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Introduction: The aim of the current study was to assess if the frequency of internet searches for influenza are aligned with Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) cases and deaths. Also, we evaluate the distribution over time and the correlation between search volume of flu and flu symptoms with reported new cases of SARS-CoV-2., Materials and Methods: The reported cases and deaths of flu and the reported cases of SARS-CoV-2 were selected from the reports of ISS, the data have been aggregated by week. The search volume provided by Google Trends (GT) has a relative nature and is calculated as a percentage of query related to a specific term in connection with a determined place and time-frame., Results: The strongest correlation between GT search and influenza cases was found at a lag of +1 week particularly for the period 2015-2019. A strong correlation was also found at a lag of +1 week between influenza death and GT search. About the correlation between GT search and SARS-CoV-2 new cases the strongest correlation was found at a lag of +3 weeks for the term flu., Conclusion: In the last years research in health care has used GT data to explore public interest in various fields of medicine. Caution should be used when interpreting the findings of digital surveillance., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement The authors declare no conflict of interest., (©2021 Pacini Editore SRL, Pisa, Italy.)

Introduction: The aim of the study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices towards SARS-CoV-2 among nursing students of University of Palermo during the rapid rise period of the COVID-19 pandemic., Materials and Methods: This is cross-sectional study. A survey was provided to all nursing students and consisted of two parts: demographics and Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) survey. A multivariate linear regression model was used and adjusted Odds Ratios (aOR) are presented., Results: 575 students were interviewed, and their mean age was 22.29 ± 4.2. The overall score indicates good knowledge (p=0.046) and good practices among the four courses of study (p=0.038). Multivariate linear regression showed that Attitude score (b = -0.29; p = 0.024) and Knowledge score (b = 0.10; p = 0.026) adjusted for age, gender, year of study, perceived economic status, perceived health status were significantly associated with Practice score., Conclusion: Our results suggest that proper health education is useful for encouraging optimistic attitudes and maintaining safe practices among future category of nurses., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement The authors declare no conflict of interest., (©2021 Pacini Editore SRL, Pisa, Italy.)

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to ascertain the determinants of nursing students' compliance with flu vaccination., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, an anonymous paper questionnaire was administered to students attending the 3-year nursing course at the University of Palermo. Adjusted Odds Ratios (aOR) are presented., Results: 403 nursing students (65% female) completed the questionnaire (response rate 98.5%). The average age of the respondents was 22.0 years (SD ± 3.04). The dependent variable: "In the next season, do you intend to be vaccinated against flu? Yes", displayed a statistically significant association with the following independent variables: "year of study: second" (aOR 2.66), "year of study: third" (aOR 1.72), "Perceived health status: medium-high" (aOR 6.61), "Did you get vaccinated against seasonal flu last year? Yes" (aOR 22.47)., Conclusions: Although nursing students are not yet health professionals, they spend part of their time in health facilities for their clinical training and will be the health workers of the future. Involving nursing students in influenza vaccination campaigns can also help them take better care of themselves and their patients., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement The authors declare no conflict of interest., (©2020 Pacini Editore SRL, Pisa, Italy.)

The concept of Vaccine Hesitancy has begun to appear in the scientific landscape, referring to the reluctance of a growing proportion of people to accept the vaccination offer. A variety of factors were identified as being associated with vaccine hesitancy but there was no universal algorithm and currently there aren't any established metrics to assess either the presence or impact of vaccine hesitancy. The aim of this study was to systematically review the published questionnaires evaluating parental vaccine hesitancy, to highlight the differences among these surveys and offer a general overview on this matter. This study offers a deeper perspective on the available questionnaires, helping future researches to identify the most suitable one according to their own aim and study setting., (©2020 Pacini Editore SRL, Pisa, Italy.)

Introduction: The purpose of the study was to assess tobacco smoking habits among nursing students and how these are influenced by family members and cohabitants., Methods: Cross-sectional study. An anonymous paper questionnaire was administered to nursing students of the three-year course of the University of Palermo. Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) are presented., Results: 301 nursing students (63.12 % female) completed the questionnaire (response rate 61.17%). The average age of the sample is 21.88 years (SD ± 2.80). Considering as a dependent variable: "I currently smoke", the statistically significant independent variables associated are: "Male gender" (aOR 2.09), "Single" (aOR 2.06), "Second year of study of the degree course in nursing" (aOR 0.46), "Third year of study of the degree course in nursing" (aOR 0.43), "Don't think that warnings and pictures on cigarette packs can help stop smoking" (aOR 6.38), "Mother smoked in the past" (aOR 2.25) and "Brother or sister smoked in the past" (aOR 5.50)., Conclusions: Students and graduate nurses need to be aware of current knowledge in the smoking cessation field and they have an influential role in modifying patient behavior in order to assist them to smoking cessation., (©2019 Pacini Editore SRL, Pisa, Italy.)