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Nasution YN, Sitorus MY, Sukandar K, Nuraini N, Apri M, Salama N. The epidemic forest reveals the spatial pattern of the spread of acute respiratory infections in Jakarta, Indonesia. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7619. [PMID: 38556584 PMCID: PMC10982301 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58390-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is a communicable disease of the respiratory tract that implies impaired breathing. The infection can expand from one to the neighboring areas at a region-scale level through a human mobility network. Specific to this study, we leverage a record of ARI incidences in four periods of outbreaks for 42 regions in Jakarta to study its spatio-temporal spread using the concept of the epidemic forest. This framework generates a forest-like graph representing an explicit spread of disease that takes the onset time, spatio-temporal distance, and case prevalence into account. To support this framework, we use logistic curves to infer the onset time of the outbreak for each region. The result shows that regions with earlier onset dates tend to have a higher burden of cases, leading to the idea that the culprits of the disease spread are those with a high load of cases. To justify this, we generate the epidemic forest for the four periods of ARI outbreaks and identify the implied dominant trees (that with the most children cases). We find that the primary infected city of the dominant tree has a relatively higher burden of cases than other trees. In addition, we can investigate the timely ( R t ) and spatial reproduction number ( R c ) by directly evaluating them from the inferred graphs. We find that R t for dominant trees are significantly higher than non-dominant trees across all periods, with regions in western Jakarta tend to have higher values of R c . Lastly, we provide simulated-implied graphs by suppressing 50% load of cases of the primary infected city in the dominant tree that results in a reduced R c , suggesting a potential target of intervention to depress the overall ARI spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Novia Nasution
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia
| | - Marli Yehezkiel Sitorus
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia
| | - Kamal Sukandar
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2RH, United Kingdom
| | - Nuning Nuraini
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia.
| | - Mochamad Apri
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia
| | - Ngabila Salama
- DKI Jakarta Provincial Health Office, Jakarta, Indonesia
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Sharma VK, Mahajon B, Jain AK, Singh R, Rana R, Makhija P, Srikanth N, Dhiman KS. Health and demographic indicators of selected districts of India: An impact of Swasthya Rakshan Programme (SRP). J Public Health Res 2024; 13:22799036241243272. [PMID: 38655097 PMCID: PMC11036932 DOI: 10.1177/22799036241243272] [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: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Swasthya Rakshan Programme (SRP) provides health care services through Ayurveda, an initiative of the Government of India that aims to survey and create alertness of essential health appliances to ameliorate society from its grassroots level. The present study aimed to survey the prevailing health standards of residents in certain districts of India and to record the prevalence of diseases among them according to their living conditions, food habits, lifestyle, education, occupation and other socio-economic status. Data was collected through a community-based cross-sectional survey conducted from April 2018 to March 2019 in 22 Districts of 19 states in India. A stratified multi-stage sampling design was adopted for the survey. Documentation of demographic profile, food habits, lifestyle, hygiene status, and existing health conditions was assessed. A pre-designed semi-structured questionnaire was used for the collection of the data. Before initiating the programme, written consent was obtained. In this study, from 162 selected villages/colonies/areas, a total of 562,913 population and 81,651 households were surveyed. Sixty-nine thousand three hundred nineteen patients were cared for various ailments through health camps. The study found that the most prevalent disease in the concerned population was 'Sandhivata' (Osteo-arthritis), that is, 43.0%, followed by 'Dourbalya' (Debility), that is, 11.7%. The study includes insightful analyses of comprehensive demographic and health indicators classified by various socio-economic categories. The collected data regarding the prevalence of diseases with their sociodemographic correlations may provide a better understanding of the locality and thus may help in all future health endeavours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipin Kumar Sharma
- Regional Ayurveda Research Institute (RARI), Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Bidhan Mahajon
- Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Avinash Kumar Jain
- Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Renu Singh
- Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Rakesh Rana
- Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Pratap Makhija
- Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Narayanam Srikanth
- Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Kartar Singh Dhiman
- Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), New Delhi, Delhi, India
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Manzo LKC, Grove H. Inadequate Social Housing and Health: The Case of Oliver Bond House, The Liberties, Dublin. OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2024; 3:211. [PMID: 38384817 PMCID: PMC10879759 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.16767.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Background Inadequate housing is an important social justice issue that adversely affects health. Methods Drawing on an extended ethnography case study, this paper presents the results of a resident-led survey to highlight the health consequences of inadequate social housing, as residents wait for a 'fair regeneration' of their social housing 'flats' estate within a gentrifying inner-city Dublin neighbourhood. Results Four key concerns were identified by residents as part of this analysis: (1) substandard housing conditions which are physically harmful to health; (2) the emotional toll of an unsafe social environment; (3) lack of child friendly and community green spaces; and (4) constrained mobility due to inaccessible housing design. Conclusions The results highlight the urgent need to place greater priority on the maintenance of the existing social housing stock and demonstrate the need for public housing policies that recognize the quality and quantity of adequate housing provision, where care is at the heart of housing policies. The paper also presents a novel 'City of Care' framework, following the need to develop an ethics of care within cities where public health, community wellbeing, solidarity, residents' empowerment, and social justice principles are at the forefront. Given that housing is an essential contributor to good health, it is now time for a joint public housing and public health agenda to create healthier homes by confronting the everyday impact of inadequate housing to tackle social inequalities more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Katia C. Manzo
- Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Mediations, University of Milan, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
