scholarly journals Methodology for Estimating the Lifelong Exposure to PM2.5 and NO2—The Application to European Population Subgroups

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naixin Li ◽  
Rainer Friedrich
Keyword(s):  
Fine Particles ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
European Population ◽  
Multi Centre Study ◽  
Time Activity ◽  
Indoor Sources ◽  
Real Concentration

Health impacts of air pollutants, especially fine particles (PM2.5) and NO2, have been documented worldwide by epidemiological studies. Most of the existing studies utilised the concentration measured at the ambient stations to represent the pollutant inhaled by individuals. However, these measurement data are in fact not able to reflect the real concentration a person is exposed to since people spend most of their time indoors and are also affected by indoor sources. The authors developed a probabilistic methodology framework to simulate the lifelong exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 simultaneously for population subgroups that are characterised by a number of indicators such as age, gender and socio-economic status. The methodology framework incorporates the methods for simulating the long-term outdoor air quality, the pollutant concentration in different micro-environments, the time-activity pattern of population subgroups and the retrospective life course trajectories. This approach was applied to the population in the EU27 countries plus Norway and Switzerland and validated with the measurement data from European multi-centre study, EXPOLIS. Results show that the annual average exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 at European level kept increasing from the 1950s to a peak between the 1980s and the 1990s and showed a decrease until 2015 due to the implementation of a series of directives. It is also revealed that the exposure to both pollutants was affected by geographical location, gender and income level. The average annual exposure over the lifetime of an 80-year-old European to PM2.5 and NO2 amounted to 23.86 (95% CI: 2.95–81.86) and 13.49 (95% CI: 1.36–43.84) µg/m3. The application of this methodology provides valuable insights and novel tools for exposure modelling and environmental studies.

AWARENESS ABOUT INDOOR AIR POLLUTION IN GENERAL POPULATION OF RAWALPINDI AND ISLAMABAD

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-83
Author(s):  
Nadia Tariq ◽  
Tamkeen Jaffry ◽  
Rahma Fiaz ◽  
Abdul Majid Rajput ◽  
Sadaf Khalid
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
General Population ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Educational Status ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: Indoor air pollutants are increasingly being associated with respiratory illnesses leading to high degree of morbidity and mortality. There are not sufficient epidemiological studies from Pakistan which assess level of awareness of indoor air pollution resulting in respiratory diseases in population. Methods: This cross sectional survey was carried out on general population of Rawalpindi/Islamabad. Sample size was 223 study subjects selected by non-probability convenient sampling. Knowledge of the study subjects was determined with regard to indoor air pollution, its effects on health and different sources of indoor air pollution with the help of a questionnaire. The influence of age, gender, educational status and socio economic status on the level of awareness was also analyzed. Results: Out of total 223 participants, 115 were males and108 females. Participants aware of indoor air pollution were 91.5% and adequate awareness about its sources was 80.7%. Those who knew indoor air pollution is detrimental to health were 95.1%. Awareness about building construction dust as source of indoor air pollution was maximum (84.8%). There was significant difference in awareness among participants with different monthly incomes and educational status and also between males and females. Conclusion: This study concludes that general population of Rawalpindi/Islamabad has fairly good awareness about sources of indoor air pollution. Use of harmful material causing indoor air pollution should be limited or substituted with better ones where possible.

Income-inequality and rate of doctors per inhabitant and their influence on esophageal cancer mortality in Brazil.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e16089-e16089
Author(s):  
Jean Henri Schoueri ◽  
Luis Eduardo Werneck De Carvalho ◽  
Isabella Batista Martins Portugal ◽  
Manuela de Almeida Roediger ◽  
Edige Felipe de Sousa Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Esophageal Cancer ◽  
Income Inequality ◽  
Cancer Mortality ◽  
Gini Index ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
World Health ◽  
Unified Health System

