Volume 37, no. 5, May 2024. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on risk and symptons of eating disorders. Urban greenery and mental health: the case of a cohort of Italian twins during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bibliosan 20.0 between research integrity and (artificial) intelligence. Public health and emergency workforce roadmap third Steering Committee

Abstracts:
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on risk and symptons of eating disorders
Social distancing and quarantine imposed by authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic caused restrictions that had a negative impact on eating behavior, especially among adolescents. A study carried out in Italy by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (the National Institute of Health in Italy) in collaboration with the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital (BGPH) in Rome highlighted that 80.3% of patients hospitalized for eating disorders at the BGPH, in the period between December 2019 and April 2021, was at its first onset. Moreover, these patients often presented psychotic disorders, comorbidities and alterations of some blood parameters capable of compromising the future of these patients.

Urban greenery and mental health: the case of a cohort of Italian twins during the COVID-19 pandemic
A growing body of evidence suggests that contact with nature, including the use of urban green spaces, is associated with multiple health benefits. This became even more relevant during the COVID-19 outbreak when green spaces were among the few recreational places that remained accessible during periods of lockdown. In a recent study conducted by the Reference Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health (SCIC Center) of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (the National Institute of Health in Italy) the impact of changes in green space use before and during the pandemic on mental health was assessed in a large cohort of Italian twins. This study confirms that reducing exposure to “greenery” (spending less time in outdoor green spaces) can have negative effects on well-being.

Bibliosan 20.0 between research integrity and (artificial) intelligence
This year, Bibliosan celebrates 20 years of activity. Bibliosan is the network of libraries of biomedical research institutions created with the aim of creating an effective and efficient scientific information service at the national level. This year, the chosen topic, of stringent relevance, was the relationship between artificial intelligence and research integrity.

Public health and emergency workforce roadmap third Steering Committee
The final document of the work and outcome assessment drafted by the WHO: “Global Competency and outcomes framework for the Essential Public Health Functions (EPHF)”has been published (https://tinyurl.com/hmtv7fv9). The third meeting of the WHO Steering Committee Roadmap was held at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (the National Institute of Health in Italy, ISS) in Rome on 6 and 7 July 2023. The Roadmap was born in 2021 from the Declaration of the G20 Health Ministers, to promote multilateral cooperation, with objectives about the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, support for recovery and joint efforts for better risk prevention and detection and response to global health emergencies.