Search

Introduction: Communication has a crucial role in public health, because it becomes an essential component of prevention; it is also a proactive tool in health promotion. From a planning perspective, it is appropriate to use communication means that can help the bidirectional communication process, such as face-to-face communication and telephone communication., Materials and Methods: In relation to this, the Italian National Institute of Health has developed the "Modello Operativo Comunicativo-Relazionale" (the "Communicative-Relational Operating Model"). It is based on the fundamental skills of the counselling, this gives a protocol to the health professionals that is replicable and organized and it allows health professionals to carry out a telephone communication that is efficient with the user through technical-scientific and communication-relational skills. The goal is to answer in a customized way to the various users' health needs. The Operating Model was created by experts of the National AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections Helpline of the Operational Unit of Psycho-Socio-Behavioural Research, Communication, Training, of the Infectious Diseases Department. Later, the Operating Model was proposed to the experts of the Helplines in the National Centre on Addictions and Doping and the National Helpline of the National Centre for Rare Diseases in the National Institute of Health that integrated this method into their telephone approach., Results: The Operating Model illustrated above was applied to several helplines of the National Institute of Health as an example of correct scientific information, updated and customized on sexual transmitted infections, addictions and rare diseases., Conclusions: This article aims to illustrate the Operating Model, the theoretical prerequisites that subtend it and its possible application in the different public health structures that use the telephone for a profes-sional relationship with their users.

The Italian law 119/2017 mandates ten childhood vaccinations to allow population aged 0-16 attend educational places and state school. This law enforcement is due to low coverage rates for some vaccine-preventable diseases and to a complex phenomenon known as vaccine hesitancy. Basic health counselling skills represent relevant resources to let healthcare workers effectively address vaccine hesitancy in the population. We indicated recommended communication approaches and basic health counselling skills to be applied by public health professionals according to the specific target population with vaccine deficit that means people not at all or partially reached by vaccinations. Public health professionals are called to know, acquire, use, and adapt basic health counselling skills to effectively address vaccine hesitancy diversely affecting different groups of population.

Background: In Italy, the circulation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has expanded to include population groups that do not perceive themselves to be "at risk" of HIV infection and who do not even consider undergoing HIV testing. The aim of this study was to describe the socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics, and perceived risk of HIV infection in a sample of blood donors who reported never having been tested for HIV., Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was administered to a sample of donors who called the Italian National AIDS/STI Help Line and reported never having been tested for HIV., Results: The study sample consisted of 164 blood donors: 29.3% had given blood in the preceding 2 years. With regards to at-risk behaviours, 39.6% of the donors interviewed were heterosexuals who had sexual contacts with multiple partners, and 5.5% were men who had sex with multiple male partners. Sexual contacts with female sex workers were reported by 11.6% of first-time donors and 25.7% of repeat donors. Of the 164 donors interviewed, 125 (76.2%) said that the main reason that they had never been tested for HIV was that they did not consider themselves at risk. Among these, 56 (44.8%) reported that they would have sexual contacts with a sex worker, 52 (41.6%) reported that they would have sexual contacts with someone having more than one sexual partner, and 36 (28.8%) reported that they would have sexual contacts without using a condom., Discussion: All the donors interviewed reported that they had never been tested for HIV despite the fact that they had been certainly been tested upon blood donation. These results show that some sexual behaviours may not be perceived as behaviours at risk for acquiring HIV infection. These findings suggest that not all blood donors are knowledgeable about HIV risk behaviours and that an explicit pre-donation questionnaire and effective counselling continue to be important for the selection of candidate donors.

Background: Clients of sex workers represent a relevant target for interventions aimed at the prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Within prevention strategies, the AIDS and sexually transmitted infections helpline (Telefono Verde AIDS/ IST, TVA-IST) of National Institute of Health in Italy has provided, since 1987, specific information and counselling interventions., Aim: The present study reports data on anagraphical characteristics and behaviours of clients of sex workers, anonymously reported at TVA-IST in the period 1987-2010., Discussion: Among 95 149 phone calls (14% of the total) considered 99.5% came from males, over 80% aged under 37 years and prevalently from Northern Italy. Among sexual behaviours, unprotected sexual intercourses were reported in the 26% of the calls. Subjects under 27 years reported a higher frequency of unprotected anal intercourse, while they used protection with oral and vaginal intercourses in a greater extent than older ones. Due to differential behaviours within clients of sex workers, specific informative strategies for this targeted population should adequately consider age-related differences.

