le età, giunti all’os…

Vaccination Status and Attitudes towards Vaccines in a Cohort of Patients with Celiac Disease.

(1) Background: The identification of vaccination status and attitudes towards vaccines among celiac disease (CD) patients is of great importance, but it has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate coverage against vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), attitudes towards vaccinations, and its determinants among CD patients. (2) Methods: An anonymous web-based validated questionnaire was sent to a mailing list of CD adult patients. Patients were asked to self-report their previous vaccinations and attitudes towards vaccinations, which were defined as positive, negative, and partially positive/negative. The influencing factors towards vaccinations were investigated, …

L’epidemiologia del morbillo nell’era dell’eliminazione: l’esperienza della Sicilia tra il 2012 ed il 2019

Introduzione Il morbillo è una patologia ad elevata contagiosità di origine virale e, malgrado l’Introduzione della vaccinazione universale, è an-cora causa di elevata morbilità e mortalità. In linea con la strategia globale posta dall’OMS, è in vigore in Italia un “Piano Nazionale per l’Eliminazione del Morbillo e della Rosolia congenita (PNEMoRc)”. In questo lavoro viene descritta l’epidemiologia del morbillo in Sicilia e le sue dinamiche molecolari, in accordo alle attività di sorveglianza svolte dal Laboratorio di Riferimento Regionale. Materiali e metodi Nel periodo 2012-2019, campioni biologici di soggetti con diagnosi clinica di morbillo, su tutto il territorio regionale, sono stati …

THE BIAS (BULLYING IN SICILIAN SCHOOL) PILOT STUDY: INVESTIGATING THE PREVALENCE OF BULLYING IN SCHOOL OF PALERMO CITY. A RESEARCH STUDY PROTOCOL

Being a serious threat to physical and emotional health of children and adolescents all over the world, bullying in school represents an important public health issue. Since 2007, in Italy, the Ministry of Education (MIUR) has promoted activities to face and prevent bullying in schools of all levels while at the same time national and local Health Authorities have implemented effective social-health strategies. To date, the lack of consistent data needed to properly describe the concerning increase of this Public Health phenomenon prevents both the ability to systematically survey and measure the effectiveness of the public health strategies against bullying. The Bullying In Sicilian School…

Integrated computational and experimental approaches for the identification of new molecules with readthrough activity on premature termination codons (PTCs) in cystic fibrosis cells

COVID-19: opinions and behavior of Italian general population during the first epidemic phase

Background and aim: On January 9, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that Chinese health authorities had identified a new coronavirus strain never before isolated in humans, the 2019-nCoV later redefined SARS-CoV-2, that still today represent a public health problem. The present survey started on 10 February 2020 with the aim of a) assessing the risk perception in healthcare workers and young students, following the evolution of attitudes, perception and knowledge over time, b) provide useful information to the general population during survey. Results: A study sample consisting of 4116 Italian in-dividuals of both sexes was enrolled. High levels of risk perception, low perc…

Vaccinazioni: stato dell’arte, falsi miti e prospettive. Il ruolo chiave della prevenzione.

La pratica vaccinale in Italia è organizzativamente incardinata all’interno del Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN) e nei Servizi Sanitari Regionali (SSR). I luoghi “classici” in cui viene effettuata la procedura/prestazione vaccinale sono i servizi di vaccinazione della Aziende Sanitarie Locali (ASL) o Provinciali (ASP) delle varie Regioni.

