After having held courses for 12,000 students in 63 Italian high schools in 7 Italian regions and involved 8 patient associations, Factor J, promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale with Janssen Italia and the patronage of the Intitute of Higher Health, launches a new challenge to increase trust in science amongst the new generations. Undersecretary Pierpaolo Sileri: “And only starting with the correct knowledge will we be able to remove the obstacles erected by fear and win the resistance towards issues that appear distant such as the management disease and their cure.”
For the final event, hundreds of students collaborated on developing Instagram campaigns to defeat the phobocracy, the rule of fear, and promote correct information.
Youth trust politicians, scientists and doctors, notwithstanding their dissatisfaction with the communications management of the health emergency, which was perceived as confused. Thus, 78% of young men and women wish for greater clarity and listening abilities. In order to overcome the health emergency, young men and women view the priorities as research for new vaccines and drugs (81%), a better management by politicians (53%) and correct communication (30%). This is some of the data that emerges from the Research on the Trust of Youth in Science, conducted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale with the support of the Department of Political Economics and Statistics at the University of Siena. The results of the research project that involved 4000 students aged 14-19 were presented today by FMD Scientific Director Alfonso Molina and discussed by experts from the Rome Campus Bio-Medico University, scientific partner of Project Factor J, promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale in collaboration with Janssen Italia and the patronage of the Institute of Higher Health.
"During the course of the pandemic, young men and women modified their behaviour as indicated by the official guidelines, suggestions by family members and the opinions of experts. The opinions shared on social media ranked last as reference criteria. This helps us understand that we continue to judge youth based on stereotypes. Now, the crucial challenge is to support the new generations and help them to acquire the strategic tools that are necessary to manage the growing complexity of our age and learn to live with a certain quota of uncertainty,” points out Alfonso Molina.
Project Factor J started in the middle of the first lockdown to integrate empathy and the development of emotional intelligence in traditional Italian school curricula and educate young men and women on health and prevention issues, raising the awareness on the respect due to those living in conditions of fragility and consolidating trust in science. During the course of the school year, 12,000 young men and women in 63 high schools in 7 Italian regions learned about the importance of taking care of themselves and others as an act of social responsibility. A video includes the opinions of some of the project protagonists.
For the final event of Project Factor J, students were involved in the development of Instagram campaigns to promote the value of science and scientific research, overcoming prejudice and fear. In the creative jam, students worked in six digital rooms dedicated to the project therapeutic areas: haematology, neurosciences, infectious diseases, dermatology, gastroenterology and pulmonary hypertension. They were supported by Janssen employees and representatives from patient associations: Associazione Italiana contro Leucemie, Linfomi e Mieloma (AIL), Associazione Ipertensione Polmonare Italiana Onlus (AIPI), Associazione Malati Reumatici del Piemonte (AMaR), Associazione Nazionale per le Malattie Infiammatorie Croniche dell'Intestino (AMICI onlus), Associazione Nazionale Amici per la Pelle (ANAP onlus), Associazione Psoriasici Italiani Amici della Fondazione Corazza (APIAFCO),Network Persone Sieropositive (NPS Italia onlus) and Progetto Itaca. The winning team will have the support of experts to develop its idea during the next school year.
“Only starting with the correct knowledge, will we be able to remove the obstacles erected by fear and win the resistance towards issues that appear distant such as the management disease, their cure, and the possibility of overcoming them thanks to scientific progress and research or being close to those suffering and using empathy to understand difficulties. And I must thank scientific research that has provided us with answers to the health challenges, even in these unimaginable times, such as with the development of a covid vaccine. I hope that this experience will drive inspiration in many of you to seek a professional career in science, medicine or research, as well as in non-profit associations. Or simply learn more about health and increase your confidence, help you live well and provide you with a better emotional preparation and rationality should you encounter a disease, in one of its many forms,” Health Undersecretary Pierpaolo Sileri said in his message to the participating students.
Moreover, the event provided the opportunity to launch the new edition of Factor J, which will specifically aim to increase the trust of the new generations in the progress of science, the awareness of the importance of vaccines in human history, even as a tool for collective protection, and the ability to recognise fake news. Young men and women will be educated on the importance of correct scientific information and vaccination as an act of civic and social responsibility.
“On the one hand, this pandemic had the merit of spotlighting scientific issues addressing health and health management, which had never had so much breadth for discussion. On the other hand, however, this “infodemic” often caused confusion. And this is why young men and women have demanded greater clarity. This, however, must go hand in hand with the necessary filters to correctly understand the mass of information that is available and to shed light and clear their ideas,” explains Massimo Scaccabarozzi, President and CEO, Janssen Italia. “Today, thinking to the future is crucial. This is why we are happy to be with the Fondazione Mondo Digitale again in a second edition in which we will continue to extend our network of collaboration with new partners, always keeping in mind the young men and women who are the project protagonists.”
