Italian-speaking Parts Of Switzerland Research Articles

Consumers’ meat commitment and the importance of animal welfare as agricultural policy goal

Animal welfare is one of the key agricultural policy goals and is considered extremely important by consumers. With the increasing urgency for a sustainable and healthy dietary shift, it could be one of the key motivators for behaviour change. Therefore, we investigate how consumers perceive the importance of animal welfare not only as an agricultural policy goal but also in comparison to conflicting goals, such as domestic food production, farmers’ income, and consumer prices. We investigate how the weighing of animal welfare as an agricultural policy goal is related to individual behaviour (i.e. meat consumption), values and attitudes, such as meat commitment, the perceptions of farmers and the Ecological Welfare scale (which includes animal welfare and environment protection). Thus, we conducted an online survey in October 2022, recruiting a sample of 1542 participants (51.5% women) in equal parts from the German-, French-, and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland. Participants were asked to evaluate the importance of increased animal welfare in three situations with the following conflicting policy goals: (1) increasing domestic food production, (2) reducing consumer food prices, and (3) increasing farm incomes. Regression analysis revealed that the influential predictors in all three models were similar. Being a woman, politically left leaning, and less committed to meat eating, having a more negative perception of farmers, and assigning more importance to ethical food consumption increased the probability of putting more weight on animal welfare in all three goal conflicts described above. The finding that participants who were more committed to meat eating tended to assign less importance to animal welfare when weighing the three conflicting agricultural policy goals is well-aligned with the current literature. Implications for agricultural policy are discussed.

Hepatitis C virus screening in community pharmacies: results on feasibility from a Swiss pilot

BackgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are a public health burden worldwide and often go undetected until sequelae develop. Offering HCV screening for the different vulnerable populations in community pharmacies could help prevent further undetected HCV infections. This pilot aimed to assess the feasibility and pharmacist acceptance of HCV rapid antibody saliva testing in community pharmacies.MethodsA structured pharmaceutical care intervention was developed that included addressing, informing, and screening clients, as well as referral and reporting to subsequent health care providers. Participating pharmacies from French-, German- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland were trained to provide this service to local vulnerable populations. Information on client recruitment, feasibility, and acceptability of HCV screening was collected.ResultsOf 36 pharmacies initially recruited, 25 started the pilot and approached 435 clients, 145 of whom (33%) were interested in screening. Eight of these rapid antibody tests returned positive (prevalence rate: 5.5%). Facilitators were being able to offer a free rapid test (73%), followed by having training prior to the project (67%) and having a new service to offer (67%). The possibility of clients reacting dismissively (53%) and of unsettling clients (47%) were reported to be the main barriers.ConclusionsThis pilot demonstrated the general feasibility of an HCV screening service with rapid antibody saliva testing in Swiss community pharmacies, which achieved a higher prevalence rate than national estimates. With appropriate communication training and remuneration, Swiss community pharmacies could be an important partner in implementing HCV elimination strategies.

Invasive Alien Species in Switzerland: Awareness and Preferences of Experts and the Public.

Invasive alien species (IAS) can cause ecological and economic damages. To reduce or prevent these damages different management and prevention strategies aim to impede new establishments or a further spreading of IAS. However, for these measures to be successful, public knowledge of risks and threats of IAS as well as public support for eradication measures are important prerequisites. We conducted a survey to examine (i) public and experts' awareness and knowledge of IAS, (ii) their preferences for six invasive plant species and (iii) their preferences for and trade-offs among management alternatives in Switzerland. In addition, a choice experiment was applied to analyse preferences concerning the intensity, priority and costs of interventions. Both, the Swiss public and the experts have a preference for intervening against invasive alien species. However, the public and the experts differ in their priorities of combatting particular species, resulting in a different ranking of intervention necessities. Further, differences were found in the willingness to pay for interventions between the German-, French- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland. The results suggest that a higher problem awareness increases the willingness to pay for countermeasures. We conclude that education programs or information campaigns are promising instruments to raise public awareness and to avoid conflicts concerning the management of invasive alien species.

