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Moon KE, Wang S, Bryant K, Gohlke JM. Environmental Heat Exposure Among Pet Dogs in Rural and Urban Settings in the Southern United States. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:742926. [PMID: 34676256 PMCID: PMC8525463 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.742926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With advancing global climate change, heat-related illnesses and injuries are anticipated to become more prevalent for humans and other species. Canine hyperthermia is already considered an important seasonal emergency. Studies have been performed on the risk factors for heat stroke in canine athletes and military working dogs; however there is limited knowledge on environmental risk factors for the average pet dog. This observational study explores variation in individually experienced environmental temperatures of pet dogs (N = 30) in rural and urban environments in central Alabama. Temperature data from dogs and their owners was collected using wearable personal thermometers. Demographic data on the dogs was collected using a brief survey instrument completed by their owners. Dogs included in the study varied in signalment, activity level, and home environment. Linear mixed effects regression models were used to analyze repeated measure temperature and heat index values from canine thermometers to explore the effect of environmental factors on the overall heat exposure risk of canine pets. Specifically, the heat exposures of dogs were modeled considering their owner's experienced temperatures, as well as neighborhood and local weather station measurements, to identify factors that contribute to the heat exposure of individual dogs, and therefore potentially contribute to heat stress in the average pet dog. Results show hourly averaged temperatures for dogs followed a diurnal pattern consistent with both owner and ambient temperature measurements, except for indoor dogs whose recordings remained stable throughout the day. Heat index calculations showed that owners, in general, had more hours categorized into the National Weather Station safe category compared to their dogs, and that indoor dogs had a greater proportion of hours categorized as safe compared to outdoor dogs. Our results suggest that the risk of the average pet dog to high environmental heat exposure may be greater than traditional measures indicate, emphasizing that more localized considerations of temperature are important when assessing a dog's environmental risk for heat-related injury or illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Moon
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Suwei Wang
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.,Translational Biology, Medicine and Health (TBMH), Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, United States
| | - Kaya Bryant
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, United States
| | - Julia M Gohlke
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
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Wang S, Richardson MB, Evans MB, Johnson E, Threadgill-Matthews S, Tyson S, White KL, Gohlke JM. A community-engaged approach to understanding environmental health concerns and solutions in urban and rural communities. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1738. [PMID: 34560866 PMCID: PMC8464125 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11799-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Focus groups and workshops can be used to gain insights into the persistence of and potential solutions for environmental health priorities in underserved areas. The objective of this study was to characterize focus group and workshop outcomes of a community-academic partnership focused on addressing environmental health priorities in an urban and a rural location in Alabama between 2012 and 2019. Methods Six focus groups were conducted in 2016 with 60 participants from the City of Birmingham (urban) and 51 participants from Wilcox County (rural), Alabama to discuss solutions for identified environmental health priorities based on previous focus group results in 2012. Recorded focus groups were transcribed and analyzed using the grounded theory approach. Four follow-up workshops that included written survey instruments were conducted to further explore identified priorities and determine whether the priorities change over time in the same urban (68 participants) and rural (72 participants) locations in 2018 and 2019. Results Consistent with focus groups in 2012, all six focus groups in 2016 in Birmingham identified abandoned houses as the primary environmental priority. Four groups listed attending city council meetings, contacting government agencies and reporting issues as individual-level solutions. Identified city-level solutions included city-led confiscation, tearing down and transferring of abandoned property ownership. In Wilcox County, all six groups agreed the top priority was drinking water quality, consistent with results in 2012. While the priority was different in Birmingham versus Wilcox County, the top identified reason for problem persistence was similar, namely unresponsive authorities. Additionally, individual-level solutions identified by Wilcox County focus groups were similar to Birmingham, including contacting and pressuring agencies and developing petitions and protesting to raise awareness, while local policy-level solutions identified in Wilcox County included government-led provision of grants to improve septic systems, and transparency in allocation of funds. Workshops in 2018 and 2019 further emphasized water quality as the top priority in Wilcox County, while participants in Birmingham transitioned from abandoned houses as a top priority in 2018 to drinking water quality as a new priority in 2019. Conclusions Applying a community-engaged approach in both urban and rural locations provided better understanding of the unique opportunities and challenges for identifying potential interventions for environmental health priorities in both locations. Results can help inform future efforts to address locally defined environmental health issues and solutions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-11799-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suwei Wang
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Program, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.,Department of Population Health Sciences, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 205 Duck Pond Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0395, USA
| | - Molly B Richardson
- Division of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Mary B Evans
- Center for the Study of Community Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Ethel Johnson
- West Central Alabama Community Health Improvement League, Camden, AL, 36726, USA
| | | | | | - Katherine L White
- Center for the Study of Community Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Julia M Gohlke
- Department of Population Health Sciences, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 205 Duck Pond Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0395, USA.
