[International review of health educational programs for nutrition in the elderly]. / Rassegna internazionale sugli interventi di educazione sanitaria per la nutrizione in età geriatrica.

Progressive increase of the elderly may well explain the interest to educational programs at this age. Different chronic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and osteoporosis may be controlled and prevented by proper educational campaigns. In our review, the role of nutritional educational on quality of life has been evaluated, either in healthy subjects or in those with chronic disease. Evaluation tools and outcome index have been described. It is emphasized that applying specific projects may improve nutritional attitudes and lifestyle even in older adults. Proper educational intervention should be implemented, but socio-cultural characteristics of the target population should be taken into account.

[Hygiene education in the Laureate Course of Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics: evaluation of student knowledge about the risk of infection in a dental practice environment]. / L'insegnamento di Igiene nel Corso di Laurea in Odontoiatria e Protesi dentaria: valutazione delle conoscenze degli studenti sul rischio infettivo in ambito odontoiatrico.

Hygiene education for dental students is crucial in order to control and reduce the risk of infections in their future professional practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the improvement in university students' knowledge of infectious disease prevention, dental instruments and environmental decontamination following the Course in Dental Hygiene and Prevention. 595 questionnaires were submitted to dental students at twelve Italian Universities; 335 were filled out before the Course began and 260 at the end of the same course. The students in both the PRE-course and at the POST-course evaluations demonstrated adequate knowledge regarding the transmission of infections in dental practices, knowledge improved following the Hygiene course.

The 1980 earthquake in Southern Italy--morbidity and mortality.

The effects on health of the 1980 earthquake in southern Italy were surveyed retrospectively. The sample population includes 3619 people living in seven villages situated near the epicentre. Deaths were one hundred times and injury rates more than five times higher in trapped than in non-trapped victims. The possibility for escape was crucial for survival and depended on the type of building. Most of the rescue and relief work was carried out within a few days by unprepared local people who concentrated assistance on people sharing the same dwelling. The results suggest that the emergency phase for medical care was limited to the three to four days after impact. During the 18 months following the quake, mortality rates in injured (13.7%) and non-injured victims (15.8%) were similar. These results point to the need to establish, in each disaster prone area, a health evaluation system on which effective disaster relief and especially the preparedness of the community can be based.

Epidemiological and bacteriological investigation of Serratia marcescens epidemic in a nursery and in a neonatal intensive care unit.

An epidemic caused by Serratia marcescens that involved 26 infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and 82 infants admitted to the Nursery of the 2nd Medical School of Naples is reported. Two different biotypes of S. marcescens with two completely different epidemiological patterns were identified. The prevalent biotype (A8b trigonelline-) was isolated in the delivery room, in the operating room, in the Nursery and in the NICU from items, healthy infant excreters and affected infants; the second biotype (A3a) was isolated only in the NICU from staff, two healthy infant excreters and two affected infants. Colonization of the throat and the gastrointestinal tract was frequent. Infected and colonized infants were the most important reservoir for serratia in the Nursery and in the NICU particularly for the type strain A3a. A mucus aspiration apparatus contaminated in the delivery room and the contamination of several instruments and items probably had a major role in the initiation and maintenance of the spread of the A8b strain. Mass contamination of the nursery has been related to overcrowding and a lack of the control measures; the transfer of high-risk colonized infants caused spread in the NICU. In the NICU the attack rate 26%; 69% of infants became ill; the case fatality ratio was 19%. Epidemiological investigation of the infants at risk showed some factors predisposing to infection with serratia. The hygienic measures failed to control the spread of serratia and it was necessary to refuse new admissions to pregnant women in order to decontaminate and re-organize the wards.

The 1980 earthquake in southern Italy: rescue of trapped victims and mortality.

A retrospective survey was undertaken on the health effects of the 1980 earthquake in southern Italy. The study population included 3619 people living in 7 villages situated near the epicentre of the disaster. The overall casualty rate (dead and injured) was 19.7%. Nearly all the deaths (192/202) occurred among trapped people who died before they could be rescued. Eighty per cent of all the trapped people were extricated within 2 days, mostly without the use of sophisticated means. The probability of survival decreased sharply, the longer the time before extrication. The crude mortality during the 18 months following the earthquake was 19.0 per thousand among the injured people who received treatment, and 14.1 per thousand among non-injured people. After age standardization, there was no significant difference between these two figures and the expected mortality figures for the Italian population in normal times (14.4 per thousand). These results stress the importance of providing rescue activities in the first 48 hours after the impact. Strengthening the self-reliance of the community in disaster preparedness is suggested as the best way to improve the effectiveness of relief operations. In disaster-prone areas, training and education in methods of rescue should be an integral part of any primary health care programme.