Perceptions of and Satisfaction with Sexual and Reproductive Health Interventions in Pre-Adolescent and Adolescent Students in UE/EEA Countries: A Systematic Review

: The objective of this review is to investigate perceptions of and satisfaction with sexual and reproductive health (SRH) interventions among pre-adolescents and adolescents of all genders and ethnicities in EU/EEA countries. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA recommendations. A systematic literature search was conducted on MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Central), CINAHL (EBSCO), and PsycINFO (EBSCO) up to March 2022 to identify all published articles that included information on perceptions and levels of satisfaction with SRH interventions. The selected studies were independently and blindly evaluated for risk of bias. Finally, only five papers were included in our review, divided according to the implemented intervention design: conducted by research groups (health or non-health professionals) or structured entirely in a peer-to-peer approach. Both types of program designs analyzed in the included studies were well accepted by students, even though satisfaction assessment methods were not standardized. Peer-to-peer conducted SRH programs or interventions with practical components (e.g., exercises, discussion) were more appreciated. We also found higher levels of satisfaction among younger participants. Future SRH educational programs should consider an assessment of participants' perceptions and satisfaction, possibly adopting standardized tools. Following a peer-to-peer structure and delivering programs early could lead to greater participant satisfaction

Association of Socioeconomic Factors and Physical Activity with Health-Related Quality of Life in Italian Middle School Children: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) provides a broad assessment of an individual's well-being and can serve as a good prognosticator of life's outcomes later for children and adolescents. Understanding the factors associated with HRQoL is crucial for promoting better health and life satisfaction. This study investigated the cross-sectional association of socioeconomic status, cardio fitness, and physical activity levels with HRQoL in 224 Italian early adolescents attending secondary school in the Emilia-Romagna region located in Northern Italy. In a multivariate path regression model, younger students and females reported a higher quality of life (& beta; = -0.139, p = 0.015, 95% CI: -0.254--0.023 and & beta; = 0.142, p = 0.019, 95% CI: 0.011-0.273, respectively). Having both parents employed and having a higher familiar educational status were also associated with a higher quality of life (& beta; = 0.142, p = 0.013, 95% CI 0.027-0.257 and & beta; = 0.133, p = 0.017, 95% CI 0.022-0.244, respectively). Greater engagement in routine physical activity levels from moderate to vigorous intensity was positively associated with quality of life (& beta; = 0.429, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.304-0.554). Endurance (speed) was positively associated with quality of life (& beta; = 0.221, p = 0.001, 95% CI: 0.087-0.355), and students with longer times on the shuttle run reported less quality of life (& beta; = -0.207, p = 0.002, 95% CI: -0.337--0.077). These relations remained intact even when controlling for socioeconomic factors. The current findings reinforce the importance of promoting regular physical activity among younger children and also addressing socioeconomic status disparities to improve children's well-being. Future studies may want to consider expanding the array of measures used to assess physical activity and include additional measures assessing nutrition, cultural factors, and family functioning, all of which can influence a child's willingness to engage in physical activity and their well-being. The emphasis on fitness and physical activity and their contribution to a child's well-being should be the prime focus for stakeholders who work in the education, public health, and health policy sectors

Proposal of an adapted physical activity exercise protocol for women with osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures: A pilot study to evaluate feasibility, safety, and effectiveness

A quasi-experimental pilot study was performed to determine the feasibility and safety of an Adapted Physical Activity (APA) protocol and its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), fear of falling, pain, and physical performance in women with osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures. Forty-four post-menopausal women (mean age: 67.6 \ub1 4.6) with osteoporotic vertebral fractures were assigned to an exercise group (APA group = 26) who attended a six-month exercise protocol that included postural and muscular reinforcement exercises, and a control group (CG = 18) who was asked to maintain their current lifestyle. At baseline and six months after baseline, HRQOL was measured as primary outcome by the Assessment of Health Related Quality of Life in Osteoporosis (ECOS-16) questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were fear of falling (Fall Efficacy Scale International, FES-I), lumbar back pain (Visual Analogue Scale-VAS), functional exercise capacity (Six Minutes Walking Test-6MWT, Borg scale), balance and gait (Tinetti Scale), and flexibility of the column (Chair Sit-and-Reach). The effects of the intervention were analyzed by comparison within groups and between groups. Effect sizes (ES) were calculated using Cohen\u2019s d. All the outcomes significantly improved in the APA group, while they remained unchanged in the CG. After adjustment for unbalanced variables, the comparison between groups showed significant effects of the intervention for ECOS-16-score, functional exercise capacity, balance, and gait. The exercise program had big effect sizes on HRQOL (ES = 1.204), fear of falling (ES = 1.007), balance (ES = 0.871), and functional exercise capacity (ES = 1.390). Good adherence (75.8%) and no injuries were observed. Due to its feasibility, safety, and effectiveness, the proposed exercise protocol can be adopted in APA programs addressed to patients with osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures

Co-design and evaluation of the feasibility and the efficacy of a multiple-targeted adapted physical activity intervention to promote quality of life, well-being and physical activity levels in pregnant women: The “well-done!” study protocol

Background: Regular physical activity (PA) practice during pregnancy offers health and fitness benefits for both mother and baby. Therefore, healthy pregnant women with no contraindi-cations to exercise should be encouraged to perform PA. Nevertheless, their levels of PA are gener-ally low. The aim of the WELL-DONE! Study is to co-design an adapted physical activity intervention (APAI) for pregnant women to include in childbirth preparation classes (CPCs) evaluating its feasibility and efficacy on quality of life (QoL), PA levels and other outcomes. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was divided in two progressive stages. First, APAI was developed in collabo-ration with pregnant women and midwives using focus groups; second, APAI’s efficacy was evaluated comparing two groups: the experimental group engaged in the CPCs integrated with 1 h/week of the APAI administered by midwives and the control group participating in the standard CPCs. Pre-post evaluation was carried out in three stages through questionnaires and tests. Data analysis involved the combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Discussion: Find-ings from the WELL-DONE! Study will help to assess the feasibility, sustainability, and efficacy of incorporating APAI inside CPCs as a new public health strategy oriented to QoL, well-being, and PA level improvements

