IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1621: The Transition from Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Interventions to OSH Outcomes: An Empirical Analysis of Mechanisms and Contextual Factors within Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1621: The Transition from Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Interventions to OSH Outcomes: An Empirical Analysis of Mechanisms and Contextual Factors within Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081621

Authors: Guido J. L. Micheli Enrico Cagno Antonio Calabrese

Many Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) interventions have proven to be effective only under controlled conditions; during the implementation in practice, the interventions may not work as expected, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are affected by different contextual factors than larger enterprises and these factors can influence the outcome of the OSH programs. Three different phases of an OSH intervention (design, implementation, and control) have been considered. The aim of this research is to understand what are the mechanisms by which an OSH intervention works or does not work as expected, together with barriers and drivers, and the related contextual factors. The research was designed following multiple case study research, which enables an in depth understanding of the intervention process and the identification of the most relevant factors for OSH. Data were collected through interviews with owner-managers or OSH managers of SMEs. Finally, the data were analysed through an analytical research framework that enabled the identification of the main mechanisms and contextual factors for the interventions that had an expected outcome and for those which had an unexpected outcome.

https://ift.tt/2NWyeBS

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1618: Mumps in the Vaccination Age: Global Epidemiology and the Situation in Germany

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1618: Mumps in the Vaccination Age: Global Epidemiology and the Situation in Germany

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081618

Authors: Andrea-Ioana Beleni Stefan Borgmann

Vaccination against mumps virus (MuV) (mostly measles-mumps-rubella) is routinely performed in more than 120 countries and has resulted in a distinct decrease of mumps incidence. However, alteration of mumps epidemiology has been observed in several countries after implementation of the vaccine but is sparsely documented. Moreover, outbreaks have occurred after starting vaccination, even in highly vaccinated populations. In the former German Democratic Republic (DDR) mumps was a notifiable disease but vaccination against mumps was not implemented. In the five eastern German states forming the DDR until 1990, mumps was not notifiable until 2001. Except for the lack of reporting between 1990–2000, data from Eastern Germany allow analysis of mumps epidemiology after initiating the vaccination campaign. For the period from 2001 to 2016 the data show that the incidence of mumps dropped notably after initiating vaccines, and was accompanied by an increase of the median age of patients with mumps. In Eastern Germany, no outbreaks were noted, while several outbreaks occurred in Western Germany, possibly due to a lower vaccination rate. Further literature analysis revealed that outbreaks were facilitated by waning immunity and crowding. Nevertheless, although vaccination prevented infection, the course of illness, once infected, was sometimes more complicated. In comparison to non-vaccinated populations, high rates of complicated courses occurred and were marked by orchitis, due to higher age of mumps patients. Therefore, refusing vaccination against mumps increases the risk of severe courses when living in a vaccinated population.

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IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1619: Ovarian Cancer Incidence in the U.S. and Toxic Emissions from Pulp and Paper Plants: A Geospatial Analysis

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1619: Ovarian Cancer Incidence in the U.S. and Toxic Emissions from Pulp and Paper Plants: A Geospatial Analysis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081619

Authors: Carol Hanchette Charlie H. Zhang Gary G. Schwartz

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of female cancer mortality in the U.S. and accounts for five percent of all cancer deaths among women. No environmental risk factors for ovarian cancer have been confirmed. We previously reported that ovarian cancer incidence rates at the state level were significantly correlated with the extent of pulp and paper manufacturing. We evaluated that association using county-level data and advanced geospatial methods. Specifically, we investigated the relationship of spatial patterns of ovarian cancer incidence rates with toxic emissions from pulp and paper facilities using data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). Geospatial analysis identified clusters of counties with high ovarian cancer incidence rates in south-central Iowa, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Georgia. A bivariate local indicator of spatial autocorrelation (LISA) analysis confirmed that counties with high ovarian cancer rates were associated with counties with large numbers of pulp and paper mills. Regression analysis of state level data indicated a positive correlation between ovarian cancer and water pollutant emissions. A similar relationship was identified from the analysis of county-level data. These data support a possible role of water-borne pollutants from pulp and paper mills in the etiology of ovarian cancer.

https://ift.tt/2ArzEm1

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1620: Obesity Inequalities According to Place of Birth: The Role of Education

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1620: Obesity Inequalities According to Place of Birth: The Role of Education

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081620

Authors: Elena Rodriguez-Alvarez Nerea Lanborena Luisa N. Borrell

This study examined obesity inequalities according to place of birth and educational attainment in men and in women in Spain. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Spanish National Health Survey 2011–2012 and from the European Health Survey in Spain 2014. We used data for 27,720 adults aged 18–64 years of whom 2431 were immigrants. We used log-binomial regression to quantify the association of place of birth with obesity before and after adjusting for the selected characteristics in women and in men. We found a greater probability of obesity in immigrant women (PR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.22–1.64) and a lower probability of obesity in immigrant men (PR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.59–0.89) relative to natives after adjustment. Significant heterogeneity was observed for the association of place of birth and obesity according to education in men (p-interactions = 0.002): Men with lower educational levels (PR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.26–0.83) have a protective effect against obesity compared with their native counterparts. This study suggests that place of birth may affect obesity in women and in men. However, this effect may be compounded with education differently for women and men.

https://ift.tt/2mZkWZK

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1616: Assessing the Impact of a Risk-Based Intervention on Piped Water Quality in Rural Communities: The Case of Mid-Western Nepal

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1616: Assessing the Impact of a Risk-Based Intervention on Piped Water Quality in Rural Communities: The Case of Mid-Western Nepal

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081616

Authors: Dorian Tosi Robinson Ariane Schertenleib Bal Mukunda Kunwar Rubika Shrestha Madan Bhatta Sara J. Marks

Ensuring universal access to safe drinking water is a global challenge, especially in rural areas. This research aimed to assess the effectiveness of a risk-based strategy to improve drinking water safety for five gravity-fed piped schemes in rural communities of the Mid-Western Region of Nepal. The strategy was based on establishing community-led monitoring of the microbial water quality and the sanitary status of the schemes. The interventions examined included field-robust laboratories, centralized data management, targeted infrastructure improvements, household hygiene and filter promotion, and community training. The results indicate a statistically significant improvement in the microbial water quality eight months after intervention implementation, with the share of taps and household stored water containers meeting the international guidelines increasing from 7% to 50% and from 17% to 53%, respectively. At the study endline, all taps had a concentration of <10 CFU Escherichia coli/100 mL. These water quality improvements were driven by scheme-level chlorination, improved hygiene behavior, and the universal uptake of household water treatment. Sanitary inspection tools did not predict microbial water quality and, alone, are not sufficient for decision making. Implementation of this risk-based water safety strategy in remote rural communities can support efforts towards achieving universal water safety.

https://ift.tt/2M4NuvS

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1617: Changing Neighborhoods and Residents’ Health Perceptions: The Heart Healthy Hoods Qualitative Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1617: Changing Neighborhoods and Residents’ Health Perceptions: The Heart Healthy Hoods Qualitative Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081617

Authors: Paloma Conde Marta Gutiérrez María Sandín Julia Díez Luisa N. Borrell Jesús Rivera-Navarro Manuel Franco

Cities, and therefore neighborhoods, are under constant change. Neighborhood changes may affect residents’ health in multiple ways. The Heart Healthy Hoods (HHH) project studies the association between neighborhood and residents’ health. Focusing on a middle–low-socioeconomic neighborhood in Madrid (Spain), our aim was to describe qualitatively its residents’ perceptions on the urban changes and their impacts on health. We designed a qualitative study using 16 semi-structured interviews including adult residents and professionals living or working in the area. Firstly, we described the perceived main social and neighborhood changes. Secondly, we studied how these neighborhood changes connected to residents’ health perceptions. Perceived major social changes were new demographic composition, new socio–cultural values and economic changes. Residents’ negative health perceptions were the reduction of social relationships, increase of stress and labor precariousness. Positive health perceptions were the creation of supportive links, assimilation of self-care activities and the change in traditional roles. Neighborhood changes yielded both negative and positive effects on residents’ health. These effects would be the result of the interrelation of different elements such as the existence or absence of social ties, family responsibilities, time availability, economic resources and access and awareness to health-promoting programs. These qualitative research results provide important insight into crafting urban health policies that may ultimately improve health outcomes in communities undergoing change.

https://ift.tt/2LFKlqs

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1615: Questionnaires for Lung Health in Africa across the Life Course

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1615: Questionnaires for Lung Health in Africa across the Life Course

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081615

Authors: Sepeedeh Saleh Richard van Zyl-Smit Brian Allwood Herve Lawin Bertrand Hugo Mbatchou Ngahane Irene Ayakaka Elvis Moyo Asma El-Sony Kevin Mortimer Jamie Rylance

Respiratory infections remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in many low and middle-income countries but non-communicable disease rates are rising fast. Prevalence studies have been primarily symptom-focused, with tools developed in countries in the Global North such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Systematic study in sub-Saharan African populations is necessary to accurately reflect disease risk factors present in these populations. We present tools for such studies, developed as part of the International Multidisciplinary Programme to Address Lung Health and TB in Africa (‘IMPALA’), which includes lay representatives. At a preliminary meeting, the adequacy and suitability of existing tools was discussed and a new questionnaire set proposed. Individual questionnaires were developed, and an expert panel considered content and criterion validity. Questionnaires underwent a cross-cultural adaptation process, incorporating translation and contextual ‘sense-checking’, through the use of pre-established lay focus groups in Malawi, before consensus-approval by project collaborators. The complete set of research questionnaires, providing information on lung health symptoms and a relevant range of potential risk factors for lung disease, is now available online. In developing the tools, cultural and contextual insights were important, as were translational considerations. The process benefitted from a foundation in expert knowledge, starting with validated tools and internationally respected research groups, and from a coordinated collaborative approach. We present and discuss a newly devised, contextually appropriate set of questionnaires for non-communicable lung disease research in Africa that are now available in open access for all to use.

https://ift.tt/2mVNLXb

Acute copper sulfate poisoning resulting from dermal absorption

American Journal of Industrial Medicine, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2LFZtnP

Exposure to disinfectant by-products and the risk of stillbirth in Massachusetts

Objectives

We examined stillbirths in relation to disinfection by-product (DBP) exposures including chloroform, bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane, bromoform, trichloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid (DCAA), monobromoacetic acid and summary DBP measures (trihalomethanes (THM4), haloacetic acids (HAA5), THMBr (brominated trihalomethanes) and DBP9 (sum of THM4 and HAA5)).

