Risk perception of heat related disorders on the workplaces: a survey among health and safety representatives from the autonomous province of Trento, Northeastern Italy.

INTRODUCTION: This study will investigate knowledge, attitude and practices towards heat-related health issues in a sample of safety representatives from Northern Italy (H&SRs). METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 2016-2017 among 298 H&SR. Knowledge status was measured both in general but as well and focusing on first-aid issues. Assessment of risk perception included severity and frequency of heat-related events. Multivariate logistic regression analysis assessed individual and work-related characteristics associated with H&SRs' risk perception. RESULTS: 258 questionnaires were retrieved (participation rate 86.6%; mean age 48.2 ± 8.4 years). Knowledge status was relatively good on technical/preventive issues (62.3% ± 16.8) and first aid measures (72.6% ± 27.2), but a large share of respondents ignored the risk from exertional heat stroke (35.9%), and for heat strokes elicited by non-environmental heat (e.g. machineries, use of protective equipment, etc. 47.9%). The majority of respondents acknowledged the high frequency of extreme events like heat waves (62.0%), but only 44.6% agreed on their potential health threat, with an unsatisfying cumulative risk perception score (55.4% ± 23.5). A specific first-aid formation course was reported by 49.2% of respondents, while 10.9% had any previous interaction with heat-related disorders. Specific countermeasures for heat waves had been put in place by parent company in 20.1% of cases. Eventually, higher educational achievements (mOR 2.239, 95% CI 1.184-4.233) and a better general knowledge status (mOR 1.703, 95% CI 1.073-2.979) were positive predictors for higher risk perception. CONCLUSIONS: Although H&SRs exhibited a good understanding of heat-related health issues, stakeholders should improve the implementation of specific countermeasures on the workplaces.

Knowledge, experiences, and attitudes toward Mantoux test among medical and health professional students in Italy: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization's Action Framework for tuberculosis elimination in low-tuberculosis incidence countries includes the screening for active and latent tuberculosis in selected high-risk groups, including health care workers. In this context, medical and health profession students, exposed to nosocomial tuberculosis transmission during training and clinical rotations, are target populations for tuberculosis screening. No updated data are available on tuberculosis screening practice and knowledge of medical and health profession students in Italy. METHODS: Within the activities Italian Study Group on Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, we carried out a multicentre cross-sectional study to assess knowledge, attitude and practices on tuberculosis prevention and control among Medical, Dentistry, Nursing and other health professions' students. Students were enrolled in the study on a voluntary basis and were administered a previously piloted structured questionnaire. Logistic regression models were applied to explore knowledge on tuberculosis prevention by selected socio-demographic variables and University-based tuberculosis prevention practice. RESULTS: Students of seventeen Universities across Italy participated in the study, and 58.2% of them received compulsory tuberculin skin test either at enrollment or while attending clinical practice. A total of 5,209 students filled the questionnaire. 37.7% were medicine and dentistry students (Group 1), 44.9% were nursing students (Group 2) and 17.4% were other health professions' students (Group 3). Age and gender had different distributions by groups, as well as knowledge and practice on tuberculin skin test. 84.4% of the study population (95% CI = 83.3-85.3) was aware of the existence of the tuberculin skin test, 74.4% (95% CI = 73.2-75.6) knew what is the first-level screening test for latent tuberculosis and only 22.5% (95% CI = 21.4-23.6) knew how to proceed after a positive tuberculin skin test result. Overall, knowledge on tuberculosis prevention was higher in Group 2 and lower Group 3, as compared to Group 1. CONCLUSION: In Italy, the knowledge on tuberculosis screening among University students is generally good. To reduce some of the criticalities found among the different study courses, it would be appropriate to harmonize both the regulations on tuberculosis screening practices for admission to University courses, and the educational activities on the topic of tuberculosis, to be extended to all workers involved in health care setting.