Socioeconomic differences in dietary habits in Italy before and during COVID-19 pandemic: secondary analysis of a nationwide cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Several socioeconomic conditions may influence subjects' adherence to healthy eating habits. Food consumption may be influenced by external stress during crisis periods; however, the effects of these events on food habits are difficult to predict. Also, a pandemic crisis like the recent COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced dietary habits and food consumption. The objective of this study was to compare the dietary habits of Italian people before the COVID-19 pandemic with those belonging to the year 2020 in a nationwide population sample. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information on dietary habits has been obtained from the multi-purpose survey on families' "Aspects of daily life", carried out in Italy by the Italian National Statistics Institute (ISTAT). We analyzed data coming from 2016 and 2020 editions of the survey (43,000 subjects each year). We used population attributable fraction (PAF) adjusted for age, defined as the proportional reduction in unhealthy diet that would occur if all participants had had a higher education, assuming higher educated individuals as more socially advantaged. Prevalence association for each dietary exposition has been calculated through logistic regression. RESULTS: Looking at aggregated data from 2016 and 2020 both men and women showed a high prevalence of unhealthy dietary habits. Regarding men, excessive consumption of eggs, pork meat, and bovine meat was characterized by a PAF attributable to socioeconomic conditions to an extent greater than 30%. Women showed the same trend. Focusing on different years of investigation, in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, men and women increased their consumption of eggs, cooked fats, snacks, and sweets, and reduced consumption of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, women increased the assumption of dietary products and meat. Both sexes registered an increase in overweight and obese subjects in 2020. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this study was the first in our country to use a yearly, nationwide sample to analyze dietary habits by examining specific types of various foods on a nationwide scale and establishing a correlation between these habits and the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results showed unbalanced dietary habits of the Italian population with an excess of consumption of several foods like eggs, cooked fats snacks, and sweets with low consumption of fruits and vegetables. Socioeconomic differences influence food choices but in a complex way since they seemed to affect some wrong dietary habits but not others, especially regarding fruits and vegetables assumption where differences were less evident among social classes. Outside stressors like a crisis period such as the COVID-19 pandemic seem to have an important role in both men and women regarding the assumption of so-called "junk food".

Gender, Socioeconomic, and Health Characteristics Associated to Dermatological Visits in Italy: Secondary Analysis of a National Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: Very few studies have investigated possible role of sociodemographic factors in terms of differences in access to dermatologic visits, and almost all of them have been conducted in health system realities where insurance companies play an important role in terms of access to healthcare providers. To our knowledge in Italy, there is lack of studies carried out with the aim to investigate possible role of sociodemographic factors regarding differences in outpatient dermatologic use for a variety of dermatologic conditions. Indeed, some investigations have been focused on specific dermatologic conditions without analyzing the big and extremely wide picture of skin diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze possible variables associated with tendency to access dermatological visits. METHODS: We analyzed data from the multipurpose Italian cross-sectional Health Interview Survey routinely carried out by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT). Mixed effect logistic regression models have been built to evaluate factors independently associated with dermatological visit. RESULTS: Of the 119,073 subjects, only 2.3% underwent a dermatological visit. People older than 44 years old are less likely of undergoing a dermatological visit as well as people married/cohabiting, separated/divorced, and widowed, with low economic resources and living in southern and islands areas. Upper education levels are associated to increased probability of having a dermatological visit as well as lowering class of self-perceived health status and living in northern and central areas. CONCLUSION: This study shows an association between the odds of having dermatological visits and some sociodemographic factors. This could generate possible health disparities in dermatological disease outcomes.

Stress responses in high-fidelity simulation and standard simulation training among medical students.

