Factors that influence Italian consumers' understanding of over-the-counter medicines and risk perception.

Objective: To evaluate information needs for safe self-medication we explored the Italian consumers' functional health literacy, specific knowledge and risk awareness about over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.

Methods: A survey was conducted in the health sections of six large super stores. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 1.

Mass media health information: quantitative and qualitative analysis of daily press coverage and its relation with public perceptions.

Objective: This paper describes the methods followed by the Pisa University OCS for collecting, storing and analyzing all health-related articles and database contents. Moreover, an example population survey on the topic of food safety based on such analysis is shown.

Methods: Articles published each day since 1999 in Italy's three most popular newspapers are collected and stored in a Data Base Text; on these articles quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted.