IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1393: Distribution of Chemical Species in the Water-Soil-Plant (Carya illinoiensis) System near a Mineralization Area in Chihuahua, Mexico—Health Risk Implications

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1393: Distribution of Chemical Species in the Water-Soil-Plant (Carya illinoiensis) System near a Mineralization Area in Chihuahua, Mexico—Health Risk Implications

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15071393

Authors: Angélica Cervantes-Trejo Carmelo Pinedo-Álvarez Eduardo Santellano-Estrada Leonor Cortes-Palacios Marusia Rentería-Villalobos

The aim of this study was to quantify major and trace elements in the water, soil, and plants (Carya illionensis) in an agricultural area; and to determine the health risks associated with the walnuts ingestion by calculating the risk quotient. Samples of water, soil, tree leaves, and walnuts were collected; in total, 135 samples were analyzed. Physicochemical parameters were obtained in irrigation water and soil samples. Elemental measurements were performed in an ICP, -OES and -MS. In addition, the distribution coefficient (soil–water), transfer factor (soil–plant), and hazard quotient were evaluated. In the irrigation water, As, Cr, and Pb, showed concentrations above the maximum allowable limits. Likewise, high concentrations of As, Cr, Pb, and Sb were found in tree leave samples, indicating a possible tendency of hyperaccumulation of those elements. Furthermore, Cr concentrations in walnuts were high by far than the reference value (FAO/WHO). A possible competition between chemical congeners were detected from transfer factors. Although, Sb concentrations in walnuts were also high, and no legislation for it in fruits exists. The hazard risk quotient for Sb did indicate a potential health risk. Finally, it is important to consider that the health risk increases when exposure through consumption takes place over a prolonged period of time, even in low concentrations.

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IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1392: Local Food Environments, Suburban Development, and BMI: A Mixed Methods Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1392: Local Food Environments, Suburban Development, and BMI: A Mixed Methods Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15071392

Authors: Maureen Murphy Hannah Badland Helen Jordan Mohammad Javad Koohsari Billie Giles-Corti

More than half the world’s population now live in urban settlements. Worldwide, cities are expanding at their fringe to accommodate population growth. Low-density residential development, urban sprawl, and car dependency are common, contributing to physical inactivity and obesity. However, urban design and planning can modify urban form and enhance health by improving access to healthy food, public transport, and services. This study used a sequential mixed methods approach to investigate associations between food outlet access and body mass index (BMI) across urban-growth and established areas of Melbourne, Australia, and identify factors that influence local food environments. Population survey data for 3141 adults were analyzed to examine associations, and 27 interviews with government, non-government, and private sector stakeholders were conducted to contextualize results. Fast food density was positively associated with BMI in established areas and negatively associated in urban-growth areas. Interrelated challenges of car dependency, poor public transport, and low-density development hampered healthy food access. This study showed how patterns of suburban development influence local food environments and health outcomes in an urbanized city context and provides insights for other rapidly growing cities. More nuanced understandings of the differential effect of food environments within cities have potential to guide intra-city planning for improving health and reducing inequities.

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IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1394: Predictors of Hypertension in Mauritians with Normotension and Prehypertension at Baseline: A Cohort Study

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1394: Predictors of Hypertension in Mauritians with Normotension and Prehypertension at Baseline: A Cohort Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15071394

Authors: Sudhirsen Kowlessur Zhibin Hu Jaysing Heecharan Jianming Wang Juncheng Dai Jaakko O. Tuomilehto Stefan Söderberg Paul Zimmet Noël C. Barengo

Information on the predictors of future hypertension in Mauritians with prehypertension is scant. The aim of this study was to analyze the 5-year and 11-year risk of hypertension and its predictors in people with normotension and prehypertension at baseline in Mauritius in 1987. This was a retrospective cohort study of 883 men and 1194 women of Mauritian Indian and Mauritian Creole ethnicity, aged 25–74 years old, free of hypertension at baseline in 1987 with follow-up examinations in 1992 and 1998 using the same methodology. The main outcome was 5- and 11-year risk of hypertension. Odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. The 5-year risk of hypertension was 5.4-times higher in people with prehypertension compared with normotensive individuals at baseline. The corresponding odds for prehypertensive people at baseline regarding 11-year hypertension risk was 3.39 (95% CI 2.67–4.29) in the adjusted logistic regression models. Being of Creole ethnicity (OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.09–1.86) increased the 11-year odds of hypertension compared with the Indian population. It is of importance to screen for people with prehypertension and implement strategies to reduce their systolic blood pressure levels to the recommended levels of 120/80 mmHg. Special attention needs to be given to Mauritians of Creole ethnicity.

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IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1390: Characteristics of Particulate Matter and Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from the Combustion of Waste Vinyl

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1390: Characteristics of Particulate Matter and Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from the Combustion of Waste Vinyl

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15071390

Authors: Mona Loraine M. Barabad Wonseok Jung Michael E. Versoza Yong-il Lee Kyomin Choi Duckshin Park

Vinyl samples were burned in a controlled environment to determine the characteristics of particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions during the combustion process. Open burning of plastic or vinyl products poses several environmental and health risks in developed and developing countries, due to the release of high concentrations of harmful pollutants. The production of fine and ultrafine particles was significant. At a heat flux of 25 kW/m2, the production of PM of 0.35 μm in size was highest at 63.0 μg/m3. In comparison, at fluxes of 35 and 50 kW/m2, the production of PM of 0.45 μm in size was highest with values of 67.8 and 87.7 μg/m3, respectively. Benzene, acetone, and other toxic compounds were also identified in the analyses.

