Self-reported health status and access to health services in a sample of prisoners in Italy.

Background: Self-reported health status in underserved population of prisoners has not been extensively explored. The purposes of this cross-sectional study were to assess self-reported health, quality of life, and access to health services in a sample of male prisoners of Italy.

Methods: A total of 908 prisoners received a self-administered anonymous questionnaire pertaining on demographic and detention characteristics, self-reported health status and quality of life, access to health services, lifestyles, and participation to preventive, social, and rehabilitation programs.

Environmental history-taking in clinical practice: knowledge, attitudes, and practice of primary care physicians in Italy.

Objective: We investigated knowledge and attitudes of the PCPs about environmental risks and behaviours in regarding environmental history taking of the patients.

Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional mail survey and target population were 500 PCPs practicing in Calabria (Italy). Questions of the questionnaire focused on PCPs demographics and practice characteristics, knowledge of the major environmental risk factors and related health effects, attitudes about role of environment on human health and about performing an accurate environmental exposures history.

Dental hygienists and oral cancer prevention: knowledge, attitudes and behaviors in Italy.

This study explored knowledge of risk factors and diagnostic procedures for oral cancer, attitudes and behavior among dental hygienists in Italy. A random sample of 500 dental hygienists received by mail a questionnaire focusing on demographics and practice characteristics, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding oral cancer assessment practices. Almost all dental hygienists correctly indicated tobacco usage and having a prior oral cancer lesion as risk factors.

Knowledge and behaviors of primary care physicians on oral cancer in Italy.

We investigated the knowledge and behaviors of a random sample of 500 primary care physicians (PCPs) regarding oral cancer in Calabria (Italy). 87.6% and 64% indicated tobacco and alcohol use as risk factors, only 31.