Prevention in the workplace and training of personnel: new methodological approaches

In Italy since 15 years huge investments in term of human, material and economical resources have been allocated to prevention. However epidemiological data show unsatisfactory results. It?s necessary and urgent to modify the general learning of prevention in order to increase all the actors involved in social and productive system. The aim of our project is to improve competencies and knowledge concerning hygiene in the workplace and prevention of nursing personnel, using cooperative-learning model, concerning the ways of transmission of infectious diseases, so that they will be able to develop their activities and being motivated in the adoption of safety proceedings. The results indicate, in all the participants groups, an improvement of their skills and knowledge about the correct behavioural procedures to limit biological hazards for themselves and for their patients. We observed increased motivation and awareness, a greater ability to take action when they see the adoption of inadequate or incorrect procedures by colleagues

Post-graduate medical education in public health: The case of Italy and a call for action

Public health technical expertise is of crucial importance to inform decision makers\u2019 action in the field of health and its broader determinants. Improving education and training of public health professionals for both practice and research is the starting point to strengthen the role of public health so that current health challenges can be efficiently tackled. At the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) Deans\u2019 & Directors\u2019 2017 Annual Retreat, we presented the structure and management of public health training system in Italy, and we reported recent data on Italian public health specialists\u2019 educational experience, employment opportunities and job satisfaction. Public health training in Italy is implemented in the context of the post-graduate medical education residency programme in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, delivered by 34 University-based Schools of Public Health. We report relatively high employment rates across the county and wide spectrum of career opportunities for young public health specialists. However, job security is low and training expectations only partially met. We call upon other Schools of Public Health to scale up the survey within the broad ASPHER community in a shared and coordinated action of systematically collecting useful data that can inform the development of public health education and training models, their implementation and fruitful interaction with population health, health systems and services

Influenza vaccination coverage among medical residents: An Italian multicenter survey

Although influenza vaccination is recognized to be safe and effective, recent studies have confirmed that immunization coverage among health care workers remain generally low, especially among medical residents (MRs). Aim of the present multicenter study was to investigate attitudes and determinants associated with acceptance of influenza vaccination among Italian MRs. A survey was performed in 2012 on MRs attending post-graduate schools of 18 Italian Universities. Each participant was interviewed via an anonymous, self-administered, web-based questionnaire including questions on attitudes regarding influenza vaccination. A total of 2506 MRs were recruited in the survey and 299 (11.9%) of these stated they had accepted influenza vaccination in 2011-2012 season. Vaccinated MRs were older (P = 0.006), working in clinical settings (P = 0.048), and vaccinated in the 2 previous seasons (P < 0.001 in both seasons). Moreover, MRs who had recommended influenza vaccination to their patients were significantly more compliant with influenza vaccination uptake in 2011-2012 season (P < 0.001). "To avoid spreading influenza among patients" was recognized as the main reason for accepting vaccination by less than 15% of vaccinated MRs. Italian MRs seem to have a very low compliance with influenza vaccination and they seem to accept influenza vaccination as a habit that is unrelated to professional and ethical responsibility. Otherwise, residents who refuse vaccination in the previous seasons usually maintain their behaviors. Promoting correct attitudes and good practice in order to improve the influenza immunization rates of MRs could represent a decisive goal for increasing immunization coverage among health care workers of the future. © 2014 Landes Bioscience

Development of Plasma Vitellogenin Assay for Estrogenic Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Using Ovariectomized Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Plasma vitellogenin (VTG) assay was developed using ovariectomized goldfish (Carassius auratus) for determining the estrogenic effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. In a laboratory study, we assessed the estrogenic activity of commercial fish diets by using a diet for ornamental carp (CD) and a casein-based formulated fish diet (FD), which was shown to not contain soybean or fish meal in a previous study. In ovariectomized fish, plasma VTG concentrations were significantly higher in the CD-fed group than in the FD-fed group. These results indicate that the estrogen activity of CD may be high enough to cause induction of plasma VTG in ovariectomized goldfish as previously observed in male goldfish. Moreover, the effect of estrogen on plasma VTG induction was confirmed by significant plasma VTG production following the exposure of FD-fed ovariectomized goldfish to a nominal estradiol-17β concentration of 100 μg/l for 31 days. Our data suggest that induction of plasma VTG using ovariectomized goldfish is a good tool for evaluating the estrogenic effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals

