No Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 Circulation in Rome (Italy) during the Pre-Pandemic Period: Results of a Retrospective Surveillance

In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the COVID-19 outbreak recorded over the previous months could be characterized as a pandemic. The first known Italian SARS-CoV-2 positive case was reported on 21 February. In some countries, cases of suspected “COVID-19-like pneumonia” had been reported earlier than those officially accepted by health authorities. This has led many investigators to check preserved biological or environmental samples to see whether the virus was detectable on dates prior to those officially stated. With regard to Italy, the results of a microbiological screening in sewage samples collected between the end of February and the beginning of April 2020 from wastewaters in Milan (Northern Italy) and Rome (Central Italy) showed presence of SARS-CoV-2. In the present study, we evaluated, by means of a standardized diagnostic method, the SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence amongst patients affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARI) in an academic hospital located in Central Italy during the period of 1 November 2019–1 March 2020. Overall, the number of emergency room (ER) visits during the investigated period was 13,843. Of these, 1208 had an influenza-like syndrome, but only 166 matched the definition of SARI as stated in the study protocol. A total of 52 SARI cases were laboratory confirmed as influenza: 26 as a type B virus, 25 as a type A, and 1 as both viruses. Although about 17% of the total sample had laboratory or radiological data compatible with COVID-19, all the nasopharyngeal swabs stored underwent SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and tested negative. Based on our result, it is confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic spread did not start prior to the “official” onset in central Italy. Routine monitoring of SARI causative agents at the local level is critical for reporting epidemiologic and etiologic trends that may differ from one country to another and also among different influenza seasons. This has a practical impact on prevention and control strategies.

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Defining Preterm Birth and Stillbirth in the Western Pacific: A Systematic Review

Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1177/10105395211026099 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 101053952110260

Author(s):

Mairead Connolly ◽

Laura Phung ◽

Elise Farrington ◽

Michelle J. L. Scoullar ◽

Alyce N. Wilson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Preterm Birth ◽

National Level ◽

Health Indicators ◽

Western Pacific ◽

World Health ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Definition Of ◽

Health Organization ◽

The Impact

Preterm birth and stillbirth are important global perinatal health indicators. Definitions of these indicators can differ between countries, affecting comparability of preterm birth and stillbirth rates across countries. This study aimed to document national-level adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) definitions of preterm birth and stillbirth in the WHO Western Pacific region. A systematic search of government health websites and 4 electronic databases was conducted. Any official report or published study describing the national definition of preterm birth or stillbirth published between 2000 and 2020 was eligible for inclusion. A total of 58 data sources from 21 countries were identified. There was considerable variation in how preterm birth and stillbirth was defined across the region. The most frequently used lower gestational age threshold for viability of preterm birth was 28 weeks gestation (range 20-28 weeks), and stillbirth was most frequently classified from 20 weeks gestation (range 12-28 weeks). High-income countries more frequently used earlier gestational ages for preterm birth and stillbirth compared with low- to middle-income countries. The findings highlight the importance of clear, standardized, internationally comparable definitions for perinatal indicators. Further research is needed to determine the impact on regional preterm birth and stillbirth rates.

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1.C. Workshop: How are digital solutions contributing to enhance immunization programmes and policies?

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.005 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

◽

Keyword(s):

