Region Of Crete Research Articles

Microarthropods Living on the Endemic Tree Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae) with Particular Attention to Collembola Diversity

Zelkova abelicea is an endemic tree species growing in several localities in the mountainous regions of Crete, Greece. To date, the microarthropod species associated with this tree species have not been identified. Since Z. abelicea populations are isolated and fragmented, it was hypothesized that the characteristics of microarthropod assemblages, particularly in the case of springtails (Collembola), would vary and differ among localities. Moreover, rare microarthropod species that colonize microhabitats not included in previous studies on Zelkova trees were expected to be recorded. Samples were collected from the bark and twigs of Z. abelicea at eight localities in all main mountain ranges. Among the collected material, Collembola were the most numerous (10,285), followed by Acari (2237) and representatives of Psocoptera (422). The obtained material and statistical analyses showed that the arthropod assemblages differed considerably at each experimental site, with the most distinct assemblage characteristics observed at the Gerakari site on Mt. Kedros in central Crete. The most numerous specimens were species of Collembola: Xenylla maritima (3844), Xenylla sp. 2 (maritima complex) (3364) and Xenylla sp. 1 (maritima complex) (2631). A total of 33 Collembola species were recorded, of which 19 had not been previously reported in Crete. Among them, 11 species were likely new to science and will be the subject of separate taxonomic studies.

Empirical Findings from the Application of Human Resource Evaluation Methods in the Greek Public Administration

The main objective of this research is to approach as much as possible the subject of evaluation in the public sector and to present its effects on job satisfaction. It focuses on human resource management and job evaluation processes, methods developed by theoretical and practical researchers. The main reason someone would want to deal with it at research level is the contribution of the evaluation of human resources in the public sector, in an effort to provide better services to the citizens with low cost, but above all in the cultivation of the feeling of satisfaction of the employees themselves in order to respond better to the work demands of the bodies they serve. We carried out research both qualitatively and quantitatively in the Region of Crete and the results obtained are of particular interest since they gave us an indication of the imperative need to improve the evaluation system as well as the procedures for its implementation.

Associating Depression with Low Back Pain in the Population of Crete

Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for seeking medical help in primary health care, as one of the most common conditions that cause chronic pain. There are several studies associating low back pain with depression, because of the general passive attitude of depressed people and the general psychological factors of depressed people which are involved in chronic low back pain and low back pain. Although studies have shown an association between low back pain and depression, little is known about the role of socio-demographic factors that may also play a role in this association. In particular, in Crete, with its particular socio-economic and environmental (climatic) characteristics, there is no relevant research on the relationship between back pain and depression. The aim of this study is to identify the association between low back pain and depression in patients of a large Greek region, the Region of Crete, in order to contribute to the entire Greek literature, but also to the overall effort to find solutions for patients back pain, who also have problems with depression. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, a quantitative survey was conducted. According to the results of the present study, it is concluded that the pain is more intense and affects more these patients suffering from low back pain, in contrast to the patients of the control group. In addition, severe and chronic low back pain affects both the depression and anxiety of these patients, who have more sleep problems than the control group, where there is no correlation.

Parental stress and depression of children with learning disabilities: preliminary results from Crete