Could university training and a proactive attitude of coworkers be associated with influenza vaccination compliance? A multicentre survey among Italian medical residents Assessment and evaluation of admissions, knowledge, skills and attitudes

Background: Although influenza vaccination has been demonstrated to be safe and effective, vaccination coverage rates among health care workers and among medical residents appear generally low. Several investigations have been performed worldwide to analyze the healthcare workers' educational deficiencies. This multicentre survey aimed to investigate at a nationwide level training quality and work environment associated with seasonal influenza vaccination uptake among Italian medical residents. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out from April 2012 to June 2012 on medical residents regularly attending the post-graduate medical schools of 18 Italian Universities via an anonymo…

Studio trasversale sulle variabili di stress lavoro-correlato nei medici in formazione specialistica del maggiore Policlinico Universitario della Sicilia

Introduzione: Il rischio stress lavoro-correlato è uno degli obiettivi della valutazione e prevenzione dei rischi occupazionali negli operatori sanitari (O.S.). I medici in formazione specialistica (MIFS) rappresentano una tipologia di OS sovrapponibile ai dirigenti medici in termini di esposizione lavorativa e quindi di insorgenza di sindromi da stress lavoro-correlato. Obiettivi: Obiettivo dello studio è valutare un set di fattori di rischio stress lavoro-correlato nei MIFS del principale Policlinico Universitario della Sicilia, sottoposti a sorveglianza sanitaria. Materiali e Metodi: Studio trasversale condotto mediante questionario anonimo ed autosomministrato. Risultati: Il 45% dei MIF…

Knowledge and training needs on built environment and indoor health of Italian public health residents: a national survey

Introduction The Working Group for Hygiene of Built Environment and the National Council of Residents of the
Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health conducted a nation-wide survey to evaluate the knowledge and training needs on built environment and indoor health of Italian public health residents. Results The compliance was very high (52,4%) covering all the Italian postgraduate schools. The results underline important lacks of theoretical formation and practical training, but also a certain inhomogeneity across the country and show a strong interest of residents on this topic. Conclusions The authors propose the adoption a national core curriculum and suggest som…

Rilevazione nazionale in tema di formazione specifica di medicina generale in Italia

Physicians have to get a “specific” diploma attending a threeyear training course provided by each regional health service in order to practice as General Practitioners in Italy. In the last years, there has been an ongoing debate about the need to evolve the specific regional courses into integrated specialization training courses, organized and managed by universities with the contribution of regional health services. The Italian Junior Doctors Association and the Giotto Movement carried out a national survey with the aim to identify strengths and weaknesses of the specific regional training courses. Three-hundred-two junior General Practitioners in training (61,2% females) answered to a …

Effectiveness of an educational intervention on seasonal influenza vaccination campaign adherence among healthcare workers of the Palermo University Hospital, Italy.

Introduction. Healthcare workers are continuously exposed to the risk of being infected by influenza viruses during their work, thus representing a threat especially for fragile patients. Although the Italian Ministry of Health strongly recommends influenza vaccination for all HCWs, coverage levels in Italy are still far from the expected. Several studies report that one of the preferred strategies to improve vaccination coverage among Healthcare Workers is improving vaccination knowledge through specific multidisciplinary courses. To assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention on influenza vaccination coverage among Healthcare Workers a study was conducted at "Paolo Giaccone" U…

Influenza vaccination in high-risk groups: a revision of existing guidelines and rationale for an evidence-based preventive strategy.

Summary Influenza, an infectious respiratory disease, is one of the main causes of excess winter deaths (EWDs) in Europe. Annual flu epidemics are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, especially among the elderly, those with underlying health conditions and pregnant women. Health Care Workers (HCWs) are also considered at high risk of both contracting influenza and spreading the virus to vulnerable patients. During the 2014/2015 season, the excess winter mortality rates observed in countries of the northern hemisphere (EuroMOMO network) and in Italy (+13%) were strongly related to the intensity of influenza circulation. Influenza vaccination is the most important public healt…

The Rationale of the WHO Document on Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) readiness and response to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and of the Italian Decalogue for Prevention Departments

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Euromediterranean Biomedical Journal: the renewed journal of young doctors aims even higher.