BACKGROUND: Simulation has been recognized as a shift in healthcare education that can improve skills and patient safety and outcomes. High-fidelity simulation of critical medical situations can be a source of stress among participants that can interfere with students' abilities leading to unexpected emotional responses. The aim of this study is to determine if two simulation methods, high-fidelity (HF) and procedural simulation (PS), may be associated with stress responses at a self-perceived and biological level (salivary cortisol variations), and to compare stress levels of the two different simulation method. We also wanted to find independent variables associated with cortisol total hormonal output. METHODS: A quasi-experimental before-after study was used including the administration of questionnaires, and biomarkers evaluation by salivary cortisol samples before and after simulation. A total of 148 students were eligible and agreed to participate in the study. We used paired T-test for mean comparison regarding State-trait anxiety for both HF and PT simulations. For NASA-TLX we performed a T-test mean comparison between groups. We used paired T-test mean comparison for cortisol analysis. Multivariable linear regression has been used to assess variables associated with AUCg values and perceived stress. RESULTS: values of STAI-Y scores were relatively higher at the end of the HF and PS sessions. NASA-TLX was significantly higher at baseline for the HF simulations, with respect to the PS simulation. Cortisol fold increase was significantly different in the two groups. Linear regression showed that cortisol AUCg was related to the STAI-Y score in both groups. CONCLUSION: Participating students developed a stress response both after in the HF and PS training, testified by psychological and biological outputs. According to our results, stress levels were increased for simply being in a simulation scenario than to the intrinsic complexity of the task required. More studies are needed to confirm this trend and to clarify the role of simulated stress response in a long-term learning scenario.

Association between hypertension, oral microbiome and salivary nitric oxide: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO) produced in the oral cavity is a powerful resource for the human body, especially when NO-syntethase production is not adequate. The role of oral microbiome in determining blood pressure levels has been linked to the active role of some bacterial species involved in the nitro-reducing process. In the present study we investigated the correlation between selected oral microbiome characteristics, nitric oxide (NO) concentration in saliva and their association with hypertension. METHODS: A case-control study including 48 (25 normotensive and 23 hypertensive subjects), subjects between 50 and 70 years old, was carried out at the dental clinic of an Italian teaching hospital. Characteristics of participants have been evaluated by means of a physical examination, and by an assisted interview. A real-time polymerase chain reaction in samples of saliva and plaque was used to detect Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis, Veillonella dispar and Neisseria subflava as well as total bacterial count. Nitric oxide in saliva was evaluated by the ELISA method. RESULTS: Normotensive subjects, compared with hypertensive subjects, had significantly higher concentration of NO (165.77 ± 61.7 vs 57.49 ± 19.61 µmol/l; p = 0.023), and higher bacterial concentration of the supragingival plaque (4.73E+07 ± 4.33+07 vs 4.02E+07 ± 4.00+07; p = 0.024). Bacterial species, usually associated to good oral health status, such as Neisseria subflava, were significantly more present in normotensive subjects than in hypertensive ones (9090.88 ± 5481.49 vs 4791.35 ± 4349.37; p < 0.001). considering the concentration of bacteria as a biomarker of the development of hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the association between hypertension, oral microbiome and salivary nitric oxide, in fact do the results allow us to establish any biomarkers (microbial or biochemical, NO) that allow early therapeutic intervention.

Obesity and ultrasound-estimated visceral fat deposits in women undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedures.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of body mass index (BMI) and ultrasound-estimated visceral adipose tissue deposits on oocyte quality and pregnancy rate in women undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedures. The study included 58 women who underwent ART procedures. According to their BMI, the women were divided into normal weight and overweight/obese; an ultrasound evaluation of preperitoneal fat thickness (PFT) was also performed for each patient. The oocyte quality was then assessed, and samples of follicular fluid were collected from each woman, in order to evaluate the intrafollicular concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as markers of oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß and IL-6) as markers of chronic inflammation. A negative correlation was found between BMI (as well as PFT) and the number of retrieved oocytes (r = -0.3; p <0.05 and r = -0.5; p < 0.001, respectively), good quality oocytes (r = -0.4; p = <0.05) and obtained embryos (r = -0.3; p < 0.05). In women undergoing ART procedures, BMI and PFT negatively influence the number of oocytes retrieved and their quality. However, on multivariable analysis, only age, PFT and number of retrieved oocytes affect the success rate of ART procedures.

