Le elezioni cantonali ticinesi del 2011. Partecipazione e orientamento di voto fra lealtà, defezione, protesta.

Cette étude scientifique, basée sur une enquête post-électorale (N=1285), vise à analyser le cas des élections du gouvernement et du parlement du Canton du Tessin qui se sont déroulées en avril 2011. Celles-ci constituent un vrai tournant dans l'histoire électorale tessinoise. D'un côté, le taux de participation a été le plus bas depuis 1920 ; d'autre part, la Lega dei ticinesi est devenu le premier parti au Conseil d'Etat avec 2 sièges sur 5. Afin d'analyser les représentations du vote, la participation ainsi que la décision de vote (choix du parti, bulletin sans dénomination du parti, déplacement de votes), nous nous sommes inspirés de la triade conceptuelle de A. O. Hirschman (loyauté, défection et prise de parole). Les résultats montrent que ce vote tessinois ne doit pas être interprété exclusivement en termes de déclin de la loyauté (par rapport à l'acte de vote et aux partis traditionnels), comme augmentation de la défection ou "prise de parole". Au contraire, mais comme une articulation complexe de ces phénomènes

Effect of COVID-19 quarantine on refractive errors in children aged 5 – 12 years: a retrospective study

Purpose: the COVID-19 quarantine led children to spend significantly more time indoors on near-work activities and digital devices. This study aims to explore whether these lifestyle changes had any effect on the prevalence of myopia among children aged 5 – 12 years1-3 . Subjects, Materials and Methods: retrospective study conducted in Italy. Population: children aged 5 – 12. Selection: random. Inclusion criteria: healthy children presenting for a routine eye exam since 2016. Exclusion criteria: presence of ocular comorbidities other than refractive error, spherical equivalent less than -4D or greater than +4D, BCVA less than 20/20, blepharoptosis, media opacities, corneal or retinal dystrophies, strabismus, amblyopia, nystagmus, or concurrent therapy with atropine 0.01%. Outcome measure: age measured in months, spherical equivalent (SE) of the right eye (RE) measured in diopters (D) under cycloplegia (cyclopentolate 1%). Statistical analysis: ANOVA, Chi-square, Tukey’s test. Significance: p < .05. Results: a total of 803 children. In the years prior to COVID-19, the mean SE ± SD diopters in the RE: 0.54 ± 1.49 D in 2016 (n = 160), 0.43 ± 1.84 D in 2017 (n = 145), 0.34 ± 1.41 D in 2018 (n = 152), 0.35 ± 1.75 D in 2019 (n = 166) (ANOVA, p = .659). In 2021 (n = 180), the mean SE was -0.08 ± 1.44 D (ANOVA, p = .005). Using the Tukey’s test, the mean SE of 2021 changed by -0.619 D [-1.091, -0.147] 95% C.I. and -0.501 D [-0.986, -0.016] 95% C.I. as compared to the SE of 2016 and 2017, respectively. Mean age was comparable in all groups (ANOVA, p = .307). The decrease of the mean SE of the 2021 group corresponds to an increase in the percentage of myopes (≤-0.5D) and a decrease in the percentage of hyperopes (≥ 2D). Myopes represent the 24.10% of children aged 60 – 96 months, and 63.86% of children aged 97 – 144 months. Hyperopes represent 9.64% of children aged 60 – 96 months, and 6.02% of children aged 97 – 144 months. This represents a statistically-significant increase in the number of myopes (Chi- square, p = .016) and decrease in the number of hyperopes (Chi-square, p = .001), as compared to the previous years (2016-2019). Conclusions: this retrospective study shows a statistically- significant decrease in the mean SE in children aged 5-12 in the year following the COVID-19 quarantine (2021). The percentage of myopes has increased significantly, while the percentage of hyperopes has decreased. Children aged 97 – 144 months showed the greatest refractive change. The lifestyle changes imposed by the quarantine led children to spend more time on near-work activities and digital devices, which are both known risk factors for the onset and progression of myopia. These lifestyle changes were likely responsible for the increased prevalence of myopia observed in the post-quarantine yea

Effect of COVID-19 lockdown on refractive errors in Italian children aged 5–12 years: a multi-center retrospective study

Purpose: to explore the potential consequences of the COVID-19 lockdown on the prevalence of myopia among Italian children aged 5-12 years. Materials and methods: retrospective multicenter study conducted in Italy. Population: children aged 5-12. Selection: random selection of children who received an eye exam between 2016 to 2021. Inclusion criteria: healthy children presenting for a routine eye exam. Exclusion criteria: presence of ocular comorbidities other than refractive error, such as blepharoptosis, media opacities, corneal or retinal dystrophies, strabismus, amblyopia, or concurrent therapy with atropine 0.01%. Outcome measure: age and spherical equivalent (SE) measured in diopters (D) in the right eye (RE) in cycloplegia. Statistical analysis: ANOVA test. Results: total of 803 children. In the years prior to COVID-19, the mean SE ± SD of healthy age-school children was: 0.54 ± 1.49 D in 2016; 0.43 ± 1.84 D in 2017; 0.34 ± 1.41 D in 2018; 0.35 ± 1.75 D in 2019 (ANOVA, p = .659). In 2021, the mean SE changed to -0.08 ± 1.44 D (ANOVA, p = .005). Mean age was comparable in all groups (ANOVA, p = .307). The prevalence of myopes (SE ≤-0.5D) and hyperopes (SE ≥ 2D) was respectively 24.10% and 9.64% among children aged 60-96 months, and 63.86% and 6.02% among children aged 97-144 months. These values represent a statistically-significant increase in the number of myopes (Chi-square, p = .016) and decrease in the number of hyperopes (Chi-square, p = .001), as compared to previous years (.06 and.48 respectively). Conclusion: this retrospective study shows a statistically-significant decrease in the mean SE in children aged 5-12 in the year following the COVID-19 lockdown. The percentage of myopes has increased significantly, while the percentage of hyperopes has decreased. The lifestyle changes caused by the lockdown led children to spend more time on near-work activities and digital devices, and less time outdoors. These are known risk factors for the development and progression of myopia. Studies in different countries are encouraged