0000000000391659
AUTHOR
Agodi Antonella
Determinants of patient and health system delay among Italian and foreign-born patients with pulmonary tuberculosis: a multicentre cross-sectional study
ObjectivesThe aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify key factors associated with patient delay (PD), health system delay (HSD) and total delay (TOTD) in patients with tuberculosis (TB) to inform control programmes.SettingThe study was conducted in four Italian regions in 2014–2016. Data were obtained using a questionnaire including: sociodemographic and lifestyle data, TB comorbidities, patient knowledge and attitudes towards TB, stigma, access to TB care and health-seeking behaviours.ParticipantsPatients’ inclusion criteria were being diagnosed as a new smear positive pulmonary TB case and living in one of the participating Italian regions. Overall, 344 patients from 30 healthca…
Stress in Medical Students: PRIMES, an Italian, Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study
Medical students (MSs) are healthcare workers and must also cope with education-related stressors. This study aims to assess factors associated with perceived stress in Italian MSs. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 Italian medical schools (MSCs) in November 2018. A questionnaire assessed socio-demographic characteristics, habits, opinions about MSC, and concerns about the future. Stress was assessed with the PSS-10. Descriptive and univariable tests were performed. A linear model was fitted to find associations of the PSS-10 score with characteristics. There were 2513 collected questionnaires. Median PSS-10 score was 18 (IQR 11). Median age was 22 (IQR 4) and 61% of the sample wa…
A Combined Multidisciplinary Intervention for Health Promotion in the Workplace: A Pilot Study
The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a joint health promotion intervention on a cohort of healthcare workers (HCWs) who had at least one cardiovascular risk factor. The HCWs were assessed at three different times, i.e., time zero (T0), after 6 months (T6), and after 12 months (T12). The following parameters were measured at a medical examination: physical activity, blood pressure, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), routine laboratory tests, plicometric analysis, work ability index (WAI), and body image dissatisfaction (BID). Among the 447 HCWs, 38 HCWs were included in the study; 45% (n = 17) were male. At T12, the average blood pressure, waist/hip ratio (WHR) index, …
The rapid spread of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant in Italy reflected early through wastewater surveillance
The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged in South Africa in November 2021, and has later been identified worldwide, raising serious concerns. A real-time RT-PCR assay was designed for the rapid screening of the Omicron variant, targeting characteristic mutations of the spike gene. The assay was used to test 737 sewage samples collected throughout Italy (19/21 Regions) between 11 November and 25 December 2021, with the aim of assessing the spread of the Omicron variant in the country. Positive samples were also tested with a real-time RT-PCR developed by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), and through nested RT-PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Overall, 115 samples tested po…
La sorveglianza della malattia tubercolare in Sicilia: Valutazioni epidemiologiche e molecolari come strumenti a supporto della Sanità Pubblica
L’epidemiologia della Tubercolosi (TB) in Sicilia è in rapida evoluzione con un aumento dei casi nella popolazione di nazionalità non italiana. La tipizzazione molecolare dei ceppi di M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) costituisce un insostituibile supporto alla conoscenza dei ceppi circolanti e delle correlazioni tra i casi di TB. MATERIALI E METODI: Sono stati presi in considerazione i flussi di dati correnti, in particolare i dati di notifica delle malattie infettive del Sistema Informativo delle Malattie Infettive (SIMI) regionale incrociando questi con i dati provenienti dalle Schede di Dimissione Ospedaliera (SDO) attraverso il metodo del capture - recapture. Grazie alle attività del Labo…
Knowledge about tuberculosis among undergraduate health care students in 15 Italian universities: a cross-sectional study
Background: The Italian Study Group on Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health conducted a multicentre survey aiming to evaluate undergraduate health care students’ knowledge of tuberculosis and tuberculosis control measures in Italy. Methods: In October 2012–June 2013, a sample of medical and nursing students from 15 Italian universities were enrolled on a voluntary basis and asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire investigating both general knowledge of tuberculosis (aetiology, clinical presentation, outcome, screening methods) and personal experiences and practices related to tuberculosis prevention. Data were analysed through multiv…