Predictors of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in University Students: A Case-Control Study.

Closure of Higher Education Institutions in the early phase of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was largely diffused. With their reopening, numerous preventive measures have been enacted, but limited evidence exists on students' behavior that could influence their infection risk. We conducted a case-control study at the Sapienza University of Rome to identify protective and risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Students attending the campus within 48 h of SARS-CoV-2 infection were considered cases. Controls were students who come in contact with a confirmed case within the campus. Demographic features and activities carried out before positivity or contact were investigated. Multivariable logistic regression models were built to identify factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, estimating adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The analysis showed an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection for attending the second year or above of university (aOR 17.7, 95% CI 2.21-142.82) and participating in private parties or ceremonies (aOR 15.9, 95% CI 2.30-109.67) while living outside the family (aOR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01-0.54) and attending practical activities or libraries on campus (aOR 0.29, 95% CI 0.08-0.97) reduced the risk. Data strongly suggests that it may be safe to participate in activities organized under strict infection prevention guidelines. Tailored prevention measures might reduce the risk of infection in university students.

Face-to-face vs distance learning in human anatomy education: a longitudinal study of students' perspective and learning outcomes during COVID-19 pandemic

According to several authors, using new e-learning platforms allows the research of increasingly rich and complex materials and stimulates the creation of knowledge-building communities (Scardamaglia and Breiter, 2004). [...]they call for a collaborative, reflective, and metacognitive approach to study through the comparison of the objectives and content of educational activity (Bereiter;2004;Varisco, 2009;Alby and Zucchermaglio, 2008, 2009;Trentin, 2011;Zucchermaglio and Alby, 2016). For what concern the human and clinical anatomy integrated course of the medicine and surgery undergraduate course at Faculty of Medicine and Psychology at the Sapienza University of Rome, COVID-19 pandemic gives the possibility to compare the face-to-face teaching (used in the first semester) with on-line teaching (uti- lized in the second semester), in the same first-year medicine and surgery undergraduate students. [...]the present study aims to examine students' perceptions, comparing both face-to-face and on-line learning, considering that anatomy successful learning may be obtained, in the post-COVID-19, through a complimentary use and integration of both educational methodologies. 2.Materials and methods 2.1The Human and Clinical Anatomy integrated course of Sapienza Medical School at S. Andrea Hospital The human and clinical anatomy integrated course (HCA) of Sapienza Medical School at S. Andrea Hospital is divided into 3 modules (HCA1-2-3) that are spread over the first two years, lectures in the three modules are delivered by four professors. During practical classes, students work in small groups under teaching tutor supervision, using cadaveric prosection, plastinated specimens, plastic models, plastic bones, radiographs, MRI and CTI scans using multimedia systems (Familiari et al., 2013) and a digital touch screen anatomy table (SECTRA®). 2.2 The Human and Clinical Anatomy integrated course of Sapienza Medical School at S. Andrea Hospital: educational transition during COVID-19 pandemic Starting with the second semester, remote/distance learning was implemented, for the same students, following Sapienza University instructions for remote/online learning published on the Sapienza website (https://www.uniroma1.it).