Incidence of Rotavirus-Related Hospitalizations in an Italian Southern Region from 2015 to 2021.

(1) Background: Rotavirus is one of the leading causes of severe diarrhea and dehydration in infants and young children worldwide. The economic and social burden of rotavirus-related hospitalizations, particularly among children, remains a pressing concern for healthcare systems across the globe. Healthcare infrastructure and access to medical care can vary significantly within the region. Differences in the availability of healthcare facilities and the quality of care may influence the management and outcomes of rotavirus cases. (2) Methods: This was a retrospective study performed in the Abruzzo region, Italy. The study considered all hospitalization due to rotavirus gastroenteritis that occurred in the Abruzzo region from the year 2015 to 2021. Data were extracted from the hospital discharge records. The trend in hospital admissions, hospitalization costs and length of stay were evaluated and analyzed. (3) Results: A total of 664 admissions were reported during the study period. The incident rate grew till year 2019 with an annual percentage change of +13.9% (95%CI 12.6-15.2, p < 0.001). During the pandemic years, the incident rate showed a significant decrease with an annual percentage change of 12.5% (95%CI 15.5-9.3, p = 0.004). The length of stay of admissions was significantly higher among patients aged less than 1 year. (4) Conclusions: Rotavirus admission represents a heavy burden even in a high-income country such as Italy. These findings have the potential to inform targeted public health interventions, including vaccination strategies, and improve the overall well-being of children.

Development and Validation of a New Tool in Predicting In-Hospital Mortality for Hip-Fractured Patients: The PRIMOF Score.

Background and Objectives: The improved life expectancy was associated to the increased in the incidence of hip fractures among elderly people. Subjects suffering hip fractures frequently show concomitant conditions causing prolonged lengths of stay and higher in-hospital mortality. The knowledge of factors associated to in-hospital mortality or adverse events can help healthcare providers improve patients' outcomes and management. The aim of this study was to develop a score to predict in-hospital mortality among hip fractured patients. Materials and Methods: Cases were selected from hospital admissions that occurred during the period 2006-2015 in Abruzzo region, Italy. The study population was split into two random samples in order to evaluate the accuracy of prediction models. A multivariate logistic regression was performed in order to identify factors associated to in-hospital mortality. All diagnoses significantly associated to in-hospital mortality were included in the final model. Results: The PRIMOF ranged between 0 and 27 and was divided into four risk categories to allow the score interpretation. An increase in odds ratio values with the increase in PRIMOF score was reported in both study groups. Conclusions: This study showed that a simple score based on the patient' clinical comorbidities was able to stratify the risk of hip-fractured patients in terms of in-hospital mortality.

The Burden of Diabetes-Related Preventable Hospitalization: 11-Year Trend and Associated Factors in a Region of Southern Italy.

(1) Introduction: Diabetes care is complex and delivered by different care providers in different settings across the healthcare system. Better coordination through all levels of care can lead to better outcomes and fewer hospitalizations. Prevention quality indicators (PQIs) for diabetes allow us to monitor diabetes-related avoidable admissions. The aim of this research is to assess the trend of diabetes-related preventable hospitalizations and associated risk factors in a southern Italian region. (2) Methods: The study considered all hospital admissions performed from 2008 to 2018 in the Abruzzo region, Southern Italy. Data were collected from hospital discharge records. Four different indicators were evaluated as follows: short-term complications (PQI-01), long-term complications (PQI-03), uncontrolled diabetes (PQI-14) and lower-extremity amputations (PQI-16). Joinpoint models were used to evaluate the time trends of standardized rates and the average annual percent change (AAPC). (3) Results: During study period, 8660 DRPH were performed: 1298 among PQI-01, 3217 among PQI-03, 1975 among PQI-14 and 2170 among PQI-16. During the study period, PQI-01and PQI-04 showed decreasing trends. An increasing trend was showed by PQI-16. (4) Conclusions: During an 11-year period, admissions for short-term diabetes complications and for uncontrolled diabetes significantly decreased. The use of standardized tools as PQIs can help the evaluation of healthcare providers in developing preventive strategy.

The impact of gender on diabetes-related lower extremity amputations: An Italian regional analysis on trends and predictors.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes-related lower extremity amputations (LEAs) are a major public health issue. The aim of the study was to evaluate trends by gender and predictors of LEAs in an Italian region. METHODS: Data were collected from hospital discharge records between 2006 and 2015. Gender- and age-adjusted standardised hospitalisation rates for major and minor amputations were calculated. Poisson regression model was performed to estimate trends in LEAs. RESULTS: Hospitalisation rates decreased for minor amputations both among males (-30.0%) and females (-5.3%), while the major amputation rates decreased only for males (-44.7%). Males were at higher risk of undergoing major (IRR 1.41, 95%CI 1.19-1.67) and minor (IRR 1.62, 95%CI 1.45-1.82) amputations. Peripheral vascular disease was the leading predictor of major and minor amputations. CONCLUSION: A significant reduction of LEAs was observed only for males. Identifying their predictable factors may help caregivers to provide higher standards of diabetes care.

Knowledge and Attitude towards Vaccination among Healthcare Workers: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study in a Southern Italian Region.

Background: In Italy, the loss of confidence towards vaccination resulted in low vaccine coverage, also among healthcare workers (HCWs). Indeed, low vaccination coverage among HCWs can lead to dangerous outbreaks of disease, reduce productivity, and increase absenteeism. The aim of this study was to investigate the vaccine coverage and attitudes toward vaccination among HCWs. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs referred to all hospitals of the Local Health Authority 02 of Abruzzo Region, Italy. The survey was based on the questionnaire proposed by the H-ProImmune Project. Results: A total of 347 HCWs were enrolled in the study. Of these, 57.3% reported missing diphtheritis-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccination, 50.1% reported missing measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination, and 62.5% reported missing flu vaccination. Regarding attitudes, other healthcare professionals reported to believe more in natural immunization compared to vaccination (26.5%; p < 0.001), and they were worried about long-term effects of vaccination (10.2%; p = 0.044). Conclusions: This survey showed all vaccination coverage considered resulted below the 95% threshold. Training on vaccination and mandatory measures may be needed in order to achieve better coverage.