Methods

We randomly selected 10 controls for each of the 2460 stillbirth cases with complete quarterly 1997–2004 THM4 and HAA5 town-level drinking water data. Adjusted (aORs) were calculated based on weight-averaged second-trimester DBP exposures.

Results

We detected statistically significant associations for stillbirths and the upper DCAA quartiles (aOR range: 1.50–1.71). We also found positive associations for the upper four HAA5 quintiles and different stillbirth cause of death categories that were examined including unexplained stillbirth (aOR range: 1.24–1.72), compression of umbilical cord (aOR range: 1.08–1.94), prematurity (aOR range: 1.37–2.88), placental separation and haemorrhage (aOR range: 1.44–2.01) and asphyxia/hypoxia (aOR range: 1.52–1.97). Additionally, we found positive associations between stillbirths and chloroform exposure (aOR range: 1.29 – 1.36) and unexplained stillbirths and BDCM exposure (aOR range: 1.51 – 1.78). We saw no evidence of exposure–response relationships for any categorical DBP metrics.

Conclusions

Consistent with some previous studies, we found associations between stillbirths and chloroform and unexplained stillbirth and BDCM exposures. These findings strengthen existing evidence of prenatal THM exposures increasing the risk of stillbirth. Additionally, we saw statistically significant associations between DCAA and stillbirth. Future research should examine cause-specific stillbirths in relation to narrower critical windows and additional DBP exposure metrics beyond trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids.

https://ift.tt/2M2cy6U

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1612: Legionellosis Associated with Recreational Waters: A Systematic Review of Cases and Outbreaks in Swimming Pools, Spa Pools, and Similar Environments

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1612: Legionellosis Associated with Recreational Waters: A Systematic Review of Cases and Outbreaks in Swimming Pools, Spa Pools, and Similar Environments

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081612

Authors: Erica Leoni Federica Catalani Sofia Marini Laura Dallolio

Legionella spp. is widespread in many natural and artificial water systems, such as hot water distribution networks, cooling towers, and spas. A particular risk factor has been identified in the use of whirlpools and hot tubs in spa facilities and public baths. However, there has been no systematic synthesis of the published literature reporting legionellosis cases or outbreaks related to swimming/spa pools or similar environments used for recreational purposes (hot springs, hot tubs, whirlpools, natural spas). This study presents the results of a systematic review of the literature on cases and outbreaks associated with these environments. Data were extracted from 47 articles, including 42 events (17 sporadic cases and 25 outbreaks) and 1079 cases, 57.5% of which were diagnosed as Pontiac fever, without any deaths, and 42.5% were of Legionnaires’ disease, with a fatality rate of 6.3%. The results are presented in relation to the distribution of Legionella species involved in the events, clinical manifestations and diagnosis, predisposing conditions in the patients, favourable environmental factors, and quality of the epidemiological investigation, as well as in relation to the different types of recreational water sources involved. Based on the epidemiological and microbiological criteria, the strength of evidence linking a case/outbreak of legionellosis with a recreational water system was classified as strong, probable, and possible; in more than half of the events the resulting association was strong.

https://ift.tt/2LThSNf

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1613: Sexual Violence against Women in Germany: Prevalence and Risk Markers

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1613: Sexual Violence against Women in Germany: Prevalence and Risk Markers

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081613

Authors: Deborah F. Hellmann Max W. Kinninger Sören Kliem

Previous research has repeatedly shown that gender-based violence affects a considerable proportion of women in any given population. Apart from providing current estimates of the prevalence of sexual violence against women in Germany, we identified specific risk markers applying an advanced statistical method. We analyzed data from a survey of N = 4450 women representative of the German population, conducted by the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony in 2011. Lifetime prevalence for experiencing sexual violence was 5.4% for women aged 21−40 years (five-year prevalence: 2.5%). Non-parametric conditional inference tree (C-Tree) analyses revealed that physical and sexual abuse during childhood as well as being divorced, separated, or widowed was the most informative constellation of risk markers, increasing the five-year prevalence rate of experienced sexual violence victimizations up to 17.0%. Furthermore, knowing about the official penalization of marital rape was related to a lower victimization risk for women without a history of parental violence. Possible explanations for these findings as well as implications for future research are critically discussed.

https://ift.tt/2NVpjk1

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1614: Effects of Bisphenol A and 4-tert-Octylphenol on Embryo Implantation Failure in Mouse

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1614: Effects of Bisphenol A and 4-tert-Octylphenol on Embryo Implantation Failure in Mouse

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081614

Authors: Dinh Nam Tran Eui-Man Jung Changhwan Ahn Jae-Hwan Lee Yeong-Min Yoo Eui-Bae Jeung

Miscarriage due to blastocyst implantation failure occurs in up to two-thirds of all human miscarriage cases. Calcium ion has been shown to be involved in many cellular signal transduction pathways as well as in the regulation of cell adhesion, which is necessary for the embryo implantation process. Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDs) during early gestation results in disruption of intrauterine implantation and uterine reception, leading to implantation failure. In this study, ovarian estrogen (E2), bisphenol A (BPA), or 4-tert-octylphenol (OP), with or without ICI 182,780 (ICI) were injected subcutaneously from gestation day 1 to gestation day 3 post-coitus. The expression levels of the calcium transport genes were assessed in maternal uteri and implantation sites. The number of implantation sites was significantly low in the OP group, and implantation sites were absent in the E2, ICI and EDs + ICI groups. There were different calcium transient transport channel expression levels in uterus and implantation site samples. The levels of TRPV5 and TRPV6 gene expression were significantly increased by EDs with/without ICI treatment in utero. Meanwhile, TRPV5 and TRPV6 gene expression were significantly lower in implantation sites samples. NCX1 and PMCA1 mRNA levels were significantly decreased by OP and BPA in the implantation site samples. Compared to vehicle treatment in the uterus, both the MUC1 mRNA and protein levels were markedly high in all but the BPA group. Taken together, these results suggest that both BPA and OP can impair embryo implantation through alteration of calcium transport gene expressions and by affecting uterine receptivity.

https://ift.tt/2LLAxdG

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1611: Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Peri-Implant Soft Tissues around Machined and Direct Metal Laser Sintered (DMLS) Healing Abutments in Humans

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1611: Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Peri-Implant Soft Tissues around Machined and Direct Metal Laser Sintered (DMLS) Healing Abutments in Humans

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081611

Authors: Carlo Mangano Francesco Guido Mangano Jamil Awad Shibli Leandro Amadeu Roth Gianmaria d’ Addazio Adriano Piattelli Giovanna Iezzi

Background: Direct metal laser Sintering (DMLS) is an additive manufacturing technique that allows fabrication of dental implants and related components with a highly porous surface. To date, no human studies have investigated the soft tissue adhesion and presence of inflammatory infiltrate with porous DMLS healing abutments (HAs), nor have they compared these with the classic machined ones. Purpose: To evaluate the degree of cell adhesion (integrin expression) and the quantity/quality of inflammatory infiltrate, on HAs with different surfaces; full DMLS, full machined, and hybrid (half DMLS and half machined). Methods: Fifty implant patients were randomly assigned to receive one of these different Has: T1, full DMLS (11 subjects); T2, machined in the upper portion and DMLS in the lower one (10 subjects); T3, DMLS in the upper portion and machined in the lower one (19 subjects); T4, full machined (10 patients). Thirty days after placement, circular sections of soft tissues around HAs were retrieved for immunohistochemical evaluation. Results: With regard to the adhesion molecules, the samples showed different intensity of integrin expression, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) between T1 and the other groups. All the samples were positive for the different clusters related to the inflammatory infiltrate (T lymphocytes, CD3; B lymphocytes, CD20; and macrophages, CD68), but a lower infiltrate was found in T1, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) among the groups. Conclusions: The HA surface seems to influence the degree of cell adhesion and the inflammatory infiltrate of the surrounding soft tissues.

https://ift.tt/2LHyreX

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1610: Short-Term Effects of Air Pollution on Respiratory and Circulatory Morbidity in Colombia 2011–2014: A Multi-City, Time-Series Analysis

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1610: Short-Term Effects of Air Pollution on Respiratory and Circulatory Morbidity in Colombia 2011–2014: A Multi-City, Time-Series Analysis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081610

Authors: Laura Andrea Rodríguez-Villamizar Néstor Yezid Rojas-Roa Luis Camilo Blanco-Becerra Víctor Mauricio Herrera-Galindo Julián Alfredo Fernández-Niño

Few studies have been conducted on the effect of air pollution on morbidity in Latin America. This study analyzed the effects of air pollution on respiratory and circulatory morbidity in four major cities in Colombia. An ecological time-series analysis was conducted with pollution data from air quality monitoring networks and information on emergency department visits between 2011 and 2014. Daily 24-h averages were calculated for NO2, PM10, PM2.5, and SO2 as well as 8-h averages for CO and O3. Separate time-series were constructed by disease group and pollutant. Conditional negative binomial regression models were used with average population effects. Effects were calculated for the same day and were adjusted for weather conditions, age groups, and their interactions. The results showed that effects of some of the pollutants differed among the cities. For NO2, PM10, and PM2.5, the multi-city models showed greater and statistically significant percentage increases in emergency department visits for respiratory diseases, particularly for the 5 to 9-year-old age group. These same pollutants also significantly affected the rate of emergency department visits for circulatory diseases, especially for the group of persons over 60 years of age.