- Department of Geography and Maynooth University Social Sciences Institute, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland
| | - Hannah Grove
- Global Centre on Healthcare & Urbanisation, Kellogg College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Bernstein JA, Bernstein JS, Makol R, Ward S. Allergic Rhinitis: A Review. JAMA 2024; 331:866-877. [PMID: 38470381 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2024.0530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Importance Allergic rhinitis affects an estimated 15% of the US population (approximately 50 million individuals) and is associated with the presence of asthma, eczema, chronic or recurrent sinusitis, cough, and both tension and migraine headaches. Observations Allergic rhinitis occurs when disruption of the epithelial barrier allows allergens to penetrate the mucosal epithelium of nasal passages, inducing a T-helper type 2 inflammatory response and production of allergen-specific IgE. Allergic rhinitis typically presents with symptoms of nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, postnasal drainage, sneezing, and itching of the eyes, nose, and throat. In an international study, the most common symptoms of allergic rhinitis were rhinorrhea (90.38%) and nasal congestion (94.23%). Patients with nonallergic rhinitis present primarily with nasal congestion and postnasal drainage frequently associated with sinus pressure, ear plugging, muffled sounds and pain, and eustachian tube dysfunction that is less responsive to nasal corticosteroids. Patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis typically have physical examination findings of edematous and pale turbinates. Patients with perennial allergic rhinitis typically have erythematous and inflamed turbinates with serous secretions that appear similar to other forms of chronic rhinitis at physical examination. Patients with nonallergic rhinitis have negative test results for specific IgE aeroallergens. Intermittent allergic rhinitis is defined as symptoms occurring less than 4 consecutive days/week or less than 4 consecutive weeks/year. Persistent allergic rhinitis is defined as symptoms occurring more often than 4 consecutive days/week and for more than 4 consecutive weeks/year. Patients with allergic rhinitis should avoid inciting allergens. In addition, first-line treatment for mild intermittent or mild persistent allergic rhinitis may include a second-generation H1 antihistamine (eg, cetirizine, fexofenadine, desloratadine, loratadine) or an intranasal antihistamine (eg, azelastine, olopatadine), whereas patients with persistent moderate to severe allergic rhinitis should be treated initially with an intranasal corticosteroid (eg, fluticasone, triamcinolone, budesonide, mometasone) either alone or in combination with an intranasal antihistamine. In contrast, first-line therapy for patients with nonallergic rhinitis consists of an intranasal antihistamine as monotherapy or in combination with an intranasal corticosteroid. Conclusions and Relevance Allergic rhinitis is associated with symptoms of nasal congestion, sneezing, and itching of the eyes, nose, and throat. Patients with allergic rhinitis should be instructed to avoid inciting allergens. Therapies include second-generation H1 antihistamines (eg, cetirizine, fexofenadine, desloratadine, loratadine), intranasal antihistamines (eg, azelastine, olopatadine), and intranasal corticosteroids (eg, fluticasone, triamcinolone, budesonide, mometasone) and should be selected based on the severity and frequency of symptoms and patient preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan A Bernstein
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Joshua S Bernstein
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Richika Makol
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Stephanie Ward
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Schwartz GL, Leifheit KM, Arcaya MC, Keene D. Eviction as a community health exposure. Soc Sci Med 2024; 340:116496. [PMID: 38091853 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that being evicted harms health. Largely ignored in the existing literature is the possibility that evictions exert community-level health effects, affecting evicted individuals' social networks and shaping broader community conditions. In this narrative review, we summarize evidence and lay out a theoretical model for eviction as a community health exposure, mediated through four paths: 1) shifting ecologies of infectious disease and health behaviors, 2) disruption of neighborhood social cohesion, 3) strain on social networks, and 4) increasing salience of eviction risk. We describe methods for parsing eviction's individual and contextual effects and discuss implications for causal inference. We conclude by addressing eviction's potentially multilevel consequences for policy advocacy and cost-benefit analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel L Schwartz
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Urban Health Collaborative & Department of Health Management and Policy, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Kathryn M Leifheit
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mariana C Arcaya
- Department of Urban Studies & Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Danya Keene
- Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
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Aguilera J, Konvinse K, Lee A, Maecker H, Prunicki M, Mahalingaiah S, Sampath V, Utz PJ, Yang E, Nadeau KC. Air pollution and pregnancy. Semin Perinatol 2023; 47:151838. [PMID: 37858459 PMCID: PMC10843016 DOI: 10.1016/j.semperi.2023.151838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Increased fossil fuel usage and extreme climate change events have led to global increases in greenhouse gases and particulate matter with 99% of the world's population now breathing polluted air that exceeds the World Health Organization's recommended limits. Pregnant women and neonates with exposure to high levels of air pollutants are at increased risk of adverse health outcomes such as maternal hypertensive disorders, postpartum depression, placental abruption, low birth weight, preterm birth, infant mortality, and adverse lung and respiratory effects. While the exact mechanism by which air pollution exerts adverse health effects is unknown, oxidative stress as well as epigenetic and immune mechanisms are thought to play roles. Comprehensive, global efforts are urgently required to tackle the health challenges posed by air pollution through policies and action for reducing air pollution as well as finding ways to protect the health of vulnerable populations in the face of increasing air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Aguilera
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, El Paso, Texas
| | | | - Alexandra Lee
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Holden Maecker
- Institute for Immunity, Transplantation, and Infection, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Mary Prunicki
- Department of Environmental Health, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Shruthi Mahalingaiah
- Department of Environmental Health, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA; Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of OB/GYN, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Vanitha Sampath
- Department of Environmental Health, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Paul J Utz
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Emily Yang
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Kari C Nadeau
- Department of Environmental Health, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA.