The earlier the better: health-related quality of life is inversely related to age of smoking cessation in older former Italian smokers.

BACKGROUND: Quitting smoking has several health benefits, including an improvement in health-related quality of life. It is not well established if there is a relationship between the age when people stop smoking and health-related quality of life in older adults. AIMS: The primary aim was to investigate the relationship between health-related quality of life and the age when people quit smoking in a national representative sample of community-dwelling older Italian adults. The secondary aim was to describe the characteristics of older former smokers according to their age when they stopped smoking. METHODS: Data were drawn from the "Health and use of health care in Italy", a national cross-sectional survey (2004-2005). Seven thousand five hundred and sixty-two former smokers, aged 65 years and older, were evaluated by age of smoking cessation. Socio-demographic characteristics, physical activity, the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) score and its physical (PCS-12) and mental (MCS-12) component summary scores, disability and comorbidities were analyzed. RESULTS: Educational level, marital status and area of residence were associated with a different age of smoking cessation, as a higher level of disability and comorbidity. PCS-12 (ß -0.144; p < 0.001) and MCS-12 (ß -0.077; p < 0.001) component scores were lower in subjects who quit smoking later. The relationship was confirmed for the PCS-12 score even after adjustment for socio-demographic, disability and clinical variables (ß -0.031; p < 0.001), while it disappeared for the MCS-12 score (ß -0.010, p = 0.307), after adjustment for comorbidities. CONCLUSION: Physical and mental health-related quality of life is influenced by the age of smoking cessation in older individuals, but this relationship is influenced by comorbidities, particularly depression. Some individual characteristics are related to the age of the person when he/she quit smoking.

Risk Factors and Impact on Clinical Outcome of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii Acquisition in Cardiac Surgery Patients.

OBJECTIVES: Acinetobacter baumannii recently has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen. The aim of this study was to assess the impact on mortality of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDR-AB) infection/colonization in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and to investigate microbiologic characteristics, epidemiologic spread of this pathogen, and the relative containment measures. DESIGN: Single-center, retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data. SETTING: Cardiac surgery tertiary-care center. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with positive MDR-AB cultures from September 1, 2009 to December 31, 2011. INTERVENTIONS: Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to individualize the risk factors for MDR-AB-infections in cardiac surgery patients. To evaluate the MDR-AB attributable mortality, a retrospective matched cohort study was performed. Incidence density ratio (IDR) was calculated to compare the MDR-AB infection/colonization before and after the introduction of preventive measures adopted following the first cases. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: MDR-AB acquisition occurred in 14 patients (0,6%) of 2385 patients. At the multivariate analyses, preoperative use of inotropic drugs (OR 18.2, 95% CI 4.6-71.9) and logistic EuroSCORE (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.06-1.13) were found as independent risk factors. Patients with MDR-AB had 57% cumulative in-hospital mortality; no statistical differences in mortality were observed in the matched group. IDR revealed a significantly decreased incidence of infection/colonization (0.3 per 1,000 days of stay compared with 0.03/1,000 days of stay, p = 0.0001) after the containment measures became effective. CONCLUSIONS: Sicker patients are more susceptible to be infected by A. baumannii, but mortality is not significantly higher compared with other patients with similar characteristics. Adequate measures are fundamental to control the spread of the infection.