https://ift.tt/2M2xk6n

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1609: A Comparison of Dependence across Different Types of Nicotine Containing Products and Coffee

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1609: A Comparison of Dependence across Different Types of Nicotine Containing Products and Coffee

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081609

Authors: Karl Fagerstrom

Introduction: Few studies have compared the dependence to different tobacco and nicotine products. Even less is known about how it relates to dependence on other common drugs, e.g., caffeine. In this study degree of dependence was compared between snus, cigarettes, nicotine replacement (NR), electronic cigarettes and coffee. Methods: A random sample of Swedish citizens belonging to an internet panel were contacted from September to October 2017. The responders were asked among other related things about their use of snus, NR, traditional cigarette or e-cigarette use and coffee consumption. The indicators of dependence used were: (A) the Heavy Smoking Index, (B) The proportions that used within 30 min after raising in the morning, (C) rating the first use in the morning as the most important and (D) Stating that it would be very hard to give up entirely. Results: Significantly fewer coffee drinkers started use within 30 min of awakening compared with all other products. The first use of the day was found to be more important for snus users compared with other products. On HSI there was no difference between snus and cigarettes. Snus and cigarettes were rated as being more difficult to give up than NR and coffee. Conclusion: Dependence to traditional cigarettes and snus seem to be relatively similar while NR was rated lower and coffee lowest. Since the prevalence of caffeine use in all forms is so much more prevalent than nicotine there might be more persons in the society heavily dependent on caffeine. Implication: Tobacco products are likely more dependence forming than NR products and coffee although there might be more people dependent on caffeine. The addiction to coffee or caffeine is seldom discussed in the society probably because of the little or no harm it causes. Funding: The Snus Commission in Sweden (snuskommissionen) funded the data collection. No funding used for the analysis and writing of manuscript.

https://ift.tt/2AniVA9

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1608: Characteristic Analysis of Unsafe Behavior by Coal Miners: Multi-Dimensional Description of the Pan-Scene Data

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1608: Characteristic Analysis of Unsafe Behavior by Coal Miners: Multi-Dimensional Description of the Pan-Scene Data

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081608

Authors: Ruipeng Tong Yanwei Zhang Pengcheng Cui Cunli Zhai Meng Shi Surui Xu

As a high-risk occupation, coal mining has many accidents, primarily due to the unsafe behavior of coal miners. Based on the research of analysis of unsafe behavior and pan-scenario data of miners, a theoretical framework for the analysis of unsafe behavior characteristics was proposed in this paper. The collected data were divided into realistic scenes and abstract scenes according to different manifestations; the pan-scene data were described from the eight dimensions of time, behavioral trace, location, behavioral property, behavioral individual, degree, unsafe action, and specialty using a quantitative method for the structure conversion; and the rules were discovered through cluster analysis and association analysis. A total of 225 coal mine gas explosion accidents were used for analysis, and the pan-scene data description and structure conversion of unsafe behavior that caused these accidents were realized. In a certain cluster, the distribution rules of dimensions and the interaction between different dimensions of unsafe behavior were explored after analysis. The results show that the proposed eight dimensions can fully explain the basic characteristics and attributes of the unsafe behavior of coal miners. The structure conversion can reduce the workload of managers and effectively improve the safety data processing capabilities, and the result of data analysis can provide data support and a management basis for safety management. A new method and thought for the data analysis of miners’ unsafe behavior is provided.

https://ift.tt/2K4Syyt

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1607: Determining Multi-Layer Factors That Drive the Carbon Capability of Urban Residents in Response to Climate Change: An Exploratory Qualitative Study in China

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1607: Determining Multi-Layer Factors That Drive the Carbon Capability of Urban Residents in Response to Climate Change: An Exploratory Qualitative Study in China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081607

Authors: Jia Wei Hong Chen Ruyin Long

The active promotion of carbon abatement to mitigate global climate change and protect the environment and public health has become the international consensus. The carbon capability is a key index for measuring the potential reduction of the carbon emissions by urban residents, and thus encouraging residents to exhibit normal and autonomous low-carbon behavior has become an important issue. In this study, based on grounded theory, data from in-depth interviews were encoded at three levels to identify the multi-layer factors that drive the carbon capability of urban residents, and we constructed a theoretical model for policy intervention. The results showed that individual factors, organizational factors, social factors, and social demographic variables were the main variables that affected the carbon capability, and utility experience perception was the main intermediary variable that affected the carbon capability. There was an obvious gap between utility experience perception and carbon capability. Low carbon selection cost was an internal situational variable that regulated the relationship between these factors, and the policy situation and technical situation were external situational variables. There were two-way effects on the carbon capability and utility experience perception. Thus, we explored these driving factors and the role of the carbon capability model. The results of this study may facilitate targeted policy thinking and the development of an implementation path for government in order to formulate effective guiding policies to enhance the carbon capability of urban residents.

https://ift.tt/2mPthzl

Predicting sprinkler spray dispersion in FireFOAM

Publication date: Available online 28 July 2018

Source: Fire Safety Journal

Author(s): Taylor Myers, Arnaud Trouvé, Andre Marshall

Abstract

Accurate representation of fire sprinkler spray enables quantitative engineering analysis of fire suppression performance. Increasingly, fire sprinkler systems are evaluated using computer fire models in which sprinkler spray is simulated with Lagrangian particles. However, limited guidance exists as to how to predict the behavior of complex, spatio-stochastic fire sprinkler spray or how to accurately represent the dispersion of spray in terms of Lagrangian particles. The current work predicts the dispersion of the fire sprinkler spray generated by a canonical axisymmetric sprinkler using a Lagrangian particle tracking model within FireFOAM, an open source computational fluid dynamics fire model. In this work, the initial fire sprinkler spray is described with a new spray injection model characterized by a multivariate probability distribution function related to spatially resolved breakup radius, volume flux, drop size, and drop velocity. This function is stochastically sampled to generate Lagrangian particles representative of the near-field spray and the dispersion of these Lagrangian particles is in turn simulated in FireFOAM to predict the far-field spray. Our new model is compared to a baseline FireFOAM spray injection model which incorporated fewer spray details. Modeled results are compared to highly resolved far-field measurements of axisymmetric sprinkler sprays generated by the Spatially-Resolved Spray Scanning System (4S).

https://ift.tt/2LXRZbG

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1606: Correlation Analysis between Landscape Metrics and Water Quality under Multiple Scales

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1606: Correlation Analysis between Landscape Metrics and Water Quality under Multiple Scales

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081606

Authors: Xin Zhang Yuqi Liu Lin Zhou

Non-point source pollution is the main factor causing water quality deterioration. Landscape patterns affect the transmission of non-point source pollutants. Many studies have been carried out to analyze the correlation between landscape patterns and water quality, while most former studies neglected the scale effect. The Jiulong River basin in southeast China was selected as the study area. Based on a landscape cover map generated from satellite images, we determined the riparian buffer zones with different widths, set the catchment as the complementary scale, and then established the multiple linear regression models to explore the relationship between landscape metrics and water quality indices at different scales. The degree of significance of the effect of various landscape metrics on the water quality at different scales was quantitatively analyzed in this paper by using multiple linear regression analysis. The results showed that not only the impact of landscape metrics but also the influence of land cover type on the water quality indices would vary when the spatial scale changed. The credible regression models established in this study can help regional managers understand the correlation between landscape and water quality, and the regression results can be used for land use allocation in a watershed.

https://ift.tt/2AoNkOS

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1605: An Analysis of Reported Dangerous Incidents, Exposures, and Near Misses amongst Army Soldiers

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1605: An Analysis of Reported Dangerous Incidents, Exposures, and Near Misses amongst Army Soldiers

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081605

Authors: Ben Schram Robin Orr Timothy Rigby Rodney Pope

Occupational health and safety incidents occurring in the military context are of great concern to personnel and commanders. Incidents such as “dangerous incidents”, “exposures”, and “near misses” (as distinct from injuries, illnesses, and fatalities) indicate serious health and safety risks faced by military personnel, even if they do not cause immediate harm. These risks may give rise to harm in the future, if not adequately addressed, and in some cases the incidents may cause latent harm. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the rates and patterns of incidents of these types reported by full time (ARA) and part time (ARES) Australian Army personnel. A retrospective cohort study was performed using self-reported incident data from the Workplace Health, Safety, Compensation and Reporting (WHSCAR) database over a two-year period. Data were analysed descriptively. Of 3791 such incidents, 3636 (96 percent) occurred in ARA and 155 (4 percent) in ARES personnel, somewhat consistent with the proportions of total army person-years served in each (ARA 93 percent; ARES 7 percent). In ARA, 84 percent of these incident types were exposures, 14 percent near misses, and 2 percent dangerous incidents. In ARES, 55 percent of incidents were exposures, 38 percent near misses, and 7 percent dangerous incidents. Soldiers at the rank of ‘private’ experienced the highest rates of these incident types, in both ARA and ARES. Driving gave rise to more near misses than any other activity, in both populations. Exposures to chemicals and sounds were more common in the ARA than ARES. The ARES reported higher proportions of vehicle near misses and multiple mechanism dangerous incidents than the ARA. The findings of this study can usefully inform development of risk mitigation strategies for dangerous incidents, exposures, and near misses in army personnel.

https://ift.tt/2OmcSPz

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1602: Rapid Population Growth in Chinese Floodplains from 1990 to 2015