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Bhatnagar S, Lovelace J, Prushnok R, Kanter J, Eichner J, LaVallee D, Schuster J. A Novel Framework to Address the Complexities of Housing Insecurity and Its Associated Health Outcomes and Inequities: "Give, Partner, Invest". INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6349. [PMID: 37510581 PMCID: PMC10378752 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20146349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The association between housing insecurity and reduced access to healthcare, diminished mental and physical health, and increased mortality is well-known. This association, along with structural racism, social inequities, and lack of economic opportunities, continues to widen the gap in health outcomes and other disparities between those in higher and lower socio-economic strata in the United States and throughout the advanced economies of the world. System-wide infrastructure failures at municipal, state, and federal government levels have inadequately addressed the difficulty with housing affordability and stability and its associated impact on health outcomes and inequities. Healthcare systems are uniquely poised to help fill this gap and engage with proposed solutions. Strategies that incorporate multiple investment pathways and emphasize community-based partnerships and innovation have the potential for broad public health impacts. In this manuscript, we describe a novel framework, "Give, Partner, Invest," which was created and utilized by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Insurance Services Division (ISD) as part of the Integrated Delivery and Finance System to demonstrate the financial, policy, partnership, and workforce levers that could make substantive investments in affordable housing and community-based interventions to improve the health and well-being of our communities. Further, we address housing policy limitations and infrastructure challenges and offer potential solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonika Bhatnagar
- UPMC Insurance Services Division, 600 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - John Lovelace
- UPMC Insurance Services Division, 600 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Ray Prushnok
- UPMC Center for Social Impact, 600 Grant Street, 40th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Justin Kanter
- UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care, 600 Grant Street, 40th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Joan Eichner
- UPMC Center for Social Impact, 600 Grant Street, 40th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Dan LaVallee
- UPMC Center for Social Impact, 600 Grant Street, 40th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - James Schuster
- UPMC Insurance Services Division, 600 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
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Badaloni C, De Sario M, Caranci N, De' Donato F, Bolignano A, Davoli M, Leccese L, Michelozzi P, Leone M. A spatial indicator of environmental and climatic vulnerability in Rome. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 176:107970. [PMID: 37224679 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urban areas are disproportionately affected by multiple pressures from overbuilding, traffic, air pollution, and heat waves that often interact and are interconnected in producing health effects. A new synthetic tool to summarize environmental and climatic vulnerability has been introduced for the city of Rome, Italy, to provide the basis for environmental and health policies. METHODS From a literature overview and based on the availability of data, several macro-dimensions were identified on 1,461 grid cells with a width of 1 km2 in Rome: land use, roads and traffic-related exposure, green space data, soil sealing, air pollution (PM2.5, PM10, NO2, C6H6, SO2), urban heat island intensity. The Geographically Weighted Principal Component Analysis (GWPCA) method was performed to produce a composite spatial indicator to describe and interpret each spatial feature by integrating all environmental dimensions. The method of natural breaks was used to define the risk classes. A bivariate map of environmental and social vulnerability was described. RESULTS The first three components explained most of the variation in the data structure with an average of 78.2% of the total percentage of variance (PTV) explained by the GWPCA, with air pollution and soil sealing contributing most in the first component; green space in the second component; road and traffic density and SO2 in the third component. 56% of the population lives in areas with high or very high levels of environmental and climatic vulnerability, showing a periphery-centre trend, inverse to the deprivation index. CONCLUSIONS A new environmental and climatic vulnerability indicator for the city of Rome was able to identify the areas and population at risk in the city, and can be integrated with other vulnerability dimensions, such as social deprivation, providing the basis for risk stratification of the population and for the design of policies to address environmental, climatic and social injustice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Badaloni
- Department of Epidemiology of the Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy.
