The activities of the Laboratory of Evolutionary Age Epidemiology are mainly focused on the monitoring of the use of drugs in the pediatric population, on the evaluation of the diagnostic-therapeutic paths of children with chronic pathologies (asthma, epilepsy, neuropsychiatric disorders) and the evaluation of the use of health resources with particular regard to access to the Emergency Department, with the aim of identifying areas of poor appropriateness or still unanswered needs.
Pharmacoepidemiology and analysis of administrative healthcare databases
The research activities in this area mainly concern the evaluation of the appropriateness of drug prescriptions (for example antibiotics and anti-asthmatics) in the paediatric age; the monitoring of the prescription of psychotropic drugs during child growth and development, and the prescription of antiepileptics to children and women of childbearing age or in pregnancy; the monitoring of the therapeutic care pathways of children and adolescents with chronic diseases and with neurodevelopmental disorders (with a focus on attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder - ADHD, and with autism spectrum disorders). Additional research activities involve the monitoring of paediatric access to emergency departments and the evaluation of deliveries and birth characteristics through analysis of data from the birth certificate (CEDAP).
Monitoring children and adolescents health indicators
The laboratory analyses health indicators based on current statistical data to highlight possible geographical differences between macro-areas/regions, identify trends over time, assess the impact of health interventions and policies, and investigate possible determinants. Specifically, paediatric healthcare mobility (active and passive) is evaluated by analysing hospital admissions (via hospital discharge forms). Another research topic concerns perinatal, infant, neonatal, and post-neonatal mortality, as well as mortality from specific causes (e.g., suicide) by gender and age class, using data on causes of death (Italian National Institute of Statistics, ISTAT).
The NASCITA birth-cohort
The laboratory coordinates a birth cohort of 5,054 children born between 1 April 2019 and 31 July 2020 and cared for by 139 Italian family paediatricians. The purpose of the study is to monitor the growth, development, and health status of Italian children, identifying certain "critical" factors that can compromise their health. A few examples of the aims of the NASCITA Study are: to evaluate the frequency and duration of breastfeeding, the timing and approaches related to infant weaning, and the factors associated with a more positive attitude towards breastfeeding; to describe the growth (height, weight, body mass index) of Italian children, to estimate the percentage of overweight or obese children, to evaluate the risk factors for overweight/obesity, to assess how well some good parental practices (such as reading aloud and listening to music) are known and implemented, and what their impact is.
International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.