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1602: Rapid Population Growth in Chinese Floodplains from 1990 to 2015

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081602

Authors: Yongqiang Fang Shiqiang Du Paolo Scussolini Jiahong Wen Chunyang He Qingxu Huang Jun Gao

Although China suffers from frequent and disastrous floods, the spatiotemporal pattern of its population living in the floodplain (PopF) is still unknown. This strongly limits our understanding of flood risk and the effectiveness of mitigation efforts. Here we present the first quantification of Chinese PopF and its dynamics, based on newly-available population datasets for years 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2015 and on a flood map. We found that the PopF in 2015 was 453.3 million and accounted for 33.0% of the total population, with a population density 3.6 times higher than outside floodplains. From 1990 to 2015, the PopF increased by 1.3% annually, overwhelmingly faster than elsewhere (0.5%). A rising proportion (from 53.2% in 1990 to 55.6% in 2015) of the PopF resided in flood zones deeper than 2 m. Moreover, the PopF is expected to increase rapidly in the coming decades. We also found the effect of flood memory on controlling PopF growth and its decay over time. These findings imply an exacerbating flood risk in China, which is concerning in the light of climate change and rapid socioeconomic development.

https://ift.tt/2LWdCJw

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1604: Chronic Disease, Disability, Psychological Distress and Suicide Ideation among Rural Elderly: Results from a Population Survey in Shandong

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1604: Chronic Disease, Disability, Psychological Distress and Suicide Ideation among Rural Elderly: Results from a Population Survey in Shandong

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081604

Authors: Jing Zhu Lingzhong Xu Long Sun Jiajia Li Wenzhe Qin Gan Ding Qian Wang Jiao Zhang Su Xie Zihang Yu

Objective: Suicide is a major public health and social problem in contemporary societies. Previous studies showed that the older the seniors were, the more likely it was that they would experience disability, chronic disease, or both. The objective of this study was to examine the joint effects of chronic disease and physical disability on suicide ideation while controlling for psychological distress among the rural elderly living in Shandong Province, China. Method: A total of 5514 rural elderly individuals (60+) living in Shandong Province, China were included in this study. Suicidal ideation was assessed by using questions from the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS). Multiple logistic analyses were performed to examine the factors associated with suicide ideation. A path analysis was conducted to test the direct and indirect effects of chronic disease and of activity of daily living (ADL) limitation on suicide ideation while controlling for psychological distress. Results: The prevalence of suicide ideation among the rural elderly in Shandong, China was 11.0%. Psychological distress had the strongest direct (β = 0.392) and total effect (β = 0.392), chronic disease (β = −0.034; β = −0.063) had both direct and indirect impacts, and ADL (β = 0.091) had indirect impacts on suicide ideation. Psychological distress was a mediator between chronic disease, ADL limitation, and suicide ideation. Conclusions: Psychological distress was the greatest influencing factor of suicide ideation among the rural elderly, followed by chronic disease and disability. Effective intervention measures should be taken to facilitate the early detection of psychological distress in clinical practice among the rural elderly.

https://ift.tt/2uRSIET

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1603: Relationships Between Motor Proficiency and Academic Performance in Mathematics and Reading in School-Aged Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1603: Relationships Between Motor Proficiency and Academic Performance in Mathematics and Reading in School-Aged Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081603

Authors: Kirstin Macdonald Nikki Milne Robin Orr Rodney Pope

Positive associations exist between physical activity, cognition, and academic performance in children and adolescents. Further research is required to examine which factors underpin the relationships between physical activity and academic performance. This systematic review aimed to identify, critically appraise, and synthesize findings of studies examining relationships between motor proficiency and academic performance in mathematics and reading in typically developing school-aged children and adolescents. A systematic search of electronic databases was performed to identify relevant studies. Fifty-five eligible articles were critically appraised and key data was extracted and synthesized. Findings support associations between several components of motor proficiency and academic performance in mathematics and reading. There was evidence that fine motor proficiency was significantly and positively associated with academic performance in mathematics and reading, particularly during the early years of school. Significant positive associations were also evident between academic performance and components of gross motor proficiency, specifically speed and agility, upper-limb coordination, and total gross motor scores. Preliminary evidence from a small number of experimental studies suggests motor skill interventions in primary school settings may have a positive impact on academic performance in mathematics and/or reading. Future research should include more robust study designs to explore more extensively the impact of motor skill interventions on academic performance.

https://ift.tt/2NNK29B

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1601: Risk of Appendicitis among Children with Different Piped Water Supply: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1601: Risk of Appendicitis among Children with Different Piped Water Supply: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081601

Authors: Hao-Ming Li Shi-Zuo Liu Ying-Kai Huang Yuan-Chih Su Chia-Hung Kao

Appendicitis is a common surgical condition for children. However, environmental effects, such as piped water supply, on pediatric appendicitis risk remain unclear. This longitudinal, nationwide, cohort study aimed to compare the risk of appendicitis among children with different levels of piped water supply. Using data from Taiwan Water Resource Agency and National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified 119,128 children born in 1996–2010 from areas of the lowest piped water supply (prevalence 51.21% to 63.06%) as the study cohort; additional 119,128 children of the same period in areas of the highest piped water supply (prevalence 98.97% to 99.63%) were selected as the controls. Both cohorts were propensity-score matched by baseline variables. We calculated the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of appendicitis in the study cohort compared to the controls by Cox proportional hazards regression. The study cohort had a raised overall incidence rates of appendicitis compared to the control cohort (12.8 vs. 8.7 per 10,000 person-years). After covariate adjustment, the risk of appendicitis was significantly increased in the study cohort (adjusted HR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.35, 1.58, p < 0.001). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses showed consistent results that children with low piped water supply had a higher risk of appendicitis than those with high piped water supply. This study demonstrated that children with low piped water supply were at an increased risk of appendicitis. Enhancement of piped water availability in areas lacking adequate, secure, and sanitized water supply may protect children against appendicitis.

https://ift.tt/2NRfGTo

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1600: Alternative Risk Assessment for Dangerous Chemicals in South Korea Regulation: Comparing Three Modeling Programs

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1600: Alternative Risk Assessment for Dangerous Chemicals in South Korea Regulation: Comparing Three Modeling Programs

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081600

Authors: Hyo Eun Lee Jong-Ryeul Sohn Sang-Hoon Byeon Seok J. Yoon Kyong Whan Moon

Unlike other countries, the Korean chemical industry does not clearly distinguish between industrial sites and residential areas. The 2012 Gumi Hydrogen Fluoride Accident revealed that chemical accidents could cause damage to nearby residents. Accordingly, the Chemicals Control Act was enacted in 2015, which requested industrial sites using chemicals to perform a risk assessment for all chemical facilities and to distribute the results to the local residents and governments. Industrial businesses had the responsibility of warning the local residents. In this study, two programs (Areal Location of Hazardous Atmospheres (ALOHA), Process Hazard Analysis Software Tool (PHAST)) were compared with Korea Off-site Risk Assessment Supporting Tool (KORA), which is the current representative risk assessment program used in Korea Chemicals Control Act. The five chemical substances (nitric acid, hydrogen chloride, ammonia, sulfuric acid, and formaldehyde) most commonly involved in chemical accidents were selected. The range of influence of ERPG-2 (Emergency Response Planning Guideline) on chemical accidents was modeled and the results compared. ALOHA was found to be the most suitable program for the determination of toxicity for nitrate acid and ammonia, KORA for hydrogen chloride and sulfuric acid, and PHAST for formaldehyde. To maximize the safety of many local residents and to prepare for chemical accidents, risk assessments should be conducted using a variety of risk assessment programs, and the worst-case damage radius should be determined.

https://ift.tt/2NRRBfl

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1598: Household Preparedness and Preferred Communication Channels in Public Health Emergencies: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Residents in an Asian Developed Urban City

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1598: Household Preparedness and Preferred Communication Channels in Public Health Emergencies: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Residents in an Asian Developed Urban City

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081598

Authors: Greta Tam Zhe Huang Emily Ying Yang Chan

Disaster awareness and household preparedness are crucial for reducing the negative effects of a disaster. This study aims to examine the citizens’ preparedness level in the event of a general disaster or outbreak of infectious disease and to identify suitable channels for community disease surveillance and risk communication. We used a stratified random design to conduct a digit-dialed telephone survey in Hong Kong during February 2014. Level of disaster preparedness was examined according to the possession of disaster kit items. Associations between socio-demographic factors and good household preparedness were assessed using multiple logistic regression models. Preferences for infectious disease surveillance were collected and analyzed. There were 1020 respondents. Over half of the respondents (59.2%) had good household preparedness. After adjustment, female respondents, having higher education and higher household income were significantly associated with good household preparedness. Television and telephone were the preferred channels to obtain and report infectious disease information, respectively. In conclusion, general and specific infectious-disease household preparedness levels in Hong Kong were generally good. Tailored preparedness programs targeted to specific communities are necessary for those lacking preparedness. Risk communication and public health surveillance should be conducted through television and telephone, respectively.

https://ift.tt/2uUgn7w

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1599: Accuracy of Implant Casts Generated with Conventional and Digital Impressions—An In Vitro Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1599: Accuracy of Implant Casts Generated with Conventional and Digital Impressions—An In Vitro Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081599

Authors: Paulo Ribeiro Mariano Herrero-Climent Carmen Díaz-Castro José Vicente Ríos-Santos Roberto Padrós Javier Gil Mur Carlos Falcão