Conceptual Framework ◽

World Health Organization ◽

Local Level ◽

Vaccine Uptake ◽

Childhood Vaccination ◽

World Health ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

The World ◽

Health Organization ◽

Immunization Programmes

Abstract As vaccine hesitancy and decreasing immunization coverage have been identified by the World Health Organization as global alarming health threats, it is of crucial importance to exploit the potential offered by digital solutions to enhance immunization programmes and ultimately increase vaccine uptake. We have previously developed and published a conceptual framework outlining how digitalization can support immunization at different levels: i) when adopted for health education and communication purposes, ii) in the context of immunization programmes delivery, and iii) in the context of immunization information systems management. The proposed workshop is co-organized by the EUPHA Digital health section (EUPHA-DH) and EUPHA Infectious diseases control section (EUPHA-IDC) and aims at discussing the current AVAILABILITY, USE and IMPACT of digital solutions to support immunization programmes at the international, national and local level, as well as, debating on how technical infrastructures on one side and normative and policy frameworks on the other side enable their implementation. We plan to have a rich set of contributions covering the following: the presentation of a conceptual framework identifying and mapping the digital solutions' features having the potential to bolster immunization programmes, namely: i) Personalization and precision; ii) Automation; iii) Prediction; iv) Data analytics (including big data and interoperability); and v) Interaction; the dissemination of key results and final outputs of a Europe-wide funded project on the use of Information & Communication Technology to enhance immunization, with particular reference to the use and comparative impact of email remainders and personal electronic health records, as well as the results of an international survey conducted to map and collect best practices on the use of different digital solutions within immunization programmes at the national and regional level; the firsthand experience of the United Kingdom NHS Digital Child Health Programme which developed, implemented and is currently evaluating a number of solutions to increase childhood vaccination uptake in England, including an information standard and information sharing services developed to ensure that the details of children's vaccinations can be shared between different health care settings the perspective and experience of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) for Europe and of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the global level of what has worked so far in the digitalization of immunization programmes around the world, what recommendations were developed and which barriers identified at the technical normative and policy level Key messages Digitalization has great potential to support immunization programmes but its practice and impact need to be measured. Country-level and international experiences have created qualitative and quantitative evidence on the effectiveness of digital intervention aimed at increasing vaccine uptake.

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Compliance with the 24-Hour Movement Behavior Guidelines and Associations with Adiposity in European Preschoolers: Results from the ToyBox-Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18147499 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (14) ◽

pp. 7499

Author(s):

Marga Decraene ◽

Vera Verbestel ◽

Greet Cardon ◽

Violeta Iotova ◽

Berthold Koletzko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sleep Duration ◽

Screen Time ◽

Total Sample ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

World Health ◽

Movement Behavior ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Guideline Compliance ◽

Z Scores ◽

Health Organization

In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) published 24 h movement behavior guidelines for preschoolers with recommendations for physical activity (PA), screen time (ST), and sleep. The present study investigated the proportion of preschoolers complying with these guidelines (on a total week, weekdays and weekend days), and the associations with adiposity. This cross-sectional study included 2468 preschoolers (mean age: 4.75 years; 41.9% boys) from six European countries. The associations were investigated in the total sample and in girls and boys separately. PA was objectively assessed by step counts/day. Parent-reported questionnaires provided ST and sleep duration data. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the association between guideline compliance and adiposity indicators, i.e., body mass index (BMI) z-score and waist to height ratio (WHR). Only 10.1% of the preschoolers complied with the 24 h movement behavior guidelines, 69.2% with the sleep duration guideline, 39.8% with the ST guideline and 32.7% with the PA guideline. No association was found between guideline compliance with all three movement behaviors and adiposity. However, associations were found for isolated weekday screen time (BMI z-scores and WHR: p = 0.04) and weekend day sleep duration (BMI z-scores and WHR: p = 0.03) guideline compliance with both lower adiposity indicators. The latter association for sleep duration was also found in girls separately (BMI z-scores: p = 0.02; WHR: p = 0.03), but not in boys. Longitudinal studies, including intervention studies, are needed to increase preschoolers’ guideline compliance and to gain more insight into the manifestation of adiposity in children and its association with 24 h movement behaviors from a young age onwards.

