IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2426: Risk Factors Contributing to Higher Mortality Rates in Elderly Patients with Acute Traumatic Subdural Hematoma Sustained in a Fall: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using Registered Trauma Data

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2426: Risk Factors Contributing to Higher Mortality Rates in Elderly Patients with Acute Traumatic Subdural Hematoma Sustained in a Fall: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using Registered Trauma Data

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112426

Authors: Ching-Hua Hsieh Cheng-Shyuan Rau Shao-Chun Wu Hang-Tsung Liu Chun-Ying Huang Shiun-Yuan Hsu Hsiao-Yun Hsieh

Background: We aimed to explore the risk factors that contribute to the mortality of elderly trauma patients with acute subdural hematoma (SDH) resulting from a fall. Mortality rates of the elderly were compared to those of young adults. Methods: A total of 444 patients with acute traumatic subdural hematoma resulting from a fall, admitted to a level I trauma center from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2016 were enrolled in this study. Patients were categorized into two groups: elderly patients (n = 279) and young adults (n = 165). The primary outcome of this study was patient mortality in hospital. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for mortality was calculated according to gender and pre-existing comorbidities. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors related to mortality in the elderly. Results: The odds ratio for mortality caused by falls in the elderly patients was four-fold higher than in the young adults, after adjusting for gender and pre-existing comorbidities. In addition, the presence of pre-existing coronary artery disease (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.09–9.69, p = 0.035), end-stage renal disease (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.48–14.13, p = 0.008), hematoma volume (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.11–1.36, p < 0.001), injury severity score (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.23–1.46, p < 0.001), and coagulopathy (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.47–11.05, p = 0.007) were significant independent risk factors for mortality in patients with acute traumatic SDH resulting from a fall. Conclusions: In this study, we identified that pre-existing CAD, ESRD, hematoma volume, ISS, and coagulopathy were significant independent risk factors for mortality in patients with acute traumatic SDH. These results suggest that death following acute SDH is influenced both by the extent of neurological damage and the overall health of the patient at the time of injury.

https://ift.tt/2Qf30rr

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2425: Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Health Beliefs toward Leptospirosis among Urban and Rural Communities in Northeastern Malaysia

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2425: Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Health Beliefs toward Leptospirosis among Urban and Rural Communities in Northeastern Malaysia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112425

Authors: Pathman A Aziah BD Zahiruddin WM Mohd Nazri S Sukeri S Tengku Zetty TJ Hamat RA Malina O Norazlin I Zawaha I Zainudin AW

Background: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution, especially in developing countries such as Malaysia. This study was designed to explore the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices (KABP) toward leptospirosis among the communities in northeastern Malaysia and to determine the sociodemographic factors associated with the KABP toward leptospirosis. A cross-sectional study using a stratified sampling method was conducted among 214 individuals in four locales in northeastern Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 214 respondents in northeastern Malaysia using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method. The study population was divided into two groups based on geographical locations: urban and rural. All data were entered and analyzed using the IBM Statistics for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 software for Windows (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). The continuous variables were presented using mean and standard deviation (SD), whereas the categorical variables were described using frequency and percentage. Multiple logistic regression was performed to determine the associated factors for good KABP toward leptospirosis among the respondents. Results: It was found that 52.8% of respondents had good knowledge, 84.6% had positive attitudes, 59.8% had positive beliefs, and 53.7% had satisfactory practices. There were no significant sociodemographic factors associated with knowledge and practice, except for educational status, which was significant in the attitude and belief domains. Those with higher education exhibited better attitudes (Odds Ratio (OR) 3.329; 95% Coefficient Interval (CI): 1.140, 9.723; p = 0.028) and beliefs (OR 3.748; 95% CI: 1.485, 9.459; p = 0.005). The communities in northeastern Malaysia generally have good knowledge and a high level of positive attitude; however, this attitude cannot be transformed into practice as the number of people with satisfactory practice habits is much lower compared to those with positive attitudes. As for the belief domain, the communities must have positive beliefs to perceive the threat of the disease. Conclusions: Our current health program on preventing leptospirosis is good in creating awareness and a positive attitude among the communities, but is not sufficient in promoting satisfactory practice habits. In conclusion, more attention needs to be paid to promoting satisfactory practice habits among the communities, as they already possess good knowledge and positive attitudes and beliefs.

https://ift.tt/2qo6IUg

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2423: Community Knowledge, Perceived Beliefs and Associated Factors of Mental Distress: A Case Study from Northern Ethiopia

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2423: Community Knowledge, Perceived Beliefs and Associated Factors of Mental Distress: A Case Study from Northern Ethiopia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112423

Authors: Aradom Gebrekidan Abbay Alemayehu Tibebe Mulatu Hossein Azadi

Background: All of society is affected by mental health problems, not just a minor, isolated part. Mental health problems represent a major challenge to the global development of community health. This study examined the community health knowledge, perceived beliefs, and associated factors of mental distress (MD) in Mekelle city in Northern Ethiopia. Methods: The current study used a cross-sectional approach calculating a sample of 260 adults living in the two sub-cities of Mekelle city. To select the sample households in each sub-city, systematic random sampling was used. Self-reported questionnaire (SRQ-20 with a cutoff point of 7), and Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS) instruments were included within the structured questionnaire tool to clarify community occurrence and the level of health mental knowledge. Results: The likelihood of having MD was higher among the study participants who were female, employed, self-employed, and daily alcohol and khat users. The results also showed that the level of mental health knowledge among the participants was low. Conclusions: Factors such as being male, having a higher level of education, and having strong levels of social support were found to be the independent predictors of good mental health and community mental health knowledge.

https://ift.tt/2ACIEmw

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2422: Evaluation of a Workplace Health and Wellbeing Training Course Delivered Online and Face-To-Face

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2422: Evaluation of a Workplace Health and Wellbeing Training Course Delivered Online and Face-To-Face

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112422

Authors: Zenobia Talati Emily Davey Carly Grapes Trevor Shilton Simone Pettigrew

Organisations may benefit from training champions to promote healthy workplace environments and initiatives. This study compared the perceived usefulness and relative effectiveness of an employee training course offered via online and face-to-face formats. Individuals who took part in the training course were assessed on their perceived competence and confidence to implement changes pre- and post-training. Repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and a t-test were conducted to test for significant differences between pre- and post-training scores and/or mode of training, respectively. Although the face-to-face training course was rated as slightly more useful, there were no significant differences between the two modes of training for the other dependent variables, and both modes led to significantly greater perceived competence and confidence post-training. These findings demonstrate the potential benefits of training employees to implement changes in their workplaces.

https://ift.tt/2EWEABB

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2421: An Improved Healthcare Accessibility Measure Considering the Temporal Dimension and Population Demand of Different Ages

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2421: An Improved Healthcare Accessibility Measure Considering the Temporal Dimension and Population Demand of Different Ages

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112421

Authors: Lan Ma Nianxue Luo Taili Wan Chunchun Hu Mingjun Peng

Healthcare accessibility has become an issue of social equity. An accurate estimation of existing healthcare accessibility is vital to plan and allocate health resources. Healthcare capacity, population demand, and geographic impedance are three essential factors to measure spatial accessibility. Additionally, geographic impedance is usually represented with a function of travel time. In this paper, the three-step floating catchment area (3SFCA) method is improved from the perspectives of the temporal dimension and population demand. Specifically, the travel time from the population location to the service site is precisely calculated by introducing real-time traffic conditions instead of utilizing empirical speed in previous studies. Additionally, with the utilization of real-time traffic, a dynamic result of healthcare accessibility is derived during different time periods. In addition, since the medical needs of the elderly are higher than that of the young, a demand weight index of demand is introduced to adjust the population demand. A case study of healthcare accessibility in Wuhan shows that the proposed method is effective to measure healthcare accessibility during different time periods. The spatial accessibility disparities of communities and crowdedness of hospitals are identified as an important reference for the balance between the supply and demand of medical resources.

https://ift.tt/2PwKL3v

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2424: Multidisciplinary Intervention and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Return-to-Work and Increased Employability among Patients with Mental Illness and/or Chronic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2424: Multidisciplinary Intervention and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Return-to-Work and Increased Employability among Patients with Mental Illness and/or Chronic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112424

Authors: Erik Berglund Ingrid Anderzén Åsa Andersén Lars Carlsson Catharina Gustavsson Thorne Wallman Per Lytsy

Background: People on long-term sick leave often have a long-lasting process back to work, where the individuals may be in multiple and recurrent states; i.e., receiving different social security benefits or working, and over time they may shift between these states. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of two vocational rehabilitation programs, compared to a control, on return-to-work (RTW) or increased employability in patients on long-term sick leave due to mental illness and/or chronic pain. Methods: In this randomized controlled study, 427 women and men were allocated to either (1) multidisciplinary team management, i.e., multidisciplinary assessments and individual rehabilitation management, (2) acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), or (3) control. A positive outcome was defined as RTW or increased employability. The outcome was considered negative if the (part-time) wage was reduced or ceased, or if there was an indication of decreased employability. The outcome was measured one year after entry in the project and analyzed using binary and multinomial logistic regressions. Results: Participants in the multidisciplinary team group reported having RTW odds ratio (OR) 3.31 (95% CI 1.39–7.87) compared to the control group in adjusted models. Participants in the ACT group reported having increased employability OR 3.22 (95% CI 1.13–9.15) compared to the control group in adjusted models. Conclusions: This study of vocational rehabilitation in mainly female patients on long-term sick leave due to mental illness and/or chronic pain suggests that multidisciplinary team assessments and individually adapted rehabilitation interventions increased RTW and employability. Solely receiving the ACT intervention also increased employability.

https://ift.tt/2RqTjGd

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2419: Removal of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals from Water: Adsorption of Bisphenol-A by Biobased Hydrophobic Functionalized Cellulose

