Healthcare students and their knowledge of healthcare-associated infections.

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of medical (MS) and nursing (NS) students about prevention of the HCAIs and to detect differences between these two groups. It was the pilot study of a national investigation and was performed administering a questionnaire including 6 multiple choice questions concerning 3 areas: standard precautions (SP), hand hygiene (HH) and nosocomial infections (NI). One hundred and seventeen students, 89 MS and 28 NS, were included in the study. Mean overall score (+/- SD) was 17.63 (+/- 3.8), on an overall perfect score achievable of 25. Mean score obtained by NS (18.5 +/- 3.3) was better than the one achieved by MS (17.4 +/- 3.9), even if the difference wasn't statistically significant. Stratifying the score in the three specific areas, healthcare students obtained weighed scores (+/- SD) of 6.74 (+/- 1.61) for SP, 4.7 (+/- 1.5) for HH and 4.51 (+/- 1.71) for NI. Knowledge level concerning HH area was different between medical students and nursing students (p = 0.013), in favour of the latter. According to correct answers rate, healthcare students properly know how and what kind of personal medical devices are to be used, while they show a lack of knowledge about hand hygiene. This pilot-study underlines the importance of the assessment of teaching effectiveness, and it stresses the need to critically review some specific contents of healthcare university courses.

[Experimental project for the accreditation of Hospital Directions in the Lazio hospitals]. / Progetto sperimentale di accreditamento delle Direzioni Ospedaliere del Lazio. Autovalutazione e Benchmarking dei Presidi Ospedalieri della Asl Roma H. L'esperienza del Presidio di Anzio.

A system of quality management of one organization can differ from that of another organization, for many aspects: activity, function, complexity of procedures and ability of the employees. Based on the above is the experimental project of ANMDO, in collaboration with Laziosanità-ASP whose goal was to accredit Hospital Directions towards a continuous quality improvement. To assist in the process of adaptation to the standards and to get certification, ANMDO proposes the method of benchmarking. In total, 30 structures of the Lazio Region took part in this project. The ASL Roma H included all her 8 hospitals. From February 2009 Laziosanità-ASP's representatives have begun to make checks on the place. The first evaluations took place at the Frascati Hospital.

Obesity in school-aged children: Interpretation of the Body Mass Index in a sample of children and adolescents in Rome.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate overweight and obesity in a sample of children of school age in the city of Rome (Italy). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 18.299 school children (9.531 males and 8.768 females) aged between 3 and 15 years was studied. Height and weight have been measured in order to calculate the BMI. The percentile distribution of BMI has been determined and then subdivided according to the categories proposed by Cole. The analysis has been done using the program "Statistica" produced by StatSoft, Italia. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight exceeded 20% in all age groups with the exception of the two extremes 3 years old and 15 years old in which the prevalence was 11.8% and 15.4% respectively. Children between 5 and 10 years old have the highest rates of obesity. The prevalence of obesity was highest in females between 4 and 8 years, while for the males it was 8 to 15 years. However the difference in the prevalence between males and females was statistically significantly different only in ages 9 and 10. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of overweight rises to a peak at age 9, reaching 30%, but declines at older ages. The prevalence of obesity peaks at an earlier age reaching between 12% and 15% at ages 5-8 years. The prevalence of obesity declines as the children get older.

[Climate change and Kyoto protocol]. / Le conseguenze dei cambiamenti climatici sulla salute e sull'am- biente. Il protocollo di Kyoto.

Due to industrial revolution and the heavy use of fossil fuels, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased dramatically during the last hundred years, and this has lead to an increase in mean global temperature. The environmental consequences of this are: the melting of the ice caps, an increase in mean sea-levels, catastrophic events such as floodings, hurricanes and earthquakes, changes to the animal and vegetable kingdoms, a growth in vectors and bacteria in water thus increasing the risk of infectious diseases and damage to agriculture. The toxic effects of the pollution on human health are both acute and chronic. The Kyoto Protocol is an important step in the campaign against climatic changes but it is not sufficient. A possible solution might be for the States which produce the most of pollution to adopt a better political stance for the environment and to use renewable resources for the production of energy.

[The control of infectious diseases: obligatory or optional vaccination? Poliomyelitis: towards eradication?]. / Il controllo delle malattie infettive attraverso l'obbligo o la libera scelta delle vaccinazioni. La poliomielite: verso l'eradicazione?

The change from obligatory to optional or recommended vaccination seems to be inevitable. With obligatory vaccination more than 90% of children are adequately vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis and hepatitis B. In contrast, with an optional or recommended vaccination strategy, it is difficult to obtain control and eradication. At the present time, polio eradication is about 99% but to achieve total eradication will require a considerable organizational and economic investment. Surveillance of AFP (acute flaccid paralysis) indicates the state of polio eradication. Only by monitoring and prevention can we be sure that there is no circulation of wild poliovirus.