GALLUS , Silvano

OBJECTIVES: Italy is one of the first countries that imposed a nationwide stay-at-home order during the COVID-19 outbreak, inevitably resulting in changes in lifestyles and addictive behaviours. The aim of this work is to investigate the impact of lockdown restrictions on smoking habits using data collected within the Lost in Italy...

Background: Evidence showed that mental health problems have risen markedly during COVID-19. It is unclear if part of the mental sufferings relates to the climate of uncertainty and confusion originated by rough communication by health officials and politicians. Here we test the impact of unanticipated policy announcements of lockdown policies...

Background: Few studies have focused on changes in health and social services access due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to describe changes in the use of selected health and social home services due to the pandemic and to investigate potential associated factors, including socio-demographic characteristics, number of chronic diseases and...

: Lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 yielded dramatic changes in drug consumption. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a representative sample of 6003 Italian adults (18-74 years) in April-May 2020 - reporting information before lockdown and at the time of interview - and two years later (i.e., in February-March...

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Purpose: Benefits of national-level stay-at-home order imposed in Italy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission need to be carefully weighed against its impact on citizens' health. In a country with a strong familial culture and where welfare relies on households, confinement drastically decreased support provided by elder relatives, which may have...

Background: We aimed to assess the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, hopelessness and insomnia in the older adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic identifying subgroups at higher risk of mental distress. Methods: Within the Lost in Lombardy project, a web-based cross-sectional study was conducted on a representative sample...

Few preliminary studies have shown an impact of COVID-19 confinement on gambling habits. We aim to evaluate short-term effects of lockdown restrictions on gambling behaviors in Italy.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures posed an unprecedented challenge to the crucial role of grandparenting in family-oriented cultures, such as Italy. Reduced contact with grandchildren during this period potentially threatened grandparents' mental health and well-being. Methods: We analysed data from the LOckdown...

Restrictions imposed to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission should be weighed against consequences on vulnerable groups' health. Lifestyles and disease management of older people with diabetes might have been differentially impacted compared to non-chronic individuals.

Background: People who reach old age enjoying good physical and mental health can be defined as (health) "superheroes", given their relatively low impact on healthcare expenditure and the desirable model they represent. Aim: To evaluate prevalence and possible determinants of being "physical superheroes" (i.e., free from the ten major chronic...

: Video slot machines (VSM) are considered a particularly harmful gambling format; however, scant data is available on their use among underage Italian individuals. Two surveys were conducted in 2018 and 2022 involving 7,959 underage high school students (57.8% female) in Pavia, Northern Italy. We estimated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and...

Background: Although a direct relationship between tinnitus or hearing difficulties and COVID-19 has been suggested, current literature provides inconsistent results, and no research has been undertaken in older adults. Methods: In November 2020, we conducted the LOST in Lombardia survey, a telephone-based cross-sectional study on a sample of...

Introduction: Video slot machines (VSMs), which are available on electronic gaming machines and online platforms, are widely recognized for their high potential to trigger harmful gambling behaviors. Yet, the psychological factors associated with VSM use among adolescents remain poorly investigated. Methods: We estimated adjusted odds ratios...