Abstract Past research has identified high levels of stress among parents of children with learning disabilities, which negatively affects children's well-being. The current presentation aims at reporting on parental stress experienced by individuals who utilised the newly introduced services of a mobile unit offering diagnostic and counselling services to children with learning difficulties in the region of Crete. Individuals in the current study represent a non-clinical sample from community settings across a region of 600.000 residents. More specifically, a university mobil unit was set in mid 2020 with funds raised by the Region of Crete, aiming at diagnosing learning difficulties in children aged 8-12yrs old as well as offering tailor-made biopsychosocial counselling to their families, at no cost. The mobil unit employs a pioneering child-in-environment perspective aiming to improve child's well-being through interventions targeting the family system. The staff consists of special education tutors, child and school psychologists, social workers, speech therapists and nurses offering a full range of diagnostic services, with up to date psychometric tools and literacy tests. Upon detection of stress/depression symptoms (Beck Anxiety Inventory,BAI; Beck Depression Inventory,BDI), parents receive a brief CBT or family therapy intervention of 4 sessions with a psychologist and/or a social worker via teleconference. Preliminary analysis of parental records (53 BDI,46 BAI) indicates 12 (22,6%) being above the cut off point for depression (7 mild to moderate, 5 moderate to severe) and 13 (28,2%) meeting the criteria for moderate anxiety disorder. 9 cases scored within the clinical range for both disorders. Symptoms of anxiety disorder were recorded only in parents of males. Comparisons between individuals with and without symptomatology will be presented in terms of personal and family profiles. The study has serious implications for health and educational policy. Key messages Coping with parental stress can be a challenge, but is also a skill that can be learned. Strength-based family support services should be considered at community level.

Early diagnosis and management of learning disabilities in children living in rural communities

Abstract Children with learning disabilities have been shown to experience complex emotional and conduct difficulties, poor self-esteem and school refusal due to late diagnosis and inappropriate management. The current project has been conceived in light of the unique circumstances found in Greece, with a tremendous shortage of diagnostic services for learning difficulties in children attending primary schools and a total lack of family support services for the management of these difficulties at home. A university mobil unit was set in mid 2020 with funds raised by the Region of Crete, aiming at diagnosing learning difficulties in children living in remote areas as well as offering tailor-made biopsychosocial counselling to their families, at no cost. Diagnosis is made on the basis of reliable tools (e.g. WISC VGR, etc) by a range of specialised professionals (e.g. child psychologists, speech therapists, nurses, social workers). Children diagnosed with a learning disability receive a personalised intervention plan and a package of educational and counselling services ranging from 8-12 one-to-one tutoring sessions. Preliminary analysis of 68 records indicates 54 children being diagnosed with some type of learning disability. Nearly 40.0% of them were older than 10 years (implying delayed treatment seeking) and 46.3% lived in rural areas (implying service accessibility). Prevalence was higher among males as compared with females (61.1% vs 38.9%). A high prevalence of emotional difficulties was identified in children with learning disabilities (32.4%). Out of 54 children assessed for intelligence level, 8(14.8%) scored very low (70-79units) and 4 (7.4%) scored extremely low (below 69units). Out of the 12 who scored low, 11 were males. Family-centred and community-oriented interventions are necessary for early diagnosis and holistic management of learning disabilities. The project bears useful insight for health policy and health services planning. Key messages Early diagnosis and targeted interventions can help children overcome their difficulties. Family-centred interventions are necessary for efficient management of learning disabilities.

CAUSES OF EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING AND PREVENTION MEASURES: SCHOOL DIRECTORS’ INSIGHTS

<p>The following study explores the phenomenon of early school leaving and related prevention strategies, focusing on the region of Crete, an island in Greece which has high early school leaving rates. This is a qualitative research focused on the opinions and attitudes of the elementary and secondary school units’ directors. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted, showing the interviewees’ opinions about the reasons students leave school in this specific district, the applied prevention measures, and their evaluation. It is noted that the frequency of early school leaving in the local high schools and lyceums is high, while in the elementary schools it is low, which is mainly caused by the students’ decision to enter the job market, help their family agricultural business, and create a family of their own or get married -especially the female students. Furthermore, participants state that they apply certain prevention measures, which include regular communication with the close family circle and with students at risk. Finally, they state that the effectiveness of the measures implemented depends - to a large extent - on the funding provided to schools, mainly as recruitment of specialized staff.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0520/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Exploring the Psychosocial Needs of People Living in Extreme Poverty and Introducing Brief Interventions: The Case of Crete Region in Greece