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of digital dental impressions with the accuracy of impressions obtained via conventional techniques. Methods: Two different master models were created, one with parallel implants (model 1) and the other with non-parallel implants (model 2). These reference master models included 4 Klockner KL RP implants (Klockner Implant System SA, Barcelona, Spain), which were juxta-placed and equidistant in the intermentoneal region. In model 1 the implants were placed parallel to each other, whereas in model 2 the implants were placed such that there was a divergence angle of 15° between the more distal implants, and a convergence angle of 15° between the two central implants. A total of four types of impressions were obtained from model 1 (four groups, n = 10 each), including closed tray impressions with replacement abutments; open tray impression groups for dragging copings, without splinting; open tray impressions for ferrules; and impressions obtained using the 3MTM True Definition Scanner system. For model 2 three groups were created (three groups, n = 10 each), including closed tray impressions with replacement abutments; open tray impression for dragging copings, without splinting; and impressions obtained using the 3MTM True Definition Scanner system. The master models and the models obtained using conventional methods were digitalized in order to compare them via an extraoral high-resolution scanner (Imetric IScan D104i, Porretruy, Switzerland). The STL (Stereo Lithography (format for transferring 3 dimensional shape information)) digital values were loaded into reverse-engineering software and superimposed with their respective STL master models in order to evaluate deviations in three dimensions. We then analyzed the squares of the deviations in the three axes and evaluated the median and the sum of the deviation square. Statistical analysis was performed using the IBM Corp. Released 2016. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 24.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. The normality of the distributions was analyzed according to a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The median comparison was performed using the differences between the medians, analyzed using non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: For model 1, the deviations of the digital impressions were smaller than those associated with the conventional techniques. The sum value in group D was 1,068,292, which was significantly lower than those of groups A, B, and C, which were shown to be 2,114,342, 2,165,491, and 1,265,918, respectively. This improvement was not observed when using model 2, however, where the conventional techniques yielded similar results. Group F simultaneously presented the lowest total square sum of the three deviations (1,257,835), indicating a significantly higher accuracy for this group in model 2, while the sum values were 1,660,975 and 1,489,328 for groups E and G, respectively. Conclusion: Digital impressions of full-arch models were able to achieve the accuracy of conventional impressions in an in vitro model. Nevertheless, further in vivo studies are needed to validate these in vitro results.

https://ift.tt/2LUOVgr

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1596: Predicting Infectious Disease Using Deep Learning and Big Data

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1596: Predicting Infectious Disease Using Deep Learning and Big Data

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081596

Authors: Sangwon Chae Sungjun Kwon Donghyun Lee

Infectious disease occurs when a person is infected by a pathogen from another person or an animal. It is a problem that causes harm at both individual and macro scales. The Korea Center for Disease Control (KCDC) operates a surveillance system to minimize infectious disease contagions. However, in this system, it is difficult to immediately act against infectious disease because of missing and delayed reports. Moreover, infectious disease trends are not known, which means prediction is not easy. This study predicts infectious diseases by optimizing the parameters of deep learning algorithms while considering big data including social media data. The performance of the deep neural network (DNN) and long-short term memory (LSTM) learning models were compared with the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) when predicting three infectious diseases one week into the future. The results show that the DNN and LSTM models perform better than ARIMA. When predicting chickenpox, the top-10 DNN and LSTM models improved average performance by 24% and 19%, respectively. The DNN model performed stably and the LSTM model was more accurate when infectious disease was spreading. We believe that this study’s models can help eliminate reporting delays in existing surveillance systems and, therefore, minimize costs to society.

https://ift.tt/2LJN1lU

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1597: Assessing Heat-Related Mortality Risks among Rural Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Evidence

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1597: Assessing Heat-Related Mortality Risks among Rural Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Evidence

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081597

Authors: Emmanuel A. Odame Ying Li Shimin Zheng Ambarish Vaidyanathan Ken Silver

Most epidemiological studies of high temperature effects on mortality have focused on urban settings, while heat-related health risks in rural areas remain underexplored. To date there has been no meta-analysis of epidemiologic literature concerning heat-related mortality in rural settings. This study aims to systematically review the current literature for assessing heat-related mortality risk among rural populations. We conducted a comprehensive literature search using PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify articles published up to April 2018. Key selection criteria included study location, health endpoints, and study design. Fourteen studies conducted in rural areas in seven countries on four continents met the selection criteria, and eleven were included in the meta-analysis. Using the random effects model, the pooled estimates of relative risks (RRs) for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were 1.030 (95% CI: 1.013, 1.048) and 1.111 (95% CI: 1.045, 1.181) per 1 °C increase in daily mean temperature, respectively. We found excess risks in rural settings not to be smaller than risks in urban settings. Our results suggest that rural populations, like urban populations, are also vulnerable to heat-related mortality. Further evaluation of heat-related mortality among rural populations is warranted to develop public health interventions in rural communities.

https://ift.tt/2NP6IGj

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1595: Does SuperPark Make Children Less Sedentary? How Visiting a Commercial Indoor Activity Park Affects 7 to 12 Years Old Children’s Daily Sitting and Physical Activity Time

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1595: Does SuperPark Make Children Less Sedentary? How Visiting a Commercial Indoor Activity Park Affects 7 to 12 Years Old Children’s Daily Sitting and Physical Activity Time

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081595

Authors: Arto J. Pesola Martti Melin Anssi Vanhala Ying Gao Taija Finni

Commercial indoor activity parks provide children with a variety of entertaining physical activities. This study examined whether visiting SuperPark affects total daily sitting and physical activity time. The participants (8 girls and 7 boys, aged 10.3 ± 1.9 years, height 144.5 ± 11.8 cm, body mass index (BMI) 19.3 ± 3.0 kg/m2) wore a thigh-worn accelerometer during a normal week and were provided free tickets to visit SuperPark on at least one day. On average, the children spent 3.3 ± 1.2 h in SuperPark. During the visits the children had 0.9 h less sitting (0.7 ± 0.3 h, p = 0.000) and 0.9 h more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; 1.4 ± 0.6 h, p = 0.002) as compared to the reference periods on days without a SuperPark visit (1.6 ± 0.3 h sitting and 0.5 ± 0.4 h MVPA). During the days when visiting SuperPark, sitting time decreased 1.0 h (5.8 ± 0.9 h, p = 0.008) and MVPA increased 0.8 h (3.0 ± 1.0 h, p = 0.017) as compared to the reference days (6.8 ± 1.1 h sitting and 2.2 ± 0.8 h MVPA). The effects were more pronounced during weekdays than weekends. The children spent more than three hours in SuperPark on one visit, of which almost a half was MVPA. During the whole day, one hour of sitting was replaced with MVPA, suggesting that visiting SuperPark has the potential to improve health. Whether children continue visiting SuperPark and gain health benefits merits investigation.

https://ift.tt/2vaXLQd

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1594: Preventing Healthcare-Associated Legionellosis: Results after 3 Years of Continuous Disinfection of Hot Water with Monochloramine and an Effective Water Safety Plan

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1594: Preventing Healthcare-Associated Legionellosis: Results after 3 Years of Continuous Disinfection of Hot Water with Monochloramine and an Effective Water Safety Plan

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081594

Authors: Maria Anna Coniglio Margherita Ferrante Mohamed H. Yassin

The purpose of this study is to report the experience of the implementation and application of a 3-year Water Safety Plan (WSP) together with the secondary disinfection of water by monochloramine to control and prevent healthcare-associated legionellosis in an Italian hospital strongly colonized by Legionella. Risk assessment was carried out by the WSP team. The main critical control points focused on in developing the WSP for the control of Legionella was the water distribution system. A sampling plan for the detection of Legionella was implemented. A widespread contamination of the hot water distribution system by L. pneumophila sg5 was found. Results after 3 years of the continuous disinfection of hot water with monochloramine indicate the eradication of Legionella. The implementation and application of a WSP in a hospital, together with the disinfection of the water distribution system with monochloramine, can be effective in controlling the growth of Legionella and in preventing nosocomial legionellosis.

https://ift.tt/2LMIuiV

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1593: Modeling Land Use Changes and their Impacts on Non-Point Source Pollution in a Southeast China Coastal Watershed

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1593: Modeling Land Use Changes and their Impacts on Non-Point Source Pollution in a Southeast China Coastal Watershed

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081593

Authors: Xin Zhang Lin Zhou Yuqi Liu

Changes in landscape patterns in a river basin play a crucial role in the change on load of non-point source pollution. The spatial distribution of various land use types affects the transmission of non-point source pollutants on the basis of source-sink theory in landscape ecology. Jiulong River basin in southeast of China was selected as the study area in this paper. Aiming to analyze the correlation between changing landscape patterns and load of non-point source pollution in this area, traditional landscape metrics and the improved location-weighted landscape contrast index based on the minimum hydrological response unit (HRULCI) were applied in this study, in combination with remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technique. The results of the landscape metrics showed the enhanced fragmentation extent and the decreasing polymerization degree of the overall landscape in the watershed. High values of HRULCI were concentrated in cultivated land, while low HRULCI values mostly appeared in forestland, indicating that cultivated land substantially enhanced non-point source pollution, while forestland inhibited the pollution process.

https://ift.tt/2AePccB

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1592: Full-Scale Experimental Study of Groundwater Softening in a Circulating Pellet Fluidized Reactor

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1592: Full-Scale Experimental Study of Groundwater Softening in a Circulating Pellet Fluidized Reactor

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081592

Authors: Ruizhu Hu Tinglin Huang Aofan Zhi Zhangcheng Tang

The softening effect of a new type of circulating pellet fluidized bed (CPFB) reactor on groundwater was studied through a full-scale experiment. The operation of the CPFB reactor in the second water plant in Chang’an District in Xi’an China was monitored for one year, and the results were compared with those for the Amsterdam reactor in The Netherlands. The removal efficiency of Ca2+ in the CPFB reactor reached 90%; the removal rate of total hardness was higher than 60%; effluent pH was 9.5–9.8; the turbidity of the effluent and the turbidity after boiling were lower than 1.0 NTU; the unit cost was less than €0.064 per m3; and the softened effluent was stable. The pellets in the CPFB reactor were circulated, providing higher crystallization efficiency. The diameter of the discharged pellets reached between 3–5 mm, and the fluidized area height of the CPFB reactor was 4 m. The performance parameters of the CFPB reactor were optimized.