e16089 Background: There are substantial disparities in esophageal cancer mortality across different social groups, including sex, race/ethnicity, geographical location and socio-economic status. Methods: This is an ecological study with secondary data from 2016 to 2018 that evaluated the effects of income-inequality and number of doctors per inhabitant on esophageal cancer mortality in Brazil and its Federative Units. The amount of deaths and the overall number of doctors were obtained from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System. Mortality was estimated per 100,000 individuals and age-standardized through the World Health Organization’s population, whereas the rate of doctor per inhabitant was calculated per 1,000 inhabitants. Income-Inequality was measured by the Gini index, obtained from the United Nations Development Programme. Linear regression was performed by the stepwise backward method. Results: Sex, Gini index values and oncology surgeons were all related to lower mortality rates (p < 0.05), whereas clinical oncologists and general surgeons were both associated with higher mortality (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Esophageal cancer mortality rates were influenced by both the type and amount of doctors per inhabitant of any given administrative region in Brazil, however there was no association found with regards to income inequality.[Table: see text]

scholarly journals Characteristics of energy intake under-reporting in French adults

2013 ◽  
Vol 111 (7) ◽  
pp. 1292-1302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Berta Vanrullen ◽  
Jean-Luc Volatier ◽  
Aurélie Bertaut ◽  
Ariane Dufour ◽  
Jean Dallongeville
Keyword(s):  
Sedentary Behaviour ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Dairy Product ◽  
Weight Perception ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Disease Associations ◽  
Cereal Product ◽  
Nationally Representative

Energy intake under-reporting (UR) is a concern in nutritional epidemiological studies, as it may distort the relationships between dietary habits and health. Although UR is known to be associated with certain characteristics, few studies have investigated them in France. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to assess the prevalence and characteristics of UR in French adults. UR was defined according to Goldberg's classification. A sample of 1567 adults was drawn from the nationally representative French dietary survey (Individuelle Nationale des Consommations Alimentaires 2 2006–7). Food intake (7 d record), dietary habits, socio-economic status, region of residence, sedentary behaviour and weight perception variables were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the associations between UR and a number of covariates. The overall prevalence of UR was 22·5 %, similar in men and women. In both sexes, UR was positively associated with overweight and protein intake and inversely associated with age. In women, UR was associated with eating lunch in the office, poor perception of diet quality and sedentary behaviour and was inversely associated with educational level, residence in the Paris region, cereal product intake and eating lunch in a friend's or family member's home. In men, UR was positively associated with a history of slimming and inversely associated with dairy product intake and eating lunch at a staff canteen. In conclusion, UR is prevalent in French adults and is associated with several different characteristics. It is important to take account of UR when investigating diet–disease associations in adults.

scholarly journals Tobacco use among the elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 2213-2233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeska Marinho ◽  
Jerson Laks ◽  
Evandro Silva Freire Coutinho ◽  
Sergio Luís Blay
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Random Effects Model ◽  
Prevalence Rates

The aim of this study was to combine the results of identified surveys on the prevalence of tobacco use in old age to estimate world prevalence of tobacco use and possible factors related to such behavior among the elderly. The literature search included electronic databases such as MEDLINE, LILACS, and Biological Abstracts, hand-searching of specialist journals and cited reference searches. The combined global prevalence was estimated using the random effects model. The total number of elderly subjects included in all surveys was 140,058, with data available from all the continents. Overall prevalence of tobacco use was 13% in both genders (22% male and 8% female). The prevalence rates were heterogeneous among surveys and were associated with smoking definition, questionnaire application, and country economic status. Few epidemiological studies assessed tobacco use among the elderly. A higher prevalence rate of tobacco use in males who live in higher income countries could be found, although additional evidence regarding elderly samples is still required.

scholarly journals Sensitivity of modeled atmospheric nitrogen species to variations in sea salt emissions in the North and Baltic Sea regions

