ABSTRACT
Introduction: Health literacy refers to "the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and access health services in order to make informed choices." In essence, being able to acquire, understand, and use information for one's own health. Methods: Observational study through the administration of a face-to-face questionnaire conducted between July and September 2020 on 260 individuals residing between Calabria and Sicily, aged between 18 and 89 years. Questions related to education, lifestyle (alcohol, smoking, and physical activity). Multiple-choice questions to assess health literacy and conceptual skills, ability to find information on health topics and services, use of preventive medicine especially vaccinations, and ability to make decisions about one's own health. Results: Of 260, 43% were male and 57% female. The most represented age group is between 50 and 59 years. Forty-eight percent of respondents had a high school diploma. 39% smoke and 32% habitually consume alcoholic beverages; only 40% engage in physical activity. Ten percent had a low level of health literacy, average 55%, and adequate 35%. Conclusions: Given the importance of adequate HL on health choices and on individual and public wellbeing, it is essential to expand the knowledge of the individual, through public and private information campaigns and with an increasing involvement of family physicians, who are fundamental in training and informing their patients.
Subject(s)
Health Literacy , Humans , Male , Female , Adolescent , Young Adult , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Surveys and Questionnaires , Exercise , Educational Status , SchoolsABSTRACT
Many investigations have shown the important role played by risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol and infectious agents (especially Rubella) in the development of congenital anomalies (CAs). Through the administration of a questionnaire, we evaluated the attitude of a population of pregnant women towards some risk factors in pregnancy (smoking and alcohol habit and risk of contracting one of TORCH agents). 14% of the women continued to smoke despite pregnancy; the majority of these were 34-35 years old, divorced, workers and with a high educational level. The 4.3% who identified as moderate drinkers; were mainly younger and married. Concerning the TORCH agents, it a high percentage were negative to the Rubella antibodies (62.8%). In order to improve the awareness of pregnant women on these risk factors, health education campaigns represent a public health cornerstone. Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Several investigations have shown an association between congenital anomalies (CAs) and various exogenous factors such as air pollutants, pesticides, metals, radiations and others present in the environmental matrices. Moreover, an important role is played by some risk factors linked to the lifestyles (i.e. tobacco and alcohol).What do the results of this study add? Our study shows that the awareness of the women about the importance of these risk factors is still rather poor, especially concerning the avoidable risks associated with smoke and alcohol and the preventable risk associated with rubella infection.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Our results highlight the importance of continuous health education both about the risk to smoke and drink during pregnancy and about the risk not to have had contract the rubella infection before the pregnancy. Particularly, about the latter issue, it appears necessary to increase the pre-conceptional diagnosis and, eventually, to vaccinate the women resulted negative in order to eliminate congenital rubella.
Subject(s)
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Pregnancy Complications/psychology , Pregnant Women/psychology , Prenatal Care/psychology , Adult , Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications/etiology , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/psychology , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/virology , Risk Factors , Rubella/immunology , Rubella/psychology , Rubella virus/immunology , Smoking/adverse effects , Smoking/psychology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The WHO recognized antimicrobial resistance as a growing global health threat with a wide variability across Europe: in Italy these rates are higher than in other countries. The aim of our study was to detect antimicrobial resistance on the hands of healthcare workers and on surfaces around the patient, to assess the variability between levels of bacterial contamination on these surfaces and to compare the results with those achieved six years ago. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted from June 2017 to May 2018 using contact slides for surfaces and active sampling for air. We used automated biochemical methods to identify microorganisms; antibiograms were performed in compliance with the EUCAST expert rules. RESULTS: We analyzed 3,760 samples, 16.17% were found positive and 34 % of these were antimicrobial-resistant. On analyzing the isolated Staphylococci, 39% were multidrug-resistant and 5% extensively drug-resistant. A 30% of the Enterococcus faecalis isolates were resistant to gentamycin and vancomycin. We found Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates resistant to ceftriaxone, cefoxitin, mecillinam and imipenem. A 7% and 8% of the Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, respectively, were resistant to gentamicin, imipenem, and ceftazidime. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are in line with the international literature, confirming that antimicrobial resistance is also steadily growing in Italy with rates varied for the different pathogens
INTRODUCCIÓN: La OMS reconoce la resistencia a los antimicrobianos como una creciente amenaza para la salud mundial con una amplia variabilidad en toda Europa: en Italia estas tasas son más altas que en otros países. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue detectar la resistencia a los antimicrobianos en las manos de trabajadores sanitarios y en las superficies alrededor del paciente así como evaluar la variabilidad entre los niveles de contaminación bacteriana en estas superficies y los resultados obtenidos hace seis años. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: El estudio se realizó entre junio de 2017 y mayo de 2018 utilizando dispositivos de contacto para superficies y muestreo activo de aire. Se empleó métodos bioquímicos automatizados para identificar microorganismos y la sensibilidad antimicrobiana fue realizada de acuerdo con las normas del EUCAST. RESULTADOS: Se analizaron 3.760 muestras, de las cuales el 16,17% fueron positivas y el 34% de ellas fueron resistentes a antibióticos. Al analizar los estafilococos, el 39% fueron multirresistentes y el 5% extremadamente resistentes. Un 30% de las cepas de Enterococcus faecalis fueron resistentes a gentamicina y vancomicina. Se aislaron cepas de Klebsiella pneumoniae resistentes a ceftrixona, cefoxitina, mecillinam e imipenem. Un 7% de las cepas de Acinetobacter baumannii y un 8% de las cepas de Pseudomonas aeruginosa fueron resistentes a gentamicina, imipenem y ceftazidima. CONCLUSIONES: Estos hallazgos están en línea con los estudios publicados en otros países, lo que confirma que la resistencia a los antibióticos también está creciendo constantemente en Italia con tasas variadas para los diferentes patógenos