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Wang S, Wu CYH, Richardson MB, Zaitchik BF, Gohlke JM. Characterization of heat index experienced by individuals residing in urban and rural settings. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2021; 31:641-653. [PMID: 33597724 PMCID: PMC8273073 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-021-00303-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Heatwave warning systems rely on forecasts made for fixed-point weather stations (WS), which do not reflect variation in temperature and humidity experienced by individuals moving through indoor and outdoor locations. We examined whether neighborhood measurement improved the prediction of individually experienced heat index in addition to nearest WS in an urban and rural location. Participants (residents of Birmingham, Alabama [N = 89] and Wilcox County, Alabama [N = 88]) wore thermometers clipped to their shoe for 7 days. Shielded thermometers/hygrometers were placed outdoors within participant's neighborhoods (N = 43). Nearest WS and neighborhood thermometers were matched to participant's home address. Heat index (HI) was estimated from participant thermometer temperature and WS humidity per person-hour (HI[individual]), or WS temperature and humidity, or neighborhood temperature and humidity. We found that neighborhood HI improved the prediction of individually experienced HI in addition to WS HI in the rural location, and neighborhood heat index alone served as a better predictor in the urban location, after accounting for individual-level factors. Overall, a 1 °C increase in HI[neighborhood] was associated with 0.20 °C [95% CI (0.19, 0.21)] increase in HI[individual]. After adjusting for ambient condition differences, we found higher HI[individual] in the rural location, and increased HI[individual] during non-rest time (5 a.m. to midnight) and on weekdays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suwei Wang
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Translational Biology, Medicine and Health (TBMH), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Connor Y H Wu
- Department of Geospatial Informatics, Troy University, Troy, AL, USA
| | - Molly B Richardson
- Division of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Benjamin F Zaitchik
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Julia M Gohlke
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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Wood LA, Tomlinson MM, Pfeiffer JA, Walker KL, Keith RJ, Smith T, Yeager RA, Bhatnagar A, Kerstiens S, Gilkey D, Gao H, Srivastava S, Hart JL. Time spent outdoors and sleep normality: A preliminary investigation. POPULATION MEDICINE 2021; 3:7. [PMID: 34485920 PMCID: PMC8411876 DOI: 10.18332/popmed/132119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sleep deficiency is associated with health risks, and time outdoors is related to health benefits. This study assessed time outdoors and its association with sleep normality. METHODS As part of a health study in Louisville, Kentucky, 735 participants completed questionnaires on their health status, behaviors, neighborhoods, and demographics in 2018-2019. The measures included information on sleep, time outdoors, and mental and physical health. Participant characteristics were assessed by dichotomized sleep normality (N=728), and logistic regression (N=709) examined potential associations between time outdoors and sleep. RESULTS As time spent outdoors increased from ≤4 hours to >4 - ≤8 hours (OR=1.04; 95% CI: 0.65-1.64) and >8 - ≤12 hours (OR=1.17; 95% CI: 0.63-2.17), odds of normal sleep increased; however, those who spent >12 - ≤16 hours (OR=0.63; 95% CI: 0.31-1.27) or >16 hours (OR=0.83; 95% CI: 0.45-1.53) outdoors had a lower likelihood of normal sleep. No associations between time outdoors and sleep were significant. There was a significant trend of less bodily pain associated with normal sleep (p<0.001) and in the association of depression and sleep, where odds of normal sleep decreased as depression severity increased (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Consistent with extant literature, findings indicate associations between less pain and increased odds of normal sleep and between higher severity of depression and lower odds of normal sleep. Findings for an overall association between time outdoors and sleep normality were not significant. Future work should seek to better explicate the predictor variables to assess how greenness and activity type shape associations with sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey A. Wood
- Department of Communication, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Madeline M. Tomlinson
- Department of Communication, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Jack A. Pfeiffer
- Department of Communication, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Kandi L. Walker
- Department of Communication, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Rachel J. Keith
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Ted Smith
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Ray A. Yeager
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Aruni Bhatnagar
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Savanna Kerstiens
- Department of Communication, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Delana Gilkey
- Department of Communication, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Hong Gao
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Sanjay Srivastava
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
| | - Joy L. Hart
- Department of Communication, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, United States
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Wang S, Richardson MB, Wu CY, Zaitchik BF, Gohlke JM. Effect of an Additional 30 Minutes Spent Outdoors during Summer on Daily Steps and Individually Experienced Heat Index. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E7558. [PMID: 33080822 PMCID: PMC7589302 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17207558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Spending time outdoors is associated with increased physical activity; however, high ambient temperature/humidity, together with built environment features in urban versus rural environments, may influence physical activity. We conducted an intervention trial with 89 urban and 88 rural participants performing normal activities on Days 1-2 (baseline) and spending an additional 30 min outdoors on Days 3-7 (intervention) in the summer. Participants wore a pedometer with real-time visual feedback to track daily steps taken and a thermometer clipped to their shoe to track temperatures experienced individually. Hygrometer-thermometers were deployed in participants' neighborhoods to collect finer resolution ambient heat indexes in addition to regional weather station measurements. Using linear mixed effects models and adjusting for ambient conditions and individual-level factors, participants on average walked 637 (95%CI (83, 1192)) more steps and had a 0.59 °C (95%CI (0.30, 0.88)) lower daily mean individually experienced heat index during intervention days compared to baseline days. The intervention benefit of increased physical activity was greater in rural residents who were less active at baseline, compared to urban residents. Our results suggest adding a small amount of additional time outdoors may improve physical activity without increasing participants' heat exposure, even during summer in a humid subtropical climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suwei Wang
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health (TBMH), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA;
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Molly B. Richardson
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA;
| | - Connor Y.H. Wu
- Department of Geospatial Informatics, Troy University, Troy, AL 36082, USA;
| | - Benjamin F. Zaitchik
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA;
| | - Julia M. Gohlke
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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