Diagnostic performance and optimal cut-off scores of the Massachusetts youth screening instrument-second version in a sample of Swiss youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions

BackgroundThere is a growing consensus about the importance of mental health screening of youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions. The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-second version (MAYSI-2) was specifically designed, normed and validated to assist juvenile justice facilities in the United States of America (USA), in identifying youths with potential emotional or behavioral problems. However, it is not known if the USA norm-based cut-off scores can be used in Switzerland. Therefore, the primary purpose of the current study was to estimate the diagnostic performance and optimal cut-off scores of the MAYSI-2 in a sample of Swiss youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions. As the sample was drawn from the French-, German- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland, the three languages were represented in the total sample of the current study and consequently we could estimate the diagnostic performance and the optimal cut-off scores of the MAYSI-2 for the language regions separately. The other main purpose of the current study was to identify potential gender differences in the diagnostic performance and optimal cut-off scores.MethodsParticipants were 297 boys and 149 girls (mean age = 16.2, SD = 2.5) recruited from 64 youth welfare and juvenile justice institutions (drawn from the French-, German- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland). The MAYSI-2 was used to screen for mental health or behavioral problems that could require further evaluation. Psychiatric classification was based on the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). The MAYSI-2 scores were submitted into Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) analyses to estimate the diagnostic performance and optimal ‘caution’ cut-off scores of the MAYSI-2.ResultsThe ROC analyses revealed that nearly all homotypic mappings of MAYSI-2 scales onto (cluster of) psychiatric disorders revealed above chance level accuracy. The optimal ‘caution’ cut-off scores derived from the ROC curve for predicting (cluster of) psychiatric disorders were, for several MAYSI-2 scales, comparable to the USA norm-based ‘caution’ cut-off scores. For some MAYSI-2 scales, however, higher optimal ‘caution’ cut-off scores were found.ConclusionsWith adjusted optimal ‘caution’ cut-off scores, the MAYSI-2 screens potential emotional or behavioral problems well in a sample of Swiss youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions. However, as for choosing the optimal ‘caution’ cut off score for the MAYSI-2, both language as well as gender seems to be of importance. The results of this study point to a compelling need to test the diagnostic performance and optimal ‘caution’ cut-off scores of the MAYSI-2 more elaborately in larger differentiated language samples in Europe.

Real-world asthma management with inhaler devices in Switzerland-results of the asthma survey.

The aim of the Asthma Survey was to generate insights about the daily practice of physicians with regard to inhaler devices used for treating asthma under real-world conditions in Switzerland. A questionnaire was administered to 605 participating hospital- and practice-based Swiss physicians. Areas of interest were practical aspects of patient education, typical difficulties encountered when prescribing pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDI) and dry-powder inhalers (DPI), and reasons for physician preferences. Differences between the German-speaking part of Switzerland (D-CH) and French- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland (W-CH) linguistic regions were explored. Datasets from 529 physicians (291 D-CH and 238 W-CH) were suitable for analysis, 342 internists/general practitioners, 177 pulmonologists/allergologists, and 10 other. Approximately 90% of all participants declared being personally involved in providing inhaler device education to their patients. Practice assistants (33.0% vs. 9.2%, P<0.001) and pharmacists (6.9% vs. 19.7%, P<0.001) were more frequently involved in D-CH compared to W-CH. Patient skills with regard to inhalation technique were generally not monitored on a regular basis with only 34.0% of participants ensuring such checks at the scheduled visits. DPIs were overwhelmingly preferred over pMDI. Although the prevalence of typical handling errors was similar with both inhalers in the two regions, pMDIs were used more frequently in W-CH (P<0.001). Real-world asthma management and inhaler preferences differ between D-CH and W-CH. While the importance of patient education is widely acknowledged, inhalation skills monitoring remains suboptimal. The reasons for higher pMDI preference in W-CH compared to D-CH deserve further research.

Relationship between Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-second version and psychiatric disorders in youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions in Switzerland.

BackgroundThere is growing evidence that it is important to have well-standardized procedures for identifying the mental health needs of youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions. One of the most widely used tools for mental health screening in the juvenile justice system is the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-second version (MAYSI-2). To contribute to the body of research examining the utility of the MAYSI-2 as a mental health screening tool; the first objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between the MAYSI-2 and the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) in a sample of Swiss youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions using a cross-sectional design. Secondly, as the sample was drawn from the French-, German- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland, the three languages were represented in the total sample and consequently differences between the language regions were analyzed as well. The third objective was to examine gender differences in this relationship.MethodsParticipants were 297 boys and 149 girls (mean age = 16.2, SD = 2.5) recruited from 64 youth welfare and juvenile justice institutions in Switzerland. The MAYSI-2 was used to screen for mental health or behavioral problems that could require further evaluation. Psychiatric classification was based on the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to predict (cluster of) psychiatric disorders from MAYSI-2 scales.ResultsThe regression analyses revealed that the MAYSI-2 scales generally related well to their corresponding homotypic (cluster of) psychiatric disorders. For example, the alcohol/drug use scale identified the presence of any substance use disorder and the suicide ideation scale identified youths reporting suicide ideation or suicide attempts. Several MAYSI-2 scales were also related to heterotypic (cluster of) psychiatric disorders. For example, the MAYSI-2 scale alcohol/drug use, was positively related to any disruptive disorder. Furthermore, the results revealed gender differences in the relationship between the MAYSI-2 and K-SADS-PL (e.g., in the boys’ subsample no MAYSI-2 scale was significantly related to any affective disorder; whereas, in the girls’ subsample the MAYSI-2 scales depressed-anxious and somatic complaints were significantly related to any affective disorder).ConclusionsOverall, The MAYSI-2 seems to serve well as a first-stage screen to identify service needs for youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions in Switzerland. Its effectiveness to identify the presence of (cluster of) psychiatric disorders differs between genders.

