75 research outputs found
[Environmental risk factors and epidemiologic study]
The problems regarding communication of risks in the environmental sector and the analysis of certain causes of pollution, together with their effects on human health are the subjects of this article. In an illustrative and concise manner results of the most important epidemiological studies concerning the effects of non-ionizing radiations, of radon and of air pollution have been analyzed. Throughout this analysis emphasis has been placed on the difficulty of obtaining clear and scientifically based results. Such results are needed in order to provide the population with satisfying information and thus meet the increasing demand for unambiguous answers. Among the risk factors for human health are the high frequency electromagnetic fields used for mobile phones (radiofrequency--RF) nd extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) of power-lines. Even though these risk factors may be minimal the high number of persons exposed could make them an important impact on public health. Regarding the topic of air pollution, effects on particular segments of the population (children, elderly people and subjects with chronic diseases) have been found in various studies; for example, for an increase of PM(10) of 10 microg/m(3) an increase in daily mortality of 0.69% (CI 0.40-0.98) due to cardiovascular and respiratory causes has been estimated as well as an increase in general daily mortality of 0.54% (CI 0.33-0.76). Due to the populations' low risk perception (caused by unawareness of the problem) radon is undoubtedly the environmental pollutant which has the most impact on public health. This is true even in Italy where 4,000 cases of lung cancer attributable to radon (about 11% of total lung cancer) have been estimated per year; this risk is heightened by the combined effect with smoking. When dealing with health risks the tools of communication must be simple and correct; the mass-media are the most important mediators between the scientific community and the public. It is therefore vital for the public health operators to maintain a continuous relationship with the mass media which should be based on reciprocal trust and full collaboration
L’invecchiamento della popolazione: aspetti demografici, epidemiologici e di sanità pubblica.
I Quaderni della Geriatria, Atti del congresso Geriatria e Chirurgia, (5): 17-22
Bioterrorismo: analisi dei piani di prevenzione di cinque regioni italiane.
9. Colzani E, Limina RM, Signorelli C. Bioterrorismo: analisi dei piani di prevenzione di cinque regioni italiane. Atti del – Cernobbio 8–11 settembre 2002. Sanità e Sicurezza 2002; supplemento, volume III: 566-57
Southern Europe as an example of interaction between various environmental factors: a systematic review of the epidemiologic evidence
Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and
alcohol consumption are major causes of hepatocellular
carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. We performed a systematic
review of epidemiologic studies carried out on HCC aetiology
in Southern Europe, an area with an intermediate\u2013
high prevalence of these agents as well as of putative
risk factors such as tobacco smoking, diabetes and
obesity. To retrieve the articles, we performed a Medline
search for titles and abstracts of articles. After the
Medline search, we reviewed the papers and reference lists
to identify additional articles. A synergism between HCV
infection and HBV infection, overt (hepatitis B virus
antigen (HbsAg) positivity) or occult (HBsAg negativity
with presence of HBV DNA in liver or serum), is
suggested by the results of some studies. The pattern of
the risk for HCC due to alcohol intake shows a continuous
dose\u2013effect curve without a definite threshold, although
most studies found that HCC risk increased only for
alcohol consumption above 40\u201360 g of ethanol per day.
Some evidence supports a positive interaction of alcohol
intake probably with HCV infection and possibly with
HBV infection. A few studies found that coffee has a
protective effect on HCC risk due to various risk factors.
Some data also support a role of tobacco smoking,
diabetes and obesity as single agents or preferably cofactors
in causing HCC. In countries with a relatively high
alcohol consumption and intermediate levels of HCV and
HBV infections (1\u20133% of population infected by each
virus), such as Mediterranean countries, the three main
risk factors together account for about 85% of the total
HCC cases, leaving little space to other known risk
factors, such as haemochromatosis, and to new, still
unrecognised, factors as independent causes of HCC
Southern Europe as an example of interaction between various environmental factors. A systematic review of the epidemiologic evidence.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and
alcohol consumption are major causes of hepatocellular
carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. We performed a systematic
review of epidemiologic studies carried out on HCC aetiology
in Southern Europe, an area with an intermediate–
high prevalence of these agents as well as of putative
risk factors such as tobacco smoking, diabetes and
obesity. To retrieve the articles, we performed a Medline
search for titles and abstracts of articles. After the
Medline search, we reviewed the papers and reference lists
to identify additional articles. A synergism between HCV
infection and HBV infection, overt (hepatitis B virus
antigen (HbsAg) positivity) or occult (HBsAg negativity
with presence of HBV DNA in liver or serum), is
suggested by the results of some studies. The pattern of
the risk for HCC due to alcohol intake shows a continuous
dose–effect curve without a definite threshold, although
most studies found that HCC risk increased only for
alcohol consumption above 40–60 g of ethanol per day.
Some evidence supports a positive interaction of alcohol
intake probably with HCV infection and possibly with
HBV infection. A few studies found that coffee has a
protective effect on HCC risk due to various risk factors.
Some data also support a role of tobacco smoking,
diabetes and obesity as single agents or preferably cofactors
in causing HCC. In countries with a relatively high
alcohol consumption and intermediate levels of HCV and
HBV infections (1–3% of population infected by each
virus), such as Mediterranean countries, the three main
risk factors together account for about 85% of the total
HCC cases, leaving little space to other known risk
factors, such as haemochromatosis, and to new, still
unrecognised, factors as independent causes of HCC
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