Introduction: The financial crisis of the last decade has increased the number of people living in extreme poverty in Greece. Despite this fact, little evidence exists on their profile and psychosocial needs. Method: The current study explored the socioeconomic circumstances and psychosocial profile of 798 people confronted with severe poverty. This article further reports on brief interventions introduced at individual-, group-, and community level to address the psychosocial burden of these people. Results: A huge health and mental health burden was found among the participants. People also experienced long periods of unemployment, bad housing and living conditions, and absence of a supportive social/family network. Brief interventions increased people’s self-awareness, self-expression, and self-esteem and improved their problem-solving and coping skills. Conclusions: Integrated and family-focused care seems necessary. Mapping the biopsychosocial needs of these people is important for health care and social welfare planning.

VectorMap-GR: A local scale operational management tool for entomological monitoring, to support vector control activities in Greece and the Mediterranean Basin

Over the past decade, Greece and other Mediterranean countries have witnessed the emergence and resurgence of several vector-borne diseases (VBDs), posing important public health challenges and threatening the tourist industry. An essential prerequisite for the design and execution of efficient and sustainable context-specific VBD control programmes is the establishment of integrative entomological and epidemiological surveillance systems. However, the monitoring and management of surveillance datasets (often chronologically fragmented, scattered in regional health district offices and partially accessible upon requisition), as well as their transformation into actionable information, is a complex undertaking. In light of aiding and optimizing vector control efforts in the Mediterranean Basin, we developed VectorMap-GR, an online, open access, operational management tool for entomological and complementary epidemiological monitoring data. The toolʼs key components are a set of controlled vocabularies (ontologies) running throughout the system, the systemʼs database and a map interface for data querying and display. The tool supports transformation of raw data into operationally relevant information (i.e. customized maps, charts, tables and reports) in a highly interactive fashion achieved through query filters and the ArcGIS technology embedded in the system. End-users may search for and obtain information on (i) the mosquito fauna composition, abundance and spatiotemporal dynamics; (ii) the mosquito insecticide resistance status and underlying resistance mechanisms; (iii) the occurrence of VBD pathogens and infections in vectors, animals and humans; and (iv) operationally relevant physical feature georeferenced datasets (e.g. mosquito breeding sites). VectorMap-GR was pilot implemented during 2018–2020 in a mosquito control programme in the Region of Crete (southern Greece). The programmeʼs control efforts coupled with VectorMap-GR pilot implementation phase, very likely contributed to the reduction of vector population numbers and the prevention of human VBD occurrences, recorded in this period.

Pilot test of a train the trainer programmes on Road safety education

Abstract Background Road injury is the leading cause of death for young people aged 5-29 years worldwide. As the human factor has been shown to be responsible for more than 3/4 of road incidents, changing safety attitudes and driving behaviours among youth is crucial to combat this public health issue. The current study is part of a project implemented by the Laboratory of Health and Road Safety (LaHeRS), in collaboration with the Lead Authorities of Primary and Secondary Education of Crete and with the financial support of the Region of Crete. The project started in 2019 and aims at promoting a road safety culture among school teachers of primary and secondary education in Crete Region through improving their competence in designing and implementing road safety education in class. Methods The program consists of three phases: a) 20 hours face-to-face training (e.g. needs assessment techniques, teaching approaches and techniques addressing risky driving, evaluation methods, practical training using the advanced technology of the driving simulator of LaHeRS Lab <<Virage VS500M >> etc), b) 30 hours distant learning using an online training program and appropriately designed training handbooks to support personalized training and, c) small-scale pilot projects of road safety education in classrooms, upon the scientific guidance and supervision of the LaHeRS research staff. For the purposes of the evaluation a questionnaire was completed to detect changes in teachers' competence to design and implement road safety education as well as their knowledge and attitudes (e.g. DSI, DBQ questionnaires) towards road safety. Results A total of 160 teachers participated in the 2019-2020 training programme, including 129 women, 109 primary and 51 secondary education teachers with a mean age of 43.4 years and a mean teaching experience of 16.5 years. The programme met high acceptability and raised significant teachers' confidence in delivering road safety education. Key messages The project proved to be efficient in addressing the pedagogical gaps in road safety education. Road safety education should be part of health promotion initiatives targeting children and adolescents.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of isolated pathogens from patients with contact lens-related bacterial keratitis in Crete, Greece: A ten-year analysis