French population exposure to ED-PPP

The folder includes 4 files: (1) French PPP: is an Excel Table numbered 1. it gathers PPP authorised in France their usage and applications (foodstuffs) as well as their endocrine disrupting effects if any. A tab contains all the references of ED effects. (2) French PPP usage: is an Excel file containing 4 tables gathering for the 70 Plant Protection Products (PPP) acting as Endocrine Disruptors (ED) the number of formulas used on 64 selected fruits and vegetables and the total number of formula used for the same usage and application (foodstuff). The 4 tables are for Insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and growth substances. (3) Exposure calculation: in an Excel file containing a table gathering data on the 70 PPP acting as ED, on the 64 Fruits and vegetables most eaten in France. The yable allows the calculation of daily exposure to each ED-PPP taking into account the annual consumption of each foodstuff, the consumption per capita (French population estimated at 64 millions of citizens). The PPP doses are their specific Maximum Residue Limits multiplied by a popularity factor taking into account the number of formulas containing the PPP of use repported to the total number of formulas used for the same application (same usage, same foodstuff) (4) Exposure summary: is an Excel file containing a table gathering the calculated exposure to each PPP acting as ED and sorted by their type of effect (estrogen Pro and Anti; Androgen: Pro and Anti; thyroid effect: Pro and Anti; others). The sum for each effect is given

French population exposure to Endocrine disruptors in and on plant foodstuffs

The folder "Tables" contains: 6 files required to understand an article submitted to Food Chemistry: Endocrine disruptors on and in fruits and vegetables. Estimation of the potential exposure of the French population (1) French PPP-ED: is an Excel file that gathers, in Table 1, Plant Protection Products (PPP) authorised in France, their usage and applications (foodstuffs), as well as their endocrine disrupting effect if any. A tab contains all the references of Endocrine Disruptors (ED) effects. (2) French PPP usage-ED: is an Excel file containing 4 tables gathering the Plant Protection Products (PPP) acting as Endocrine Disruptors (ED). The tables also contain the total number of formulas used on 64 selected fruits and vegetables and the total number of formulas used for the same usage and application (foodstuff). The 4 tables are for Insecticides (with acaricides) (Table 2), fungicides (Table 3), herbicides (Table 4) and growth substances (Table 5). (3) Exposure calculation-ED: is an Excel file containing Table 7. It gathers data on the 70 PPP acting as ED, on the 64 fruits and vegetables consumed in France. The table allows the calculation of daily exposure to each ED-PPP from the annual consumption of each foodstuff, the consumption per capita (French population estimated at 64 million of citizens). The PPP doses are their specific Maximum Residue Limits multiplied by a popularity factor that takes into account the number of formulas containing the PPP of use reported to the total number of formulas used for the same application (same usage, same foodstuff) (4) Exposure summary-ED: is an Excel file containing Table 8. This table gathers the calculated exposure to each PPP acting as ED and sorted by their type of effect (estrogen Pro and Anti; Androgen: Pro and Anti; thyroid effect: Pro and Anti and "Others"). The sum for each effect is given. (5) Phyto-Product-Enquiry-ED: is an Excel file (Table 6) that gathers the products recorded in the different categories on French supermarket and specific websites in March 2020. For all products are the site of purchase, the URL valid in March 2020, the trademarks, the French names, and the ingredients. The last tab gives a summary of the data with a graphic representation. (6) Genistein + Daidzein values-ED: is an excel file (Table 9) that gathers the measurements of genistein and daidzein in 140 soy-based foodstuffs as well as the mean of these measurements for several categories identified for exposure calculations. The folder "Figures" contains: Figure 1: Representation of the data sorting procedure for plant protection product (PPP) analysis. Data are from the European Union pesticide database. (https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides/eu-pesticides-database/public/?event=homepage&language=EN accessed in March 2020) Figure 2: Mean isoflavones content (genistein + daidzein) in different food categories found in French supermarke