“Health for 50-year-olds... and over”: the new health promotion campaign organised by the Lazio Region and the NIHMP from February 28th
“Health for 50-year-olds... and over” is the new health promotion campaign organised by the Lazio Region and the NIHMP-Ancient San Gallicano Hospital after the great success of “A Project for Women - Mi state a cuore”. The new initiative will be held from February 28th to April 2nd 2011 in the local markets of the Lazio Region. Free medical examinations will be provided also to men by the NIHMP doctors, guided by Prof. Aldo Morrone, on the campers of the Lazio Region. The new campaign was presented on January 17th 2011 by President Renata Polverini and the NIHMP Director General, Prof. Aldo Morrone. They showed the remarkable outcomes obtained from December 21st to January 6th with “A Project for Women”, during which almost 6,500 women underwent free medical examinations such as mammographies, pap-tests, dermatological and gynaecological examinations. 4,498 examinations were provided in Rome and 1,948 in the provinces, namely 419 in Frosinone, 417 in Latina, 384 in Rieti and 726 in Viterbo. “When we decided to promote this campaign - said President Polverini - we could not image those results in terms of enthusiasm and figures. It was particularly interesting to see the variety of women undergoing medical examinations, some of them took the occasion to make a check up, other people were really in need for a free examination due to their economical conditions”. 83% of women considered the initiative useful, 81% of them would repeat the experience. It is also important to outline the main medical services provided: 1,123 mammographies, 1,622 dermatological examinations and 1,166 gynaecological exams. Women from all the age groups participated in the campaign, the highest rates were registered among 30 and 60-years-old women, but also under-18 girls and over-60 women underwent the examinations. 44% of the examined women is married, it means than family duties often lead them to neglect prevention; 24% explained that they “took the occasion” to make an examination since they do not have any spare time for prevention.
Prof. Aldo Morrone declared that this campaign allowed to detect a melanoma and two carcinomas that will be treated at the NIHMP. The results are so remarkable that the Regional Government decided to organise new campaigns, the first one addressed to over-fifties and to be implemented in local markets, with particular attention to the peripheral areas. “The new campaign will be addressed to over-fifty people” explained President Polverini “and will be held in the local markets where it is easy to find people of this age group”.