Application of space-time disease clustering by administrative databases in Italy: Adverse Reproductive Outcomes (AROs) and residential exposure.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to estimate the existence of clusters of AROs in the municipalities of the Marches Region (Central Italy) after complaints from residents living near an abandoned landfill site. METHODS: Cases of AROs (i.e., congenital malformation, chromosomal abnormalities, and low birth weight) were retrieved from hospital discharge data. SaTScan and GeoDa were used to check for the presence of clusters at a regional and a small area level. Moreover, at a small area/neighborhood level, smoothed rates were calculated, and a case-control approach was used to assess the residence in proximity to the abandoned landfill as an independent risk factor for AROs. RESULTS: AROs were associated with the price per square meter of the accommodations in the area of residence (OR 2.53, 95 % CI 2.06-3.10). On the other hand, residence within one kilometer of the landfill (OR 0.04, 95 % CI 0.01-0.23) and maternal age greater than 35 years (OR 0.96, 95 % CI 0.92-0.99) were protective. CONCLUSIONS: Residency in proximity to the abandoned landfill was not a risk factor for the occurrence of AROs. The results show that basic information, such as the price of accommodations in different neighborhoods, could be of interest in order to target training programs for women living in difficult conditions and highlights the potential role of the building environment in perinatal health. However, we note that aside from the data provided by Geographic Information Systems in public health, collection of the patient's residential address was unreliable for selected conditions. Future efforts should emphasize the patient's residential address as information important for evaluating the health of individuals instead of being merely administrative data.

Consumption of Tap Water and Sociodemographic-Associated Characteristics: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

Safe water is a global public health concern amid increasing scarcity and pollution. Bottled water production and consumption contribute to these problems. This study examines tap water consumption in Italy, assessing associated sociodemographic factors and related health outcomes such as obesity and self-perceived health status. Data from the Italian National Statistics Institute's "Aspects of daily life" survey (N = 45,597) were analyzed. Covariates included education, age, gender, economic status, region, concerns about waste and climate change, consumption of carbonated drinks excluding water, alcohol consumption, consumption of vegetables, consumption of snacks, body mass index, and self-perceived health status. Bivariate analyses and mixed-effect logistic regression models explored the associations. People who drink tap water made up 19,674, with a higher prevalence in people aged 45 to 59 old, people with a graduate/post-graduate degree diploma, with optimal economic resources, people concerned about waste production and climate change, and those coming from the north-east regions of Italy. Underweight people showed a higher prevalence of TW consumption as well as those who less than occasionally drank carbonated drinks, drank alcohol, consumed vegetables more than once a day and snacks less than once a week, dairy products more than once a day, sweet less than once a week, cured meat less than once a week, and chicken meat less than once a week, those with no consumption of sheep meat, consumption of beef meat less than once a week and consumption of pork meat less than once a week, and those with a satisfactory level of perceived health status. Regressions showed that all other age classes are less likely to drink tap water than people younger than 20 years old. The category with "inadequate" economic resources is more likely to consume tap water. Low educational classes show a low likelihood of consuming tap water as well as islands. A concern about waste production and climate change is associated with an increased likelihood of consuming tap water. Tap water consumption was negatively associated with obesity but not with a satisfactory self-perceived health status. Insights from this study can inform public health strategies.

Psychological Stress and its relationship to Periodontal flora and salivary Nitrite/Nitrate.

OBJECTIVE: Psychological stress can be a common risk factor for the development of oral and systemic disease; therefore, analysis of a pathophysiologic mechanisms that may explain this association may be significant in planning preventive strategies. The aim of this study was to investigate the association amongst academic stress, periodontal health, and salivary cortisol and nitrite and nitrate levels in a sample of university students. METHODS: Participants (N = 14) were classified into 2 groups according to their exposure to academic stress due to periods of university exams (n = 6 and n = 8, respectively). All participants were subjected evlauted for their behavioural, psychological, and anthropometric parameters, as well as an oral health examination. A real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis in samples of saliva and plaque was used to detect Prevotella intermedia and Veillonella dispar as well as the total bacterial count. Nitrite/nitrate ratio (NR ratio) and cortisol in saliva were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Full Mouth Bleeding Score, Full Mouth Plaque Score, and Gingival Index were significantly higher in the group exposed to academic stress. Nitrite was directly related to the presence of V dispar (coefficient, 0.13; P = .00; CI, 0.07 to 0.19) and inversely related to total bacterial count (coefficient, -0.07; P = .012; CI, -0.13 to 0.02). NR ratio was directly related to V dispar (coefficient, 4.35; P = .010; 95% CI, 1.35 to 7.36) and inversely related to total bacterial count (coefficient, -4.05; P = .018; 95% CI, -7.32 to 0.86). CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the importance of stress on periodontal health and salivary nitrite concentration and highlight a potential differential role of specific bacteria on nitrite concentration in saliva.