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (20) ◽  
pp. 29705-29745
Author(s):  
D. Neumann ◽  
V. Matthias ◽  
J. Bieser ◽  
A. Aulinger ◽  
M. Quante
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Surf Zone ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Sea Salt ◽  
The North ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Coarse sea salt particles are emitted ubiquitously from the oceans' surfaces by wave breaking and bubble bursting processes. These particles impact atmospheric chemistry by affecting condensation of gas-phase species and nucleation of new fine particles, particularly in regions with high air pollution. In this study, atmospheric particle concentrations are modeled for the North and Baltic Sea regions, Northwestern Europe, using the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system and evaluated against European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) measurement data. As model extension, sea salt emissions are scaled by water salinity because of low salinity in large parts of the Baltic Sea and in certain river estuaries. The resulting improvement in predicted sea salt concentrations is assessed. The contribution of surf zone emissions is separately considered. Additionally, the impact of sea salt particles on atmospheric nitrate, ammonium and sulfate concentrations is evaluated. The comparisons show that sea salt concentrations are commonly overestimated at coastal stations and partly underestimated when going inland. The introduced salinity scaling improves predicted Baltic Sea sea salt concentrations considerably. Dates of measured peak concentrations are appropriately reproduced by the model. The impact of surf zone emissions is negligible in both seas. Nevertheless, they might be relevant because surf zone emissions were cut at an upper threshold in this study. Deactivating sea salt leads to a minor increase of NH4+ and NO3- and a minor decrease of SO42- concentrations. However, the overall effect is very low and lower than the deviation from measurements. Size resolved measurements of Na+, NH4+, NO3-, and SO42- are needed for a more detailed analysis on the impact of sea salt particles.

Reducing future air pollution-related premature mortality over Europe by mitigating emissions: assessing an 80 % renewable energies scenario

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Tarín-Carrasco ◽  
Ulas Im ◽  
Camilla Geels ◽  
Laura Palacios-Peña ◽  
Pedro Jiménez-Guerrero
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Premature Mortality ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
European Population ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Future Scenarios ◽  
Mitigation Scenario ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Worldwide air quality has worsened in the last decades as a consequence of increased anthropogenic emissions, in particular from the sector of power generation. The evidence of the effects of atmospheric pollution (and particularly fine particulate matter, PM2.5) on human health is unquestionable nowadays, producing mainly cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, morbidity and even mortality. These effects can even enhance in the future as a consequence of climate penalties and future changes in the population projected. Because of all these reasons, the main objective of this contribution is the estimation of annual excess premature deaths (PD) associated to PM2.5 on present (1991–2010) and future (2031–2050) European population by using non-linear exposure-response functions. The endpoints included are Lung Cancer (LC), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Low Respiratory Infections (LRI), Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), cerebrovascular disease (CEV) and other Non-Communicable Diseases (other NCD). PM2.5 concentrations come from coupled chemistry-climate regional simulations under present and RCP8.5 future scenarios. The cases assessed include the estimation of the present incidence of PD (PRE-P2010), the quantification of the role of a changing climate on PD (FUT-P2010) and the importance of changes in the population projected for the year 2050 on the incidence of excess PD (FUT-P2050). Two additional cases (REN80-P2010 and REN80-P2050) evaluate the impact on premature mortality rates of a mitigation scenario in which the 80 % of European energy production comes from renewables sources. The results indicate that PM2.5 accounts for nearly 895,000 [95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) 725,000-1,056,000] annual excess PD over Europe, with IHD being the largest contributor to premature mortality associated to fine particles in both present and future scenarios. The case isolating the effects of climate penalty (FUT-P2010) estimates a variation +0.2 % on mortality rates over the whole domain. However, under this scenario the incidence of PD over central Europe will benefit from a decrease of PM2.5 (−2.2 PD/100,000 h.) while in eastern (+1.3 PD/100,000 h.) and western (+0.4 PD/100,000 h.) Europe PD will increase due to increased PM2.5 levels. The changes in the projected population (FUT-P2050) will lead to a large increase of annual excess PD (1,540,000, 95 % CI 1,247,000-1,818,000), +71.96 % with respect to PRE-P2010 and +71.67 % to FUT-P2010) due to the aging of the European population. Last, the mitigation scenario (REN80-P2050) demonstrates that the effects of a mitigation policy increasing the ratio of renewable sources in the energy mix energy could lead to a decrease of over 60,000 (95 % CI 48,500-70,900) annual PD for the year 2050 (a decrease of −4 % in comparison with the no-mitigation scenario, FUT-P2050). In spite of the uncertainties inherent to future estimations, this contribution reveals the need of the governments and public entities to take action and bet for air pollution mitigation policies.