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2419: Removal of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals from Water: Adsorption of Bisphenol-A by Biobased Hydrophobic Functionalized Cellulose

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112419

Authors: Antonio Tursi Efthalia Chatzisymeon Francesco Chidichimo Amerigo Beneduci Giuseppe Chidichimo

The aim of this study is to examine the efficiency of biobased Spanish broom (SB) surface modified cellulose fibers to remove bisphenol A (BPA), a well-known endocrine disruptor, from water. Spanish brooms are flowering plants, which are native and abundant to Mediterranean regions. The functionalized fibers (FF) were found to have the best adsorption efficiency at pH 5, due to the optimal hydrophobic interaction between the FF fiber and BPA. Adsorption kinetics of BPA was found to fit well a pseudo-second order reaction. Equilibrium isotherm data were fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich models. A very fast and simple regeneration method was developed and it was observed that adsorption capacity of the fibers was kept almost unchanged after 3 consecutive uses. Bottled water and synthetic wastewater were also tested to assess the efficiency of the process under more realistic water and wastewater treatment conditions. It was found that BPA removal was slightly decreased from 77% in ultrapure water to 64% in synthetic wastewater matrix, indicating that FF has a high selectivity toward BPA, even in the presence of other organic compounds. Overall, it was observed that SB-modified fibers can be a new promising green biotechnology for water purification.

https://ift.tt/2AFgabP

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2417: Psychiatric Impact of Organized and Ritual Child Sexual Abuse: Cross-Sectional Findings from Individuals Who Report Being Victimized

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2417: Psychiatric Impact of Organized and Ritual Child Sexual Abuse: Cross-Sectional Findings from Individuals Who Report Being Victimized

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112417

Authors: Johanna Schröder Susanne Nick Hertha Richter-Appelt Peer Briken

Organized and ritual child sexual abuse (ORA) is often rooted in the child’s own family. Empirical evidence on possible associations between ORA and trauma-related symptoms in those who report this kind of extreme and prolonged violence is rare. The aim of our study was to explore socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the individuals reporting ORA experiences, and to investigate protective as well as promotive factors in the link between ORA and trauma-related symptom severity. Within the framework of a project of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in Germany, we recruited 165 adults who identified themselves as ORA victims via abuse- and trauma-specific networks and mailing lists, and they completed an anonymous online survey. We used variance analyses to examine correlations between several variables in the ORA context and PTSD symptoms (PCL-5) as well as somatoform dissociation (SDQ-5). Results revealed a high psychic strain combined with an adverse health care situation in individuals who report experiences with ORA. Ideological strategies used by perpetrators as well as Dissociative Identity Disorders experienced by those affected are associated with more severe symptoms (η2p = 0.11; η2p = 0.15), while an exit out of the ORA structures is associated with milder symptoms (η2p = 0.11). Efforts are needed to improve health care services for individuals who experience severe and complex psychiatric disorders due to ORA in their childhood.

https://ift.tt/2EUZz82

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2418: Environmental Co-Exposure to Lead and Manganese and Intellectual Deficit in School-Aged Children

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2418: Environmental Co-Exposure to Lead and Manganese and Intellectual Deficit in School-Aged Children

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112418

Authors: José A. Menezes-Filho Chrissie F. Carvalho Juliana L. G. Rodrigues Cecília F. S. Araújo Nathália R. dos Santos Cássio S. Lima Matheus J. Bandeira Breno L. de S. Marques Ana Laura S. Anjos Homegnon A. F. Bah Neander Abreu Alline Philibert Donna Mergler

Studies have demonstrated that, for urban children, dust represents the main exposure to sources of metals like lead (Pb) and manganese (Mn). We aimed to investigate the exposure to these metals and their association with intellectual deficit in children living in an industrial region. This cross-sectional study recruited volunteers from four elementary schools in the town of Simões Filho, Brazil. We evaluated 225 school-aged children (7–12 years) for blood lead (PbB) and manganese hair (MnH) and toenails (MnTn) by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Child and maternal IQs were estimated using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale for Intelligence (WASI). Median and range PbB were 1.2 (0.3–15.6) μg/dL. MnH and MnTn medians (ranges) were 0.74 (0.16–8.79) μg/g and 0.85 (0.15–13.30) μg/g, respectively. After adjusting for maternal IQ, age and Mn exposure, child IQ drops by 8.6 points for a 10-fold increase in PbB levels. Moreover, an effect modification of Mn co-exposure was observed. In children with low MnTn, association between Pb and child IQ was not significant (β = −6.780, p = 0.172). However, in those with high MnTn, the association was increased by 27.9% (β = −8.70, p = 0.036). Low Pb exposure is associated with intellectual deficit in children, especially in those with high MnTn.

https://ift.tt/2AFg5ox

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2420: A Semantic Social Network Analysis Tool for Sensitivity Analysis and What-If Scenario Testing in Alcohol Consumption Studies

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2420: A Semantic Social Network Analysis Tool for Sensitivity Analysis and What-If Scenario Testing in Alcohol Consumption Studies

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112420

Authors: José Alberto Benítez-Andrades Alejandro Rodríguez-González Carmen Benavides Leticia Sánchez-Valdeón Isaías García

Social Network Analysis (SNA) is a set of techniques developed in the field of social and behavioral sciences research, in order to characterize and study the social relationships that are established among a set of individuals. When building a social network for performing an SNA analysis, an initial process of data gathering is achieved in order to extract the characteristics of the individuals and their relationships. This is usually done by completing a questionnaire containing different types of questions that will be later used to obtain the SNA measures needed to perform the study. There are, then, a great number of different possible network-generating questions and also many possibilities for mapping the responses to the corresponding characteristics and relationships. Many variations may be introduced into these questions (the way they are posed, the weights given to each of the responses, etc.) that may have an effect on the resulting networks. All these different variations are difficult to achieve manually, because the process is time-consuming and error-prone. The tool described in this paper uses semantic knowledge representation techniques in order to facilitate this kind of sensitivity studies. The base of the tool is a conceptual structure, called “ontology” that is able to represent the different concepts and their definitions. The tool is compared to other similar ones, and the advantages of the approach are highlighted, giving some particular examples from an ongoing SNA study about alcohol consumption habits in adolescents.

https://ift.tt/2EUDVAA

Experimental and modeling study on evacuation under good and limited visibility in a supermarket

Publication date: Available online 30 October 2018

Source: Fire Safety Journal

Author(s): Shuchao Cao, Libi Fu, Peng Wang, Guang Zeng, Weiguo Song

Abstract

The evacuation process from a supermarket under good and limited visibility is investigated by a group of experiments and questionnaires. The evacuations in both situations are compared to explore their differences. Some typical behaviors such as following behavior, helping behavior and finding the dependent during evacuation under limited visibility are observed from the experimental video. The reduced visibility hinders pedestrian movement and prolongs evacuation process. As a result, pedestrians need more time to evacuate from the supermarket under limited visibility. However, a similar point is that pedestrians prefer to select the closest exit and minimize their movement distances in both situations. A multi-grid model considering these typical behaviors is proposed to simulate pedestrian evacuation under both conditions and simulation results agree well with the experiment results. Finally simulations with and without obstacles inside are compared to study the effect of obstacles on evacuation time. The study is helpful to understand pedestrian behavior and develop efficient evacuation strategy to guide pedestrian evacuation under limited visibility.

https://ift.tt/2qlfsKU

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2416: Total Worker Health: A Small Business Leader Perspective

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2416: Total Worker Health: A Small Business Leader Perspective

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112416

Authors: Janalee Thompson Natalie V. Schwatka Liliana Tenney Lee S. Newman

Total Worker Health® (TWH) frameworks call for attention to organizational leadership in the implementation and effectiveness of TWH approaches. It is especially important to study this within in the small business environment where employees face significant health, safety, and well-being concerns and employers face barriers to addressing these concerns. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how small business leaders perceive employee health, safety, and well-being in the context of their own actions. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 small business senior leaders and used a qualitative coding approach to analyze the transcripts to determine the frequency with which leaders discussed each code. When we asked leaders about their leadership practices for health, safety, and well-being, leaders reflected upon their business (65%), themselves (28%), and their employees (7%). Leaders rarely discussed the ways in which they integrate health, safety, and well-being. The interviews demonstrate that small business leaders care about the health of their employees, but because of the perceived value to their business, not to employees or themselves. Thus, they may lack the knowledge and skills to be successful TWH leaders. The present study supports a need for continued small business TWH leadership research.

https://ift.tt/2Q3otDf

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2414: Citius, Altius, Fortius vs. Slow Sport: A New Era of Sustainable Sport

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2414: Citius, Altius, Fortius vs. Slow Sport: A New Era of Sustainable Sport

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112414

Authors: Ewa Malchrowicz-Mośko Katarzyna Płoszaj Wiesław Firek

The objective of the article is to present the slow sport movement as a phenomenon developing in the postmodern era in opposition to the idea of citius, altius, fortius (Eng. faster, higher, stronger). The theoretical part of the article describes the health repercussions of slow movement and its implications for the sports industry and sports tourism. It also points to new challenges in sports management and sports tourism implemented in the slow style. The empirical part of the article aims at determining what influence the achievement of a self-set sports goal has on the degree of satisfaction with participation in a running event among runners. Could runners who did not set themselves any sports goal and ran for pleasure (according to the idea of slow sport) achieve the same degree of satisfaction as runners who set themselves an ambitious sports goal and achieved it (according to the idea of citius, altius, fortius)? The case study is the 6th Poznan Half Marathon, a cyclical, popular running event taking place in Poland. A total of 560 runners (n = 560) took part in the diagnostic survey conducted using the interview technique. The ANOVA Rang Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn’s test were used in the study. The results show that athletes who did not set a sporting goal (ran for pleasure, company, atmosphere, participation, etc.) experienced the same level of satisfaction as athletes who achieved their intended sporting goal. It turns out, therefore, that sport and physical activity done for pleasure in accordance with the slow sport idea can provide the same level of satisfaction as sport practiced in the spirit of citius, altius, fortius.

