Los efectos negativos de la polarización política: confianza social, partidismo e identidades nacionales/territoriales en España

En este trabajo se presentan los resultados sobre confianza social en España medida a través de un juego experimental realizado en una encuesta en internet (on-line). Este experimento nos ha permitido diferenciar la confianza social general de la confianza social condicionada por determinados conflictos políticos y ha mostrado como la confianza social se ve negativamente afectada por dos de los conflictos que más han polarizado a la sociedad española en los últimos años: el partidista entre el PSOE y el PP, y el conflicto nacional/ territorial. Esta creciente polarización tiene como consecuencia el descenso de la confianza social, pero también por extensión el descenso general de la confianza en las instituciones de representaciónIn this article we present the results of an on-line survey experimental design to measure social trust in Spain. This methodology has allowed us to differentiate between general social trust (anonymous) and the social trust which radius is politically conditioned. We have shown that politically conditioned trust has a negative impact on the aggregate levels of social trust, but only for those political conflicts that has been more divisive in the Spanish political arena: the partisan conflict PP and PSOE, and the national/territorial conflict. Therefore, the increasing political polarization taking place in Spain about these two conflicts are affecting negatively to the general levels of social trust, and also indirectly to the general levels of institutional trus

One hundred years after the death of the writer and novelist Giovanni Verga (1922) and his relationship with public health: a glimpse of the past in the era of the SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic

Background. In 1922 the famous Italian novelist Giovanni Verga died in Catania (Italy). In Verga’s manuscripts there are many suggestions to the world of medicine, in particular the diseases described the poor society of southern Italy at that time. One of the most common diseases described by Verga was the cholera. Methods. The authors searched and examined literature texts and features linked to public health. These are topical issues in the current period with the Covid pandemic. In Verga’s manuscripts we can found the topic of hygiene, epidemiology, infectious diseases. There are many ideas related to medicine: all diseases described the poor society and difficult social settings at that time. One of the most common diseases described by Verga was the cholera but also malaria and tuberculosis.Results: It was estimated that 69,000 people died of cholera in Sicily, 24,000 of them in Palermo. The public health situation in Italy was hard. One of the most meaningful features of the existence of cholera in Verga's manuscripts is the recognition of ignorance of people, who trust on popular stories and approach to medicine’s language.Conclusion: Verga describes a culturally and economically humble society, in the Sicily with a great difference between social class. He portrays a difficult picture of the public health situation in the II half of the XIX century and he traced the people's daily life. The authors think that it’s important nowadays that the centenary of Verga’s death is the opportunity to read his works, also from a medical historical point of view

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and the Teaching of Ignaz Semmelweis and Florence Nightingale: a Lesson of Public Health from History, after the “Introduction of Handwashing” (1847)

Ignác Fülöp Semmelweis (1818-1865) and Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) were two important personalities in the history of medicine and public health. They dealt with the problem of handwashing. Semmelweis is also known as the “father of hand hygiene”; just in 1847 he discovered the etiology and prophylaxis of puerperal sepsis and imposed a new rule mandating handwashing with chlorine for doctors. He also tried to persuade European scientific community of the advantages of handwashing. During the Crimean War, in Scutary (Italy), Florence Nightingale strengthened handwashing and other hygiene practices in the war hospital where she worked and her handwashing practices reached a reductions in infections. But unfortunately the hygiene practices promoted by Semmelweis and Nightingale were not widely adopted. In general handwashing promotion stood still for over a century. During current pandemic SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) one of the most important way to prevent the spread of the virus is still to wash the hands frequently

The insidious return of Cholera in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Lebanon and Syria: a worrying signal! Past, present, and future forthcoming

Introduction War, hunger, and disease continue to decimate the populations of many countries in the world. Owing to conflicts, environmental instability and natural disasters, many people, especially the poorest, fall victim to epidemic diseases. One such disease, cholera, began to spread again in 2022, striking Lebanon and Syria, countries that have experienced serious social troubles for years. The return of cholera immediately alarmed the scientific community, which is now making every effort, most notably by implementing a major vaccination campaign, to prevent this disease from becoming endemic in these two countries, thus making them a reservoir for its potential spread in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Discussion Cholera is a disease that draws its strength from poor hygiene, primitive sanitation and the consumption of contaminated water and food. From the 19th century onwards, its spread was facilitated by overcrowded housing and lack of hygiene, which became commonplace features of urban life.  Method In outlining the spread of cholera in Lebanon and Syria, the authors raise the question of the possible resurgence of epidemic cholera, especially in the light of the consequences of the devastating earthquake that hit the border area between Turkey and Syria last February.  Conclusion These events have had a devastating effect on the population, destroying, among other things, the few existing health facilities and aggravating the already difficult living conditions of millions of people who, owing to the ongoing war, have been living for years in makeshift settlements, bereft of water, sanitation and any form of health care

Tuberculosis: a timeless challenge for medicine

History of Medicine is not a discipline destined to culturally enrich only those who work in the health sector. All historians know very well how some medical events have influenced the course of history. In particular, infectious diseases, being interconnected with political, social, economic and war issues, have an important historical significance.Microbial agents are invisible enemies ready to undermine mankind and to find prosperity in human misery.Tuberculosis, better than other, is well suited to study the epistemological path of medical thought, from its origins to the present day.From the Hippocratic and Galenic thought to the anatomo-clinical method, from the advent of microbiology to the antibiotic era up to the postantibiotic era, recognizing the timeless need to implement valid social policies and effective preventive medicine actions to achieve satisfactory results