Validation of the long international physical activity questionnaire: Influence of age and language region.

ObjectiveLittle is known about the influence of age, gender and language on the measurement properties of the long International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The aim was to validate the long IPAQ in adults aged 18–84 in the German-, French- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland, focusing on differences between gender, age groups and language regions.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in the frame of SAPALDIA (Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Disease in Adults) in 2011. 346 participants (54.6% women, mean age 54.6 years) wore an Actigraph GT3X accelerometer during 8 days and completed the IPAQ. IPAQ and accelerometer data on total physical activity and on different intensities as well as sitting time were compared using Spearman correlations and Bland–Altman plots.ResultsCorrelations were highest for vigorous physical activity (r = 0.41) and sitting time (r = 0.42). Significant gender differences were apparent for leisure-time physical activity (men: r = 0.35 versus women: r = 0.57, p = 0.012) and for sitting time (men: r = 0.28 versus women: r = 0.53, p = 0.007). Differences between age groups were present for sitting time (youngest: r = 0.72 versus middle: r = 0.36, p < 0.001; youngest versus oldest: r = 0.34, p = 0.001). Differences between language regions were present for vigorous physical activity (German: r = 0.28 versus Italian: r = 0.53, p = 0.033). IPAQ overestimated physical activity but underestimated sitting time.ConclusionThe long IPAQ showed moderate validity similar to other studies when compared to accelerometer data in a diverse sample of individuals. Some sex, age and regional differences were observed but do not seem to limit its applicability in population sub groups.

Ethnic Minorities in the Mass Media: How Migrants Perceive Their Representation in Swiss Public Television

Communication research highlights deficiencies in the media’s representation of migrants. The study at hand analyzes these deficiencies from the perspective of the migrants concerned: How do they perceive their representation in the media, especially on television? And how do they assess the perceived situation with regard to immigrant integration? This topic has been examined in a qualitative pilot study based on six group discussions amongst migrants and Swiss citizens with an immigration background in the German-, French-, and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland. The results show a high discrepancy between the desire for more presence and participation on the one hand, and the wish to stand in the spotlight less often, on the other hand.

ESJ: Expert comment on number and cost of claims linked to minor cervical trauma

This study by B. Soltermann et al. on number and cost of claims linked to minor cervical trauma in Europe provides new and important information regarding incidence as well as expenditure for this kind of injury in ten European countries, which makes this study unique. Many, but not all, countries in Europe have reported an increase of claims frequency related to this type of injury, an increase which has been difficult to explain on the basis of, for example, accident related or biomechanical factors. The most remarkable finding in this study is the 25 times higher percentage of minor cervical spine injury in Great Britain compared to France when evaluating minor cervical spine injury as a proportion of all bodily injuries. This interesting and thought provoking finding actually seems to represent an even larger difference in absolute numbers when taking into account the higher incidence of bodily injuries in Great Britain as compared to in France. The authors also provide very interesting information that leads to speculations that cultural setting as well as sensitivity of awareness of the problem in a broader sense could be considered as playing important roles in the legal and medical management of minor cervical injury. Furthermore, the study shows large differences between German-speaking and French- or Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland. The study also highlights remarkable differences in expenditure per claim. In this regard Switzerland has the highest expenditure per claim at an average cost of €35,000 compared to the European average of €9,000. This extensive and very interesting study provides new information regarding minor cervical trauma in ten European countries. The pronounced differences between various countries in terms of incidence and expenditure of claims due to such trauma reflect differences in cultural attitudes as well as medical approaches. The findings also emphasize problems in making an adequate diagnosis for patients who have sustained minor cervical trauma. One may also conclude that the findings in this study indicate the need for further research in this field which involves large groups of patients. Moreover, these injuries lead to considerable costs for both individuals and the society at large. The authors should be congratulated on undertaking such a comprehensive study that provides new insight into the complex field of minor cervical trauma

ESJ: expert comment on number and cost of claims linked to minor cervical trauma (manuscript number: ESJO-D-07-00195R1, B. Soltermann et al.)

ESJ: expert comment on number and cost of claims linked to minor cervical trauma (manuscript number: ESJO-D-07-00195R1, B. Soltermann et al.)