ABSTRACT
Passive smoking is one of the main risk factors for severe chronic diseases. Hospitals are appropriate settings for promoting tobacco smoking cessation and preventing passive smoking. Moreover, since 2003 Italian Law (no 3/2003) forbids smoking in enclosed workplaces. The smoking ban should be strictly observed in hospitals. This study assessed smoking ban observance and exposure to ETS in a group of paramedical personnel working in a General Hospital (n=1037). Each subject answered a self-administered questionnaire. The prevalence of smokers was 31.2% in females and 31.5% in males. 83% of non-smokers and 66.6% of smokers approved the smoking ban in the hospital but 39.6% of non-smokers and 17.4% of smokers stated it was not observed. Percentages of, respectively, 57.0% and 31.1% in 2004 had dropped in 2005 and in 2006, after Law no 3/2003 was implemented. More than 90% of paramedical personnel declared that workers usually smoked in the workplace. 11.1% of non-smokers reported they were often exposed to ETS and 50% sometimes. These result show the smoking ban was not fully observed in the Hospital, where many workers reported they were exposed to ETS. Occupational Physicians should encourage health workers to stop smoking by offering appropriate counselling.
Subject(s)
Guideline Adherence , Hospitals, General , Smoking/epidemiology , Smoking/legislation & jurisprudence , Adult , Female , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
Modern, non-industrial workplaces may, because of building techniques, widespread use of synthetic materials and artificial ventilation, create risks for the health and well-being of workers. Indoor air pollution by chemical, biological and sometimes physical agents constitutes a significant risk factor, particularly for the respiratory system. The most common effects of exposure to, and inhalation of, indoor air pollutants include acute and chronic inflammations, acute worsening of pre-existing respiratory symptoms or illnesses and airway sensitization to indoor allergens. Upper airway disturbances with an allergic or irritative aetiology are very frequent; Asthma and Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis are more rarely reported but may become severe and widespread when certain environmental conditions prevail. Respiratory infections may have a human source such as tuberculosis or viral diseases or may originate in ventilation systems such as Legionnaire's disease (Legionella pneumophila pneumonia). As all these pathologies may have high social and economic costs and appropriate therapy is not always available, the specialist in Occupational Medicine plays a pre-eminent role in early diagnosis and prevention of respiratory diseases linked to indoor air pollution in the workplace.
Subject(s)
Occupational Diseases/etiology , Respiratory Tract Diseases/etiology , Sick Building Syndrome/etiology , HumansABSTRACT
On the basis of a case of secondary syphilis with bone involvement, this rare manifestation of the secondary period is discussed and reported data reviewed.
Subject(s)
Osteitis/etiology , Syphilis/complications , Adult , Female , Humans , Osteitis/drug therapy , Osteitis/pathology , Penicillins/therapeutic use , Pregnancy , Syphilis/drug therapy , Syphilis/pathology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The authors report the results obtained treating 39 subjects affected from psoriasis with hydropinic therapy and thermal balneo-therapy, using the thermal water of Comano. At the end of the treatment the results were rather bad with an inclusive reduction of 8.5% of the lesions as regards the initial data, but after 3-6 months an average per cent reduction of the lesions about 50% and in some cases quite a total regression of the psoriasis has been noted. No kind of collateral effects has been noted.
Subject(s)
Balneology , Baths , Mineral Waters , Psoriasis/therapy , Adolescent , Adult , Climate , Clinical Trials as Topic , Female , Health Resorts , Humans , Italy , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
In a study carried out on 54 patients affected with urticaria the Authors try to demonstrate, by esophagogastroduodenoscopy, concomitant lesions of the gastroduodenal tract. The superior panendoscopic examination has shown gastroduodenal lesions in about 39% of cases.