PurposeTo evaluate the bacterial spectrum and antimicrobial susceptibilities of pathogens isolated from contact lens-related bacterial keratitis cases in a large academic Greek hospital. MethodsAll adult patients with positive corneal scrapings or contact lens culture between 2007 and 2016 at the University Hospital of Heraklion, Greece, were retrospectively identified through a local microbiology database and their medical records were reviewed. ResultsA total of 240 isolates were recovered from 131 patients with culture-proven contact lens-associated bacterial keratitis. The most common microorganism identified was Serratia marcescens (17.1% of total isolates), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella spp. and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS). Rates of aztreonam-resistant P. aeruginosa and erythromycin-resistant CoNS decreased in recent years, while the decrease in oxacillin-resistant CoNS was statistically significant (p=0.009). More than 90% of the isolated organisms (S. marcescens, P. aeruginosa, Klebsiella spp. and CoNS) were susceptible to ciprofloxacin or gentamicin. ConclusionGram-negative microorganisms are the most common causative pathogens of contact lens-related keratitis in the region of Crete. Topical antibacterials containing quinolones or gentamicin represent an effective empirical treatment for the majority of the cases. This is quite encouraging, considering that the present study was conducted in a country characterised by high antimicrobial resistance rates. However, culture-driven antimicrobial treatment is mandatory for this sight-threatening infection.

Tourism in the post Covid-19 era: An opportunity for expansion of the tourism season; The case of Crete

Tourism worldwide has been affected by Covid-19 and many tourism destinations have been hit hard. The effects of the virus on the tourism sector will be long-lasting and economic losses inevitable. Nonetheless, there is a strong positive correlation between tourism and economic growth. As a result of this, the tourism season expansion can, under specific circumstances, lead to greater economic growth. Global crises can help countries that effectively deal with them, to evolve and effectively expand their seasonality, along with specific measures taken by the local governments to restore tourism and even more to expand it (Beirman, 2003).For Greece, and Crete in particular, that heavily depends on its tourism sector, the economic losses are expected to be devastating. However, based on the development of Covid-19, so far, Greece is presented with a unique opportunity to improve its comparative position and prolong the duration of its tourism season.Crete is the ideal holiday destination to take advantage of the current situation, in order to prolong its season. Crete is an island with a very diverse landscape and a mild climate, all year round. The region of Crete, over the course of the past decade, has put significant effort in promoting its own brand and has already succeeded in extending the islands tourism season by at least one more month, with season starting mid-March and ending early November (Enterprise Greece, 2018). Moreover, in low season, there have been attempts by local Tour Operators and there has been a small but steady flow of Tourists, even in the extremely low season, between November and February. Of course, all initiatives taken by the locals, are important but are not sufficient. Coordinated support is needed by the government and the prefecture of Crete to boost the island and create a viable extent tourism season.

Evolution of urban waste- and storm-water management in the region of Crete, Greece: a preliminary assessment.

The history of water supply and wastewater engineering in Crete Island (Greece) dates back more than ca 4,500 years, since the early Bronze Ages. In the Minoan era, it was recognized that the removal of wastewater and storm-water were necessary for communal living. The early Minoan developments in wastewater and storm-water collection and removal are the cornerstones on which modern cities are built. The evolution of wastewater and storm-water management from prehistoric to modern times in Crete is examined briefly in this paper. Information on the current status and future strategies for wastewater and storm-water management is also presented.