https://ift.tt/2PscRNl

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2415: Reduced Lung Function among Workers in Primary Coffee Processing Factories in Ethiopia: A Cross Sectional Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2415: Reduced Lung Function among Workers in Primary Coffee Processing Factories in Ethiopia: A Cross Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112415

Authors: Samson Wakuma Abaya Magne Bråtveit Wakgari Deressa Abera Kumie Bente E. Moen

Dust exposure is one of the major risk factors for respiratory health in many workplaces, including coffee factories. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung function reduction among workers in Ethiopian primary coffee processing factories, compared to a control group of workers. A total of 115 coffee workers and 110 water bottling workers were involved in this study, from 12 coffee and 3 water bottling factories in Ethiopia, respectively. The chronic respiratory symptoms were assessed using a structured interview, using a standardized questionnaire adopted from the American Thoracic Society (ATS). The lung function tests were performed according to the ATS recommendation for spirometry. The coffee workers had a significantly higher prevalence of coughing, coughing with sputum, breathlessness, work-related shortness of breath, and wheezing compared with the controls. The prevalence ratio of work-related shortness of breath (PR = 3.7, 95% CI: 1.6–8.7) and wheezing (PR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.3–8.4) was significantly higher for the coffee workers compared to the controls. The coffee workers in the age groups 28–39 years and ≥40 years, had a significantly lower forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 s compared to the controls in the similar age groups. The findings indicated the need for longitudinal studies on the possible effect of coffee dust on respiratory health of coffee production workers.

https://ift.tt/2RoxqaB

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2413: Histopathologic Analysis of Lung Cancer Incidence Associated with Radon Exposure among Ontario Uranium Miners

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2413: Histopathologic Analysis of Lung Cancer Incidence Associated with Radon Exposure among Ontario Uranium Miners

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112413

Authors: Avinash Ramkissoon Garthika Navaranjan Colin Berriault Paul J. Villeneuve Paul A. Demers Minh T. Do

Although radon is a well-established contributor to lung cancer mortality among uranium miners, the effects of radon decay products on different histopathologies of lung carcinoma are not well established. Using a retrospective cohort design, this study aims to examine the risks of lung cancer by histological subtypes associated with exposure to radon decay products among the Ontario Uranium Miners cohort. Cases were stratified by histological groups, and associated risks were estimated for cumulative radon exposure after adjustment for attained age and calendar period. Between 1969 and 2005, 1274 incident cases of primary lung cancer were identified. Of these, 1256 diagnoses (99%) contained information on histology. Squamous cell carcinoma was most common (31%), followed by adenocarcinoma (20%), large cells (18%), small cell lung carcinoma (14%), and other or unspecified cell types (17%). Of the histological sub-groups, small cell lung carcinoma had the strongest association with cumulative radon exposure; compared to the reference group (<1 cumulative working level months (WLM)), the highest exposure category (>60 cumulative WLM) had a relative risk (RR) of 2.76 (95% CI: 1.67–4.57). Adenocarcinoma had the lowest risk and was not significantly associated with exposure to radon decay products (RR = 1.49, 95% CI: 0.96–2.31). An increasing, linear trend in relative risk was noted with increasing cumulative WLM across small cell, squamous cell, and large cell lung carcinomas (Ptrend < 0.05). Similarly, the excess relative risk (ERR) per WLM was highest for small cell lung carcinoma (ERR/WLM = 0.15, p < 0.01), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (ERR/WLM = 0.12, p < 0.01). Non-statistically significant excess risk was observed for adenocarcinoma (ERR/WLM = 0.004, p = 0.07). Our analysis of the Ontario Uranium Miners cohort data shows differences in the magnitude of the risks across four histological subtypes of lung carcinoma; the strongest association was noted for small cell lung carcinoma, followed by squamous cell, large cell, and lastly adenocarcinoma, which showed no significant associations with exposure to radon decay products.

https://ift.tt/2RnJiK7

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2412: Trace Metal Pollution in Topsoil Surrounding the Xiangtan Manganese Mine Area (South-Central China): Source Identification, Spatial Distribution and Assessment of Potential Ecological Risks

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2412: Trace Metal Pollution in Topsoil Surrounding the Xiangtan Manganese Mine Area (South-Central China): Source Identification, Spatial Distribution and Assessment of Potential Ecological Risks

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112412

Authors: Feng Jiang Bozhi Ren Andrew S. Hursthouse Yingying Zhou

In this study, we identified the sources of trace metals, investigated their spatial distribution in topsoil and assessed their potential ecological risk in the area surrounding a typical manganese mining area in Xiangtan, Hunan Province, China. The concentrations of Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cr and Hg in the topsoil of the study area were measured. Except for Cr and Hg, all trace metals exceeded the corresponding soil background values for Hunan Province. The spatial variation in trace metals was visualized by GIS, and the results show that trace metals in topsoil are enriched mainly around mines and smelters. Two groups of trace metals were identified using the spatial distribution, trend analysis, Pearson’s correlation and principal component analysis: Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd and Ni can be attributed to industrial and mining activities, whereas Cr and Hg are of natural origin. The results also revealed the extent of the influence of secondary processes such as the prevailing wind direction, erosion of mine tailings and rainwater runoff play significant roles in the wider dispersal and transfer of trace metals. In addition, the environmental risk of metal pollution was evaluated by applying the geoaccumulation index and potential ecological risk index (PERI) to the study area. The accumulated PERI for metals of concern is at highest risk level in the main manganese mine area. This decreases to a moderate risk around the manganese mine area, highlighting locations for further risk management concern. Furthermore, nearly 80% of the potential ecological risk was from Cd across the study area.

https://ift.tt/2PvaFo1

Urinary 2,5-dicholorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol concentrations and prevalent disease among adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

Objective

To test cross-sectional associations between urinary concentrations of 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) with the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, lung disease, thyroid problems and liver conditions.

Methods

Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations of urinary concentrations of 2,5-DCP and 2,4-DCP with prevalence of various medical conditions among 3617 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey participants from 2007–2008 and 2009–2010. ORs and 95% CIs for each disease were estimated. All regression models were adjusted for urinary creatinine.

Results

We observed a monotonically increasing association between quartiles of 2,5-DCP and prevalence of CVD. After adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, participants with the highest versus lowest quartile of urinary 2,5-DCP had an OR=1.84 (95% CI 1.26 to 2.70) (p linear trend=0.006). The association was similar with further adjustment for established clinical CVD risk factors. Higher 2,5-DCP was also associated with prevalence of all cancers combined (OR_{Q4 vs Q1}=1.50 (95% CI 1.00 to 2.26); p trend=0.05) and, in exploratory analyses, with gynaecological cancers (OR_{Q4 vs Q1}=4.15 (95% CI 1.51 to 11.40; p trend=0.01)). No associations were detected between 2,5-DCP and lung diseases, thyroid problems or liver conditions, nor between 2,4-DCP and prevalent disease.

Conclusion

In this nationally representative study, higher urinary 2,5-DCP concentrations were associated with greater prevalence of CVD and all cancers combined. Further examination may be warranted to assess whether chronic exposure to 2,5-DCP is associated with incidence of adverse health outcomes.

https://ift.tt/2SuA53Q

Post-traumatic growth in the military: a systematic review

Background

Post-traumatic growth is defined as positive psychological, social or spiritual growth after a trauma.

Objectives

This systematic review aimed to identify studies that quantitatively measured post-traumatic growth among (ex-) military personnel, to determine whether there is evidence of growth in this context and whether such growth is associated with any sociodemographic, military, trauma or mental health factors.

Data sources

The electronic databases PsycInfo, OVIDmedline and Embase were searched for studies published between 2001 and 2017.

Study eligibility criteria and participants

Papers were retained if they involved military or ex-military personnel, where some had been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Study appraisal

Quality assessment was conducted on all studies.

Results

21 studies were retained. The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory was employed by 14 studies: means ranged from 32.60 (standard deviation = 14.88) to 59.07 (23.48). The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory Short Form was used by five studies: means ranged from 17.11 (14.88) to 20.40 (11.88). These values suggest moderate growth. Higher levels of social support, spirituality and rumination and minority ethnicity were most frequently associated with more post-traumatic growth.

Limitations

The involved studies may lack generalisability and methodological quality.

Conclusions

Overall, this paper confirms that negative reactions to trauma, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder, are not the only possible outcomes for service personnel, as moderate post-traumatic growth can also be observed.