https://ift.tt/2uTWFce

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1591: Generation-Common and -Specific Factors in Intention to Leave among Female Hospital Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study Using a Large Japanese Sample

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1591: Generation-Common and -Specific Factors in Intention to Leave among Female Hospital Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study Using a Large Japanese Sample

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081591

Authors: Maki Tei-Tominaga Kyoko Asakura Takashi Asakura

An understanding of the conditions that determine the factors affecting nurses’ intention to leave is important for countries suffering from nurse shortage. Aim: to examine factors influencing intention to leave among female hospital nurses in a large Japanese sample, classified into four generations by age and considering economic conditions. Methods: a cross-sectional survey with convenience sampling was conducted. Anonymous self-administered questionnaires were distributed to all nurses in 30 hospitals. To assess intention to leave, basic attributes, life conditions, work characteristics, and factors of psychosocial work environment were addressed. After classifying data into four generations based on age cohorts, we conducted multivariate logistic regression analysis using the completed data (N = 5074, mean age = 36.24 years). Results: regardless of the generational characteristics influenced by economic conditions, effort and monetary reward were generation-common factors. Over-commitment, social support, and the presence of a role model were generation-common factors in three generations. While having children increased intention to leave in the generation born in 1965–1979, having family members in need of caregiving other than children decreased the risk in the generation born in the 1980s. Conclusion: generational countermeasures considering factors of psychosocial work environment and life conditions are needed to avert female nurse turnover.

https://ift.tt/2A8q872

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1589: Estimation of Dietary Intake of Radionuclides and Effectiveness of Regulation after the Fukushima Accident and in Virtual Nuclear Power Plant Accident Scenarios

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1589: Estimation of Dietary Intake of Radionuclides and Effectiveness of Regulation after the Fukushima Accident and in Virtual Nuclear Power Plant Accident Scenarios

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081589

Authors: Michio Murakami Takao Nirasawa Takao Yoshikane Keisuke Sueki Kimikazu Sasa Kei Yoshimura

Evaluation of radiation exposure from diet is necessary under the assumption of a virtual accident as a part of emergency preparedness. Here, we developed a model with complete consideration of the regional food trade using deposition data simulated by a transport model, and estimated the dietary intake of radionuclides and the effectiveness of regulation (e.g., restrictions on the distribution of foods) after the Fukushima accident and in virtual accident scenarios. We also evaluated the dilution factors (i.e., ratios of contaminated foods to consumed foods) and cost-effectiveness of regulation as basic information for setting regulatory values. The doses estimated under actual emission conditions were generally consistent with those observed in food-duplicate and market-basket surveys within a factor of three. Regulation of restricted food distribution resulted in reductions in the doses of 54–65% in the nearest large city to the nuclear power plant. The dilution factors under actual emission conditions were 4.4% for radioiodine and 2.7% for radiocesium, which are ~20 times lower than those used in the Japanese provisional regulation values after the Fukushima accident. Strict regulation worsened the cost-effectiveness for both radionuclides. This study highlights the significance and utility of the developed model for a risk analysis of emergency preparedness and regulation.

https://ift.tt/2LntHvr

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1590: Research Trends and Hotspots Analysis Related to the Effects of Xenobiotics on Glucose Metabolism in Male Testes

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1590: Research Trends and Hotspots Analysis Related to the Effects of Xenobiotics on Glucose Metabolism in Male Testes

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081590

Authors: Yongsheng Fan Guangxia Yu Jun Yu Jiantao Sun Yu Wu Xue Zhao Yu Meng Zhangdong He Chunhong Wang

This study aimed to integrate and analyze the existing studies and to explore research trends and hotspots related to the effects of xenobiotics on glucose metabolism in male testes. All articles were retrieved from the PubMed database, from an inception date up to 10 June 2017. CiteSpace software (version 5.1.R8 SE) was used for the co-word cluster analysis. A total of 165 eligible publications were included in this study. In 1949–1959, only two articles were published. After 1960, the number of articles increased steadily. These articles were published in 97 journals, in particular, in the Indian Journal of Experimental Biology (11 articles, 6.7%). Most of the authors (87.0%) only published one article. Only a few established research teams, mostly from the USA, worked consistently in this field. The main xenobiotics that had been studied were medicine and common environmental pollutants, e.g., gossypol, cadmium, di-n-butyl phthalate, and alpha-chlorohydrin. The hotspot keywords were Sertoli cell, lactate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, oxidative stress, and glucose metabolism. The focus of research had been changed overtime. This is the first bibliometric study between xenobiotics and glucose metabolism in the male testes. The findings suggest that environmental pollutants have become a huge concern, and related research should be strengthened.

https://ift.tt/2v6KEPP

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1588: Relationship between Sleep Disorders and Health Related Quality of Life—Results from the Georgia SOMNUS Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1588: Relationship between Sleep Disorders and Health Related Quality of Life—Results from the Georgia SOMNUS Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081588

Authors: Nato Darchia Nikoloz Oniani Irine Sakhelashvili Mariam Supatashvili Tamar Basishvili Marine Eliozishvili Lia Maisuradze Katerina Cervena

The extent to which sleep disorders are associated with impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is poorly described in the developing world. We investigated the prevalence and severity of various sleep disorders and their associations with HRQoL in an urban Georgian population. 395 volunteers (20–60 years) completed Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, STOP-Bang questionnaire, Insomnia Severity Index, Beck Depression Inventory-Short Form, and Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Socio-demographic data and body mass index (BMI) were obtained. The prevalence of sleep disorders and their association with HRQoL was considerable. All SF-12 components and physical and mental component summaries (PCS, MCS) were significantly lower in poor sleepers, subjects with daytime sleepiness, apnea risk, or insomnia. Insomnia and apnea severity were also associated with lower scores on most SF-12 dimensions. The effect of insomnia severity was more pronounced on MCS, while apnea severity—on PCS. Hierarchical analyses showed that after controlling for potential confounding factors (demographics, depression, BMI), sleep quality significantly increased model’s predictive power with an R2 change (ΔR2) by 3.5% for PCS (adjusted R2 = 0.27) and by 2.9% for MCS (adjusted R2 = 0.48); for the other SF-12 components ΔR2 ranged between 1.4% and 4.6%. ESS, STOP-Bang, ISI scores, all exerted clear effects on PCS and MCS in an individual regression models. Our results confirm and extend the findings of studies from Western societies and strongly support the importance of sleep for HRQoL. Elaboration of intervention programs designed to strengthen sleep-related health care and thereof HRQoL is especially important in the developing world.

https://ift.tt/2OlNXLE

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1586: What Are the Net Benefits of Reducing the Ozone Standard to 65 ppb? An Alternative Analysis

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1586: What Are the Net Benefits of Reducing the Ozone Standard to 65 ppb? An Alternative Analysis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081586

Authors: Sabine S. Lange Sean E. Mulholland Michael E. Honeycutt

In October 2015, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lowered the level of the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) from 0.075 ppm to 0.070 ppm (annual 4th highest daily maximum 8-h concentration, averaged over three years). The EPA estimated a 2025 annual national non-California net benefit of $1.5 to $4.5 billion (2011$, 7% discount rate) for a 0.070 ppm standard, and a −$1.0 to $14 billion net benefit for an alternative 0.065 ppm standard. The purpose of this work is to present a combined toxicological and economic assessment of the EPA’s benefit-cost analysis of the 2015 ozone NAAQS. Assessing the quality of the epidemiology studies based on considerations of bias, confounding, chance, integration of evidence, and application of the studies for future population risk estimates, we derived several alternative benefits estimates. We also considered the strengths and weaknesses of the EPA’s cost estimates (e.g., marginal abatement costs), as well as estimates completed by other authors, and provided our own alternative cost estimate. Based on our alternative benefits and cost calculations, we estimated an alternative net benefit of between −$0.3 and $1.8 billion for a 0.070 ppm standard (2011 $, 7% discount rate) and between −$23 and −$17 billion for a 0.065 ppm standard. This work demonstrates that alternative reasonable assumptions can generate very difference cost and benefits estimates that may impact how policy makers view the outcomes of a major rule.

https://ift.tt/2AcVqtB

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1587: Dental Scaling Decreases the Risk of Parkinson’s Disease: A Nationwide Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1587: Dental Scaling Decreases the Risk of Parkinson’s Disease: A Nationwide Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081587

Authors: Chang-Kai Chen Jing-Yang Huang Yung-Tsan Wu Yu-Chao Chang

The protective effect of dental scaling in Parkinson’s disease (PD) remains inconclusive. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between dental scaling and the development of PD. A retrospective nested case-control study was performed using the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. The authors identified 4765 patients with newly diagnosed PD from 2005 to 2013 and 19,060 individuals without PD by matching sex, age, and index year. In subgroup 1, with individuals aged 40–69 years, individuals without periodontal inflammatory disease (PID) showed a protective effect of dental scaling against PD development, especially for dental scaling over five consecutive years (adjusted odds ratio = 0.204, 95% CI = 0.047–0.886, p = 0.0399). In general, the protective effect of dental scaling showed greater benefit for individuals with PID than for those without PID, regardless of whether dental scaling was performed for five consecutive years. In subgroup 2, with patients aged ≥70 years, the discontinued (not five consecutive years) scaling showed increased risk of PD. This was the first study to show that patients without PID who underwent dental scaling over five consecutive years had a significantly lower risk of developing PD. These findings emphasize the value of early and consecutive dental scaling to prevent the development of PD.