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Influenza vaccination during pregnancy and influencing factors in Korea: A multicenter questionnaire study of pregnant women and obstetrics and gynecology doctors

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth ◽

10.1186/s12884-021-03984-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Byung Soo Kang ◽

San Ha Lee ◽

Woo Jeng Kim ◽

Jeong Ha Wie ◽

In Yang Park ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Influencing Factors ◽

World Health ◽

Obstetrics And Gynecology ◽

Health Authorities ◽

The Government ◽

Vaccine Information ◽

Health Organization ◽

Maternal Influenza

Abstract Background Although the World Health Organization and health authorities in most countries recommend that pregnant women receive inactivated influenza virus vaccines, coverage remains low. This study aimed to investigate (1) the proportion of pregnant women who received an influenza vaccination and influencing factors and (2) the proportion of obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) doctors who routinely recommend influenza vaccination to pregnant women and influencing factors. Methods Two separate, anonymized questionnaires were developed for physicians and pregnant and postpartum women and were distributed to multicenters and clinics in South Korea. The proportions of women who received influenza vaccination during pregnancy and OBGYN doctors who routinely recommend the influenza vaccine to pregnant women were analyzed. Independent influencing factors for both maternal influenza vaccination and OBGYN doctors’ routine recommendations to pregnant women were analyzed using log-binomial regression analysis. Results The proportion of self-reported influenza vaccination during pregnancy among 522 women was 63.2%. Pregnancy-related independent factors influencing maternal influenza vaccination were “(ever) received information about influenza vaccination during pregnancy” (OR 8.9, 95% CI 4.17–19.01), “received vaccine information about from OBGYN doctors” (OR 11.44, 95% CI 5.46–24.00), “information obtained from other sources” (OR 4.38, 95% CI 2.01–9.55), and “second/third trimester” (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.21–4.82).. Among 372 OBGYN doctors, 76.9% routinely recommended vaccination for pregnant women. Independent factors effecting routine recommendation were “working at a private clinic or hospital” (OR 5.33, 95% CI 2.44–11.65), “awareness of KCDC guidelines” (OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.11–8.73), and “awareness of the 2019 national free influenza vaccination program for pregnant women” (OR 4.88, 95% CI 2.34–10.17). OBGYN doctors most commonly chose ‘guidelines proposed by the government or public health (108, 46%) and academic committees (59, 25%), as a factor which expect to affect the future recommendation Conclusion This study showed that providing information about maternal influenza vaccination, especially by OBGYN doctors, is crucial for increasing vaccination coverage in pregnant women. Closer cooperation between the government and OBGYN academic societies to educate OBGYN doctors might enhance routine recommendations.

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International Conference on Child Day-Care Health: Opening Remarks

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.94.6.987 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 94 (6) ◽

pp. 987-987

Author(s):

Hu Ching-Li

Keyword(s):

Child Health ◽

Child Nutrition ◽

Well Being ◽

Fundamental Rights ◽

World Health ◽

Child Day Care ◽

Infant And Young Child ◽

The Family ◽

Definition Of ◽

Health Organization

It is important to recall the definition of health embodied in the Constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO) over 45 years ago: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic, or social condition." Among the Organization's mandated functions is "to promote maternal and child health and welfare and to foster the ability to live harmoniously in a changing total environment." The challenge of that task is no less today than it was then. Historically, societies have evolved various patterns of family structure for social and economic functions. In preindustrial societies there evolved a great concordance between these functions, with many of the health, developmental, and socialization functions taking place first within the family and then within the immediate community. The rapid social changes of both the industrial and information revolutions have changed drastically the functions of the family, and have shifted many of the health, developmental, and social functions to nonfamily institutions, from which families are often excluded or marginally involved. Much of the international attention to child health in this last decade has been directed at simple interventions to prevent the nearly 13 million deaths each year of children under 5: universal child immunization; the control of diarrheal and acute respiratory diseases; and infant and young child nutrition, particularly breast-feeding.