The History of Gin and Tonic; the Infectious Disease Specialist Long Drink. When Gin and Tonic was not Ordered but Prescribed

Winston Churchill statement promoting Gin and Tonic as a life saver during British Empire extension hides many truths. As a matter of fact, the modern cocktail is thought to be born in India where it was widely dis-tributed by Royal Navy for its anti-malarial properties. The aim of the present work is to review and unveil the history of Gin and Tonic through the centuries. As a matter of facts, primitive Gin and Tonic protective effects were well understood by physicians far before the advent of the “germ theory” and its fortunate in-vention is one of the most fascinating approaches in the history of preventive medicine. Indeed, quinine, a compound with protective effects on the replicative cycle of Plasmodium spp was discovered in 18th Century and since 19th it become the main compound of tonic beverages such as Schweppe’s ones. Interestingly, it was administered to British expatriates’ seamen and soldiers in order to prevent febrile paroxysms. Soon after, British military doctors demonstrated that the addition of lime or lemon peels to tonics was effective in preventing scurvy. While, addition of alcoholic beverages and gin contributed to make more enjoyable the bitter and unpleasant taste of this beverages. Results: The spectacular voyage of Gin and Tonic teach-es us that a popular recreational drink of our Century was a powerful prophylaxis which certainly helped British colonial expansion

COVID-19 and Spanish flu-18: review of medical and social parallelisms between two global pandemics

The intrusion of infectious diseases in everyday life forces humans to reassess their attitudes. Indeed, pandemics are able catalyze rapid transitions in scientific knowledge, politics, social behaviors, culture and arts. The current Coronavirus diesease-19 (COVID-19) outbreak has driven an unprecedented interest toward the influenza pandemic of 1918. The issue is whether history can predict our best preventive response and future scenarios. The aim of this review is to highlight the parallelism between the two pandemics. Starting from epidemiology and clinical features, but further focusing on social and cultural issues, it is possible to unreveal great similarities. Their outbreak pattern lead to hypothesize a similar duration and death burden in absence of effective vaccines or innovative treatments for COVID-19. Thus, then as now, preventive medicine represents the first and most effective tool to contain the course of the pandemic; being treatments available only supportive. Contemporary, both pandemics shared the same pattern of narration (e.g. scapegoating) and the same impact on minorities in high-income countries. Furthermore, visual art did not wait to respond with Graffiti art playing in 2020 the role that Expressionism movement had during the Spanish flu and photography capable to document both catastrophic scenarios. Thus, it is possible to find a lot of clinical and social similarities between the two pandemics. Nevertheless, if the Spanish flu was not unforseen, COVID-19 spillover was partially predictable and its global impact will not be overshadowed by a major crisis such as World War I

Social determinants, ethical issues and future challenge of tuberculosis in a pluralistic society: the example of Israel

Tuberculosis is a very serious respiratory infectious disease, caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which generates a relevant societal and clinical burden. It has always represented a permanent concern and a public health challenge over the course of human history, because of its severe epidemiological, and economic-financial implications. The present review aims at over-viewing the impact on tuberculosis on the Israeli healthcare system, its temporal trend and evolution, stratified according to ethnicities and minorities, the need of establishing new facilities and implementing screening techniques, public health strategies and diagnostic tests, following massive immigration waves from countries characterized by a high incidence rate of tuberculosis during the fifties-sixties until the nineties, and the policies implemented by the Israeli government in the control, management and treatment of tuberculosis, as well as the role played by Israeli prominent scientists in discovering new druggable targets and finding bioactive compounds and bio-molecules in the fight against tuberculosis. Israel represents a unique, living laboratory in which features of developed and developing countries mix together. This country as a case-study of immigrant, pluralistic society underlines the importance of adopting a culturally-sensitive community intervention approach. The understanding of the subtle interplay between race/ethnic host and pathogen factors, including the role of gene variations and polymorphisms can pave the way for a personalized treatment and management of tuberculosis patients, contributing to the development of new tools for targeted tuberculosis therapeutics, immunodiagnostics and vaccination products

The old and the new: vaccine hesitancy in the era of the Web 2.0. Challenges and opportunities

The phenomenon known as Vaccine hesitancy (a term that includes the concepts of indecision, uncertainty, delay, reluctance) is complex and closely linked to the different contexts, with different determinants: historical period, geographical areas, political situation, as complacency, convenience and confidence towards vaccines. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends to constantly monitor vaccine hesitancy and any proxy of it. Given the growing importance and pervasiveness of the information and communication technologies (ICTs), the new media could be exploited for a real-time tracking of vaccination-related perception by the lay-people, enabling health-care workers to actively engage themselves and to plan ad hoc communication strategies. The analysis of so-called "sentiments" expressed through the new media (such as Twitter), the real-time tracking of web-related activities enabled by Google Trends, combined with online specific "surveys" on well-defined themes administered to target groups (like health-care workers) may constitute the "Fast data monitoring system", enabling to get a snapshot on the perception of vaccination in that place and at that time. This type of dashboard could be a strategic tool for public services, to organize targeted communication actions aimed at containing Vaccine hesitancy