Fewer and fewer children and at risk of poverty: the “photograph” of childhood in Sardinia. Vaccinations are decreasing

How are young people in Sardinia? What are their needs? What are the problems they have to deal with on a daily basis? What are their habits? The lights? The shadows?

The updated “photograph” of the youth world of the Island comes from the third edition of the Report “The rights of children and adolescents in Italy - Region by region data” , published every three years by the CRC Group, the Working Group for the Convention on the Rights of Children and Adolescents .

The regional report was presented today in Cagliari, at the Transatlantico room of the Regional Council, during an event organised by Uisp .

DECREASING – Numerous data are revealed in the dossier. For example, the number of children and teenagers present on the Island, decreasing and “far” compared to the data of the rest of Italy .

« There are 198,959 minors in Sardinia, which corresponds to 12.7% of the total population of the region against a national average of 15.1%» , the report states, highlighting how the Sardinian percentage is the lowest among all the Italian regions and with a decreasing trend compared to the previous Report of 0.6 points.

BIRTH RATE – Again, in Sardinia the birth rate (per thousand inhabitants) of 4.6, lower than the national average, is confirmed as the lowest figure compared to that recorded in other Italian regions . Families with 5 or more members are 2.8%, compared to the Italian average of 4.5%, while the percentage of single-parent families is 22.5%, exceeding the national average by 4.7 percentage points and confirming the highest percentage in Italy, although the trend is decreasing compared to the previous Report.

POVERTY ALERT – The report also highlights a worrying fact, relating to poverty: the percentage of minors in relative poverty is 32.9%, 10.7 points higher than the national average and a clear increase compared to the previous Report (22.8%).

HEALTH – In Sardinia , life expectancy at birth is 82.5 years . There are 12 birth points, of which 58% with fewer than 500 births per year (34 percentage points higher than the national average of 24%), with an increasing trend compared to the data reported in the previous Report (it was 46.2%). The percentage of caesarean sections on the total is 35%, higher than the national average of 30.9%. There are 152 pediatricians (6,962 in Italy), a decreasing trend compared to the previous Report (there were 187) . Furthermore, in Sardinia there are 15 NPIA ordinary hospitalization beds (in Italy there are 401), data in line with the previous Report.

FEWER VACCINATED - With respect to vaccination coverage: Polio coverage at 36 months is 92.6%, lower than the national average of 95%, as is Measles coverage at 36 months which is 93.4%, lower than the national average (95%) and with a decreasing trend compared to the 2021 Report . The percentage of obese and severely obese children is 6.7%, lower than the national average but with an increasing trend compared to the previous Report.

MORTALITY – The infant mortality rate is 2.43% (national average 2.57%), a decrease compared to the previous Report (2.54%). The percentage of girls and boys aged between 14 and 19 years old who smoke is 11.1%, higher than the national average of 9.1%.

EDUCATION - The data on education indicate that the percentage of municipalities covered by socio-educational services for early childhood is 39%, a significant increase compared to the previous Report (25.2%), but still 25.4 points lower than the national average . The number of places in socio-educational services for early childhood per 100 children aged 0-2 is 35.2, also in this case an increase compared to the previous report and 5.2 points higher than the Italian average.

SPORTS AND READING – Again, in Sardinia, children and young people aged 6-17 who have the habit of reading books in their free time are 52.4%, in line with the national average and increasing (by 4.7 points) compared to the previous Report. The percentage of children and young people aged 3-17 who, in their free time, practice sports continuously or occasionally is 62.8%, 5 points higher than the national average but decreasing compared to the previous Report (64.3%).

ENVIRONMENT - Turning to the environment, and specifically to the quality of urban air, the levels of exposure of the urban population to air pollution from PM 2.5 particulate matter greater than 10 mcg/m3 is 12.5%, a full 63.7 percentage points lower than the national figure of 76.2%. Finally, the percentage of minors who go to school only by public transport is 16.2%, lower than the national average of 19%.