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Brazilian transgender children and adolescents: Attributes associated with quality of life

Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem ◽

10.1590/1518-8345.3504.3351 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 28 ◽

Author(s):

Fernanda Karla Nascimento ◽

Roberta Alvarenga Reis ◽

Alexandre Saadeh ◽

Fran Demétrio ◽

Ivaneide Leal Ataide Rodrigues ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

World Health ◽

Social Dimensions ◽

Transgender Children ◽

Prejudice And Discrimination ◽

Definition Of ◽

Health Organization ◽

Negative Attributes

Objective: to describe attributes associated with the Quality of Life of Brazilian transgender children and adolescents according to their own perception. Method: descriptive study conducted with 32 participants between eight and 18 years old, who were either interviewed or participated in focus groups. The statements were transcribed, grouped with the aid of the Interface de R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires software, version 0.7 alpha 2 and described according to the definition of Quality of Life by the World Health Organization concerning to the mental, physical, and social dimensions. Results: it was possible to identify the family nucleus as the main social support for transgender children and adolescents. However, the experience of prejudice and discrimination were negative attributes associated with Quality of Life. Conclusion: the statements indicate that lives of transgender children and adolescents are impacted by social, physical, and mental factors due to the stigma and discrimination experienced. It is expected to contribute to the formulation of public policies related to transgender children and adolescents and expand the discussion on the citizens’ duties and rights in relation to transsexuality.

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Myelodysplastic syndrome: classification and prognostic systems

Oncology Reviews ◽

10.4081/oncol.2010.45 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 25-33

Author(s):

Rosangela Invernizzi ◽

Agnese Filocco

Keyword(s):

Clinical Information ◽

Scoring Systems ◽

Classification Systems ◽

World Health ◽

Individual Risk ◽

Information Classification ◽

Definition Of ◽

Health Organization ◽

The Individual ◽

Prognostic Scoring Systems

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are acquired clonal disorders of hematopoiesis, that are characterized most frequently by normocellular or hypercellular bone marrow specimens, and maturation that is morphologically and functionally dysplastic. MDS constitute a complex hematological problem: differences in disease presentation, progression and outcome have made it necessary to use classification systems to improve diagnosis, prognostication and treatment selection. On the basis of new scientific and clinical information, classification and prognostic systems have recently been updated and minimal diagnostic criteria forMDS have been proposed by expert panels. In addition, in the last few years our ability to define the prognosis of the individual patient with MDS has improved. In this paper World Health Organization (WHO) classification refinements and recent prognostic scoring systems for the definition of individual risk are highlighted and current criteria are discussed. The recommendations should facilitate diagnostic and prognostic evaluations in MDS and selection of patients for new effective targeted therapies.

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PREVENTION OF FRAILTY IN AGING

Journal of Frailty & Aging ◽

10.14283/jfa.2017.42 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 1-4

Author(s):

B. Vellas ◽

S. Sourdet

Keyword(s):

Functional Decline ◽

Strength Loss ◽

The Elderly ◽

Cellular Damage ◽

World Health ◽

Health Concern ◽

National Academy Of Sciences ◽

Definition Of ◽

Health Organization ◽

Academy Of Sciences

Worldwide, the number of people age 60 and older is expected to grow from nearly 900 million in 2015 to over 1.3 trillion in 2030 (1). Increased age is associated with gradual increases in molecular and cellular damage; impairment of bodily functions; decreased muscle mass and strength; loss of bone density; declining vision, hearing and cognition; multimorbidity; and frailty (2). Frailty has been conceptualized as a physiological syndrome of decreased reserve and resilience, resulting in progressive functional decline, increased vulnerability to many stressors, and an increase in negative health outcomes and dependence (3, 4). It has been recognized by the World Health Organization (2) and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (5) as a major public health concern among the elderly, although consensus on a definition of frailty remains elusive (6). Nonetheless, research suggests that disability and dependence in the elderly may be preventable by targeting frail and pre-frail older adults (3, 7, 8).