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IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1389: Enhancing the Quality and Utility of Content Analyses for Addictive Disorders

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1389: Enhancing the Quality and Utility of Content Analyses for Addictive Disorders

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15071389

Authors: Melvyn Zhang Tracey Wing Daniel S. S. Fung Helen Smith

The advances in Mobile Health (M-health) technologies has led to an increase in the numbers of alcohol and drugs applications on the commercial stores. Content analyses and reviews of applications to date have demonstrated that most of these applications are for entertainment or information purposes. More recent content analyses have identified common behavioural change techniques in substance applications. Nevertheless, there remain several limitations of existing content analyses and reviews of applications. There is an increasing prevalence of other substance-related disorders, such as that of stimulants and opioids, but the existing content analyses are limited to an analysis of alcohol and cannabis applications. Only two of the content analyses performed to date have attempted to identify applications that have their basis on a theoretical approach, based on the identification of behavioural change techniques or motivational techniques. There is a need to identify applications on the commercial stores that replicate conventional psychological interventions, or at least provide elements of conventional psychological interventions using behavioural change techniques that are integrated into the application. Further evaluative research could be done on these applications to determine if they are efficacious before using them for patient care. To address the limitation that existing content analyses have only focused on reviews of alcohol and cannabis applications, we propose for there to be updated content analyses for alcohol and cannabis, and new content analyses for other substances of abuse (such as opioids and stimulants). We like to suggest that future reviews consider keywords such as abstinence or recovery, and ones that relate to psychological therapies, such as self-determination or attention bias retraining, as commercial applications that have an underlying psychological basis might be categorised differently, under different keyword terms. We have evidence of how a better search strategy identifies previously unrecognised applications for attentional bias modification.

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IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1388: Association between the General Practitioner Workforce Crisis and Premature Mortality in Hungary: Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Health Insurance Data from 2006 to 2014

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1388: Association between the General Practitioner Workforce Crisis and Premature Mortality in Hungary: Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Health Insurance Data from 2006 to 2014

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15071388

Authors: János Sándor Anita Pálinkás Ferenc Vincze Valéria Sipos Nóra Kovács Tibor Jenei Zsófia Falusi László Pál László Kőrösi Magor Papp Róza Ádány

The workforce crisis of primary care is reflected in the increasing number of general medical practices (GMP) with vacant general practitioner (GP) positions, and the GPs’ ageing. Our study aimed to describe the association between this crisis and premature mortality. Age-sex-standardized mortality for 18–64 years old adults was calculated for all Hungarian GMPs annually in the period from 2006 to 2014. The relationship of premature mortality with GPs’ age and vacant GP positions was evaluated by standardized linear regression controlled for list size, urbanization, geographical location, clients’ education, and type of the GMP. The clients’ education was the strongest protective factor (beta = −0175; p < 0.001), followed by urban residence (beta = −0.149; p < 0.001), and bigger list size (beta1601–2000 = −0.054; p < 0.001; beta2001−X = −0.096; p < 0.001). The geographical localization also significantly influenced the risk. Although GMPs with a GP aged older than 65 years (beta = 0; p = 0.995) did not affect the risk, GP vacancy was associated with higher risk (beta = 0.010; p = 0.033), although the corresponding number of attributable cases was 23.54 over 9 years. The vacant GP position is associated with a significant but hardly detectable increased risk of premature mortality without considerable public health importance. Nevertheless, employment of GPs aged more than 65 does not impose premature mortality risk elevation.

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IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1391: Application Options of the Sustainable Child Development Index (SCDI)—Assessing the Status of Sustainable Development and Establishing Social Impact Pathways

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 1391: Application Options of the Sustainable Child Development Index (SCDI)—Assessing the Status of Sustainable Development and Establishing Social Impact Pathways

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15071391

Authors: Ya-Ju Chang Annekatrin Lehmann Lisa Winter Matthias Finkbeiner

The needs of children and their vulnerability to diseases, violence and poverty are different from those of adults. The Sustainable Child Development Index (SCDI) was thus developed in previous work to evaluate the status of sustainable development for countries with a focus on children and triple-bottom-line thinking. This study proposes application options to put the SCDI into practice. The SCDI can be performed similarly to existing development indices, for comparing and tracing the performance of sustainable development on different geographic levels and between population groups. In addition, the SCDI can be integrated into existing social sustainability assessment approaches (e.g., Social Life Cycle Assessment and Social Organizational Life Cycle Assessment) and databases (e.g., The Social Hotspots Database) to take children into account and enhance impact assessment of social sustainability assessment approaches. As an exemplification, this study demonstrates the application of the SCDI framework to support the development of social impact pathways. Due to the importance of tertiary education in reducing poverty, a preliminary social impact pathway addressing completion of tertiary education was established. By putting the SCDI into practice, the SCDI can support decision making in child as well as sustainable development policies.

https://ift.tt/2NhGYTF