Implications of key findings

Interventions aimed at helping current and former armed forces personnel to identify and promote post-traumatic growth post-conflict may be beneficial for their well-being.

https://ift.tt/2zf8R8H

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2410: Arsenic and Heavy Metal Accumulation and Risk Assessment in Soils around Mining Areas: The Urad Houqi Area in Arid Northwest China as an Example

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2410: Arsenic and Heavy Metal Accumulation and Risk Assessment in Soils around Mining Areas: The Urad Houqi Area in Arid Northwest China as an Example

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112410

Authors: Shuai Song Yuanjie Li Lin Li Maoyong Liu Jing Li Liang Wang Chao Su

Mining activities make important contributions to economic growth, but they can also produce massive amounts of solid waste, such as tailings and metal accumulations. Taking the Urad Houqi mining area in Inner Mongolia as the study area, this study systematically assessed the contamination risk of arsenic and heavy metals in the soils of the study area and explored the contamination characteristics in a key polymetallic mining area. For the whole study area, based on the Nemerow comprehensive pollution method, almost half of the investigated sites were contaminated, and the most contaminated site was Urad Houqi Qianzhen Mineral Concentration Co., Ltd. (Bayannaoer, China), a cooperation between the lead and zinc mining industry. The assessment results indicated that Cd and As were the elements of greatest concern, followed by Pb, Cr and Hg. Particularly, for the typical Dongshengmiao mining area, when compared with the GB15618-1995 standard values, As, Zn and Cd posed the most serious contamination threat, while Cr and Ni exhibited clean conditions. In addition, the vertical distribution maps demonstrated that the contents of arsenic and metals in some soil profiles were correlated with sampling depth. Therefore, arsenic and heavy metals pose high threat to soil ecosystems in this area, there is encouragement for some control and remediation measures to be taken into effect.

https://ift.tt/2zcwVZS

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2411: Depressive Symptoms and Associated Factors in Female Students in Fukushima Four Years after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Disaster

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2411: Depressive Symptoms and Associated Factors in Female Students in Fukushima Four Years after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Disaster

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112411

Authors: Shinya Ito Mie Sasaki Satoko Okabe Nobuhiro Konno Aya Goto

Young women in their late teens and early 20s are at the highest risk for depression onset. The present study aimed to assess depressive symptoms among female college students in Fukushima. More specifically, it aimed to clarify factors predicting possible symptom profiles, with an emphasis on determining how nuclear radiation risks affect the reporting of depression symptoms. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 310 female students at a college in the Fukushima prefecture, Japan, in December 2015, and 288 participants submitted valid questionnaires. In total, 222 (77.1%) participants lived in Fukushima at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The measures included the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index, the Fukushima Future Parents Attitude Measure, and risk perception of radiation health effects. A total of 46.5% of participants reported depressive symptoms. Path analysis revealed that higher radiation risk perceptions and reduced efficacy with reproduction related to a decline in self-esteem and self-efficacy, which was subsequently associated with increased depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of radiation education among children and young adults, both after a nuclear accident and during disaster preparation, particularly in the context of reproductive and mental health.

https://ift.tt/2Pv1NyZ

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2409: Development of Construction Workers Job Stress Scale to Study and the Relationship between Job Stress and Safety Behavior: An Empirical Study in Beijing

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2409: Development of Construction Workers Job Stress Scale to Study and the Relationship between Job Stress and Safety Behavior: An Empirical Study in Beijing

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112409

Authors: Xiang Wu Yuanlong Li Yongzheng Yao Xiaowei Luo Xuhui He Wenwen Yin

Job stress is considered one of the critical causes of construction workers’ unsafe behaviors. As a mainstay industry in many countries, the construction industry has a considerable number of employees and the research on how job stress affects workers’ unsafe behaviors has important theoretical and practical significance to improve construction safety performance through better job stress management. In this study, the authors thoroughly reviewed the literature and conducted semi-structured interviews to identify the dimensions of job stress, designed the job stress scale and cited the safety behavior measurement scale. After that, a questionnaire survey was developed using the proposed measurement scale and distributed to the construction employees from a project in Beijing. One hundred fifty responses were collected and analyzed using reliability analysis to validate the scale’s internal consistency. Results from factor analysis indicate that the scales of job stress measurement can be grouped into six dimensions. To demonstrate the applicability of the developed scale on construction safety management research, the collected data was used to test the hypothesis that job stress has a negative correlation with safety behavior. Results show that the hypothesis is valid, and there is a negative correlation between job stress and safety behavior. In addition, finer results of the relationship between the six dimensions of job stress and safety behavior can be obtained. In summary, this study developed an improved stress scale for construction workers in China, and the proposed scale was validated by analyzing the data from an empirical study in Beijing.

https://ift.tt/2qhLR4X

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2408: Using a Virtual Community (the Health Equity Learning Collaboratory) to Support Early-Stage Investigators Pursuing Grant Funding

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2408: Using a Virtual Community (the Health Equity Learning Collaboratory) to Support Early-Stage Investigators Pursuing Grant Funding

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112408

Authors: Meldra Hall Jeffrey Engler Japera Hemming Ernest Alema-Mensah Adriana Baez Kimberly Lawson Alexander Quarshie Jonathan Stiles Priscilla Pemu Winston Thompson Douglas Paulsen Ann Smith Elizabeth Ofili

Junior investigators often have limited access to networks of scientific experts and resources that facilitate competitive grant submissions. Since environments in which scientists are trained are critically important for long-term success, we built and tested a virtual environment for early-stage investigators (ESIs) working on grant proposals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the virtual community’s influence on grant submission patterns among participants from underrepresented groups. As part of a grant writing coaching model, junior investigators were recruited into a professional development program designed to develop competitive grantsmanship skills. Designed by the Research Resources and Outreach Core (RROC) of the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), the Health Equity Learning Collaboratory (EQ-Collaboratory) provided a virtual community for social support, accountability, constructive feedback, and access to peer networks to help investigators overcome barriers to grant submission. This study assessed differences in outcomes for participants who completed the training within the EQ-Collaboratory compared to those who did not. The analyzed data revealed a statistically significant difference in the average time to submission for participants enrolled in the EQ-Collaboratory. EQ-Collaboratory ESIs submitted proposals 148.6 days earlier, (p < 0.0001). The results suggest that a supportive virtual environment can help investigators more quickly overcome barriers to grant submission.

https://ift.tt/2qklsDw

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2406: Space-Time Statistical Insights about Geographic Variation in Lung Cancer Incidence Rates: Florida, USA, 2000–2011

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2406: Space-Time Statistical Insights about Geographic Variation in Lung Cancer Incidence Rates: Florida, USA, 2000–2011

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112406

Authors: Lan Hu Daniel A. Griffith Yongwan Chun

The geographic distribution of lung cancer rates tends to vary across a geographic landscape, and covariates (e.g., smoking rates, demographic factors, socio-economic indicators) commonly are employed in spatial analysis to explain the spatial heterogeneity of these cancer rates. However, such cancer risk factors often are not available, and conventional statistical models are unable to fully capture hidden spatial effects in cancer rates. Introducing random effects in the model specifications can furnish an efficient approach to account for variations that are unexplained due to omitted variables. Especially, a random effects model can be effective for a phenomenon that is static over time. The goal of this paper is to investigate geographic variation in Florida lung cancer incidence data for the time period 2000–2011 using random effects models. In doing so, a Moran eigenvector spatial filtering technique is utilized, which can allow a decomposition of random effects into spatially structured (SSRE) and spatially unstructured (SURE) components. Analysis results confirm that random effects models capture a substantial amount of variation in the cancer data. Furthermore, the results suggest that spatial pattern in the cancer data displays a mixture of positive and negative spatial autocorrelation, although the global map pattern of the random effects term may appear random.

https://ift.tt/2qgMewm

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2407: Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges of the Digital World for Early Childhood Services with Vulnerable Children

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2407: Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges of the Digital World for Early Childhood Services with Vulnerable Children

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112407

Authors: Leona Harris Niki Davis Una Cunningham Lia de Vocht Sonja Macfarlane Nikita Gregory Saili Aukuso Tufulasifa’atafatafa Ova Taleni Jan Dobson

Potentially addictive behaviours supported by the internet and mobile phones raise concerns in education services for early childhood. Although there is evidence that screen media can distract the attention of young children, there was a massive uptake of digital devices by early childhood centres (ECCs). We investigated practices of families (n = 85) and of six ECCs serving vulnerable children in New Zealand, many of whom are emergent bilinguals. Descriptions of the limited and exemplary choice of screen media of the ECCs include digital portfolios containing children’s learning stories in multiple languages illustrated with digital photos. This was facilitated by increasing partnership with the families and the inclusion of their languages in the physical and digital landscapes of the ECCs. However, these families and the ECCs are seeking additional guidance to face the complex challenges of the digital world. These early findings from our national research programme, A Better Start, E Tipu E Rea, already informed significant changes in the ECCs; we also identified the potential for young children to act as agents of change.

https://ift.tt/2JqSeeJ

The contribution of work and lifestyle factors to socioeconomic inequalities in self-rated health ‒ a systematic review

Objective This study aimed to systematically review the literature on the contribution of work and lifestyle factors to socioeconomic inequalities in self-rated health among workers. Methods A search for cross-sectional and longitudinal studies assessing the contribution of work and/or lifestyle factors to socioeconomic inequalities in self-rated health among workers was performed in PubMed, PsycINFO and Web of Science in March 2017. Two independent reviewers performed eligibility and risk of bias assessment. The median change in odds ratio between models without and with adjustment for work or lifestyle factors across studies was calculated to quantify the contribution of work and lifestyle factors to health inequalities. A best-evidence synthesis was performed. Results Of those reviewed, 3 high-quality longitudinal and 17 cross-sectional studies consistently reported work factors to explain part (about one-third) of the socioeconomic health inequalities among workers (grade: strong evidence). Most studies separately investigated physical and psychosocial work factors. In contrast with the 12 cross-sectional studies, 2 longitudinal studies reported no separate contribution of physical workload and physical work environment to health inequalities. Regarding psychosocial work factors, lack of job resources (eg, less autonomy) seemed to contribute to health inequalities, whereas job demands (eg, job overload) might not. Furthermore, 2 longitudinal and 4 cross-sectional studies showed that lifestyle factors explain part (about one-fifth) of the health inequalities (grade: strong evidence). Conclusions The large contribution of work factors to socioeconomic health inequalities emphasizes the need for future longitudinal studies to assess which specific work factors contribute to health inequalities. by Dieker ACM, IJzelenberg W, Proper KI, Burdorf A, Ket JCF, van der Beek AJ, Hulsegge G. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3775

https://ift.tt/2Ps8QZc

Improving the performance of composite floors subjected to post-earthquake fire

Publication date: Available online 30 October 2018

Source: Fire Safety Journal

Author(s): Riza Suwondo, Lee Cunningham, Martin Gillie, Colin Bailey

Abstract

It is well-known that tensile membrane action in concrete floor slabs can enhance the fire resistance of a composite steel frame building. Vertical supports provided by protected beams along the edge of the slab panel play an important role in the development of the tensile membrane actions. The present study investigates the effect of fire insulation delamination on the protected beam, as might occur in an earthquake, on the fire resistance of composite floors subject to fire following an earthquake. The results show that fire insulation delamination considerably reduces the development of tensile membrane action. Based on the results obtained, two methods of improvement are presented to enhance the development of tensile membrane action concurrent with fire insulation delamination. It is found that increasing slab thickness and improving fire protection rating can enhance the fire resistance of the whole building even with fire insulation delamination.