Introduction: In the last 10 years migration processes have progressively increased worldwide and in Italy about 5 millions of residing migrants are estimated. To meet health needs of these new residents, effective relational and communication tools, which allow a reciprocal intercultural interaction within health care structures, are therefore necessary., Aim: This article faces the main features of the relational-communication processes associated with health promotion and care in the migrant population in Italy to the aim of identifying the key and critical points within the interaction between different cultures, focusing on the role of specific professional figures, including cultural mediators and health educators., Results: Within the activity of HIV phone counselling operated by Psycho-sociobehavioural, Communication and Training Operating Unit of National Institute of Health in Italy, an intercultural approach was successfully experienced in a project targeted to migrants (2007-2008). Specifically, the presence of cultural mediators answering in the languages of main migrants' groups allowed the increase of calls from migrant people and of the information provided.

This work aims to delineate the long journey of health communication, from the beginning to the present, stressing how the concept of health service and human health have been evolving together with the kind of political approach to the problem. First, the approach was mainly repressive and based on the surveillance of territory, so that jurisdiction in health matters was centralized and entrusted to the Ministry of Interior. Consequently, communication had little space and was directed to an elite group of insiders, who were able to cope with any public health emergencies, using a very technical and essential language, confusing for most people. In the course of the years, we understood that the reaching of the objective health could be realized with the involvement of citizens, organized groups, public and private institutions. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure citizens the right to receive a clear and correct information, enabling them to be self responsible and better manage their health, in a more and more personalized way, using an authoritative but confidential language and all the modern media.

Women account for nearly half the people living with HIV worldwide. This situation makes it necessary to improve prevention actions targeting women: the female condom is a good option. The study was conducted, the first in Italy, in a public AIDS Center on a sample of 162 participants (66.7% female, 33.3% men) who requested the HIV test. The objectives were: assess the current knowledge of the female condom; collect information on opinions, impressions and willingness to use the female condom. Participants were administered a Lickert-scale questionnaire after post-test counselling. The results are in line with international studies and show an early positive response, characterized by interest and openness to innovation, followed by resisting to use the female condom.

We carried out a telephone survey to assess willingness to participate in HIV vaccine trials. The survey was conducted by interviewing randomly selected callers to the Italian National AIDS Help line. The questionnaire consisted of four sections: demographic information, knowledge about HIV vaccines and vaccines in general, factors related to participation in HIV vaccine trials, and acceptability of a future HIV vaccine. Over 50% of the sample had adequate knowledge about HIV and vaccines. Among the individuals interviewed, 37% would volunteer for a vaccine trial; those reporting high-risk behaviours were more likely to volunteer. Of the participants, 83% would agree to be vaccinated with a highly effective vaccine, and 92% would pay for the vaccine. Although the limits of telephone surveys should not be neglected, the results of this survey are encouraging.

This work is the result of two surveys carried out to obtain an overview of the specific types of activities conducted by public institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGO) with regard to HIV infection and AIDS among migrant populations in Italy. The results reveal that the types of services offered to migrant populations differ when comparing public institutions to NGOs. Public institutions mainly provide services related to medical-health issues, whereas NGOs focus on social assistance and acceptance. Both types of organisations report problems in communicating to migrant populations information on HIV infection, sexually transmitted diseases, prevention, and therapy, which is a critical issue in the relationship between the psycho-social-health operator and the foreigner.

This article resulted from a survey carried out by some researchers of the Telefono Verde AIDS (TVA-National AIDS Help-Line) of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, with the collaboration of some colleagues of the Segreteria per le Attività Culturali. It is also a summary of strategies of intervention against HIV/AIDS for young people implemented by the Italian Ministry of Health. The study was developed within the context of the workshops on HIV/AIDS education carried out since 1995 by some researchers of TVA. These workshops fall within some other initiatives arranged by the Segreteria per le Attività Culturali for the diffusion of scientific and technological information. Our study aimed at assessing the level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS among some different high-school students. Data processing points out a widespread and quite good level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS in general and particularly on ways of transmission and prevention measures. Results obtained could not be generalized because the sample involved in the survey represented a privileged target, already sensitive to the issues concerning HIV infection and AIDS dealt with in the context of specific teaching programmes.

This report is a description of the situation of migrant populations in Italy. It was written by a committed team of experts from public institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGO) and volunteer associations that for three years have been part of the Italian National Focal Point (NFP) within the European Project "AIDS & Mobility", which is being co-ordinated by the Netherlands Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (the Netherlands) and financed by the European Commission DG/V. This year the Italian National Focal Point, co-ordinated by the Telefono Verde AIDS of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, has produced a second report (the first one was published in 1998) on health issues related to migrant populations. Besides providing an updated picture on the presence of foreigners in Italy, such report illustrates the present legislative situation within the sanitary area and some interventions regarding prevention, treatment and rehabilitation provided by each structure in the Italian NFP to foreign citizens. The initiatives carried out during the year 1999 by public institutions, NGO and volunteer associations are also reported in order to detect the psycho-social-sanitary needs of immigrants and target prevention programmes to their particular and specific needs.