Mediterranean diet adherence, social capital and health related quality of life in the older adults of Crete, Greece: The MINOA study

BACKGROUND:Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD), a sustainable dietary pattern with multiple benefits to health, environment, economy and society is decreasing even in the older adults in rural Crete; the prototype pattern from the 7 Country Study. OBJECTIVE:Investigate social and health relate d factors that may be perceived as barriers to adherence to the MD, among older adults, living in rural region of Crete, Greece. METHODS:Evaluate a) adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern using the MedDietScore b) dietary intake using the Water Balance Questionnaire (WBQ) c) social connections using the Social Capital Questionnaire including the Physical and Mental Component of Health (PCS and MCS, respectively) and d) health-related quality of life (HRQL) using the SF-36 Questionnaire, among older adults residing in the Municipality of Minoa; a Cretan rural area. A total of 436 older adults (>65 years, 58% men) were enrolled. RESULTS:Mean MedDietScore was moderate (31.9±3.6) and was found higher in males (32.9±3.4 vs 30.6±3.4; p < 0.001). Total social capital was 75 (68,80) with no significant differences between genders. The PCS was 45 (37,52) and the MCS 47 (40,54), males achieving a higher score (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.01 respectively). Results of linear regression, for adherence of the MD, showed sex (p < 0.0001), marital status (p = 0.039), “growing vegetables-fruits” (p = 0.014) and car ownership (p = 0.044), associated with MedDietScore. CONCLUSIONS:Older adults living in Crete, adhere moderately to the MD, with potential barriers being lower PCS and MCS and weak support provided by family and community structures as quantified by low scores in social capital and health-related quality of life.

Parents’ perceptions and evaluation of the implementation of a resilience curriculum in Greek schools

ABSTRACTThis paper investigates parental perceptions and evaluation of the implementation of a European resilience-focused curriculum (RESCUR) in a sample of Greek schools. RESCUR, which includes six resilience-promoting skill areas, was implemented in 28 elementary classrooms in the Southern region of Crete, Greece. Parental perceptions and views were considered to be an important component (among others) of this implementation study and they were studied as part of comprehensive program evaluation. With the completion of the program, a sample of 100 participant students’ parents evaluated aspects of the program that they found helpful for their child, for themselves and their family through a questionnaire including quantitative and qualitative questions. Correlations and content analysis showed that according to parents, RESCUR was overall effective in promoting communication skills, self-determination skills, and healthy relationships both for them and their children, while significant relationships were found among helpfulness of RESCUR for the child, the parent, and the family. The results suggest that parental perceptions and views are an important component of school-based resilience interventions worth studying because useful information about implementation can be identified for the optimization of the program. Implications for future RESCUR implementation and research are discussed.

Association between happiness and psychopathology in an elderly regional rural population in Crete.

Research has shown that socio-demographic profile and psychopathology symptoms are related to levels of happiness in old age. The aims of this cross-sectional study were: 1) to investigate the effect of recent stressful life events and socio-demographic factors on psychopathological symptoms in elderly residents in mountain regions of Crete, Greece and 2) to explore the mechanism which underlies the relationship between socio-demographic factors and psychopathological symptoms, with levels of happiness in old age. To this end, we used the nine psychopathology dimensions of symptoms as defined in the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90), while the Holmes and Rahe stress inventory was administered to quantify the stressful life events. A sample of 205 elderly men and women (age=77.1±6.7 years) living in 10 remote rural and isolated villages participated in this study. Data was collected through questionnaires completed upon individual meetings with each participant, with the interviewer's assistance. Each questionnaire included the two aforesaid scales alongside questions on individual socio-demographic characteristics. Analysis of variance was applied to detect socio-demographic factors that have a significant effect on specific psychopathological symptoms. Then, path analysis was applied to quantify the direct and indirect effect of the selected socio-demographic factors on happiness levels. Stressful life events were found to have no statistically significant effect on the presence of specific symptoms (somatization, psychoticism, anxiety) in elderly adults. Furthermore, certain socio-demographic factors (marital status, smoking, family income and social activity) were found to influence happiness, which varied according to the level of psycho-emotional tension. The results suggest that somatization, psychoticism, and phobic anxiety symptoms are psychic reactions independent of recent stressful life events. Our study,despite its regional character, may contribute in the development of appropriate clinical assessment tools and interventions, helping primary care practitioners to approach elderly people living in remote villages in a more appropriate and holistic manner, improving thereby the effectiveness of their interventions.