https://ift.tt/2ERDQhh

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2404: HIV Infection-Related Care Outcomes among U.S.-Born and Non-U.S.-Born Blacks with Diagnosed HIV in 40 U.S. Areas: The National HIV Surveillance System, 2016

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2404: HIV Infection-Related Care Outcomes among U.S.-Born and Non-U.S.-Born Blacks with Diagnosed HIV in 40 U.S. Areas: The National HIV Surveillance System, 2016

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112404

Authors: Hanna B. Demeke Anna S. Johnson Hong Zhu Zanetta Gant Wayne A. Duffus Hazel D. Dean

HIV care outcomes must be improved to reduce new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and health disparities. HIV infection-related care outcome measures were examined for U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born black persons aged ≥13 years by using National HIV Surveillance System data from 40 U.S. areas. These measures include late-stage HIV diagnosis, timing of linkage to medical care after HIV diagnosis, retention in care, and viral suppression. Ninety-five percent of non-U.S.-born blacks had been born in Africa or the Caribbean. Compared with U.S.-born blacks, higher percentages of non-U.S.-born blacks with HIV infection diagnosed during 2016 received a late-stage diagnoses (28.3% versus 19.1%) and were linked to care in ≤1 month after HIV infection diagnosis (76.8% versus 71.3%). Among persons with HIV diagnosed in 2014 and who were alive at year-end 2015, a higher percentage of non-U.S.-born blacks were retained in care (67.8% versus 61.1%) and achieved viral suppression (68.7% versus 57.8%). Care outcomes varied between African- and Caribbean-born blacks. Non-U.S.-born blacks achieved higher care outcomes than U.S.-born blacks, despite delayed entry to care. Possible explanations include a late-stage presentation that requires immediate linkage and optimal treatment and care provided through government-funded programs.

https://ift.tt/2Of2zv9

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2405: Air Pollution, Noise, Blue Space, and Green Space and Premature Mortality in Barcelona: A Mega Cohort

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2405: Air Pollution, Noise, Blue Space, and Green Space and Premature Mortality in Barcelona: A Mega Cohort

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112405

Authors: Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen Mireia Gascon David Martinez Anna Ponjoan Jordi Blanch Maria del Mar Garcia-Gil Rafel Ramos Maria Foraster Natalie Mueller Ana Espinosa Marta Cirach Haneen Khreis Payam Dadvand Xavier Basagaña

Introduction: Cities often experience high air pollution and noise levels and lack of natural outdoor environments, which may be detrimental to health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of air pollution, noise, and blue and green space on premature all-cause mortality in Barcelona using a mega cohort approach. Methods: Both men and women of 18 years and above registered on 1 January 2010 by the Sistema d’Informació pel Desenvolupament de la Investigació en Atenció Primària (SIDIAP) and living in the city of Barcelona were included in the cohort and followed up until 31 December 2014 or until death (n = 2,939,067 person years). The exposure assessment was conducted at the census tract level (n = 1061). We assigned exposure to long term ambient levels of nitrogen dioxides (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5), between 2.5 µm and 10 µm (PM2.5–10, i.e., coarse particulate matter), less than 10 µm (PM10) and PM2.5 light absorption (hereafter referred to as PM2.5 absorbance) based on land use regressions models. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was assigned based on remote sensing data, percentage green space and blue space were calculated based on land use maps and modelled road traffic noise was available through the strategic noise map for Barcelona. Results: In this large prospective study (n = 792,649) in an urban area, we found a decreased risk of all-cause mortality with an increase in green space measured as NDVI (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.92, 95% CI 0.89–0.97 per 0.1) and increased risks of mortality with an increase in exposure to blue space (HR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.06 per 1%), NO2 (HR = 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.02 per 5 ug/m3) but no risk with noise (HR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.98–1.02 per 5 dB(A)). The increased risks appeared to be more pronounced in the more deprived areas. Results for NDVI, and to a lesser extent NO2, remained most consistent after mutual adjustment for other exposures. The NDVI estimate was a little attenuated when NO2 was included in the model. The study had some limitations including e.g., the assessment of air pollution, noise, green space and socioeconomic status (SES) on census tract level rather than individual level and residual confounding. Conclusion: This large study provides new insights on the relationship between green and blue space, noise and air pollution and premature all-cause mortality.

https://ift.tt/2yGoiXV

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2403: Smartphone Applications for Encouraging Asthma Self-Management in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2403: Smartphone Applications for Encouraging Asthma Self-Management in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112403

Authors: Alaa Alquran Katrina A. Lambert Ambereen Farouque Anne Holland Janet Davies Edwin R. Lampugnani Bircan Erbas

Adolescent asthma is still a major problem with poor adherence to treatment. Globally, adolescents are devoted users of smartphone technologies and app use in asthma self-management may improve adherence. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the feasibility and efficacy of mobile technology in improving asthma outcomes in adolescents. We conducted an extensive review of the peer-review literature of studies with populations consisting of children and adolescents under 18 years in seven bibliographic databases and Google Scholar. All study designs were considered. Quality assessment of included studies were independently assessed and reported. The search identified 291 articles; of the 16 eligible full-text papers, 8 met the review criteria, reporting two interventional, two qualitative and four observational studies. Samples ranged from 12 to 21 participants. Heterogeneity related to study design and the methods of the included studies prevented meta-analysis. Nevertheless, the intervention studies reported a positive effect of smartphone apps on asthma control, medication adherence and self-efficacy. Smartphone apps may be an effective asthma control tool especially among adolescents who are major users of smartphones; however, conclusions are limited by a lack of controlled trials and adequate sample sizes.

https://ift.tt/2CNulwN

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2402: Understanding Weather and Hospital Admissions Patterns to Inform Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in the Healthcare Sector in Uganda

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2402: Understanding Weather and Hospital Admissions Patterns to Inform Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in the Healthcare Sector in Uganda

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112402

Authors: Katherine E. Bishop-Williams Lea Berrang-Ford Jan M. Sargeant David L. Pearl Shuaib Lwasa Didacus Bambaiha Namanya Victoria L. Edge Ashlee Cunsolo IHACC Research Team IHACC Research Team Bwindi Community Hospital Bwindi Community Hospital Yi Huang James Ford Patricia Garcia Sherilee L. Harper

Background: Season and weather are associated with many health outcomes, which can influence hospital admission rates. We examined associations between hospital admissions (all diagnoses) and local meteorological parameters in Southwestern Uganda, with the aim of supporting hospital planning and preparedness in the context of climate change. Methods: Hospital admissions data and meteorological data were collected from Bwindi Community Hospital and a satellite database of weather conditions, respectively (2011 to 2014). Descriptive statistics were used to describe admission patterns. A mixed-effects Poisson regression model was fitted to investigate associations between hospital admissions and season, precipitation, and temperature. Results: Admission counts were highest for acute respiratory infections, malaria, and acute gastrointestinal illness, which are climate-sensitive diseases. Hospital admissions were 1.16 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.31; p = 0.008) times higher during extreme high temperatures (i.e., >95th percentile) on the day of admission. Hospital admissions association with season depended on year; admissions were higher in the dry season than the rainy season every year, except for 2014. Discussion: Effective adaptation strategy characteristics include being low-cost and quick and practical to implement at local scales. Herein, we illustrate how analyzing hospital data alongside meteorological parameters may inform climate-health planning in low-resource contexts.

https://ift.tt/2qdn1mK

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2401: Heavy Metal and Metalloid Contamination Assessments of Soil around an Abandoned Uranium Tailings Pond and the Contaminations’ Spatial Distribution and Variability

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2401: Heavy Metal and Metalloid Contamination Assessments of Soil around an Abandoned Uranium Tailings Pond and the Contaminations’ Spatial Distribution and Variability

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112401

Authors: Wei-hong Wang Xue-gang Luo Zhe Wang Yu Zeng Feng-qiang Wu Zhong-xiang Li

To investigate the heavy metal and metalloid contamination of soil around a Huanan uranium tailings pond, abandoned in 1998, we defined a study area of 41.25 km2 by a natural boundary and targeted 5 elements’ (U, Mn, As, Pb, Cr) single contamination and comprehensive pollution as the assessment contents. First, we collected 205 samples and evaluated them with the contamination factor (CF) method aiming at judging whether the single target element concentration exceeded the local background value and environmental quality standard. We obtained CF1 (the background value of a certain target element as the baseline value) and CF2 (the environmental quality standard for soils as the baseline value). Second, we evaluated the ecological risk of the key pollutant U with the risk assessment code (RAC) method, taking the 27 samples whose CF2 > 1 as examples and concluded that the environmental risk of U was relatively high and should arouse concern. Third, we selected comprehensive pollution index (CPI) to assess the compound pollution degree of five target elements. Fourth, we constructed the U contamination and CPI’s continuous distribution maps with spatial interpolation, from which we worked out the sizes and positions of slightly, moderately and strongly polluted zones. Finally, we analyzed the spatial variability of U and CPI with the aid of a geostatistical variogram. We deduced that the spatial variation of uranium was in close relationship with local topography, and probably precipitation was the driving force of U contamination diffusion, whereas CPI exhibited weak spatial dependence with random characteristics. The above work showed that 3.14 km2 soil near the pond was fairly seriously polluted, and the other 4 elements’ single contaminations were less serious, but the 5 target elements’ cumulative pollution could not be ignored; there were other potential pollution sources besides the uranium tailings pond. Some emergency measures should be taken to treat U pollution, and bioremediation is recommended, taking account into U’s high bioavailability. Further, special alerts should be implemented to identify the other pollution sources.