Malnutrition-Related Health Outcomes in Older Adults with Hip Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Hip fracture is a common condition in older adults, leading to disability and mortality. Several studies have demonstrated the association between nutritional status and the risk of a negative health outcome after fractures. In this systematic review, we evaluated the association between malnutrition and mortality, changes in mobility/living arrangements, and postoperative complications, such as delirium, in older patients with hip fractures. A literature search on the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, up to September 2023, was conducted to identify all studies involving older subjects that reported an association between MNA/GNRI/PNI/CONUT and health outcome after hip fracture. Meta-analysis was performed by a random-effects model using risk values (RR, OR, and HR) extracted from the 14 eligible selected studies. Malnutrition significantly increased the risk of any analyzed adverse outcome by 70% at 1 month, and up to 250% at 1 year. Malnutrition significantly increased delirium risk by 275% (OR = 2.75; 95% CI 1.80-4.18; p ≤ 0.05), mortality risk by 342% (OR = 3.42; 95% CI 2.14-5.48; p ≤ 0.05), mortality hazard risk by 351% (HR = 3.51; 95% CI 1.63-7.55; p ≤ 0.05) at 1 month, and transfer-to-more-supported-living-arrangements risk by 218% (OR = 2.18; 95% CI 1.58-3.01; p ≤ 0.05), and declined mobility risk by 41% (OR = 1.41; 95% CI 1.14-1.75; p ≤ 0.05), mortality risk by 368% (OR = 3.68; 95% CI 3.00-4.52; p ≤ 0.05), and mortality hazard risk by 234% (HR = 2.34; 95% CI 1.91-2.87; p ≤ 0.05) at 1 year. Malnutrition of older patients increases the risk of death and worsens mobility and independence after hip fractures. The results of the present study highlight the importance of nutritional status evaluation of older subjects with hip fractures in order to prevent potential adverse outcomes (Registration No: CRD42023468751).

Postoperative Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Patients With and Without Preoperative Colonization.

Importance: Staphylococcus aureus surgical site infections (SSIs) and bloodstream infections (BSIs) are important complications of surgical procedures for which prevention remains suboptimal. Contemporary data on the incidence of and etiologic factors for these infections are needed to support the development of improved preventive strategies. Objectives: To assess the occurrence of postoperative S aureus SSIs and BSIs and quantify its association with patient-related and contextual factors. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter cohort study assessed surgical patients at 33 hospitals in 10 European countries who were recruited between December 16, 2016, and September 30, 2019 (follow-up through December 30, 2019). Enrolled patients were actively followed up for up to 90 days after surgery to assess the occurrence of S aureus SSIs and BSIs. Data analysis was performed between November 20, 2020, and April 21, 2022. All patients were 18 years or older and had undergone 11 different types of surgical procedures. They were screened for S aureus colonization in the nose, throat, and perineum within 30 days before surgery (source population). Both S aureus carriers and noncarriers were subsequently enrolled in a 2:1 ratio. Exposure: Preoperative S aureus colonization. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was cumulative incidence of S aureus SSIs and BSIs estimated for the source population, using weighted incidence calculation. The independent association of candidate variables was estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: In total, 5004 patients (median [IQR] age, 66 [56-72] years; 2510 [50.2%] female) were enrolled in the study cohort; 3369 (67.3%) were S aureus carriers. One hundred patients developed S aureus SSIs or BSIs within 90 days after surgery. The weighted cumulative incidence of S aureus SSIs or BSIs was 2.55% (95% CI, 2.05%-3.12%) for carriers and 0.52% (95% CI, 0.22%-0.91%) for noncarriers. Preoperative S aureus colonization (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 4.38; 95% CI, 2.19-8.76), having nonremovable implants (AHR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.15-3.49), undergoing mastectomy (AHR, 5.13; 95% CI, 1.87-14.08) or neurosurgery (AHR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.09-5.61) (compared with orthopedic surgery), and body mass index (AHR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08 per unit increase) were independently associated with S aureus SSIs and BSIs. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of surgical patients, S aureus carriage was associated with an increased risk of developing S aureus SSIs and BSIs. Both modifiable and nonmodifiable etiologic factors were associated with this risk and should be addressed in those at increased S aureus SSI and BSI risk.