https://ift.tt/2mLnPxr

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1585: Household Food Insecurity and Mental Health Among Teenage Girls Living in Urban Slums in Varanasi, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1585: Household Food Insecurity and Mental Health Among Teenage Girls Living in Urban Slums in Varanasi, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081585

Authors: Divya Rani Jitendra Kumar Singh Dilaram Acharya Rajan Paudel Kwan Lee Shri Prakash Singh

This study was undertaken to investigate the relation between household food insecurity and mental health problems in teenage girls living in urban slums. This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 5 urban slums in Varanasi, India, between September 2016 and July 2017. A probability proportion to size (PPS) method was employed to select 5 of 210 urban slums at a first stage, and in the second stage, 418 teenage girls were chosen randomly from selected households. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and mental health inventory tools were employed to assess food insecurity and mental health status. Multivariable logistic regression analysis with at a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the association between household food insecurity and mental health status. Of 418 respondents, 47.6% were food insecure; 64.1%, 57.7%, and 58.4% had high levels of anxiety, depression, or psychological distress, respectively; and 57.2% exhibited a medium level of loss of behavioral control. Furthermore, teenage girls from food insecure households were more likely to have high levels of anxiety, depression, loss of behavioral control and psychological distress than those living in food secure households. This study shows food insecurity is independently associated with mental health problems among teenage girls. Food insecurity in Indian slums should be addressed by specific public health intervention programs that provide access to sufficient safe, nutritious food.

https://ift.tt/2AlVAz9

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1584: Mercury Contamination in Riverine Sediments and Fish Associated with Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Madre de Dios, Peru

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1584: Mercury Contamination in Riverine Sediments and Fish Associated with Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Madre de Dios, Peru

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081584

Authors: Gerardo Martinez Stephen A. McCord Charles T. Driscoll Svetoslava Todorova Steven Wu Julio F. Araújo Claudia M. Vega Luis E. Fernandez

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Madre de Dios, Peru, continues to expand rapidly, raising concerns about increases in loading of mercury (Hg) to the environment. We measured physicochemical parameters in water and sampled and analyzed sediments and fish from multiple sites along one ASGM-impacted river and two unimpacted rivers in the region to examine whether Hg concentrations were elevated and possibly related to ASGM activity. We also analyzed the 308 fish samples, representing 36 species, for stable isotopes (δ15N and δ13C) to estimate their trophic position. Trophic position was positively correlated with the log-transformed Hg concentrations in fish among all sites. There was a lack of relationship between Hg concentrations in fish and either Hg concentrations in sediments or ASGM activity among sites, suggesting that fish Hg concentrations alone is not an ideal bioindicator of site-specific Hg contamination in the region. Fish Hg concentrations were not elevated in the ASGM-impacted river relative to the other two rivers; however, sediment Hg concentrations were highest in the ASGM-impacted river. Degraded habitat conditions and commensurate shifts in fish species and ecological processes may influence Hg bioaccumulation in the ASGM-impacted river. More research is needed on food web dynamics in the region to elucidate any effects caused by ASGM, especially through feeding relationships and food sources.

https://ift.tt/2JXpXeC

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1583: A Systematic Review of Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge, Experiences and Access to Services among Refugee, Migrant and Displaced Girls and Young Women in Africa

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1583: A Systematic Review of Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge, Experiences and Access to Services among Refugee, Migrant and Displaced Girls and Young Women in Africa

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081583

Authors: Olena Ivanova Masna Rai Elizabeth Kemigisha

Adolescent girls and young women are an overlooked group within conflict- or disaster-affected populations, and their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs are often neglected. Existing evidence shows that forced migration and human mobility make girls and women more vulnerable to poor SRH outcomes such as high risk sexual behaviors, lack of contraception use, STIs and HIV/AIDS. We performed a systematic literature review to explore knowledge, experiences and access to SRH services in this population group across the African continent. Two databases (PubMed and Web of Science) were searched and from 896 identified publications, 15 peer-reviewed articles published in English met the inclusion criteria for this review. These consisted of eight applied qualitative, five quantitative and two mixed-method study designs. The quality of the studies was evaluated by the mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT) using scores in percentages (0–100%). Available evidence indicates that knowledge of young women and girls regarding contraceptive methods, STIs and HIV/AIDS are limited. This population group often experiences gender-based and sexual violence and abuse. The access and availability of SRH services are often limited due to distances, costs and stigma. This review demonstrates that there is still a dearth of peer-reviewed literature on SRH related aspects among refugee, migrant and displaced girls and young women in Africa. The data disaggregation by sex and age should be emphasized for future research in this field.

https://ift.tt/2uOLgu8

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1582: Epidemiological Investigation of Type 2 Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease in a Pakistani Population

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1582: Epidemiological Investigation of Type 2 Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease in a Pakistani Population

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081582

Authors: Zarish Noreen Jessica DeJesus Attya Bhatti Christopher A. Loffredo Peter John Jahangir S. Khan Gail Nunlee-Bland Somiranjan Ghosh

The epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the possibility of it contributing to the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have become important health concerns worldwide and in Pakistan, where the co-occurrence of T2DM and AD is becoming more frequent. To gain insights on this phenomenon, a cross-sectional study was initiated. We recruited and interviewed 820 research participants from four cities in Pakistan: 250 controls, 450 T2DM, 100 AD, and 20 with both diseases. Significant differences between groups were observed for age (p < 0.0001), urban vs. rural locality (p = 0.0472) and residing near industrial areas. The average HbA1c (%) level was 10.68 ± 2.34 in the T2DM group, and females had a lower level than males (p = 0.003). In the AD group, significant relationships existed between education and family history. Overall, the results suggest that T2DM and AD were associated with both socio-demographic and environmental factors in Pakistani participants. Detailed molecular investigations are underway in our laboratory to decipher the differential genetic pathways of the two diseases to address their increasing prevalence in this developing nation.

https://ift.tt/2JXtObo

Association between demand–control model components and blood pressure in the ELSA-Brasil study: exploring heterogeneity using quantile regression analyses

Objectives This study aimed to investigate which components of the demand–control model (DCM) are associated with blood pressure (BP) and ascertain whether these associations vary over the BP distribution. Methods We evaluated the baseline date of 11 647 current workers enrolled in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) (2008–2010), a multicenter cohort study of 35–74-year-old civil servants. Job demands, skill discretion and decision authority were measured using the Brazilian version of the Demand–Control–Support Questionnaire. The associations between DCM components and systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP, respectively) were examined by gamma regression, indicated for modelling skewed continuous variables, and quantile regression. Tests were conducted for interaction with gender and use of antihypertensives. Results In the adjusted gamma models, no association was observed between DCM components and BP in the total study population. Among non-users of antihypertensives, high decision authority was marginally associated with an increase of 0.59 mmHg (95% CI 0.00–1.18) in SBP. In the quantile models, this association was found to be significant from quantiles 35–60. Further significant but inconsistent positive associations were observed between decision authority and DBP among users of antihypertensives (quantiles 5 and 10) and between skill discretion and SBP in the total study population (quantile 5). The results did not differ by gender. Conclusions Decision authority associates positively with SBP, but only in the central portion of the SBP distribution and among non-users of antihypertensives. No consistent associations were observed for skill discretion or job demands. by Juvanhol LL, Melo ECP, Chor D, Fonseca MJM, Rotenberg L, Bastos LS, Mill JG, Griep RH. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3758

https://ift.tt/2LM5z1S

Physical work demands and psychosocial working conditions as predictors of musculoskeletal pain: a cohort study comparing self-reported and job exposure matrix measurements

Objectives

Determining exposure to occupational factors by workers’ job titles is extensively used in epidemiological research. However, the correspondence of findings regarding associations to health between job exposure matrices (JEMs) and individual-level exposure data is largely unknown. We set out to examine the prospective associations of physical work demands and psychosocial working conditions with musculoskeletal pain, comparing JEMs with individual-level self-reported exposures.

Methods

We analysed data of 8132 participants from the Work Environment and Health in Denmark cohort study. Using random intercept multilevel modelling, we constructed age-specific and sex-specific JEMs estimating predicted exposures in job groups. We analysed associations between working conditions (individual and JEM level) at baseline and musculoskeletal pain at follow-up using multilevel modelling stratified by sex, adjusting for age, education and baseline pain.

Results

Any consistent associations present in the individual-level analysis were also found in the JEM-level analysis. Higher pain levels at follow-up was seen for employees with higher baseline physical work demands, women exposed to violence and men with lower decision authority, whether measured at the individual or JEM level. Higher JEM-level quantitative demands were associated with less pain, but no association was seen at the individual level.

Conclusions

We found predominately comparable prospective associations between working conditions and pain, whether using JEMs or individual level exposures, with the exception of quantitative demands. The results suggest that, with few notable exceptions, findings obtained using JEMs may be comparable with those obtained when using self-reported exposures.

https://ift.tt/2NEIrTe

Burden of respiratory abnormalities in microwave popcorn and flavouring manufacturing workers

Objectives

Diacetyl, a butter flavour compound used in food and flavouring production, is a respiratory toxin. We characterised the burden of respiratory abnormalities in workers at popcorn and flavouring manufacturing facilities that used diacetyl as evaluated through US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) health hazard evaluations.

Methods

We performed analyses describing the number and percentage of current and former workers from popcorn and flavouring manufacturing facilities where NIOSH administered a respiratory health questionnaire and spirometry testing who met case definitions of suspected flavouring-related lung disease. Case definitions were pathologist reported: lung biopsy pathology report stating supportive of/consistent with constrictive bronchiolitis or bronchiolitis obliterans; probable: obstructive/mixed spirometric pattern with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) <60% predicted; possible: obstructive/mixed spirometric pattern with FEV₁ ≥60% or any spirometric restriction; symptoms only: normal spirometry plus exertional dyspnoea or usual cough.