| | - Manuela De Sario
- Department of Epidemiology of the Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Caranci
- Regional Health and Social Care Agency, Emilia-Romagna Region, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca De' Donato
- Department of Epidemiology of the Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Marina Davoli
- Department of Epidemiology of the Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy
| | - Letizia Leccese
- Department of Epidemiology of the Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Michelozzi
- Department of Epidemiology of the Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy
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Muindi K, Iddi S, Gitau H, Mberu B. Housing and health outcomes: evidence on child morbidities from six Sub-Saharan African countries. BMC Pediatr 2023; 23:219. [PMID: 37147616 PMCID: PMC10163804 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-023-03992-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The connection between healthy housing status and health is well established. The quality of housing plays a significant role in infectious and non-communicable as well as vector-borne diseases. The global burden of disease attributable to housing is considerable with millions of deaths arising from diarrheal and respiratory diseases annually. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the quality of housing remains poor although improvements have been documented. There is a general dearth of comparative analysis across several countries in the sub-region. We assess in this study, the association between healthy housing and child morbidity across six countries in SSA. METHODS We use the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data for six countries where the most recent survey collected health outcome data on child diarrhoea, acute respiratory illness, and fever. The total sample size of 91,096 is used in the analysis (representing 15, 044 for Burkina Faso, 11, 732 for Cameroon, 5, 884 for Ghana, 20, 964 for Kenya, 33, 924 for Nigeria, and 3,548 for South Africa). The key exposure variable is healthy housing status. We control for various factors associated with the three childhood health outcomes. These include quality housing status, residency (rural/urban), age of the head of the household, mother's education, mother's BMI status, marital status, mother's age, and religious status. Others include the child's gender, age, whether the child is from multiple or single births, and breastfeeding status. Inferential analysis using survey-weighted logistic regression is employed. RESULTS Our findings indicate that housing is an important determinant of the three outcomes investigated. Compared to unhealthier housing, healthy housing status was found to be associated with reduced odds of diarrhoea in Cameroon [Healthiest: aOR = 0.48, 95% CI, (0.32,0.71), healthier: aOR = 0.50, 95% CI,(0.35,0.70), Healthy: aOR = 0.60, 95% CI, (0.44,0.83), Unhealthy: aOR = 0.60, 95% CI, (0.44,0.81)], Kenya [Healthiest: aOR = 0.68, 95% CI, (0.52,0.87), Healtheir: aOR = 0.79, 95% CI, (0.63,0.98), Healthy: aOR = 0.76, 95% CI, (0.62,0.91)], South Africa[Healthy: aOR = 0.41, 95% CI, (0.18, 0.97)], and Nigeria [Healthiest: aOR = 0.48, 95% CI,(0.37,0.62), Healthier: aOR = 0.61, 95% CI,(0.50,0.74), Healthy: aOR = 0.71, 95%CI, (0.59,0.86), Unhealthy: aOR = 0.78, 95% CI, (0.67,0.91)], and reduced odds of Acute Respiratory Infection in Cameroon [Healthy: aOR = 0.72, 95% CI,(0.54,0.96)], Kenya [Healthiest: aOR = 0.66, 95% CI, (0.54,0.81), Healthier: aOR = 0.81, 95% CI, (0.69,0.95)], and Nigeria [Healthiest: aOR = 0.69, 95% CI, (0.56,0.85), Healthier: aOR = 0.72, 95% CI, (0.60,0.87), Healthy: aOR = 0.78, 95% CI, (0.66,0.92), Unhealthy: aOR = 0.80, 95% CI, (0.69,0.93)] while it was associated with increased odds in Burkina Faso [Healthiest: aOR = 2.45, 95% CI, (1.39,4.34), Healthy: aOR = 1.55, 95% CI, (1.09,2.20)] and South Africa [Healthy: aOR = 2.36 95% CI, (1.31, 4.25)]. In addition, healthy housing was significantly associated with reduced odds of fever among children in all countries except South Africa [Healthiest: aOR = 2.09, 95% CI, (1.02, 4.29)] where children living in the healthiest homes had more than double the odds of having fever. In addition, household-level factors such as the age of the household head, and place of residence were associated with the outcomes. Child-level factors such as breastfeeding status, age, and sex, and maternal-level factors such as education, age, marital status, body mass index (BMI), and religion were also associated with the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The dissimilarity of findings across similar covariates and the multiple relations between healthy housing and under 5 morbidity patterns show unequivocally the heterogeneity that exists across African countries and the need to account for different contexts in efforts to seek an understanding of the role of healthy housing in child morbidity and general health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanyiva Muindi
- Population Dynamics and Urbanization, African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Samuel Iddi
- Population Dynamics and Urbanization, African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
| | - Hellen Gitau
- Population Dynamics and Urbanization, African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Blessing Mberu
- Population Dynamics and Urbanization, African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
- Demography and Population Studies, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Tran M, Gannon B, Rose C. The effect of housing wealth on older adults' health care utilization: Evidence from fluctuations in the U.S. housing market. JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS 2023; 88:102737. [PMID: 36758392 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2023.102737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Do wealthier individuals use more health care services than those less affluent? Our paper addresses this question by examining the relationship between housing wealth and health care utilization. Exploiting fluctuations in the U.S. housing market, we estimate the effect of unanticipated wealth shocks on older adults' health care utilization, using county-year variation in house prices to construct an instrumental variable. Using data from the 1996-2016 Health and Retirement Study, we find that an increase in wealth significantly increases numbers of doctor visits, prescription drugs, outpatient surgery, and dental services. Notably, an economic downturn like that in the Great Recession, when housing wealth declined by 16 percent on average, could reduce the utilization of prescription drugs by 0.4 percent, outpatient services by 0.5 percent, dental care by 0.6 percent, and numbers of doctor visits by 0.5 visits annually.