https://ift.tt/2zdtouf

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2400: WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Quality of Life, Wellbeing and Mental Health

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2400: WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Quality of Life, Wellbeing and Mental Health

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112400

Authors: Charlotte Clark Katarina Paunovic

This systematic review assesses the quality of the evidence across studies on the effect of environmental noise (road traffic noise, aircraft noise, railway noise, wind-turbine noise) on quality of life, wellbeing and mental health. Quantitative studies of noise effects on children and adults published from January 2005 up to October 2015 were reviewed. A total of 29 papers were identified. 90% of the papers were of cross-sectional design, with fewer studies of longitudinal or intervention design. Outcomes included depression and anxiety, medication use and childhood emotional problems. The quality of the evidence across the studies for each individual noise source was assessed using an adaptation of the GRADE methodology. Overall, given the predominance of cross-sectional studies, most evidence was rated as very low quality, with evidence of effects only being observed for some noise sources and outcomes. These ratings reflect inconsistent findings across studies, the small number of studies and a lack of methodological robustness within some domains. Overall, there are few studies of clinically significant mental health outcomes; few studies of railway noise exposure; and studies of large samples are needed. The lack of evidence for noise effects across studies for many of the quality of life, wellbeing and mental health domains examined does not necessarily mean that there are no effects: rather, that they have not yet been studied robustly for different noise sources.

https://ift.tt/2JnFW6X

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2395: Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification of 2-Ethylhexyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoate in Aquatic Animals

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2395: Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification of 2-Ethylhexyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoate in Aquatic Animals

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112395

Authors: Guanghua Lu Ranran Zhou Sheng Li Tianjian Dang Jianchao Liu

2-Ethylhexyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoate (EHDAB) is a commonly used organic ultraviolet filter. The bioaccumulation and biomagnification of EHDAB were investigated in two aquatic animals, the larvae of midge (Chironomus riparius) and crucian carp (Carassius carassius), and the metabolic enzyme responses in fish liver were determined. EHDAB in the larvae of midge reached a steady state within 10 days of sediment exposure. The biota-sediment accumulation factors ranged from 0.10 to 0.54, and were inversely proportional to the exposure concentrations. The EHDAB-contaminated larvae were used to feed the crucian carp. Within 28 days of feeding exposure, the EHDAB levels in fish tissues gradually increased with the increase of the exposure concentration, exhibiting an apparent concentration-dependence and time-dependence. The liver and kidneys were the main organs of accumulation, and the biomagnification factors of EHDAB ranged from 8.97 to 11.0 and 6.44 to 10.8, respectively. In addition, EHDAB significantly increased the activities of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A, CYP3A and glutathione S-transferase in the fish liver. Our results indicate that EHDAB may pose a risk of biomagnification in an aquatic environment and influence the biological processes of exposed organisms.

https://ift.tt/2zem4OY

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2398: Earthworms, Rice Straw, and Plant Interactions Change the Organic Connections in Soil and Promote the Decontamination of Cadmium in Soil

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2398: Earthworms, Rice Straw, and Plant Interactions Change the Organic Connections in Soil and Promote the Decontamination of Cadmium in Soil

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112398

Authors: Ali Mohamed Elyamine Mohamed G. Moussa Marwa A. Ismael Jia Wei Yuanyuan Zhao Yupeng Wu Chengxiao Hu

The joint effects of earthworms and crop straw on toxic metal speciation are not clear, and very limited information is available regarding the effects of their interaction on Cd mobility in Cd contaminated soil or in remediation processes involving plants. This study evaluated their impacts on Cd mobile form changes in soil and their effects on Cd uptake by plants. Treatments included both planted and unplanted-Cd-contaminated soil with or without rice straw and/or earthworms. The results revealed that earthworms, rice straw, and plant interactions change the Cd mobile forms in soil. The order of Cd concentration of different chemical forms was as follows: exchangeable > residual > bound to Fe-Mn oxide > bound to organic matter for earthworms, and exchangeable > bound to organic matter > residual > bound to Fe-Mn oxide for rice straw treatment, with a recovery rate of 96 ± 3%. The accumulation of Cd in plants increased in the presence of earthworms and decreased in the presence of rice straw. FT-IR spectra indicated that the degradation of rice straw increases C–O, C–O–H, C–H, and O–H functional groups which could complex with Cd ions. These findings highlighted that earthworms’ activities and crop straw can modify soil properties and structure and promote the remediation of heavy metal. This study suggests that the ecological context of remediation instead of being limiting on soil-earthworms-plant interaction, should integrate the natural resources forsaken which can provide a positive influence on both plant health and the remediation of heavy metal in contaminated soil.

https://ift.tt/2SsYDKw

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2399: Air Quality and Health

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2399: Air Quality and Health

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112399

Authors: Giorgio Buonanno Otto Hänninen

In the Editorial “Air pollution and health” that appeared in Environ. [...]

https://ift.tt/2zeUFwf

Systematic literature review on the effects of occupational safety and health (OSH) interventions at the workplace

Objectives The aim of this review was to assess the evidence that occupational safety and health (OSH) legislative and regulatory policy could improve the working environment in terms of reduced levels of industrial injuries and fatalities, musculoskeletal disorders, worker complaints, sick leave and adverse occupational exposures. Methods A systematic literature review covering the years 1966‒2017 (February) was undertaken to capture both published and gray literature studies of OSH work environment interventions with quantitative measures of intervention effects. Studies that met specified in- and exclusion criteria went through an assessment of methodological quality. Included studies were grouped into five thematic domains: (i) introduction of OHS legislation, (ii) inspection/enforcement activity, (iii) training, such as improving knowledge, (iv), campaigns, and (v) introduction of technical device, such as mechanical lifting aids. The evidence synthesis was based on meta-analysis and a modified Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Results The search for peer-reviewed literature identified 14 743 journal articles of which 45 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were eligible for meta-analysis. We identified 5181 articles and reports in the gray literature, of which 16 were evaluated qualitatively. There was moderately strong evidence for improvement by OHS legislation and inspections with respect to injuries and compliance. Conclusions This review indicates that legislative and regulatory policy may reduce injuries and fatalities and improve compliance with OHS regulation. A major research gap was identified with respect to the effects of OSH regulation targeting psychological and musculoskeletal disorders. by Andersen JH, Malmros P, Ebbehoej NE, Flachs EM, Bengtsen E, Bonde JP. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3778

https://ift.tt/2qfgXtJ

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2396: Seroreactivity and Risk Factors Associated with Human Brucellosis among Cattle Slaughterhouse Workers in South Korea

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2396: Seroreactivity and Risk Factors Associated with Human Brucellosis among Cattle Slaughterhouse Workers in South Korea

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112396

Authors: Dilaram Acharya Seon Do Hwang Ji-Hyuk Park

The prevalence rate of human brucellosis in high-risk populations, as well as their risk factors, have not been well understood in South Korea. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the seroreactivity and risk factors associated with human brucellosis among South Korean cattle slaughterhouse workers. We enrolled 922 subjects working in 71 slaughterhouses across the country in 2012. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from the subjects, following which blood samples were collected and tested using the microagglutination test; serum titers ≥ 1:20 were considered reactive. Independent risk factors were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis with backward elimination. Overall, 62 of 922 participants (6.7%) exhibited seroreactivity for brucellosis, and 0.4% had a seroprevalence at a dilution of 1:160. Multivariate analysis revealed that the risk factors for human brucellosis seroreactivity included large-scale slaughtering (≥100 cattle per day; odds ratio (OR), 5.41; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.95–9.91) and medium-scale slaughtering (50–99 cattle per day; OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.16–5.51). Moreover, the risk of brucellosis infection was significantly lower among slaughterhouse workers who always wear protective glasses (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.11–0.69) than in those who sometimes or rarely wore such glasses. Regular and consistent use of personal protective equipment, especially protective glasses, should be encouraged among cattle slaughterhouse workers to reduce brucellosis infection.

https://ift.tt/2DbyLi9

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2397: Street Dust—Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Saudi Coastal City: Status, Profile, Sources, and Human Health Risk Assessment

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2397: Street Dust—Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Saudi Coastal City: Status, Profile, Sources, and Human Health Risk Assessment

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112397

Authors: Ibrahim I. Shabbaj Mansour A. Alghamdi Mamdouh I. Khoder

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in street dust pose a serious problem threatening both the environment and human health. Street dust samples were collected from five different land use patterns (traffic areas TRA, urban area URA, residential areas REA, mixed residential commercial areas MCRA and suburban areas SUA) in Jeddah, a Saudi coastal city, and one in in Hada Al Sham, a rural area (RUA). This study aimed to investigate the status, profile, sources of PAHs and estimate their human health risk. The results revealed an average concentration of total PAHs of 3320 ng/g in street dust of Jeddah and 223 ng/g in RUA dust. PAHs with high molecular weight represented 83.38% of total PAHs in street dust of Jeddah, while the carcinogenic PAH compounds accounted 57.84%. The highest average concentration of total PAHs in street dust of Jeddah was found in TRA (4980 ng/g) and the lowest in REA (1660 ng/g). PAHs ratios indicated that the principal source of PAHs in street dust of Jeddah is pyrogenic, mainly traffic emission. Benzo(a)anthracene/chrysene (BaA/CHR) ratio suggests that PAHs in street dusts of Jeddah come mainly from emission of local sources, while PAHs in RUA might be transported from the surrounding urban areas. The estimated Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) associated with exposure to PAHs in street dusts indicated that both dermal contact and ingestion pathways are major contributed to cancer risk for both children and adults. Based on BaPequivalence concentrations of total PAHs, ILCRIngestion, ILCRdermal and cancer risk values for children and adults exposed to PAHs in street dust of different areas in Jeddah were found between 10−6 and 10−4, indicating potential risk. The sequence of cancer risk was TRA > URA > MCRA > SUA > REA. Only exposure to BaP and DBA compounds had potential risk for both children and adults.

