Volume 37, no. 12, December 2024. Chronic pain in Italy: a public health priority. Conference. #IpaziaCCM2021 - Training, territories, and networked professionals to prevent and combat gender-based violence and violence witnessed by minors. Adverse effects of internalization of nano- and micro-plastics in red blood cells. Conference. People health experiencing considerable social exclusion

Abstracts:
Chronic pain in Italy: a public health priority
Chronic pain represents a global health problem with a high impact on quality of life and health care systems. The Working Group on “Chronic pain and its psychosocial correlates”, coordinated by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health in Italy, ISS), with the participation of Istat and ISAL Foundation, issued in 2023 the results of a survey on chronic pain in Italy, conducted by Istat in 2019 within the European Health Interview Survey, on a sample of more than 44,000 subjects. The survey, will be replicated during the years; it allowed to update the prevalence estimates of chronic pain which affects 24,1% of the adult population. Chronic pain increases with age and with lower socioeconomic conditions. Females are more affected than males (60% vs 40%). The underlying causes are: previously diagnosed diseases (52%), traumas (21%) and surgery (7%). Thirteen percent of the affected shows moderated up to serious depressive symptoms compared to the 2% of non-affected subjects. It is necessary to focus on investments for diagnosis, treatments and rehabilitation as well as to enhance psychosocial research to investigate factors influencing chronic pain, such as “unexpressed pain” and “missed diagnoses”.

Conference. #IpaziaCCM2021 - Training, territories, and networked professionals to prevent and combat gender-based violence and violence witnessed by minors
On May 8th, the conference “#IpaziaCCM2021 - training, territories, and networked professionals to prevent and combat gender-based violence and violence witnessed by minors” was held, marking the conclusion of the related CCM Project. This project, coordinated by the USL Toscana Sud Est Health Authority, with scientific support from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health in Italy, ISS) and contributions from partners, developed a problem-based learning and competence-oriented training model aimed at the staff of local health and social care services, focused on preventing and combating gender-based violence and violence witnessed by minors. The event, organized by the Department of Infectious Diseases and the Training Service - Presidency of the Italian National Institute of Health in Italy, and the USL Toscana Sud Est Health Authority, outlined the main activities carried out and the results achieved by the Project, situated within a broader national and international context.

Adverse effects of internalization of nano- and micro-plastics in red blood cells
The exponential increase in global plastic production results in a threat to the environment and human health. The Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health in Italy, ISS) in collaboration with the University of Messina conducted a study on the adverse effects of nano- and micro-plastics of polystyrene on human red blood cells. The results obtained showed that both nano- and micro-plastics are internalized by human red blood cells through specific mechanisms involving estrogen receptors. Such uptake can provoke a significant increase of intracellular oxidative stress levels, that in turn can result in cellular damage and impairment of functional activity in human erythrocytes.

Conference. People health experiencing considerable social exclusion
The conference “People health experiencing considerable social exclusion” has took place at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health in Italy) the past June 25th. The aim of the conference was to provide health information and examples of care models for marginalised people (i.e. homeless, irregular migrants and prisoners) based on data collected in clinical practice and medical assistance carried out by the public institutions and the third sector on a national, regional and local level. The conference was the opportunity to present the monograph of the Bollettino epidemiologico nazionale regarding the health care needs of marginalised people.