Results

During 2000–2012, NIOSH collected questionnaire and spirometry data on 1407 workers (87.0% current, 13.0% former) at nine facilities in eight states. After applying case definitions, 4 (0.3%) were classified as pathologist reported, 48 (3.4%) as probable, 234 (16.6%) as possible and 404 (28.7%) as symptoms only. The remaining 717 (51.0%) workers had normal spirometry without exertional dyspnoea or usual cough. Seven of 11 workers with biopsies did not meet the pathologist-reported case definition, although four met probable and three met possible.

Conclusions

This approach demonstrates the substantial burden of respiratory abnormalities in these workers. A similar approach could quantify the burden of respiratory abnormalities in other industries that use diacetyl.

https://ift.tt/2uQ3taD

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1581: The Effect of an Automated Phone Warning and Health Advisory System on Adaptation to High Heat Episodes and Health Services Use in Vulnerable Groups—Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1581: The Effect of an Automated Phone Warning and Health Advisory System on Adaptation to High Heat Episodes and Health Services Use in Vulnerable Groups—Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081581

Authors: Kaddour Mehiriz Pierre Gosselin Isabelle Tardif Marc-André Lemieux

Automated phone warning systems are increasingly used by public health authorities to protect the population from the adverse effects of extreme heat but little is known about their performance. To fill this gap, this article reports the result of a study on the impact of an automated phone heat warning system on adaptation behaviours and health services use. A sample of 1328 individuals vulnerable to heat was constituted for this purpose and participants were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The day before a heat episode, a phone heat warning was sent to the treatment group. Data were obtained through two surveys before and one survey after the heat warning issuance. The results show that members of the treatment group were more aware of how to protect themselves from heat and more likely to adopt the recommended behaviours. Moreover, a much smaller proportion of women in this group used the health-care system compared to the control group. Thus, the exposure to an automated phone warning seems to improve the adaptation to heat and reduce the use of health services by some important at-risk groups. This method can thus be used to complement public health interventions aimed at reducing heat-related health risks.

https://ift.tt/2LyVV5D

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1580: Age, Period, and Cohort Effects on Suicide Mortality in South Korea, 1992–2015

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1580: Age, Period, and Cohort Effects on Suicide Mortality in South Korea, 1992–2015

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081580

Authors: Soonjoo Park Yeong-Jun Song Jinseob Kim Myung Ki Ji-Yeon Shin Young-Man Kwon Jiseun Lim

Although the effects of age, period, and cohort (APC) on suicide are important, previous work in this area may have been invalid because of an identification problem. We analyzed these effects under three different scenarios to identify vulnerable groups and thus overcame the identification problem. We extracted the annual numbers of suicides from the National Death Register of Korea (1992&ndash;2015) and estimated the APC effects. The annual average suicide rates in 1992&ndash;2015 were 31.5 and 14.7 per 100,000 males and females, respectively. The APC effects on suicide were similar in both sexes. The age effect was clearly higher in older subjects, in contrast to the minimal changes apparent during earlier adulthood. The birth cohort effect showed an inverted U shape; a higher cohort effect was evident in females born in the early 1980s when period drift was larger than 3.7%/year. Period effect increased sharply during the early 1990s and 2000s. We found that elderly and young females may be at a particularly high risk of suicide in Korea.

https://ift.tt/2LDscbY

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1578: Placing Health Warnings on E-Cigarettes: A Standardized Protocol

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1578: Placing Health Warnings on E-Cigarettes: A Standardized Protocol

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081578

Authors: Jennifer R. Mendel Marissa G. Hall Sabeeh A. Baig Michelle Jeong Noel T. Brewer

Health warnings for e-cigarettes are a promising and novel tobacco control intervention for reducing e-cigarette use. We developed a new protocol for evaluating e-cigarette warnings by placing them on users&rsquo; own devices to reflect real-world exposure. Study 1 participants were a national convenience sample of 606 U.S. adult e-cigarette users surveyed online in March 2017. Most Study 1 participants were willing to have their e-cigarette devices (87%) and refills (83%) labeled. Study 2 participants were a convenience sample of 22 adult e-cigarette users recruited in California, United States in April 2017. We applied the U.S. Food and Drug Administration&rsquo;s proposed e-cigarette warning to users&rsquo; own devices and refills. Most Study 2 participants (81%) reported using e-cigarette devices with our warning labels at least 90% of the time during the study. Nearly all (95%) said they would participate in the study again, and 100% would recommend the study to a friend. Conversations about e-cigarette harms, conversations about quitting e-cigarettes, and intentions to quit using e-cigarettes increased during the study (all p &lt; 0.05). These studies show that our naturalistic labeling protocol was feasible, acceptable to participants, and had high retention over three weeks. Using the protocol can yield important evidence on the impact of e-cigarette warnings to inform tobacco warning policies.

https://ift.tt/2mKwJuR

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1579: Translation of the Child and Adolescent HARDSHIP (Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap and Impaired Participation) Questionnaire into the Lithuanian Language and Validation of Its HRQoL (Headache-Related Quality of Life) Scale

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1579: Translation of the Child and Adolescent HARDSHIP (Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap and Impaired Participation) Questionnaire into the Lithuanian Language and Validation of Its HRQoL (Headache-Related Quality of Life) Scale

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081579

Authors: Diana Genc Apolinaras Zaborskis Nerija Vaičienė-Magistris

Recently developed and originally published in English, the Child and Adolescent HARDSHIP (headache-attributed restriction, disability, social handicap and impaired participation) questionnaire is valid and acceptable for the global assessment of the burden of headache in children and adolescents. The present study aimed to translate, adapt and validate a Lithuanian version of this questionnaire. A total of 22 volunteers from 7 to 17 years of age completed the questionnaire with 24 h test-retest and a representative sample of 2505 schoolchildren of the same age participated in the main study. Test-retest reliability of the HRQoL (Headache Related Quality of Life) scale in the translated questionnaire showed substantial agreement (kappa: 0.604). Reliability and validity of the translated HRQoL scale were acceptable (Cronbach&rsquo;s alpha: 0.749; test-retest kappa: 0.604, test for discriminant validity demonstrated that quality of life decreased by severity of headache). Factorial analysis revealed the two-dimensional structure of the HRQoL scale with indices of good model fit to the collected data. A total of 92.2% of the surveyed children had experienced headache in their lifetime, 74.2% during the last year. Girls and older children experienced headache more often than participants from the other groups. The translated Lithuanian version of the questionnaire seems to be a valid, feasible and acceptable instrument to measure the extent of the burden of headache in large populations.

https://ift.tt/2AaqxGb

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1574: Spatial Distribution of Fine Particulate Matter in Underground Passageways

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1574: Spatial Distribution of Fine Particulate Matter in Underground Passageways

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081574

Authors: Xin-Yi Song Qing-Chang Lu Zhong-Ren Peng

The unfavorable locations of underground infrastructures and poor ventilation facilities can result in the deterioration of enclosed air quality. Some researchers have studied air quality and ventilation measures in different types of underground buildings. However, few studies have investigated the pollution in pedestrian passageways connecting underground structures. Hence, in this paper, we attempted to investigate the spatial distribution of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in underground passageways. First, measurements were designed and conducted in a pedestrian passageway beneath the Shanghai South Railway Station, Shanghai, China. Second, numerical simulations were performed based on computational fluid dynamic (CFD) technology. Finally, the numerical simulations were extended to examine impacts of the ventilation measures on PM2.5 concentration with different inlet positions and air velocity in underground passageways. The simulation results showed good agreement with the experimental data, and the numerical model was validated to be an effective method to investigate the spatial distribution of PM2.5 in underground passageways. Results suggest that building additional entrances is an advisable method for improving air quality in the underground passageways of the Shanghai South Railway Station, while jet fans are not recommended. Findings of this study offer suggestions for mitigating PM2.5 pollution in underground passageways.

https://ift.tt/2NLrkQ3

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1575: Response to Noise Emitted by Wind Farms in People Living in Nearby Areas

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1575: Response to Noise Emitted by Wind Farms in People Living in Nearby Areas

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081575

Authors: Małgorzata Pawlaczyk-Łuszczyńska Kamil Zaborowski Adam Dudarewicz Małgorzata Zamojska-Daniszewska Małgorzata Waszkowska

The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception and annoyance of noise from wind turbines in populated areas of Poland. A questionnaire inquiry was carried out among 517 subjects, aged 18&ndash;88, living within 204&ndash;1726 m from the nearest wind turbine. For areas where respondents lived, A-weighted sound pressure levels (SPLs) were calculated as the sum of the contributions from the wind power plants in the specific area. It has been shown that the wind turbine noise at the calculated A-weighted SPL of 33&ndash;50 dB was perceived as annoying or highly annoying by 46% and 28% of respondents, respectively. Moreover, 34% and 18% of them said that they were annoyed or highly annoyed indoors, respectively. The perception of high annoyance was associated with the A-weighted sound pressure level or the distance from the nearest wind turbine, general attitude to wind farms, noise sensitivity and terrain shape (annoyance outdoors) or road-traffic intensity (annoyance indoors). About 48&ndash;66% of variance in noise annoyance rating might be explained by the aforesaid factors. It was estimated that at the distance of 1000 m the wind turbine noise might be perceived as highly annoying outdoors by 43% and 2% of people with negative and positive attitude towards wind turbines, respectively. There was no significant association between noise level (or distance) and various health and well-being aspects. However, all variables measuring health and well-being aspects, including stress symptoms, were positively associated with annoyance related to wind turbine noise.

https://ift.tt/2uOIpl0