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Affiliation(s)
- My Tran
- School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia; Department of Health Services Research & Policy, Australian National University, Australia; Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, University of Queensland, Australia.
| | - Brenda Gannon
- School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia; Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, University of Queensland, Australia.
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Determinants of Pneumonia mortality in Bogota, Colombia: A spatial Econometrics Approach. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sste.2023.100581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Parents Reaching Out to Parents: An Appreciative, Qualitative Evaluation of Stakeholder Experiences of the Parent Champions in the Community Project. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9101479. [PMID: 36291414 PMCID: PMC9600284 DOI: 10.3390/children9101479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Background: Bronchiolitis is a seasonal, global acute lower respiratory tract infection caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and is a leading cause of hospital admission in young children. A peer-led (parents to parents) intervention was implemented to empower parents of children at risk of bronchiolitis and reduce hospital admissions. This paper reported the evaluation that aimed to gain the perspectives and experiences of five key stakeholder groups. Methods: A qualitative remote interview-based design, informed by Appreciative Inquiry was used. Thematic analysis was used. Results: Sixty-five stakeholders participated: parents (n = 43; mothers, n = 42), Parent Champions (n = 9), Children’s Centre Managers (n = 8), Children’s Centre Group Leaders (n = 11), and Core Team (n = 4). An overarching theme ‘Parents reaching out to parents’ was supported by five sub-themes (Raising awareness and sharing knowledge; Creating connection, trust, and confidence; Flourishing in their role as a Parent Champion; Rising to the challenges; and Knowledge is power, prevention is key: the government needs to know this.) Conclusions: Parent-to-parent peer support via the Parent Champions was perceived positively by parents who wanted to learn and improve the lives and health of their children. Parent Champions were successful in delivering information. Considering the socioeconomic burden of bronchiolitis to services and families, the potential for an upstream, relatively low cost, high-reach innovative intervention, as evidenced in this project, seems a valuable opportunity for improving children’s respiratory health.
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Banwell E, Collaco JM, Oates GR, Rice JL, Juarez LD, Young LR, McGrath-Morrow SA. Area deprivation and respiratory morbidities in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Pediatr Pulmonol 2022; 57:2053-2059. [PMID: 35559602 PMCID: PMC9398958 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.25969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Infants and children diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) have a higher likelihood of recurrent hospitalizations and asthma-like symptoms. Socio-environmental factors that influence the frequency and severity of pulmonary symptoms in these children during the preschool age are poorly understood. In this study, we used the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) to evaluate the relationship between the socio-environmental exposures in children with BPD and respiratory outcomes during the first few years of life. METHODS A registry of subjects recruited from outpatient BPD clinics at Johns Hopkins University (n = 909) and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (n = 125) between January 2008 and October 2021 was used. Subjects were separated into tertiles by ADI scores aggregated to ZIP codes. Caregiver questionnaires were used to assess the frequency of respiratory morbidities and acute care usage for respiratory symptoms. RESULTS The mean gestational age of subjects was 26.8 ± 2.6 weeks with a mean birthweight of 909 ± 404 g. The highest tertile (most deprived) of ADI was significantly associated with emergency department visits (aOR 1.72; p = 0.009), hospital readmissions (aOR 1.66; p = 0.030), and activity limitations (aOR 1.55; p = 0.048) compared to the lowest tertile. No association was seen with steroid, antibiotic or rescue medication use, trouble breathing, or nighttime symptoms. CONCLUSION In this study, children with BPD who lived in areas of higher deprivation were more likely to be rehospitalized and have ED visits for respiratory reasons. Identifying socio-environmental factors that contribute to adverse pulmonary outcomes in children with BPD may provide opportunities for earlier interventions to improve long-term pulmonary outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Banwell
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Joseph M. Collaco
- Eudowood Division of Pediatric Respiratory Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | | | - Jessica L. Rice
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Lisa R. Young
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Sharon A. McGrath-Morrow
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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14
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Mebrahtom S, Worku A, Gage DJ. Causes of infant deaths and patterns of associated factors in Eastern Ethiopia: Results of verbal autopsy (InterVA-4) study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270245. [PMID: 35925957 PMCID: PMC9352103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In a range of setting, detecting and generate empirical information on the cause of infant death and contributing risk factors at population level is basically utmost essential to take evidence-based measures in reducing infant morbidity and mortality. An electronic verbal autopsy is suitable tool and best alternative solution to determine individuals’ cause of death in a setting where the majority of deaths occur at home and civil registration systems do not exist. The present study was undertaken to find out cause of infant death, applying computer-based probabilistic model (InterVA-4) and analyze the patterns of association factors of mother’s and the deceased infant’s characteristics to the leading cause-specific infant mortality in Eastern Ethiopia. Methods The study employed a community-based prospective longitudinal survey, which was conducted with routinely enumeration of reported infant deaths for a period of two years (from September 2016 to August 2018) in Eastern part of Ethiopia. Using the two-stage cluster sampling technique, the study was undertaken in four randomly selected districts of West Hararghe zone and two districts of zone 3 in Oromia and Afar regional state, respectively. The