[The role of the public health personnel in the Prevention Department (in the Hygiene Services and Public Health Care and Hygiene of Food and Nutrition): proposal for the future of public health care].

A global and local discussion on Public Health relevance is taking place, including the future role and organization of its services. Noteworthy becomes the role played by Public Health Specialists. This work presents the results of a workshop, carried out following the Guilbert methodology, whose aim was to define Public Health Doctors functions and their related activities.

The cytological screening turned out effective also for adenocarcinoma: a population-based case-control study in Trento, Italy.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a cytological screening to prevent invasive cervical cancer in the province of Trento, a northern Italian area where a population-based cancer registry is active. The history of Pap test was evaluated through a case-control study in 61 population-based invasive cervical cancer patients, incident during 1995-2000, and in 244 age-matched (between 25 and 75 years old) controls. Women who had at least one Pap test had a reduced risk of invasive carcinoma of 80% (odds ratio=0.

A case-control study of occupational exposures and systemic sclerosis.

Objectives: A case-control study was conducted in Verona, Italy, to assess the relationship between occupation, occupational exposures and systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Fifty-five cases (46 female and nine male) and 171 controls were recruited. Interviews provided work histories, including job titles, industry and likelihood of occupational exposure to silica, hand-arm vibration, organic solvents, and other chemicals.

Reproductive factors and the risk of scleroderma: an Italian case-control study.

Objective: To investigate the association between scleroderma (systemic sclerosis; SSc) and reproductive factors in a hospital-based case-control study conducted at the University Hospital of Verona in Northeastern Italy.

Methods: Forty-six confirmed cases of SSc in women (42 with diffuse SSc and 4 with limited SSc) and 153 female control subjects with orthopedic disorders were recruited at the University Hospital. For each subject, information on age at first pregnancy, number of children and abortions, and use of oral contraceptives was obtained by means of a structured questionnaire, and information on the subject's occupational history and lifestyle factors was also sought.