The profile of people living in extreme poverty in the region of Crete

Abstract Background The financial crisis of the last decade has increased the number of people living in extreme poverty in Greece. Until today, there is no research evidence on the bio-psycho-social needs of the population. The current study, among other, aimed at investigating the living and working conditions, the health and mental health status of these people and produced recommendations for health care policy and planning. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in Crete Region with adult beneficiaries of material support benefits (according to income-related criteria). The study was part of the program FAED, which was co-funded by the EU and offered material support (e.g. food, material for personal hygiene, etc. to more than 17.000 beneficiaries in Crete region within 2016-2017. A structured questionnaire extracted information on various aspects including, working, housing and living conditions, health and mental health status. Results 798 individuals (46.5% male; 43.3 years) consented to participate and completed the questionnaire. Mean time of unemployment was 4.2 years. 26.8% was accommodated by relatives, 23.5% rented a house and 18% lacked heating. Nearly half of the participants reported a chronic disease (47.0%), 24.1% reported disability certified by health authorities. 4.9% had severe alcohol-related problems, 50.6% had mild to severe depression symptoms and 40.3% mild to severe symptoms of anxiety disorder. 12.0% totally lacked a support network for daily practical and emotional issues. Conclusions Personal psychosocial needs seem to have been neglected because of complex family needs. Socioeconomic deprivation seems to have exacerbated chronic disease management due to neglect of health care needs. A huge burden of mental diseases is evident necessitating community mental health care. Key messages Mapping of bio-psychosocial needs is important for social policy and health care planning. Integrated care is necessary to meet the complex needs of people living in extreme poverty.

Raising young people’s awareness on sexual and reproductive health issues

Abstract Issue/problem Despite the high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases(STIs) and abortions among Greek youth, sexuality education is not yet part of the curriculum of Greek schools and the Greek family is not ready to address these issues with comfort. Description of the problem A “one-stop information point” was organized for one week in major cities of Crete Region as part of a community health program, which was funded by the Regional Authority of Crete to address “Gender Equality in the Region of Crete within 2018-2020”. The project aimed at increasing young people’s awareness of sexual health issues using a “peer education” approach and a youth-friendly information package. Undergraduate students from health, mental health and social care professions acted as volunteers upon receiving a rigorous 2-day training by sexual and reproductive health experts. The questions to be answered by the project were: “What are the main concerns of adolescents regarding their sexual health? How much satisfaction could adolescents gain by a “one stop information point” and a youth friendly “information package” offered by peers? Results Serious information gaps regarding contraception and STI’s and a number of stereotypes regarding healthy relations and sexual orientation have been recorded. Gender dysphoria is still an issue that remains unaddressed among young people. A youth-friendly website (LaHeRS Lab) and short videos are now available as part of the project to facilitate young people’s access to information. A large social media network of young people interested in sexual health issues has been formed locally and is growing nationally. The intervention was received with satisfaction. Lessons “One-stop information centres” and “peer education” have been an ideal combination to address sensitive issues among young people. Key messages Knowledge gaps and unsafe sexual practices are prevalent among adolescents. Sexuality education should be offered in early school life.

Discussing issues of health promotion and research in the context of primary care during the ongoing austerity period: an exploratory analysis from two regions in Greece.

