Information needs of young Italians accessing the AIDS/STI Helpline at the Italian National Institute of Health.

INTRODUCTION: HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STI) have a relevant impact on health and sexual behavior of adolescents and young adults (range of age between 13 and 19 years). The AIDS and sexual transmitted infections (STI) Helpline of the Italian Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health), and also funded by the Italian Ministry of Health, has been active since 1987 providing personalized counselling interventions on HIV/AIDS and STI. AIM AND METHODS: The present study gathered data and questions issues from calls at AIDS/STI Helpline in the period 1987-2014, with the specific aim of assessing the level of awareness and information needs on HIV/AIDS and STI among people aged under 25 years, in relation to potential risky behavior. RESULTS: Data show that young subjects who called the helpline in the period considered are about the 26% of the total users, with a decreasing trend over the years. The 28% of young users reported a "risky behavior" for STI, with a chance statistically higher in the age range 15-19 years and in the MSM (men who have sex with men)/bisexuals users, which tended to decrease in the last years. Of note, a marked increase of the amount of young users not displaying behaviors at risk for HIV or STI has been observed in the years.

Communication and cultural interaction in health promotion strategies to migrant populations in Italy: the cross-cultural phone counselling experience.

INTRODUCTION: In the last 10 years migration processes have progressively increased worldwide and in Italy about 5 millions of residing migrants are estimated. To meet health needs of these new residents, effective relational and communication tools, which allow a reciprocal intercultural interaction within health care structures, are therefore necessary. AIM: This article faces the main features of the relational-communication processes associated with health promotion and care in the migrant population in Italy to the aim of identifying the key and critical points within the interaction between different cultures, focusing on the role of specific professional figures, including cultural mediators and health educators. RESULTS: Within the activity of HIV phone counselling operated by Psycho-sociobehavioural, Communication and Training Operating Unit of National Institute of Health in Italy, an intercultural approach was successfully experienced in a project targeted to migrants (2007-2008). Specifically, the presence of cultural mediators answering in the languages of main migrants' groups allowed the increase of calls from migrant people and of the information provided.