Domitilla Di Thiene

Problematic mobile phone use in adolescence: a cross-sectional study

AimIn recent years, mobile phone use has become increasingly common among Italian youth, while a growing scientific literature has been identifying the occurrence of a problematic mobile phone use which seems to share some features of other conditions often referred to as behavioural addictions. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of problematic mobile phone use in a population of Italian adolescents and its association with other behavioural addictions.Subjects and methodsThe Mobile Addiction Test (MAT) was administered to 2,790 high school students from Barletta, an Italian town, together with the South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised for Adolescents (SOGS-RA), the Compulsive Buying Scale (CBS), the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), the Work Addiction Risk Test (WART).ResultsMAT scores fitted a Gaussian distribution model. Scores ≥ 17 was found as a cut-off value over which identifying problematic mobile phone users. Overall prevalence of problematic mobile phone use was 6.3%; this condition was associated with other behavioural addictions like compulsive buying.ConclusionProblematic mobile phone use in adolescence should become a public health issue, and it could be a cause of health problems and social costs.

A survey of visually induced symptoms and associated factors in spectators of three dimensional stereoscopic movies

BackgroundThe increasing popularity of commercial movies showing three dimensional (3D) computer generated images has raised concern about image safety and possible side effects on population health.This study aims to (1) quantify the occurrence of visually induced symptoms suffered by the spectators during and after viewing a commercial 3D movie and (2) to assess individual and environmental factors associated to those symptoms.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was carried out using a paper based, self administered questionnaire. The questionnaire includes individual and movie characteristics and selected visually induced symptoms (tired eyes, double vision, headache, dizziness, nausea and palpitations). Symptoms were queried at 3 different times: during, right after and after 2 hours from the movie.ResultsWe collected 953 questionnaires. In our sample, 539 (60.4%) individuals reported 1 or more symptoms during the movie, 392 (43.2%) right after and 139 (15.3%) at 2 hours from the movie. The most frequently reported symptoms were tired eyes (during the movie by 34.8%, right after by 24.0%, after 2 hours by 5.7% of individuals) and headache (during the movie by 13.7%, right after by 16.8%, after 2 hours by 8.3% of individuals). Individual history for frequent headache was associated with tired eyes (OR = 1.34, 95%CI = 1.01-1.79), double vision (OR = 1.96; 95%CI = 1.13-3.41), headache (OR = 2.09; 95%CI = 1.41-3.10) during the movie and of headache after the movie (OR = 1.64; 95%CI = 1.16-2.32). Individual susceptibility to car sickness, dizziness, anxiety level, movie show time, animation 3D movie were also associated to several other symptoms.ConclusionsThe high occurrence of visually induced symptoms resulting from this survey suggests the need of raising public awareness on possible discomfort that susceptible individuals may suffer during and after the vision of 3D movies.

Suicide among first-generation and second-generation immigrants in Sweden: association with labour market marginalisation and morbidity

Background Previous research suggests that first-generation immigrants have a lower suicide risk than those both born in Sweden and with both parents born in Sweden (natives), while the suicide risk in the second generation seems higher. The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent suicide risk in first-generation and second-generation (both parents born abroad) and intermediate-generation (only one parent born abroad) immigrants compared with natives is associated with sociodemographic factors, labour market marginalisation and morbidity. Methods A prospective population-based cohort study of 4 034 728 individuals aged 16–50 years was followed from 2005 to 2010. HRs for suicide were calculated for first-generation, intermediate-generation and second-generation immigrants compared with natives. Analyses were controlled for sociodemographic factors, morbidity and labour market marginalisation. Results The HR of suicide was significantly lower in first-generation immigrants (HR 0.83 CI 0.76 to 0.91), and higher in second-generation (HR 1.32, CI 1.15 to 1.52) and intermediate-generation immigrants (HR 1.20, CI 1.08 to 1.33) in comparison to natives. The excess risk was explained by differences in sociodemographics, morbidity and labour market marginalisation. In the fully adjusted models, a higher HR remained only for the Nordic second generation (HR 1.29, CI 1.09 to 1.52). There were no sex differences in HRs. Conclusions The risk of suicide was shown to be lower in the first generation and higher in the second generation compared with natives. The higher HR in the Nordic second generation was not explained by differences in sociodemographics, labour market marginalisation and morbidity. Further research is warranted to investigate factors underlying this excess risk.

International Physical Activity Questionnaire: validation and assessment in an Italian sample

Background: A standardized method for the assessment of physical activity, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), was developed in the late 1990s as instrument for cross-national assessment. This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the IPAQ short and long version questionnaire in a Italian sample. Methods: The long and short versions of IPAQ questionnaires were administered twice, with an interval of one day between each administration, to 2 different random samples. Cronbach’s alpha was used as a measure of the internal consistency of the two versions. Results: The long version was administered to 60 subjects and the short version to 58. The Cronbach’s alpha on items about physical activity in the long version was 0.73, and 0.60 for the short version. The referred comments on short and long version were not very different both in number and content though they suggest a better understanding of the short version compared to the long one. Discussion: IPAQ short and long versions show acceptable reliability properties in the Italian adult setting. The utilization of a questionnaire seems be more influenced by time of administration and number of requested information. In terms of internal consistency and validity they appear to have similar performance.

