Inclusive processes: Concepts and Instruments for sharing the spatial information

The second thematic workshop within the SINERGI project (Turin, June 30 - July 2, 2015) is the final step of a process started several months before. A research team from SiTI (Turin, Italy) developed an instrumental method for structuring the aforementioned workshop following two parallel paths. The first path was methodological. It has been the fruit of the collaboration between SiTI and public institution of the City of Turin. The construction of the method focused on conceptual possibilities and choice of urban parameters for the building of different future scenarios for the case study area, a very large dismissed urban area with an industrial past and many future projects insisting on it. The second path was technical one. It concerned the issues needed to use the Interactive Visualisation Tool (InViTo) in order to achieve the planned tasks. A number of discussions emerged outlining possibilities and opportunities given by the use of interactive maps. After discussion and technical improvements, the application of the chosen method within the workshop in Turin provided a large number of outcomes: drawing planning options; discussions on the relationship between the policy-making and the choice of urban parameters; multi-disciplinary argumentations on the use of digital tools and on the human interaction with visual information

Inclusive processes: Concepts and Instruments for sharing the spatial information

The second thematic workshop within the SINERGI project (Turin, June 30 - July 2, 2015) is the final step of a process started several months before. A research team from SiTI (Turin, Italy) developed an instrumental method for structuring the aforementioned workshop following two parallel paths. The first path was methodological. It has been the fruit of the collaboration between SiTI and public institution of the City of Turin. The construction of the method focused on conceptual possibilities and choice of urban parameters for the building of different future scenarios for the case study area, a very large dismissed urban area with an industrial past and many future projects insisting on it. The second path was technical one. It concerned the issues needed to use the Interactive Visualisation Tool (InViTo) in order to achieve the planned tasks. A number of discussions emerged outlining possibilities and opportunities given by the use of interactive maps. After discussion and technical improvements, the application of the chosen method within the workshop in Turin provided a large number of outcomes: drawing planning options; discussions on the relationship between the policy-making and the choice of urban parameters; multi-disciplinary argumentations on the use of digital tools and on the human interaction with visual information

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in a Sample of Italian Men Who Have SEX with MEN (MSM)

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is suitable for high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection risk people, foremost among whom are males who have sex with other males (MSM). This study evaluated knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding PrEP in a sample of Italian MSM, in order to hypothesize strategies to implement PrEP awareness and use. No previous study has assessed this issue; Methods: An online survey was given to an opportunistic sample of Italian MSM. The questionnaire investigated sexual behaviour and habits, HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) knowledge and PrEP awareness, attitudes and practices. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to identify factors associated with PrEP knowledge; Results: A total of 196 MSM participated in this survey. Overall data showed that 87.2% of participants knew what PrEP is, but only 7.5% have ever used it. The main reason for not using PrEP was the cost of the therapy (26.9%). The principal source of PrEP information was the Internet (68.4%). Being regularly tested for HIV was significantly associated with PrEP knowledge (adjusted odds ratio (AdjOR) = 3.16; confidence interval (CI) = 1.06–9.29); Conclusions: Knowledge regarding PrEP was well established, but PrEP use was not equally widespread. It is necessary to improve research on PrEP usage in order to PrEP access to be granted

Általános iskolák beltéri levegőminősége Közép-Európában - Az InAirQ projekt = Indoor ir Air Quality in Central European Primary School Buildings – The InAirQ Project

A Nemzeti Népegészségügyi Központ konzorciumvezetőként részt vett az InAirQ elnevezésű nemzetközi projektben, melynek célja, többek között, a beltéri levegőminőség vizsgálata általános iskolákban, illetve olyan akciótervek kidolgozása, melyekkel a beltéri levegő minősége javítható. Egy kampány keretében összesen hatvannégy általános iskola egy-egy osztálytermét vizsgáltuk a Cseh Köztársaságban (n = 12), Magyarországon (n = 16), Olaszországban (n = 12), Lengyelországban (n = 12) és Szlovéniában (n = 12). A bel- és kültéri levegőminőség vizsgálatára irányuló mintavételeket a 2017/2018-as fűtési időszakban végeztük a kiválasztott iskolaépületeknél. A légszennyezők közül meghatároztuk számos aldehid és illékony szerves vegyület, a kisméretű aeroszol részecskék (PM2.5), a szén-dioxid és a radon koncentrációját. A felmérés ideje alatt néhány fizikai paraméter (hőmérséklet, relatív páratartalom) alakulását is nyomon követtük. Jelentős eltéréseket tapasztaltunk számos légszennyező anyag esetén a felmérésben résztvevő országok között. A benzol koncentrációja a vizsgált iskolák 37%-ában meghaladta az Európai Bizottság által, a kültéri környezetre meghatározott éves határértéket (5 μg/m3). Azonban a beltéri benzol koncentráció minden esetben a kültéri értékkel közel azonos volt, így kijelenthető, hogy a benzolnak nincs jelentős beltéri forrása. A formaldehid koncentrációja beltéren minden esetben meghaladta a kültéri értéket, azonban egyik esetben sem érte el az Egészségügyi Világszervezet (WHO) által javasolt irányértéket (100 μg/m3). A PM2.5 tömegkoncentráció az iskolák 56%-ában meghaladta a WHO által megállapított 24 órás irányértéket (25 μg/m3), illetve az iskolák 85%-ában az éves (10 μg/m3) irányértéket meghaladó értékeket mértünk. A vizsgált osztálytermekben a szén-dioxid koncentrációja több esetben is magas volt (az átlag meghaladta a 1000 ppm értéket), jelezve az elégtelen szellőztetést. A komfortérzetet befolyásoló paraméterek közül a relatív páratartalom sok esetben nagyon alacsony volt. A radon koncentrációja 100 Bq/m3 körül mozgott, kivéve néhány osztálytermet Magyarországon, Lengyelországban és Szlovéniában. The National Public Health Center participated as a consortium leader in the international project called InAirQ, aiming to investigate the indoor air quality (IAQ) and to take actions to improve the indoor environment in primary school buildings. In total, sixty-four primary school buildings were investigated in the Czech Republic (n = 12), Hungary (n = 16), Italy (n = 12), Poland (n = 12), and Slovenia (n = 12). The air quality was investigated during the heating period of 2017/2018. The concentration of volatile organic compounds, aldehydes, PM2.5 mass, carbon dioxide, radon were investigated. Physical parameters (e.g. temperature, relative humidity) were also monitored. Significant differences were identified for the majority of the investigated IAQ parameters across the countries. The concentration of benzene was higher than 5 μg m-3, the annual limit value set for the ambient air by the European Commission, in 37% of the investigated school buildings. It must be noted that the concentration of benzene indoors was similar to that obtained for outdoors in all cases which indicates the lack of indoor sources. The concentration of formaldehyde was always higher indoors than outdoors, although the concentration of formaldehyde never reached the WHO guideline (100 μg m-3). The PM2.5 mass concentration values exceeded the 24-h and annual guideline values set by the World Health Organization in 56 and 85% of the cases, respectively. The carbon-dioxide concentration was high in the majority of the classrooms (the average value exceeded 1000 ppm), indicating the inappropriate ventilation. Among the parameters affecting the comfort of the students, the relative humidity was very low in many cases. The radon level was around or below 100 Bq m-3, except for some locations in Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia