[Patients in chronic anticoagulation therapy: the organization of an educational program run by nurses and the assessment of patients' satisfaction]. / Le persone in Terapia Anticoagulante Orale (TAO): costruzione di un intervento gestito dagli infermieri e valutazione del gradimento.

SETTING: Six Districts of the Health Authority "ASL3 Genovese" (Genoa-Italy), where 3764 patients in Oral Anticoagulation Therapy (OAT) are followed for monitoring International Normalized Ratio (INR). AIM: To increase knowledge of patients through group health education sessions conducted by nurses. METHOD: Training of nurses and production of a draft version of a booklet. The final version was developed with the contribution of hospital cardiologists, laboratory services, risk managers and General Practitioners. A questionnaire was administered to assess patients satisfaction with clarity of the presentations, relevance of the contents, appropriateness of educational method and usefulness of the booklet. RESULTS: From September to December 2008 1074 patients (51% of those invited) attended the 96 health education sessions that involved 120 nurses. Rate of attendance varied greatly in the six districts ranging from 26% to 68%. Mean age of the participants was 74 (range 33-95). The questionnaires were completed by 1039 participants (97%). The majority rated the contents of the session and the booklet clear, useful and appropriate. Problems encountered, strengths and limitations of the intervention were identified. Plan for action for continuing educational intervention was organised. CONCLUSIONS: Educational sessions were very appreciated. One of the major strengths was the involvement of all the professionals that contribute to patients care.

Nutritional status of 8-year-old rural and urban Italian children: a study in Pistoia, Tuscany.

In this study, performed in the province of Pistoia (Italy), we tested whether 8-year-old children living in rural areas differed from their urban peers as far as nutritional status, dietary habits and physical activity are concerned. The study sample was randomly selected to include 50% of the children attending the third elementary class in the province of Pistoia during 2002. A total of 1006 children underwent an anthropometric evaluation and an assessment of dietary habits and physical activity by means of specific questionnaires. Of these children, 927 were born in Italy and are described in this report. The relationship between body mass index (BMI<5th percentile versus 5thor=95th percentile) and the environment (urban versus rural) was of borderline significance (P=0.051). However, the percentage of children with BMI>or=85th percentile was greater in rural (24%) than in urban (18%) areas (P=0.012). The choice of foods and the physical activity of rural children mirrored those of urban children. These data sound as an alarm in view of the current epidemics of obesity that are invading Italy and other Mediterranean countries.