BackgroundIn Greece, both Primary Health Care (PHC) system and National Health System (NHS) in general, were plagued by several inefficiencies even prior to the financial crisis; the imposed austerity measures dramatically worsened the level of health provision and access, especially for vulnerable social groups, resulting in an exacerbation of existing disparities and access gaps.Aim and methodsThe current branch study was conducted in two regions of Greece, namely Crete and Epirus, with the main aim of eliciting responses to gather baseline information regarding crucial PHC-related aspects, using questionnaires with dichotomous questions. Directors or managers (physicians who have been assigned administrative/governance duties), of the Primary Health Care Centres (PHCCs) in two Greek geographic and administrative regions of Crete and Epirus, were invited to participate and to contribute to the investigation of issues on the provision of prevention and health promotion services, e-health topics and primary care research. Thirty directors/managers were approached and twenty-eight agreed to participate. Data processing and analysis of the responses was performed for the completed questionnaires.ResultsData analysis did not demonstrate a surprisingly substantial deviation in the average score of positive responses of directors/managers in the PHCCs of Crete in comparison to those of directors/managers in the PHCCs of Epirus. The findings show that several gaps exist in terms of prevention and health promotion resources and activities in both regions, while e-health, electronic health record (EHR) and telemedicine services are poorly developed.ConclusionThe study confirms that the Greek PHC is characterized by several inefficiencies, which may affect the quality of the services provided. An overall deficit has been emerged for PHCCs in both regions, a fact that indicates crucial points lacking in terms of overall PHC provision, thus adversely impacting upon living conditions, health quality and prevention.

Differential effects of earthquakes on patients with bipolar disorder versus schizophrenia: Findings from Crete, Greece, 2008-2010.

Electromagnetic radiation influences in many ways humans and animals, while earthquakes are known to be related with electromagnetic phenomena. We recently showed that large earthquakes reduced admissions of psychiatric patients, whereas small earthquakes were associated with increased number of admissions. Our aim was to examine the effect of seismic-related electromagnetic activity on two chronic and severe psychiatric disorders varying in terms of etiology and treatment, i.e. bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Retrospective data concerning monthly admission rates of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder in the Psychiatric Unit of the University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece between 2008 and 2010 were analyzed in relation to the number of earthquakes with small (≥2) or larger magnitude in the Crete region in Greece. Results showed a marked reduction of acute admissions during a storm of large earthquakes, which was greater in patients with bipolar disorder (91.2%) than schizophrenia patients (52.4%). In addition there was a significant increase of admissions during a period of frequent small earthquakes, primarily among patients with bipolar disorder. The results suggest that electrostatic fields that accompany large earthquakes may have a protective effect on psychiatric disorders, particularly on bipolar disorder. These findings are consistent with the ameliorating effect of electromagnetic fields used in Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in patients with bipolar disorder. Future studies focusing on the underlying mechanisms may lead to more specific treatments of psychiatric disorders.

Innovative methodology for the prioritization of the Program of Measures for integrated water resources management of the Region of Crete, Greece

An innovative multi-criteria methodology was proposed for the prioritization of the Program of Measures (PoM) in the Water Region of Crete, and applied specifically to the basin of Geropotamos river according to the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. This study relied on the four pillars of sustainability and the EU cross-compliance legislative objective for the minimization of the climate change impact. The multi-criteria evaluation methodology was based on the results of four different types of analyses: a DPSIR analysis, a SWOT analysis, a Cost-Benefit Analysis and a climate change impacts analysis. Public participation on the results of the study with local stakeholders was used at every stage of the multi-criteria evaluation process, from the selection and weighing of the criteria to the final ranking and measures' prioritization. The PoM contains two types of measures: basic measures which deal with the implementation of existing legislation and are the same for all regions of Greece and additional measures which are specified for the Region of Crete. The results of the prioritization process in Geropotamos Basin suggests that improving the water quality and ecological status of available water resources do not always require significant financial resources and can have a high impact in terms of achieving “good” quality status.