Socio-economic determinants and self-reported depressive symptoms during postpartum period.

The researchers' aims were to estimate the prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms in Italy. Cross-sectional data from the survey, "Health and use of health care in Italy" were analyzed. The authors focused on 5,812 women, pregnant some time during five years before the survey. Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate risk factors independently associated with postpartum depressive symptoms. Evaluation of seasonal trends was also performed.In the total sample, 23.5% (n = 1,365) reported having suffered postpartum depressive symptoms: 20.7% experienced baby blues, and 2.8% postpartum depression. Factors significantly associated with baby blues were, among others, living in northern or central areas (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.88; 95%CI 1.57-2.15 and 1.40; 95%CI 1.20-1.63, respectively), history of depression (aOR 1.34; 95%CI 1.15-1.56), and attendance at antenatal classes (aOR 1.13; 95%CI 1.04-1.22). Factors significantly associated with postpartum depression were: anamnesis of depression (aOR 3.32; 95%CI 2.69-4.09), gaining more than 16 kg of weight during pregnancy (aOR 1.48; 95%CI 1.03-2.12), and undergoing a cesarean section (planned: aOR 1.56; 95%CI 1.05-2.29; unplanned: aOR 1.78; 95%CI 1.16-2.73). Multiparity was a protective factor both for baby blues (aOR 0.80; 95%CI 0.70-0.91), and postpartum depression (aOR 0.71; 95%CI 0.51-0.98). No clear seasonality was observed for postpartum depression, while for baby blues a certain aggregation of events was registered during the central months of the year. The authors' study highlighted variables associated with baby blues and postpartum depression to target screening for women for postpartum depressive symptoms.

The effects of educational intervention on nutritional behaviour in alcohol-dependent patients.

AIMS: To evaluate the nutritional status and the impact of an educational intervention on nutritional behaviour in alcohol-dependent patients. METHODS: A pre-and post-intervention questionnaire and a follow-up interview were administered to 58 patients of a residential alcohol treatment service. RESULTS: Females were at lower risk of being overweight than males, even after adjusting for amount and preferred type of alcohol beverage. Before intervention, 19% consumed 3 meals/day. Following the educational intervention, 22.2% of participants improved their knowledge. After 6 months, when 45 patients agreed to a telephone interview of whom 80% reported continued abstinence, 70.7% reported eating more than 3 meals/day. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional behaviour of alcohol patients after residential treatments improved during follow-up, and it is possible that an educational intervention to increase knowledge on healthy nutrition style may have contributed.

Influenza vaccine uptake among community-dwelling Italian elderly: results from a large cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Flu vaccination significantly reduces the risk of serious complications like hospitalization and death among community-dwelling older people, therefore vaccination programmes targeting this population group represent a common policy in developed Countries. Among the determinants of vaccine uptake in older age, a growing literature suggests that social relations can play a major role. METHODS: Drawing on the socio-behavioral model of Andersen-Newman--which distinguishes predictors of health care use in predisposing characteristics, enabling resources and need factors--we analyzed through multilevel regressions the determinants of influenza immunization in a sample of 25,183 elderly reached by a nationally representative Italian survey. RESULTS: Being over 85-year old (OR = 1.99; 95% CI 1.77 - 2.21) and suffering from a severe chronic disease (OR = 2.06; 95% CI 1.90 - 2.24) are the strongest determinants of vaccine uptake. Being unmarried (OR = 0.81; 95% CI 0.74 - 0.87) and living in larger households (OR = 0.83; 95% CI 0.74 - 0.87) are risk factors for lower immunization rates. Conversely, relying on neighbors' support (OR = 1.09; 95% CI 1.02 - 1.16) or on privately paid home help (OR = 1.19; 95% CI 1.08 - 1.30) is associated with a higher likelihood of vaccine uptake. CONCLUSIONS: Even after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and need factors, social support, measured as the availability of assistance from partners, neighbors and home helpers, significantly increases the odds of influenza vaccine use among older Italians.

