1000 Days: The “WeCare Generation” Program—The Ultimate Model for Improving Human Mental Health and Economics: The Study Protocol

Orlando Uccellini, Andrea Benlodi, Emanuele Caroppo (), Loredana Cena, Gianluca Esposito, Isabel Fernandez, Maria Ghazanfar, Antonio Imbasciati, Francesco Longo, Marianna Mazza (), Giuseppe Marano, Renata Nacinovich, Antonio Pignatto, Arthur Rolnick, Marco Trivelli, Elena Spada and Cinzia Vanzini
Additional contact information
Orlando Uccellini: Department of Mental Health, ASST Brianza, 20871 Vimercate, Italy
Andrea Benlodi: Clinical Psychology Unit Carlo Poma Hospital, ASST Mantova, 46100 Mantua, Italy
Emanuele Caroppo: Department of Mental Health, Local Health Authority Roma 2, 00159 Rome, Italy
Loredana Cena: Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Gianluca Esposito: Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38122 Trent, Italy
Isabel Fernandez: EMDR Italia Association, 20814 Varedo, Italy
Maria Ghazanfar: Maternal and Child Department, ASST Brianza, 20871 Vimercate, Italy
Antonio Imbasciati: Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Francesco Longo: Cergas Center for Research on Health and Social Care Management, SDA Bocconi University, 20136 Milan, Italy
Marianna Mazza: Department of Geriatrics, Neuroscience and Orthopedics, Institute of Psychiatry and Psychology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Universita’ Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Giuseppe Marano: Department of Geriatrics, Neuroscience and Orthopedics, Institute of Psychiatry and Psychology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Universita’ Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Renata Nacinovich: Child and Adolescent Neuropsichiatry, ASST Monza, NeuroMI—Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
Antonio Pignatto: Department of Psychology, IUSTO—Salesian University Institute Torino Rebaudengo, 10155 Turin, Italy
Arthur Rolnick: Department of Economics, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Marco Trivelli: General and Economic Direction, ASST Brianza, 20871 Vimercate, Italy
Elena Spada: Magistica, 23875 Lecco, Italy
Cinzia Vanzini: Training Sector Management, ASST Brianza, 20871 Vimercate, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-11

Abstract: Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the necessity of a new resilience of the human population and health system. The “WeCare Generation” program is a new proposal of territorial intervention, with a new paradigm, on the diseases of the human body and mind. Background: In recent decades, the independent strands of investigation on brain plasticity and early trauma consequences have demonstrated that traumatic experiences in the period from pregnancy to the age of 3 years have an enormous impact on an individual’s future development, and both physical and mental health. Research shows that adverse child experiences (ACEs) are associated with a strong risk of conditions such as: harmful alcohol use, smoking, illicit drug use, high body-mass index, depression, anxiety, interpersonal violence, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke respiratory diseases and, as a consequence, to a high financial cost in Italy and also across Europe (1–9% GDP) and the USA (total annual costs estimated to be USD 581 billion in Europe and USD 748 billion in North America). All this suggests that an early intervention on that traumatized-slice of population leads to multiplied savings. Methods: A multi-center, randomized, controlled trial was designed. The parents of the future neonatal population (from pregnancy to delivery) with trauma will be enrolled, and randomized to treatment, or control arm. The article describes in detail how the primary outpoint (cost to the national health system), and some secondary outpoints, will be collected. Discussion: An overall rate of return on investment (ROI) statistically significant 13.0% per annum with an associated benefit/cost ratio (BCR) of 6.3 is expected as the primary outcome of the “WeCare Generation” program. Our proposed model predicts a new medical paradigm aiming to empower new generations, with a strong return on economy and health.

Keywords: adverse childhood experiences; prevention; trauma; economic; welfare; child; gross domestic product; pregnancy; parental trauma (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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