study included a total of 362 infants who were deceased during the study period. Data was collected by trained enumerators by interviewing the mothers or guardians of the deceased infant using a 2014 standardize World Health Organization (WHO) Verbal Autopsy questionnaire. InterVA-4 model were used for processing and interpreting verbal autopsy data in order to arrive at the most likely causes of infant death. SPSS version 23 was also used for statistical analysis of frequency distribution and logistic regression for the association between covariates and outcomes. Findings Of the overall (362) deceased infants’ during the study period, 53.0% of deaths occurred during neonatal time while 47.0% died in the post-neonatal period. Acute respiratory infection including neonatal and post-neonatal pneumonia (38.4%), birth asphyxia (16.4%), diarrheal diseases (16.3%), prematurity (7.4%) and malaria (4.3%) were found to be the leading causes of infant mortality in the study area. The independent factors strongly associated with probable ARI, including pneumonia related mortality as compared to all-causes of death were infants with maternal age lower than 20 years old (p = 0.001, AOR: 4.82, 95% CI: 1.88, 12.3) and infant being died outside of heath facilities (P = 0.007, AOR: 2.85, 95% CI: 1.33, 6.12). The post-neonatal period (P = 0.000, AOR: 15.5, 95% CI: 6.35, 37.8) and infant died in the wet season (P = 0.006, AOR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.28, 4.44) had strong relationship with dying from diarrhea-related death than those infants died from all non-diarrhea. The death due to malaria robustly associated with infants whose mothers age between 20–35 years old (P = 0.024, AOR: 4.44, 95% CI: 1.22, 16.2) and infant who was dwelled in the districts of Afar region (P = 0.013, AOR: 4.08, 95% CI: 1.35, 12.4). Conclusion The highest cause of infant mortality was associated with disease of respiratory system, particularly acute respiratory infection, including both neonates and post-neonatal pneumonia. Most of the infant deaths existed are as a result of diseases and conditions that are readily preventable or treatable cause, similar to those reported in worldwide, which have needs of further attention. The patterns of significant associated factors across cause-specific mortality against all-cause of death were dissimilar. Therefore, strengthen maternal and child health program with effective preventive interventions emphasizing on the most common cause of infant deaths and those factors contributing in raising mortality risk are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Mebrahtom
- Ethiopian Institute of Water Resources, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- * E-mail:
| | - Alemayehu Worku
- School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Daniel J. Gage
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, United States of America
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15
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Chang LT, Liu IJ, Chang TY, Hong GB, Lin LY, Chuang HC, Ho KF, Chuang KJ. Association of long-term indoor exposure to fine particles with pulmonary effects in Northern Taiwan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:153097. [PMID: 35041956 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
An association between short-term indoor exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) and acute respiratory effects has been reported. It is still unclear whether long-term indoor exposure to PM2.5 is associated with pulmonary events. This study recruited 1023 healthy adult homeworkers to conduct a prospective observational study from 2010 to 2021. Four repeated home visits per year were conducted for each participant to measure 24-hour PM2.5 and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and to collect blood samples for absolute eosinophil count (AEC) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) analysis. Additionally, a questionnaire related to personal characteristics, health status and home characteristics was conducted for each participant. The mixed-effects models showed a significant association of PM2.5 with increased CEA and AEC and decreased % predicted PEFR. No significant association between low-level PM2.5 exposure (10-year mean level < 10 μg/m3) and adverse pulmonary effects was observed. The present study concluded that long-term indoor exposure to PM2.5 at a concentration higher than 10 μg/m3 was associated with adverse pulmonary effects among healthy adult homeworkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Te Chang
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Science, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - I-Jung Liu
- Department of Nursing, College of Health and Nursing, National Quemoy University, Kinmen County, Taiwan
| | - Ta-Yuan Chang
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Gui-Bing Hong
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Lian-Yu Lin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Chi Chuang
- School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Cell Physiology and Molecular Image Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Kin-Fai Ho
- School of Public Health, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Jen Chuang
- The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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16
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Rodriguez-Martinez CE, Barbosa-Ramirez J, Acuña-Cordero R. Predictors of poor outcomes of respiratory syncytial virus acute lower respiratory infections in children under 5 years of age in a middle-income tropical country based on the National Public Health Surveillance System. Pediatr Pulmonol 2022; 57:1188-1195. [PMID: 35182056 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.25866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study is to gain insight into the identification of region-specific factors associated with poor outcomes in children under 5 years of age with confirmed respiratory syncytial virus acute lower respiratory infection (RSV-ALRI) living in Colombia, a middle-income country, based on the National Public Health Surveillance System of the country. METHODS An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using epidemiological data from the records of morbidity and mortality of respiratory infections as registered in the surveillance system report of the National Institute of Health of Colombia 2018, including children under 5 years of age with confirmed RSV-ALRI. Predictor variables included demographic and clinical variables, as well as variables measured after hospital attendance. Outcome variables analyzed were respiratory failure, the need for pediatric intensive care unit admission, and mortality. RESULTS Of a total of 8470 patients with a diagnosis of ALRI, we selected 1215 (14.3%) that were under 5 years of age and were positive for RSV. After controlling for potential confounders, it was found that age, gender, socioeconomic stratum, incomplete pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13 immunization for age, cardiac disease, and malnutrition as comorbidities, chest X-ray findings, and development of sepsis independently predicted poor outcomes among the patients analyzed. CONCLUSIONS The identified predictors for poor outcomes in RSV-affected children may be helpful for guiding efficient and targeted national and/or regional programs and public policies to assist in achieving Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos E Rodriguez-Martinez