Determinants of influenza vaccination among the adult and older Italian population with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a secondary analysis of the multipurpose ISTAT survey on health and health care use.

We analyzed seasonal flu vaccination rates among the Italian population suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in order to identify socio-demographic and clinical determinants for vaccination. We used data from the survey "Health and health care use in Italy", which interviewed 5,935 persons (age 15 - 102 years) suffering from COPD in the period 2004-2005. For each respondent, information on socioeconomic and health conditions, smoking status and patterns of health care utilization were retrieved. After bivariate analysis, we used two multilevel regression models to assess determinants of vaccination among the adult and the older Italian population. Overall 30.5% of adults (N=670) and 74.8% (N=2,796) of older people reported being vaccinated against seasonal flu. After controlling for potential confounders, older age increases the odds of vaccine uptake. Single marital status among the older people, smoking and not having contact with GPs in both age groups, are factors associated with non vaccination. Higher-educated elderly are less likely to be vaccinated, while coverage is higher among the wealthier adults. Vaccine coverage among adults with COPD in Italy remains low, especially among those with no comorbidities, and aged less than 44 years. It is only in older age that vaccination rates increase substantially. We found several risk factors for non vaccination, such as smoking, single marital status, and not having contacts with GPs, which should be considered in developing strategies to increase the coverage of influenza vaccine among people with COPD in Italy.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measurements (PROMs) After Discharge From the Emergency Department: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of a patient-reported outcome (PRO) is to elicit the perspectives of patients and translate them into a reliable measurement questionnaire. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this cross-sectional study was to detect a set of PROs and PRO measurements (PROMs) about patients with isolated trauma of the limbs receiving emergency department (ED) care. METHODS: A survey was performed in the ED using a questionnaire among the enrolled patients to identify which proposed outcomes were perceived as important by the patients according to their expectations. RESULTS: Ninety-six consecutive patients were conveniently enrolled. For each item of the questionnaire, the percentage of patients who agreed to perceive it important were calculated. Three items were perceived important by almost 85% of the patients: getting an x-ray (91%; 95% CI: 88%-98%), obtaining a written therapy (94%; 95% CI: 87%-97%), and feeling the physicians' and nurses' empathy (97%; 95% CI: 91%-99%). The ED system was able to satisfy 2 of the 3 agreed PROs in at least 85% of the cases: getting an x-ray (97%; 95% CI: 91%-99%) and obtaining a written therapy (97%; 95% CI: 91%-99%). Moreover, in 30/96 patients (31%; 95% CI: 22%-41%), all the PROs were satisfied, and in 75/96 patients (78%; 95% CI: 69%-85%), all agreed PROs were satisfied. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows an example of core of PROs proposed by the ED physicians and agreed by the patients. Moreover, we presented a set of PROMs which could be used to measure the quality of an ED.

Vaccines Against SARS-CoV-2 in Psoriasis Patients on Immunosuppressive Therapy: Implications of Vaccination Nationwide Campaign on Clinical Practice in Italy.