The Effects of Park Based Interventions on Health: The Italian Project “Moving Parks”

Obesity and physical inactivity are global health problems responsible for the risk increment of noncommunicable diseases. To overcome these problems, interventions aimed at increasing physical activity (PA) are necessary. Green space can have a positive influence on promoting PA, so, the aim of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of the project “The moving parks project”, which provides for the administration of PA to citizens within Bologna’s parks (Italy). An ad hoc questionnaire was administered before and after three months of outdoor PA. A total of 329 adult subjects participated in the survey. At follow-up, all psychosocial parameters showed an improvement, with a reduction in the state of tension, sadness and fatigue, and an improvement in the state of energy, serenity, and vitality. The impact of the interventions carried out in the “Moving Parks project” was positive and appears to be a good strategy for improving health outcomes

Effect of a Park-Based Physical Activity Intervention on Psychological Wellbeing at the Time of COVID-19

Practicing regular physical activity in green spaces has been invocated as a promising strategy for improving wellbeing in urban settings. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of a structured park-based physical activity intervention, the “Moving Parks” project, on citizens’ wellbeing at the time of COVID-19. The intervention was carried out in six public parks in Bologna (Italy) and administered by qualified instructors (from May 2021 to September 2021). The Psychological General Well Being Index short form questionnaire was administered before and after the three months of outdoor activities. A total of 328 participants completed the questionnaire at the beginning and at the end of the project. In September 2021, all psychosocial domains of the questionnaire (anxiety, depressed mood, self-control, positive well-being, vitality energy, and vitality-tiredness) significantly improved in the female sample (p value &lt; 0.01) and only the last two in the male sample (p value &lt; 0.05). The “Moving Parks” project seems to be able to improve citizens’ psychological wellbeing, particularly in women

What about your body ornament? Experiences of tattoo and piercing among italian youths

Background: tattooing and piercing are increasingly common, especially among youths. However, several health complications may be associated with these practices if basic hygiene rules are not respected. This multicenter study was aimed at exploring tattoo and piercing experiences reported by a large sample of Italian undergraduate students through a public health perspective. Methods: tattooed and/or pierced students attending 12 Italian universities were asked to complete a web-based questionnaire regarding their body art experience. Results: out of 1472 respondents, 833 (56.6%) were tattooed and 1009 (68.5%) were pierced. The greatest proportion of tattooed students (93.9%) got her/his first tattoo in a tattoo studio, while most of the pierced were serviced in a jewelry store (48.0%). The pierced ones were less informed on health issues related to the procedure (56.0% versus 77.8% of tattooed p &lt; 0.001), and tattooists were reportedly more attentive to hygiene rules (instrument sterilization 91.5% versus 79.1% of piercers, p &lt; 0.001; use of disposable gloves 98.2% versus 71% of piercers, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: educational interventions for both professionals and communities are needed to improve the awareness and the control of health risks related to body art throughout the Italian territory

What about your body ornament? Experiences of tattoo and piercing among italian youths

Background: tattooing and piercing are increasingly common, especially among youths. However, several health complications may be associated with these practices if basic hygiene rules are not respected. This multicenter study was aimed at exploring tattoo and piercing experiences reported by a large sample of Italian undergraduate students through a public health perspective. Methods: tattooed and/or pierced students attending 12 Italian universities were asked to complete a web-based questionnaire regarding their body art experience. Results: out of 1472 respondents, 833 (56.6%) were tattooed and 1009 (68.5%) were pierced. The greatest proportion of tattooed students (93.9%) got her/his first tattoo in a tattoo studio, while most of the pierced were serviced in a jewelry store (48.0%). The pierced ones were less informed on health issues related to the procedure (56.0% versus 77.8% of tattooed p &lt; 0.001), and tattooists were reportedly more attentive to hygiene rules (instrument sterilization 91.5% versus 79.1% of piercers, p &lt; 0.001; use of disposable gloves 98.2% versus 71% of piercers, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: educational interventions for both professionals and communities are needed to improve the awareness and the control of health risks related to body art throughout the Italian territory

Assessing undergraduates’ perception of risks related to body art in italy: The superba multicenter cross-sectional study

Tattooing and piercing may lead to health complications. The present multicenter cross-sectional study aimed to assess awareness and knowledge of health risks related to body art and to identify their possible determinants among a large sample of undergraduates in Italy. A web-based questionnaire collecting information on socio-demographic characteristics, awareness, knowledge, and some potential predictors was administered to undergraduates attending twelve Italian univer-sities. The level of knowledge was expressed as the number of correct answers (0–11 for tattooing, 0–14 for piercing). A total of 2985 participants (mean age 23.15 ± 3.99, 73.9% F) participated in the study. Although 95.4% of the respondents were aware of possible health consequences of body art, a low level of specific knowledge was registered for both tattooing (mean number of correct answers 5.38 ± 2.39) and piercing (5.93 ± 3.12) consequences. Lower knowledge was associated with the attendance of non-life science course and with lower duration of academic education for both tattoo and piercing. Lower knowledge of tattooing risks was related with commuter status, while lower knowledge of piercing risks was associated with lower father’s education. These findings highlight the need to enhance information campaigns targeted to youths to increase their awareness of possible health risk of body art