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The scale of the problem

Psychiatry ◽

10.1093/oso/9780198754008.003.0006 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Rebecca McKnight ◽

Jonathan Price ◽

John Geddes

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Mental Disorder ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Clinical Medicine ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

The Social ◽

Definition Of ◽

Health Organization

One in four individuals suffer from a psychiatric disorder at some point in their life, with 15– 20 per cent fitting criteria for a mental disorder at any given time. The latter corresponds to around 450 million people worldwide, placing mental disorders as one of the leading causes of global morbidity. Mental health problems represent five of the ten leading causes of disability worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in mid 2016 that ‘the global cost of mental illness is £651 billion per year’, stating that the equivalent of 50 million working years was being lost annually due to mental disorders. The financial global impact is clearly vast, but on a smaller scale, the social and psychological impacts of having a mental disorder on yourself or your family are greater still. It is often difficult for the general public and clinicians outside psychiatry to think of mental health disorders as ‘diseases’ because it is harder to pinpoint a specific pathological cause for them. When confronted with this view, it is helpful to consider that most of medicine was actually founded on this basis. For example, although medicine has been a profession for the past 2500 years, it was only in the late 1980s that Helicobacter pylori was linked to gastric/ duodenal ulcers and gastric carcinoma, or more recently still that the BRCA genes were found to be a cause of breast cancer. Still much of clinical medicine treats a patient’s symptoms rather than objective abnormalities. The WHO has given the following definition of mental health:… Mental health is defined as a state of well- being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.… This is a helpful definition, because it clearly defines a mental disorder as a condition that disrupts this state in any way, and sets clear goals of treatment for the clinician. It identifies the fact that a disruption of an individual’s mental health impacts negatively not only upon their enjoyment and ability to cope with life, but also upon that of the wider community.

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Understanding Bone Conditions

Adult Nursing Practice ◽

10.1093/oso/9780199697410.003.0013 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

Anne Sutcliffe ◽

Cameron Swift

Keyword(s):

Hip Fracture ◽

Wide Spectrum ◽

Bone Fragility ◽

World Health ◽

Nursing Management ◽

Skeletal Disease ◽

Secondary Care Setting ◽

Definition Of ◽

Health Organization ◽

The Uk

The aim of this chapter is to provide nurses with the knowledge to be able to assess, manage, and care for people with bone conditions in an evidence-based and person-centred way. Bone conditions (a major category of musculoskeletal conditions) cover a wide spectrum of diseases, some of which may be considered mild and self-limiting, while others may have a significant impact upon the individual’s quality of life and ability to function. It is estimated that up to 30% of all GP consultations are about musculoskeletal complaints; many are age-associated, and population ageing will continue to increase this demand (Oliver, 2009). The chapter will focus on osteoporosis, hip fracture (perhaps the most serious and costly consequence of osteoporosis or osteopaenia), Paget’s disease, and osteoarthritis, respectively. The chapter will provide a broad overview of these common conditions, enabling a proactive approach to patient care within a multidisciplinary context, whether in the primary or secondary care setting. The nursing management of the symptoms and common health problems associated with bone conditions can be found in several Part 2 chapters, and these are highlighted throughout the chapter. Osteoporosis has been defined as:...A progressive systemic skeletal disease characterised by low bone mass and micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue, with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture. (WHO, 1994)…The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended a clinical definition of osteoporosis based on a bone mineral density (BMD) measurement of the spine or hip, expressed in standard deviation (SD) units called T scores. Using this definition, an individual is classified as having osteoporosis if his or her T score is ≤–2.5 SD at the spine or hip (WHO, 1994). It is estimated that osteoporosis occurs in approximately 3 million people in the UK, resulting in more than 230,000 fractures per annum, the most frequent being hip, vertebral body, and forearm fractures. In total, 75,000 hip fractures occur annually (British Orthopaedic Association, 2007), with the average age of incidence being 84 and 83 in men and women, respectively (National Hip Fracture Database, 2010).

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