Health status of immigrant children: an epidemiological survey among Italian paediatricians

Background : Immigrant children represent the fastest-growing segment of the child population in Italy and an increasing proportion of patients attending the daily practices of paediatricians. The aim of this survey was to investigate the health status of migrant children in Italy and, based on the perceptions of paediatricians, to identify the healthcare needs of this segment of immigrant patients. Methods : The survey was carried out between October 2006 and September 2007 on a sample of Italian paediatricians. Results : The sample included 236 paediatricians, accounting for 190,335 paediatric patients in total; of these, 14,308 (7.5%) were immigrant children. The rates of access to recommended vaccinations of immigrant children compared to national data were as follows: Pertussis (87.9% of sample vs 96.7% National data), Haemophilus influenzae (86.5% vs 96%) and Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) (87.3% vs 89.6%). We also found differences in caesarean birth rate (11.8% of immigrant births being caesarean compared to national data, that reaches about 38.3%) and a high rate of parasitosis in immigrant children. Discussion : The results indicate interesting differences between immigrant and Italian children, especially in vaccination coverage and caesarean birth rate, that further studies could clarify in the future.

A cross-sectional study on dermatological diseases among male prisoners in southern Lazio, Italy

Prisoners have heightened health needs, and only recently has the importance of skin diseases in this group been recognized. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalences of dermatological diseases among prisoners in the jails of southern Lazio and to investigate the determinants of these.

The project “D.E.A.Th. by Eros to Thanatos AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases”. A multimedia exhibition as a means of prevention of sexually transmitted infections

Background : An educational intervention on Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) accompanied by a multimedia exhibition was proposed in order to verify the effectiveness of an exhibition as a tool for prevention, to increase awareness in youth and to evaluate whether it yielded changes in the sexual behaviour of its’ visitors. The Target population were high schools and university students. Methods : The Exhibition consisted of a historical overview and four other sections: biological and clinical aspects, epidemiology, prevention and a section called the Red Zone with clear and explicit images relating to STDs. The exhibition was supported by three observational studies carried out on about2000 students of two High Schools and the university in the city of Cassino, Italy. Data collection took place through three different types of “ad hoc” questionnaires. The Statistical analysis carried out was that typical of cross-sectional surveys. We utilized the statistical program Epi-Info 3.5. Results : Regarding survey 1, 48% of 529 students taking part said that the exhibition had contributed “enough” for them to acquire new knowledge, 75.2% had already had sexual intercourse and 37.7% of them did not change their sexual habits. Relative to survey 2, 583 responded to the pre test and 403 posttests returned. Regarding knowledge, data obtained from processing of pre-tests showed how 63.9% of the sample did not know how many STDs existed, whilst this value dropped in post test answers to 49.2% . AIDS was the best known disease (96%) whilst other STDs were little known. The educational intervention partly increased these percentages. With regard to sexual practices although 43% of the sample claimed to have already had sexual intercourse (66% male and 34% female). The family doctor is seen by a high percentage of young people (70% - 68.6%) as the first figure which should address an individual affected by a sexually contracted disease. Only 46% (pre and post tests) recognized at risk groups such as “drug addicts”, homosexuals and heterosexuals. Eight hundred university students participated in Survey 3. The sample had good knowledge about HIV transmission and the AIDS disease and 93% of respondents knew how to avoid infection. They identified drug users and homosexuals as the most prone to infection to HIV, while awareness of infection risk among heterosexuals was less marked. Despite its importance, awareness of condom use was worrying as only 44.2% reported to always one. Conclusions : The exhibition can be considered as an effective prevention tool for new knowledge acquisition but not for the modification of behaviours already present. Even in this study, it looks like the long-term effects, in populations who have had health education interventions with the models of behavioural change, are not sufficiently protective . Therefore, it is necessary to intensify efforts to broadly apply the most effective models of self empowerment in order to change risk behaviours.

Do the quality of the trials and the year of publication affect the efficacy of intervention to improve seasonal influenza vaccination among healthcare workers?: Results of a systematic review

Introduction: Despite longstanding recommendations by public-health authorities vaccination coverage in health care workers worldwide are poor. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the trials conducted to increase seasonal influenza vaccination rates among health care workers. Results: Ten articles met the pre-determined criteria. For all article the score calculation was performed. Discussion: The combination of an educational and a promotional element appared the most effective in augmenting the influenza vaccination coverage among health care workers. But some cases, the intervention did not contribute to increasing the vaccination rates among health care workers. In any case, the quality of controlled trials plays an important role in the results obtained by carrying out a specific intervention and contributed to obtaining this debatable results. Materials and Methods: Research was conducted using Scopus and PubMed database. We selected all clinical trials to perform the meta-analyses.

How to Tackle Smoking at the Population Level

The concern about the tobacco pandemic raised a global public health response. The possibility to win this battle is really connected with the ability of public health to act at the population level. In order to make people able to resist at smoking pressure it is necessary to develop laws protecting individuals. Smoking or not smoking it is not only a individual choice but the result of political choice.

Classical Determinants of Smoking Initiation

The aim of this chapter is the description of sociodemographical and personal characteristics described as on smoking initiation determinants. The importance of these aspects is highlighted by scientific evidence. The knowledge of initiation determinants allowed the choice of public health interventions. Moreover, a better understanding of these factors will permit future decisions.