Health needs and perception of health care quality among Asylum Seekers and Refugees in an Italian local health authority: A qualitative study.

Background: Migrants, Asylum Seekers and Refugees (ASRs) represent a vulnerable diversified population with increased risks of developing health problems, and in the hosting countries several barriers often hamper their access to the health services. Gathering information about ASRs' experiences and perceptions of host country health care systems may contribute to improve the quality of health care provided. The aim of this study was to explore the health needs in their bio-psycho-social meaning, and the quality of health care as perceived from the ASRs' perspective.

[Development of a conceptual model for interpretation of monitoring indicators of childhood obesity prevention from the Italian National Prevention Plan].

Background: the Italian National Prevention Plan (PNP) posed the standard to be achieved by Regions for the prevention of obesity in childhood and adolescence. The PNP also set up a monitoring system to assess the impact of implemented policies.

Objectives: to develop a conceptual model to facilitate interpretation of variation in outcome indicators.

The tattooed population in Italy: a national survey on demography, characteristics and perception of health risks.

Background: In recent years, Italy has seen a constant upward trend in the practice of tattooing. The Italian National Health Institute has conducted a national survey to determine the prevalence of tattooed people in Italy and to study related features of the phenomenon.

Aim: Establish the prevalence and characteristics of the tattooed population and evaluate awareness of the risks associated with tattoos, which can contribute to consumer health protection.

The experience of a nationwide Community of Practice to set up Regional Prevention Plans in Italy.

Background: In 2010, the Italian Ministry of Health decided to start the planning process to elaborate the National Plan of Prevention 2010-2012 jointly with the 21 Regions. The National Institute of Health was responsible for supporting regional planners (RPs) by an original participatory approach of a web-based Community of Practice (CoP) to set up their own Regional Plans of Prevention. In this paper, we summarise the theoretical framework adopted, the main phases characterising the lifecycle of the nationwide CoP, the evaluation approach adopted and its findings.

PASSI d'Argento (Silver Steps): the main features of the new nationwide surveillance system for the ageing Italian population, Italy 2013-2014.

Background: Italy is particularly concerned by population ageing. The costs for society are substantial. In this context a national, representative surveillance system, Passi D'Argento (PDA), was implemented in 2009 to monitor "active aging" and health status in people aged over 64 and to develop preventive health programs to reduce frailty.

[Risk factors for mortality during a heat-wave in Bari (Italy), summer 2005.].

Introduction: The Italian Heat Health Watch Warning System (HHWWS) was set up following the over 3000 excess deaths which occurred in Italy during the heat wave of 2003, In June 2005 the warning system issued a heat warning in various Italian cities.

Methods: A case control study was performed in one of these cities (Bari) in order to identify individual and environmental risk factors as well as preventive strategies for reducing mortality during future heat waves. Cases were defined as subjects aged <65 years who had died during the heat wave and whose death certificate listed one of the following as the cause of death: heat, cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disorders, neurocognitive disorders, dehydration or fever/infection not otherwise specified.

An incident case-control study of modes of hepatitis C virus transmission in France.

Purpose: Risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have rarely been estimated using incident case-control studies in the "general" population. We undertook a case-control study of incident HCV infection to identify persistent modes of transmission in France.

Methods: Two types of case-patients were included: (1) repeat blood donors who seroconverted between 1998 and 2001 (with a last negative third-generation test reported from 1995 or after) and (2) seroconverters referred to hepatology departments in 2000 through 2001.

["Quality of life" of the elderly population: a survey to evaluate elderly people's self -perceived health in 11 Italian regions (Argento Study, 2002).].

Self-perception of health influences the quality of life of the elderly. In order to identify the more vulnerable elderly and guide interventions to improve health in this population group, we evaluated self-perceived health of elderly people through a set of 4 questions called the "Healthy Days Measures", which were incorporated into the Argento Study. The latter is a study performed to evaluate the health status of the elderly population in 11 Italian regions (2002).

[How Italian midwives contribute to breastfeeding promotion: a national experience of "cascade" training].

Social changes of the last century have increasingly transformed maternity and newborn care into a medical act and have greatly reduced the number of breastfeeding women. In Italy, the explicit aim of the Ministry of Health concerning mother and child health (Progetto-Obiettivo Materno-Infantile) is to bring this process back to a more natural activity. The prevalence of women who breastfed after the third month of life has been set as an indicator of the effectiveness of mother and child health services.