The pandemic has not done South Tyroleans any good. Psychiatrists and psychologists have been saying it for some time, now comes the statistical confirmation. In fact, the latest study by Astat (Provincial Institute of Statistics) captures how conspiracy theorists and distrust of the official medicine is spreading in South Tyrol. Although 86% say they trust doctors almost half of the population is convinced that the Covid vaccine can be harmful for health. And one in four resorts to alternative treatments such as naturopathy, osteopathy or acupuncture.
I study
In the study carried out between February and March 2023 in collaboration with the Claudiana Institute of General Medicine and Public Health, almost 1,400 South Tyroleans. And the data shows how much distrust in science is crystallizing. There is in fact a minority, but quite large, who doubt the effectiveness of the anti-covid 19 vaccine and mandatory vaccinations. 29% of people are not convinced or are poorly convinced about Covid, while the percentage rises to 36% in relation to a general obligation of vaccinations envisaged by the national vaccine plan. And always one person out of three, with an almost perfect parallelism, did not welcome what was decided by the authorities for the purpose of increasing the coverage of the anti-Covid19 vaccinenor the decisions taken to implement the compulsory vaccination plan. It even rises to 46% of the population when it comes to the possible harmfulness of anti-Covid 19 vaccines because the long-term risks are not known.
Conspiracy theory and alternative therapies
Numbers that demonstrate that the resistance to vaccines that emerged during the pandemic is by no means outdated. 75% of the population, according to the Astat survey however, he has not changed his opinion on vaccines compared to before the pandemic, but those who are against it are above all because they have a conspiracy view of the world of vaccines, mainly determined by psychological variables. There is also a large majority of those who believe that overall it is right for people to get vaccinated and that the measures taken during the pandemic have been right. In the end, supporters of the two opposing factions almost compensate each other: i15% view vaccinations more favorably than before, given the consequences that an epidemic can have, but a good 10% are now more against it than before. Another peculiarity identified by Astat regards alternative therapies which, between peasant mountain traditions and disciplines of anthroposophical or new age origin, are spreading more and more among the population. Homeopaths, acupuncturists, chiropractors, naturopaths and osteopaths: it is to them that one in four South Tyroleans turn to to maintain health and maintain psychophysical well-being. However, patient feedback is not always positive. While 86% remain satisfied with conventional doctors, defining their services as very or fairly useful, the percentage drops to 75% for osteopaths and naturopaths, reaching lower values for other services, where around two out of three satisfied users are recorded.
The prayers
More than half of the South Tyrolean population takes supplements such as vitamins or minerals (55% and 39% respectively in the last year). Homeopathic remedies and phytotherapy are widespread (about 30%). Most of the products are purchased on self-prescription but in 15% of cases it is the same doctors or pharmacists who prescribe homeopathic remedies or medicinal plants. And oriental disciplines are increasingly widespread, around 20% regularly use relaxation techniques while 15% have practiced yoga or meditation in the last year. In the survey, disciplines such as the Tai Chi e il Qi gong. Then there are those who rely on supernatural forces: about 30% pray for their health and there is even a small 3% who admit to having participated in healing rites. A sign that when health is involved, people are willing to cling to anything that keeps the flame of hope burning.