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IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2394: Effects of Food-Additive-Information on Consumers’ Willingness to Accept Food with Additives

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2394: Effects of Food-Additive-Information on Consumers’ Willingness to Accept Food with Additives

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112394

Authors: Yingqi Zhong Linhai Wu Xiujuan Chen Zuhui Huang Wuyang Hu

This study tested whether information on positive food additives and negative food additives had an effect on consumers’ risk perception and their willingness to accept (WTA) food with additives. Consumers’ WTA was examined via a random nth-price auction of exchanging freshly squeezed orange juice without additives for orange juice with additives. Results show that consumers’ WTA differs with the order in which information was provided. Consumers are generally more sensitive to negative than positive information on additives. Female, middle-educated consumers are more susceptible to additive information and their WTA is more likely to change, while postgraduate-educated consumers are less sensitive to additive information. Consumers with higher food-safety satisfaction have lower WTA than those who are not satisfied with food safety. However, their satisfaction is easily affected by the negative-information intervention. Interestingly, consumers with relatively good knowledge of additives had higher WTA than those with no such knowledge. This study provides insight on how to establish effective food-safety-risk communication. Government and non-government agencies need to timely and accurately eliminate food-safety scares through the daily communication and disclosure of food-safety information, as well as prevent the misguidance of negative food safety-risk information.

https://ift.tt/2Oc8LnV

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2393: Understanding Health Promotion Policy Processes: A Study of the Government Adoption of the Achievement Program in Victoria, Australia

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2393: Understanding Health Promotion Policy Processes: A Study of the Government Adoption of the Achievement Program in Victoria, Australia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112393

Authors: Brydie Clarke Boyd Swinburn Gary Sacks

Despite the growing health and economic burden associated with overweight and obesity, preventive policy progress has been deficient globally. This study investigated the policy process involved in the adoption of the Achievement Program, a settings-based health promotion intervention that was a key pillar of the Healthy Together Victoria obesity prevention initiative. The qualitative study utilised multiple theories of the policy process, as well as Causal Loop Diagramming (CLD) methods, to understand the policy systems underlying the decision to adopt the Achievement Program. Factors that impacted this obesity prevention policy adoption included problem prioritisation at Federal and state government levels; political risks regarding policy action and inaction, and framing used by policy advocates to reduce risks and highlight the opportunities related to the Achievement Program policy implementation. The use of CLD methods was advantageous to further conceptualise potential leverage points and effective ways to influence obesity prevention policy in future. As such, the findings contribute to the obesity prevention policy evidence base and toward developing a number of recommended actions for policy actors seeking to increase future policy action.

https://ift.tt/2z9A50y

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2391: Rationale, Design and Methods of “Set the Rules”: A Tailored Peer-to-Peer Health Information Intervention

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2391: Rationale, Design and Methods of “Set the Rules”: A Tailored Peer-to-Peer Health Information Intervention

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112391

Authors: Jennifer R. Warren Brandi M. White

Ensuring equitable access to health information is one strategy to promote health equity for underserved communities, especially for low-income African Americans (AAs). Childcare centers are one viable site to deliver health information to address this disparity. This paper describes the methods used in a community-based participatory research project with a childcare facility that aimed to reduce environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure among low-income AA children. Through collaboration and multiple data collection methods, partners identified communication strategies to overcome informational barriers. These initial findings indicated a peer-to-peer health information intervention, entitled “Set the Rules”, as the best strategy to increase awareness. The goal of the intervention was to build knowledge in reducing the harms of ETS exposure. Twelve community members were trained as parent leaders for the “Set the Rules” workshops and conducted workshops with parents. Even though there were barriers interfacing with all centers, parents that attended the workshop (n = 32) found the peer-to-peer intervention novel and quite helpful and will share the information learned with others. This intervention suggests that a childcare setting is a relevant space to increase access to health information to optimize child health outcomes. More research is necessary to determine if this intervention has salience in other childcare settings and across racial/ethnic groups.

https://ift.tt/2qdXda1

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2392: Associations between Positive Health-Related Effects and Soundscapes Perceptual Constructs: A Systematic Review

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2392: Associations between Positive Health-Related Effects and Soundscapes Perceptual Constructs: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112392

Authors: Francesco Aletta Tin Oberman Jian Kang

In policy-making and research alike, environmental sounds are often considered only as psychophysical stressors, leading to adverse health effects. The soundscape approach, on the other hand, aims to extend the scope of sound-related research to consider sounds as resources, promoting healthy and supportive environments. The ISO 12913-1 standard defined soundscapes as acoustic environments “as perceived by people, in context.” The aim of this study was assessing associations between positive soundscapes (e.g., pleasant, calm, less annoying) and positive health-related effects (e.g., increased restoration, reduced stress-inducing mechanisms, etc.). Studies collecting data about individual responses to urban acoustic environments, and individual responses on psychophysical well-being were selected, looking at cases where positive effects were observed. The Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed databases were searched for peer-reviewed journal papers published in English between 1 January 1991 and 31 May 2018, with combinations of the keywords “soundscape” and at least one among “health”, “well-being” or “quality of life.” An additional manual search was performed on the reference lists of the retrieved items. Inclusion criteria were: (1) including at least one measure of soundscape dimensions as per the ISO 12913-1 definition; (2) including at least one health-related measure (either physiological or psychological); (3) observing/discussing a “positive” effect of the soundscape on the health-related outcome. The search returned 130 results; after removing duplicates, two authors screened titles and abstracts and selected 19 papers for further analysis. Seven studies were eventually included, with 2783 participants in total. Each study included at least a valence-related soundscape measure. Regarding the health-related measures, four studies included physiological monitoring and the remaining three included self-reported psychological measures. Positive soundscapes were associated with faster stress-recovery processes in laboratory experiments, and better self-reported health conditions in large-scale surveys. Due to the limited number of items and differences in measures across studies, no statistical analysis was performed, and a qualitative approach to data synthesis was sought. Results support the claim that, in contrast with looking at noise only as an environmental stressor, sound perception can act as an enhancer of the human experience in the urban realm, from a health-related point of view.

https://ift.tt/2Q1NZZH

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2390: Estimation of the Fe and Cu Contents of the Surface Water in the Ebinur Lake Basin Based on LIBS and a Machine Learning Algorithm

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2390: Estimation of the Fe and Cu Contents of the Surface Water in the Ebinur Lake Basin Based on LIBS and a Machine Learning Algorithm

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112390

Authors: Zhang Zhang Kung Shi Yushanjiang Zhu

Traditional technology for detecting heavy metals in water is time consuming and difficult and thus is not suitable for quantitative detection of large samples. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) can identify multi-state (such as solid, liquid, and gas) substances simultaneously, rapidly and remotely. In this study, water samples were collected from the Ebinur Lake Basin. The water samples were subjected to LIBS to extract the characteristic peaks of iron (Fe) and copper (Cu). Most of the quantitative analysis of LIBS rarely models and estimates the heavy metal contents in natural environments and cannot quickly determine the heavy metals in field water samples. This study creatively uses the Fe and Cu contents in water samples and the characteristics of their spectral curves in LIBS for regression modelling analysis and estimates their contents in an unknown water body by using LIBS technology and a machine learning algorithm, thus improving the detection rate. The results are as follows: (1) The Cu content of the Ebinur Lake Basin is generally higher than the Fe content, the highest Fe and Cu contents found within the basin are in the Ebinur Lake watershed, and the lowest are in the Jing River. (2) A number of peaks from each sample were found of the LIBS curve. The characteristic analysis lines of Fe and Cu were finally determined according to the intensities of the Fe and Cu characteristic lines, transition probabilities and high signal-to-background ratio (S/B). Their wavelengths were 396.3 and 324.7 nm, respectively. (3) The relative percent deviation (RPD) of the Fe content back-propagation (BP) network estimation model is 0.23, and the prediction ability is poor, so it is impossible to accurately predict the Fe content of samples. In the estimation model of BP network of Cu, the coefficient of determination (R2) is 0.8, the root mean squared error (RMSE) is 0.1, and the RPD is 1.79. This result indicates that the BP estimation model of Cu content has good accuracy and strong predictive ability and can accurately predict the Cu content in a sample. In summary, estimation based on LIBS improved the accuracy and efficiency of Fe and Cu content detection in water and provided new ideas and methods for the accurate estimation of Fe and Cu contents in water.

https://ift.tt/2z91u2u

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2389: Traditional Bullying, Cyberbullying and Mental Health in Early Adolescents: Forgiveness as a Protective Factor of Peer Victimisation

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2389: Traditional Bullying, Cyberbullying and Mental Health in Early Adolescents: Forgiveness as a Protective Factor of Peer Victimisation

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112389

Authors: Cirenia Quintana-Orts Lourdes Rey

Traditional and online bullying are prevalent throughout adolescence. Given their negative consequences, it is necessary to seek protective factors to reduce or even prevent their detrimental effects in the mental health of adolescents before they become chronic. Previous studies have demonstrated the protective role of forgiveness in mental health after several transgressions. This study assessed whether forgiveness moderated the effects of bullying victimisation and cybervictimisation on mental health in a sample of 1044 early adolescents (527 females; M = 13.09 years; SD = 0.77). Participants completed a questionnaire battery that measures both forms of bullying victimisation, suicidal thoughts and behaviours, satisfaction with life, and forgiveness. Consistent with a growing body of research, results reveal that forgiveness is a protective factor against the detrimental effects of both forms of bullying. Among more victimised and cybervictimised adolescents, those with high levels of forgiveness were found to report significantly higher levels of satisfaction compared to those with low levels of forgiveness. Likewise, those reporting traditional victimisation and higher levels of forgiveness levels showed lower levels of suicidal risk. Our findings contribute to an emerging relationship between forgiveness after bullying and indicators of mental health, providing new areas for research and intervention.

