Welcome to Biomedicine & Prevention

The delivery of health services is the responsibility of NHS England. To achieving fiscal sustainability for the health system, several moves have been implemented, such as the institution of Public Health England, an executive agency within the DH aimed at protecting and improving the nation’s health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities. A lot of work must be done in the next few years to ensure sustainability and a healthy population.

The Central Government of Spain retains responsibility for healthcare management in the cities with autonomy statutes – Ceuta and Melilla – through the National Health Management Institute (INGESA). The Interterritorial Council of the National Health System is responsible for coordination, cooperation and liaison among the public health administrations operated by the Government and the ACs. There are several barriers for the development of primary care in Spain. Budgets have not increased over the last few years, hospitals still find it difficult to shift to community-based capitation, and an integrated care perspective is not a priority. The current economic downturn should be taken as an opportunity to accelerate the innovative formulae in order to coordinate and integrate care.

Italian prevention services seem able to guarantee a high standard of quality of care, which is remarkable in terms of high life expectancy at birth, and two-thirds of Italians claim to have a good health status. International agencies confirm these data ranked Italian Health System as one of the most effective in the world.

German prevention services are strongly rooted in communities and territories through branches that spill over the boundaries of the Health Service itself. Prevention, is modelled on the political structure of the country. The good level of coordination among institutions and the third sector represent key elements that allow this country to deal effectively with the health needs of the population.

Prevention in France is in a phase of significant development. The strategies and policies in the health field over the last decade have shown an increasing focus on prevention. The most recent reforms approved in early 2016 place the focus of the health system on prevention, with particular reference to the promotion of health and wellbeing in young generations and prevention of health inequalities.

Occupational health represents a main issue worldwide because workers amount to half the world’s population. Aim of this work is to assess general health status among COVA’s workers, using an innovative approach, integrating elements of epidemiology and of community health. According to clinical records, from 1999 to 2018 hearing disorders (19.6%) represent the most common diseases among Centro Olio Val d’Agri (COVA)’s workers, with a significant increase in prevalence rate compared with Italy (11.29%, p<0.0001). Contrariwise, a number of non-communicable diseases (hypertension, diseases of vertebral column, musculoskeletal disorders, hearth rhythm disorders, gastrointestinal disorders) were significantly decreased compared with national data. Also prevalence rate for neoplasms was lower than Italian benchmark: 12 cases of malignant tumor were detected, with a prevalence of 1.44% (National data 4.90%, p<0.0001). Concerning individual lifestyles, COVA’s workers show significantly worse personal behaviors compared with the national data: an overweight/obesity rate of 62% was recorded, compared with a national data of 42.2% (p<0.0001); sedentary workers represent the 54.3% of the sample (national data 32.5%, p<0.0001); the 81% of the examined workers declares to consume alcohol (national data 55.1%, p<0.0001). Differently, no significant differences in tobacco smoking rate was recorded in comparison with national data.