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.,Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, School of Medicine, Universidad El Bosque, Bogota, Colombia
| | | | - Ranniery Acuña-Cordero
- Departamento de Neumologia Pediatrica, Hospital Militar Central, Bogota, Colombia.,Departamento de Pediatria, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Bogota, Colombia
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17
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Latest Trends in Pollutant Accumulations at Threatening Levels in Energy-Efficient Residential Buildings with and without Mechanical Ventilation: A Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19063538. [PMID: 35329223 PMCID: PMC8951331 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is a major target in developed countries toward decreasing their energy consumption and CO2 emissions. To meet this target, a large number of countries have established energy codes that require buildings to be airtight. While such a retrofitting approach has improved health outcomes in areas with heavy traffic, it has worsened the health outcomes in Nordic countries and increased the risk of lung cancer in areas with high levels of radon emissions. This review highlights the importance of adapting the characteristics of energy-efficient residential buildings to the location, age, and health of inhabitants to guarantee healthy indoor pollutant levels. The implementation of mechanical ventilation in new energy-efficient buildings has solved some of these problems; however, for others, a decrease in the level of outdoor pollutants was still required in order to achieve a good indoor air quality. A good balance between the air exchange rate and the air humidity level (adapted to the location) is key to ensuring that exposure to the various pollutants that accumulate inside energy-efficient buildings is low enough to avoid affecting inhabitants′ health. Evidence of the protective effect of mechanical ventilation should be sought in dwellings where natural ventilation allows pollutants to accumulate to threatening levels. More studies should be carried out in African and Asian countries, which, due to their rapid urbanization, use massive volumes of unproven/unrated building materials for fast-track construction, which are frequent sources of formaldehyde and VOC emissions.
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18
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Wood S, Harrison SE, Judd N, Bellis MA, Hughes K, Jones A. The impact of behavioural risk factors on communicable diseases: a systematic review of reviews. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:2110. [PMID: 34789209 PMCID: PMC8596356 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-12148-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted that individuals with behavioural risk factors commonly associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as smoking, harmful alcohol use, obesity, and physical inactivity, are more likely to experience severe symptoms from COVID-19. These risk factors have been shown to increase the risk of NCDs, but less is known about their broader influence on communicable diseases. Taking a wide focus on a range of common communicable diseases, this review aimed to synthesise research examining the impact of behavioural risk factors commonly associated with NCDs on risks of contracting, or having more severe outcomes from, communicable diseases. Methods Literature searches identified systematic reviews and meta-analyses that examined the association between behavioural risk factors (alcohol, smoking, illicit drug use, physical inactivity, obesity and poor diet) and the contraction/severity of common communicable diseases, including infection or associated pathogens. An a priori, prospectively registered protocol was followed (PROSPERO; registration number CRD42020223890). Results Fifty-three systematic reviews were included, of which 36 were also meta-analyses. Reviews focused on: tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, invasive bacterial diseases, pneumonia, influenza, and COVID-19. Twenty-one reviews examined the association between behavioural risk factors and communicable disease contraction and 35 examined their association with communicable disease outcomes (three examined their association with both contraction and outcomes). Fifty out of 53 reviews (94%) concluded that at least one of the behavioural risk factors studied increased the risk of contracting or experiencing worse health outcomes from a communicable disease. Across all reviews, effect sizes, where calculated, ranged from 0.83 to 8.22. Conclusions Behavioural risk factors play a significant role in the risk of contracting and experiencing more severe outcomes from communicable diseases. Prevention of communicable diseases is likely to be most successful if it involves the prevention of behavioural risk factors commonly associated with NCDs. These findings are important for understanding risks associated with communicable disease, and timely, given the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for improvements in future pandemic preparedness. Addressing behavioural risk factors should be an important part of work to build resilience against any emerging and future epidemics and pandemics. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-12148-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Wood
- Policy and International Health, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Well-being, Public Health Wales, Wrexham, UK
| | - Sophie E Harrison
- Public Health Collaborating Unit, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Bangor University, Wrexham, UK.,Institute for Applied Human Physiology, School of Human and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Natasha Judd
- Policy and International Health, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Well-being, Public Health Wales, Wrexham, UK.,Public Health Collaborating Unit, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Bangor University, Wrexham, UK
| | - Mark A Bellis
- Policy and International Health, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Well-being, Public Health Wales, Wrexham, UK. .,Public Health Collaborating Unit, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Bangor University, Wrexham, UK.