https://ift.tt/2Jlt7dA

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2388: The Status of Cardiovascular Health in Rural and Urban Areas of Janów Lubelski District in Eastern Poland: A Population-Based Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2388: The Status of Cardiovascular Health in Rural and Urban Areas of Janów Lubelski District in Eastern Poland: A Population-Based Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112388

Authors: Grzegorz Józef Nowicki Barbara Ślusarska Honorata Piasecka Agnieszka Bartoszek Katarzyna Kocka Alina Deluga

Ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) has been defined by the American Heart Association as the lack of cardiovascular disease and the presence of seven key factors and health behaviors. In this study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of ideal and poor CVH among the Polish adult population based on the example of the inhabitants of Janów district in Lubelskie Voivodship, taking the chosen socio-demographic factors into consideration. This is a cross-sectional study conducted among 3901 adults without cardiovascular diseases, aged between 35 and 64 years. Participants completed a questionnaire, and they had anthropometric and physiological measurements taken. Blood samples were analyzed for fasting glucose and cholesterol levels. Ideal CVH was found in 5.4% of the participants, with the advantage of being toward city dwellers over those living in the rural areas (6.3% vs. 5.0%) p = 0.02. In the case of the residents of rural areas, their likelihood of having an ideal body mass index (BMI) was found to be 22% lower (odds ratio (OR) = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.66–0.92), their likelihood of having an ideal diet was found to be 27% lower (OR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.54–0.94), their likelihood of having perfect blood pressure was found to be 29% lower (OR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.56–0.89), and their likelihood of having the perfect glucose levels was found to be 28% lower (OR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.63–0.84), than the residents of urban areas. The prevalence of ideal cardiovascular behaviors and factors is lower in the rural community compared with people living in the city. Results indicate that more effort should be dedicated toward the country’s health policy, specifically concerning primary prevention. Preventive actions in the field of cardiovascular disease should be addressed to the residents of rural areas to a larger extent.

https://ift.tt/2PoMSGu

Epicardial anthracosis in a patient undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery

American Journal of Industrial Medicine, EarlyView.


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IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2386: Media Exposure and General Trust as Predictors of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Ten Years after the 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake in China

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2386: Media Exposure and General Trust as Predictors of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Ten Years after the 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake in China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112386

Authors: Lingnan He Kaisheng Lai Zhongxuan Lin Zhihao Ma

There is a paucity of literature on the roles of media exposure, general trust, and their interactions in long-term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after a natural disaster. Trying to address this knowledge gap, our study aimed to (a) investigate whether exposure to media coverage during the traumatic event and general trust directly affected adult survivors’ long-term PTSD symptoms 10 years after the 5.12 Wenchuan earthquake, and (b) to identify the potential differential pattern of the influence of media exposure on PTSD symptoms for adult survivors with various levels of general trust. Using cross-sectional methodology, we surveyed participants (N = 1000) recruited from six disaster-affected counties. We assessed PTSD symptoms, media exposure, general trust, demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, and earthquake exposure. Data were analyzed descriptively and with Tobit regression analyses. Reversed relationships between general trust and PTSD were verified, whereas no direct links were found between media exposure and PTSD. Interaction tests revealed that media exposure alleviated PTSD for high-trust survivors, but aggravated PTSD for low-trust survivors. These results suggest that general trust building should be considered in post-disaster construction activities.

https://ift.tt/2z7tG5Y

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2387: Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions towards Vitamin D in a UK Adult Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2387: Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions towards Vitamin D in a UK Adult Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112387

Authors: Clodagh O’Connor Dominique Glatt Lois White Raquel Revuelta Iniesta

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the United Kingdom is high, despite updated Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) guidelines. Therefore, our aims were to identify population knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of vitamin D supplementation and factors contributing to supplement use in a UK adult population. A cross-sectional study was performed between April–June 2018 using a newly designed piloted questionnaire. Scores for knowledge were calculated as a percentage (Boland et al. 2015). Logistic regression analysis was used to predict supplement use. 209 participants (82% female), mean (±SD) age 34.9 (±12.3) completed the questionnaire. The mean (±SD) vitamin D knowledge score was 56.6% (±19.9%); only 48% were concerned about their vitamin D concentration and 57% did not take vitamin D. Most participants (86%) wished to learn more about vitamin D. Knowledge score (OR 2.5; p = 0.01; 95% CI 1.2–5.3), concern (OR 2.1; p = 0.03; 95% CI 1.0–4.2) and location (OR 0.3; p = 0.006; 95% CI 0.1–0.7) predicted supplemented use. Individuals living in England had 2.9 (95% CI 1.4–6.3) lower odds of taking vitamin D than those living in Scotland. As a result of these findings, this study suggests that vitamin D supplementation and fortification, alongside education strategies, may be an effective method for improving UK vitamin D health; however, more research is warranted.

https://ift.tt/2SqABjg

What do employers spend to protect the health of workers?

Objective This study aimed to estimate firm-level expenditures on occupational health and safety (OHS) for a representative sample of Canadian employers. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 334 employers with ≥20 employees in 18 economic sectors in the Ontario economy. Participants provided information on five dimensions of OHS expenditures: (i) organizational management and supervision; (ii) staff training in health and safety; (iii) personal protective equipment; (iv) professional services and, (v) estimates of the share of new capital investment that could be attributed to improved OHS performance. Expenditures for each of the five dimensions were summed for each organization and divided by the number of employees, resulting in an estimate of OHS expenditure per employee per year. Results The average OHS expenditure per worker per year was Can$1303 [95% confidence interval (CI) Can$1167–1454]. Expenditures were three times higher in the goods-producing sectors (Can$2417, 95% CI Can$2026–2809) relative to the service sectors (Can$847, 95% CI Can$777–915). The proportion of expenditures allocated to each of the five dimensions was generally consistent across economic sectors: 58% to organizational management and supervision, 22% to staff training in health and safety and 14% to personal protective equipment. On average, by Mustard C, Tompa E, Landsman V, Lay M. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3782

https://ift.tt/2AuuXWF

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2383: Spatial Analysis of Socio-Economic and Demographic Factors Associated with Contraceptive Use among Women of Childbearing Age in Rwanda

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2383: Spatial Analysis of Socio-Economic and Demographic Factors Associated with Contraceptive Use among Women of Childbearing Age in Rwanda

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112383

Authors: Faustin Habyarimana Shaun Ramroop

Contraceptive use is considered as essential for protecting women’s health and rights, influencing fertility and population growth, and helping to promote economic development. The main objective of this study was to analysis the factors and spatial correlates of contraceptive use among women of childbearing age. The 2015 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) data were used to identify the factors associated with contraceptive use in Rwanda. A Bayesian geo-additive model was used in order to account for fixed effects, nonlinear effects, spatial and random effects inherent in the data. The overall prevalence of use of any contraceptive method among married women of childbearing age in Rwanda was 52.7%. A woman’s age, wealth quintile, level of education, working status, number of living children, and exposure to the media was found to increase contraceptive use. The findings from the study also found disparities in contraceptive use at provincial and district level, where prevalence was higher in districts of Northern provinces and lower in districts of western provinces. The findings of this study suggest that exposure to information on contraceptive use in health centres, empowerment of women to access quality contraceptive-use services and religions to play an important role in explaining and informing their adherents on the importance of using a contraceptive method.

https://ift.tt/2Q0Bn56

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2384: Phenanthrene Mitigates Cadmium Toxicity in Earthworms Eisenia fetida (Epigeic Specie) and Aporrectodea caliginosa (Endogeic Specie) in Soil

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2384: Phenanthrene Mitigates Cadmium Toxicity in Earthworms Eisenia fetida (Epigeic Specie) and Aporrectodea caliginosa (Endogeic Specie) in Soil

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112384

Authors: Ali Mohamed Elyamine Javaria Afzal Muhammad Shoaib Rana Muhammad Imran Miaomiao Cai Chengxiao Hu

In classical toxicology studies, the interaction of combined doses of chemicals with dissimilar modes of toxic action in soil is complex and depending on the end point investigated and the experimental protocol employed. This study was used to examine the interactive effect of phenanthrene and Cadmium on two ecologically different species of earthworms; Eisenia. fetida and Aporrectodea. caliginosa. This interactive effect was scrutinized by using the acute toxicity test with the concentrations of 2.51 mg kg−1 and 3.74 mg kg−1, respectively, being lethal for 50% of E. fetida and A. caliginosa. The results showed that in the mixture treatment, phenanthrene at 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg kg−1 significantly mitigated both earthworms species mortality and body-mass loss. Moreover, the factor of Cd accumulated in E. fetida and A. caliginosa tissues was significantly decreased by about 12% and 16%, respectively. Linear regression correlation coefficient revealed that the reduction of both earthworm species mortality was negatively and significantly correlated (r2 = 0.98 ± 0.40 and 1 ± 3.9 p < 0.001) with phenanthrene concentration in soil. However, over 20 mg kg−1 of phenanthrene, both organisms mortality rate increased again, as was the Bioaccumulation factor of phenanthrene. Thus, this study proposes that the antagonistical effect of phenanthrene on Cd at a degree of concentration can be used to mitigate Cd effect on soil living organisms. However, as an implication of these results, the interpretation of standardized toxicity bioassays, including whole effluent toxicity tests and single-compound toxicity tests, should be performed with caution. In addition, risk assessment protocols for environment pollution by a mixture of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons should include robust methods that can detect possible interactive effects between contaminants to optimize environmental protection.

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