More than 12 months have passed since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus, to be a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The entire world scientific community agrees that at this time vaccine is the most promising weapon to combat the infection and the severity of the disease. According to the document "Draft landscape of COVID-19 candidate vaccines" by WHO, 272 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 virus are in development, although only four of these, produced by Pfizer-BioNTech (Pfizer, Inc. and BioNTech), Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Janssen companies, respectively, have been approved by European Medicines Agency and Italian Medicines Agency and subsequently distributed nationwide for use. These vaccines are the result of highly innovative procedures and are quite different from each other in terms of composition. Even clinicians in various medical fields may be unfamiliar with the effects of these vaccines. There is the strong emerging need for dermatologists to understand the crucial role of vaccines, with a focus on the need to vaccinate patients suffering from immune-mediated skin diseases, such as psoriasis, while taking the ongoing treatment into consideration regarding the timing of vaccination. Similarly, psoriasis patients aware of having an immune-mediated and inflammatory disease are increasingly asking the dermatologist information about the efficacy and safety of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 virus. In this narrative review of the literature and critical analysis of the recommendations of the Italian Ministry of Health, we analyze the implications of the vaccination campaign on dermatological patients with psoriasis undergoing immunosuppressive treatment.

Cortisol, chronotype, and coping styles as determinants of tolerance of nursing staff to rotating shift work.

Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and cortisol patterns are likely to play a role in shift work tolerance, i.e., ability to adapt to shift work without suffering stress-related consequences. Yet, the evidence is scanty. Here, salivary cortisol output during night shifts and leisure days was assessed in fast-forward rotating shift work nursing staff (N = 30), and possible links with a series of variables - gender (30% male), age (M = 39.6, SEM = 1.57 y), years of service (M = 12.43, SEM = 1.48 y), BMI (M = 23.29, SEM = 0.66 Kg/m2), self-rated chronotype, sleep quality, and psycho-behavioral factors - were investigated. Main results show that cortisol output during night shifts: i) is larger in morning-oriented chronotypes, thus affected by the circadian misalignment between biological and working rhythms; ii) associates with dysfunctional coping styles at work; iii) positively correlates with diurnal cortisol secretion on leisure days, i.e., individuals with larger cortisol output during shifts display higher cortisol secretion on non-working days. Chronotype and psycho-behavioral factors explain most of the correlational weight linking cortisol output during the night shift and off-days. In conclusion, we confirm salivary cortisol testing as a suitable objective marker of occupational stress and propose it as a valuable index for monitoring shift work tolerance, in combination with chronotype. Moreover, we emphasize the importance of evaluating psycho-behavioral factors in professional settings, because these modifiable variables can be addressed with tailored psychological interventions to ameliorate poor job satisfaction, reduce work-related distress, and avoid chronic cortisol excess experienced by shift workers.

Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Superficial Surgical Site Infections after Appendectomy for Acute Appendicitis: A Secondary Data Analysis.

Background: The identification of risk factors for superficial surgical site infections (SSSIs) associated with appendectomy is paramount in the management of patients with acute appendicitis (AA). Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis from a prospective multi-center observational study. It included all consecutive hospitalized patients with AA who underwent appendectomy and were monitored for complications at 30 days after the intervention. A case-control approach was used to evaluate risk factors associated with the occurrence of SSSI. Results: Among 2,667 patients, 156 (5.8%) developed an SSSI. The series included 1,449 males (54.3%) and 1,218 females with a median age of 29 years (interquartile range [IQR] 20-45 years). Antimicrobial therapy within the previous 30 days was reported by 170 patients (6.4%), and a C-reactive protein concentration (CRP) >50 mg/L was observed in 609 (22.8%). A total of 960 patients (36.0%) underwent open surgery, 1,699 (63.7%) laparoscopic surgery, and 8 (0.3%) another surgical intervention. In 2,575 patients (95.6%), a pathological appendix was detected during the operation. In 776 patients (29.1%), an intra-operative abdominal drain (IAD) was placed; 125 patients (4.7%) were admitted to the intensive care unit. The median hospital length of stay was 3 days (IQR 2-5 days). The overall mortality rate was 0.11%. Multinomial logistic regression analysis of risk factors demonstrated that statistically significant risk factors independently associated with the occurrence of SSSIs were antimicrobial therapy within the previous 30 days, CRP >50 mg/L, open surgical procedures, presence of IAD, and intra-operative findings of complex appendicitis. Conclusions: Knowledge of five easily recognizable variables, assessable at hospital admission or as soon as the surgical intervention is concluded, might identify patients with a greater risk of developing an SSSI.