| | - Karen Hughes
- Policy and International Health, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Well-being, Public Health Wales, Wrexham, UK.,Public Health Collaborating Unit, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Bangor University, Wrexham, UK
| | - Andrew Jones
- Health Protection and Screening Services, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, UK
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Capasso L, D’Alessandro D. Housing and Health: Here We Go Again. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182212060. [PMID: 34831815 PMCID: PMC8624624 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182212060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Housing is one of the major determinants of human health and the current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted its relevance. The authors summarize the main issues, including dimensional standards, indoor air quality, safety, accessibility, neighborhoods, and area characteristics. The authors propose an operating scheme in order to implement actions to improve residential wellbeing on a local, national, and international level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Capasso
- Italian Ministry of Education, USR Abruzzo (Regional Office of Abruzzi), 66100 Chieti, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Daniela D’Alessandro
- Department of Civil Building and Environmental Engineering, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00100 Rome, Italy;
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D. Atoufi H, Lampert DJ, Sillanpää M. COVID-19, a double-edged sword for the environment: a review on the impacts of COVID-19 on the environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:61969-61978. [PMID: 34558046 PMCID: PMC8460194 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16551-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
This review paper discusses the most relevant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the environment. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) originated in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease has infected 70 million people and caused the death of 1.58 million people since the US Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization to develop a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 on December 11, 2020. COVID-19 is a global crisis that has impacted everything directly connected with human beings, including the environment. This review discusses the impacts of COVID-19 on the environment during the pandemic and post-COVID-19 era. During the first months of the COVID pandemic, global coal, oil, gas, and electricity demands declined by 8%, 5%, 2%, and 20%, respectively, relative to 2019. Stay-at-home orders in countries increased the concentrations of particles in indoor environments while decreasing the concentrations of PM2.5 and NOX in outdoor environments. Remotely working in response to the COVID-19 pandemic increased the carbon, water, and land footprints of Internet usage. Microplastics are released into our environment from the mishandling and mismanagement of personal protective equipment that endanger our water, soils, and sediments. Since the COVID-19 vaccine cannot be stored for a long time and spoils rapidly, more awareness of the massive waste of unused doses is needed. So COVID-19 is a double-edged sword for the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein D. Atoufi
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL USA
| | - David J. Lampert
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Mika Sillanpää
- Environmental Engineering and Management Research Group, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Faculty of Environment and Labour Safety, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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21
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Health Risks to the Russian Population from Temperature Extremes at the Beginning of the XXI Century. ATMOSPHERE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos12101331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Climate change and climate-sensitive disasters caused by climatic hazards have a significant and increasing direct and indirect impact on human health. Due to its vast area, complex geographical environment and various climatic conditions, Russia is one of the countries that suffers significantly from frequent climate hazards. This paper provides information about temperature extremes in Russia in the beginning of the 21st century, and their impact on human health. A literature search was conducted using the electronic databases Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, and e-Library, focusing on peer-reviewed journal articles published in English and in Russian from 2000 to 2021. The results are summarized in 16 studies, which are divided into location-based groups, including Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other large cities located in various climatic zones: in the Arctic, in Siberia and in the southern regions, in ultra-continental and monsoon climate. Heat waves in cities with a temperate continental climate lead to a significant increase in all-cause mortality than cold waves, compared with cities in other climatic zones. At the same time, in northern cities, in contrast to the southern regions and central Siberia, the influence of cold waves is more pronounced on mortality than heat waves. To adequately protect the population from the effects of temperature waves and to carry out preventive measures, it is necessary to know specific threshold values of air temperature in each city.
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