Background/Objectives: Violence against workers (physical, verbal, or psychological abuse), even if it affects all professional categories, is up to ten times higher in healthcare workers. A University Hospital of Central Italy has gradually implemented a series of preventive measures, which might have impacted the trend of the phenomenon. Methods: In order to monitor the episodes, an aggressive event reporting form was adopted throughout the hospital. Data extracted both from this form and the root cause analysis documentation regarding the period January 2019–December 2023 were used. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-squares test, while the join point regression program was used to analyze the trends. Results: The average age of the sample is 43.5 years, with twice as many female workers as male workers. Nurses are more frequently involved (76.6%), and 58% of the events involved 2 to 4 HWs. Verbal violence was reported by 51.2% of HWs, and over 35% of them did not suffer any damage, while 25% suffered mild to moderate damage (illness, injury, or material harm, whether physical or psychological). The hospital divisions which are primarily concerned are the Psychiatry department (36.2%) and the Emergency Room (33.4%). There is no difference in hospital management of aggressive events between males and females. Join point regression analyses showed that there was a significant increase in the reporting of episodes of aggression. Conclusions: The presence of a strong culture of reporting among HWs guarantees a seemingly constant increase in the reporting of nonphysical forms of violence. The statistically significant differences found will allow hospital management to categorize the risk levels and act accordingly.
Background/Objectives: Eco-anxiety is emerging as a response to worsening environmental conditions. However, several gaps hinder the estimation of this phenomenon worldwide. This review aims to provide a measure of eco-anxiety control by those factors that may affect its prevalence assessment. Methods: The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, and the protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024556132). PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases were interrogated. Cross-sectional studies in English and Italian languages assessing eco-anxiety through validated questionnaires were considered. The quality assessment was conducted using the adapted Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Results: Sixty-nine articles published between 2020 and 2025 were included. Of these, 60 studies were meta-analyzed, for a total sample size exceeding 65,000 participants across different countries and cultural contexts. The overall pooled mean eco-anxiety level was approximately 34.8/100 (95% CI: 29.6–39.9), corresponding to a moderate level of eco-anxiety, with women scoring higher than men (p < 0.05). Assessment tool and country were also shown as significant predictors of eco-anxiety, while age did not seem to play a significant role. Conclusions: Though further rigorous research is needed in this field, focusing on these variables could help to design targeted strategies that address environmental concerns and support mental well-being and resilience towards environmental challenges.
Medical residents constitute a vulnerable population susceptible to mental health disorders. In Italy, this was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when medical residents served on the front line and provided significant support to healthcare services. Therefore, the working group on “Public Mental Health” of the Medical Residents’ Council of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health (S.It.I.) designed the “Residents’ mental health investigation, a dynamic longitudinal study in Italy” (ReMInDIt). This longitudinal study aims to assess the mental status of medical residents and to explore potential cause–effect relationships between risk/protective factors (identified among sociodemographic, residency program, and lifestyle characteristics) and mental health outcomes (anxiety and depressive symptoms). Data will be collected from a study population of 3615 residents enrolled in Italian residency programs in public health, occupational medicine, and forensic medicine through an online questionnaire that includes validated tools, requires 10 min for completion, and is disseminated by the residents’ Councils. It will be followed by a follow-up administration after 12 months. The ReMInDIt study will play a significant role in generating evidence crucial for enhancing mental health services and promoting protective factors for the mental well-being of this important segment of healthcare professionals.