In January 2006, a new journal, Capsula Eburnea, was born in the Italian scientific pub-lishing scene, with the initial goal of creating, at the same time, “an open scientific forum and a blog”. Until December 2009, the vast majority of manuscripts was still published in Italian, restricting the number of readers. From the end of 2009, the journal has undergone extensive changes, becoming indexed in the main scientific search engines (Scopus, Directory of Open Access Journal, Google Scholar, Ulrich Periodical Directory), and renewing its Editorial Team with a role reassign-ment and expanding the Editorial Board to up to 40 young doctors with proven scientific experience from 15 countries ar…

Stato vaccinale e immunitario contro le malattie prevenibili da vaccino in un campione di operatori sanitari del Policlinico Universitario di Palermo

Introduzione La vaccinazione degli operatori sanitari (OS) riduce il rischio delle infezioni professionali, previene la trasmissione nosocomiale e garantisce la continuità delle cure sanitarie durante le epidemie di malattie vaccinoprevenibili. Nonostante le raccomandazioni del Piano Nazionale della Prevenzione Vaccinale 2017-2019, la copertura vaccinale degli OS in Italia risulta molto bassa. Scopo dello studio è valutare lo stato vaccinale e immunitario degli OS del Policlinico Universitario di Palermo. Materiali e metodi Un questionario anonimo è stato somministrato online tra Settembre e Dicembre 2018 agli OS del Policlinico Universitario di Palermo. Il questionario era suddiviso nelle …

Campagna social #proteggitixproteggermi: andamento delle coperture vaccinali antinfluenzali degli operatori sanitari dell’AOU Policlinico “P. Giaccone” di Palermo in seguito all’implementazione di strategie comunicative ed informative

Introduzione Ogni anno il 20% circa degli operatori sanitari (OS) contrae l’influenza, continuando a lavorare e favorendo la diffusione dei virus influenzali nei reparti. La copertura media della vaccinazione antinfluenzale tra gli OS italiani si attesta attorno al 22%. Alla base del rifiuto vaccinale degli OS vi sono principalmente le scarse conoscenze, attitudini e percezioni in merito all’efficacia e alla sicurezza della vaccinazione antinfluenzale. In questo studio è stato analizzato il trend della copertura vaccinale contro l’influenza durante le ultime 12 stagioni negli OS dell’Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico (AOUP) di Palermo, valutando l’impatto delle strategie comunic…

A proposal for an evidence-based model of the screening for the colorectal carcinoma in an Italian setting

Introduction. The aim of this paper is to improve the feasibility perception of policymakers, health care workers and target population about the cost-effectiveness of the implementation of colorectal screening as Public Health strategy. Methods. Retrospective study by application of a three-step model designed for a local setting in Sicily (Palermo and its Province) in order to distribute Fecal Occult Blood Tests (FOBTs), offer colonoscopy and surgery, by district allocation of pharmacies, public digestive endoscopic centres and oncologic and general surgery units. Mean adherence to consolidated colorectal screening programs in Italy was applied in order to evaluate the feasibility of an o…

Improvement in vaccination knowledge among health students following an integrated extra curricular intervention, an explorative study in the University of Palermo

Summary Introduction. Vaccination coverages threaten to decrease because of false beliefs in their unsafety and inefficacy. Therefore formation of future health-care workers on this topic is fundamental to deal with any doubt and to promote active immunization among general population. Methods. In order to assess health-care students' knowledge about vaccination before an integrated seminar on this topic, and to evaluate their improvement after the educational intervention, an integrated educational intervention was held by a multidisciplinary team. Before and after the seminar, 118 students of medicine and biology schools at Palermo University were asked to answer 10 multiple-choice questi…

Antimeningococcal and antipneumococcal vaccination determinants: A European systematic literature review

Background. ESCULAPIO is a multicenter project, funded by the Italian Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, aimed at implementing communication strategies to improve vaccination knowledge and attitudes among different target populations. Objective. The objective of the Sicilian research unit was, in the first phase, to identify, through systematic literature revision, which vaccination determinants play a role in the uptake of recommended vaccines included in the Italian Vaccination Plan. Design. A systematic literature review was carried out on studies describing the determinants underlying pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccination uptake. The analysis was limited to papers published…