title: Policy and planning of prevention in Italy: Results from an appraisal of prevention plans developed by Regions for the period 2010-2012.
abstract: Health policies on disease prevention differ widely between countries. Studies suggest that different countries have much to learn from each other and that significant health gains could be achieved if all countries followed best practice. This paper describes the policy development and planning process relating to prevention activities in Italy, through a critical appraisal of Regional Prevention Plans (RPPs) drafted for the period 2010-2012. The analysis was performed using a specific evaluation tool developed by a Scientific Committee appointed by the Italian Ministry of Health. We appraised nineteen RPPs, comprising a total of 702 projects, most of them in the areas of universal prevention (62.9%) and prevention in high risk groups (27.0%). Italian Regions established prevention activities using an innovative combination of population and high-risk individuals approaches. However, some issues, such as the need to reduce health inequalities, were poorly addressed. The technical drafting of RPPs required some improvement; e.g. the evidence of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the health interventions proposed was seldom reported. There were significant geographical differences across the Regions in the appraisal of RPPs. Our research suggests that continuous assessment of the planning process of prevention may become a very useful tool for monitoring, and ultimately strengthening, public health capacity in the field of prevention. Further research is needed to analyze determinants of regional variation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: annalisa.rosso@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: carolina.marzuillo@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marzuillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: azzurra.massimi@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Azzurra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Massimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: corrado.devito@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Vito
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: debelvis@rm.unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Anton Giulio
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: de Belvis
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppe.latorre@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: La Torre
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Viale Giorgio Ribotta 5, 00144 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: an.federici@sanita.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Federici
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: wricciardi@rm.unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: paolo.villari@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Villari
mesh_terms: D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008019:Life Style; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D011634:Public Health; D012040:Regional Health Planning / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Health policy; Italy; Prevention