SCREENING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN PERIOD: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

2021 ◽  
pp. 55-56
Author(s):  
Vishnu G. Ashok ◽  
Pretty Venis ◽  
Glannie A.R.
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Sleep Habits ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Time Activity

The uncertainty and dread linked with COVID-19 has contributed to a rise in mental health disorders among the general population showing high rates of anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and psychological discomfort. The current study aims to assess the prevalence of psychological distress among undergraduate students of an Arts college in rural Tamilnadu. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 100 undergraduate students of an arts college selected by convenient sampling technique using GHQ-12 questionnaire via online platforms. Among the 100 medical students who participated in the study, 78% were found have severe problems with psychological distress. Leisure time activity like smartphone usage was found to have a signicant association with psychological distress (p<0.05) while other factors like gender, socio-economic status, physical activity, dietary preferences, junk food consumption and sleep habits were not associated statistically. Early recognition of students under stress and counselling will go a long way in helping students adjust to the demands of the educational curriculum.

Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in the Caribbean

2019 ◽  
pp. 89-118
Author(s):  
Gaius Eudoxie ◽  
Ronald Roopnarine
Keyword(s):  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Disaster Management ◽  
Natural Resource ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Social Resilience ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Natural Resource Base

Caribbean countries share unique features such as small size, geographical location, limited natural resources, low economic status aligned with ambitious developmental agendas, all of which influences their vulnerability to natural disasters. Agriculture and tourism are the main economic drivers for Caribbean states. Notably, both these sectors are highly prone to natural disasters. Other sectors including forestry, biodiversity, coastal resources and inland water resources are also susceptible to climatic hazards. The eroding natural resource base aligned to these sectors demands appropriate management. Risk assessment is integral in planning and preparing for natural hazards. Several methods have been used in the Caribbean with varying success. Two successful examples are the Land Degradation Assessment (LADA) conducted in Grenada and the Landslide Mapping in Trinidad. The LADA project geospatially quantified the extent of land degradation and presented data in support of natural resource management. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) was a milestone establishment for regional disaster management. Introduction and implementation of the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) strategy transformed disaster management from simply response and recovery, to include preparedness, prevention and mitigation. This approach included the appointment of national focal points in all participating countries, a feature that aimed to build and improve communication channels. Whilst mostly positive, the present approach has also showcased limitations to long term sustainability. Most islands lack effective governance structures with a dedicated budget to disaster management and where available, activities are centrally operated. Improving social resilience through community engagement is seen as critical to the success of CDM. Social media has also been shown to add real value to networking and communication in disaster management.

scholarly journals Fine dust atmospheric pollution from the objects of infill construction

2019 ◽  
Vol 135 ◽  
pp. 01020
Author(s):  
Svetlana Manzhilevskaya ◽  
Alexei Lihonosov ◽  
Lubov Petrenko
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Dynamic State ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Fine Dust ◽  
Protective Measures

Air pollution emissions are released from both natural and anthropogenic sources. During the environment pollution researching and monitoring the special attention should be paid to the construction operations, since during the construction processes many pollutants are released, especially fine dust particles, which are harmful to the health of construction workers and the population living near the construction site. The construction of any object in urban terrain has bad influence not only on the nearby buildings and city infrastructure, but on the existing environment of urban areas. The identification of the important pollution sources that contribute to ambient concentrations of pollutants is essential for developing an effective air quality management plan during building construction. Particular attention should be paid to emissions of fine particles during technological processes of construction with a special degree of dust emission. Control and regulation of the dynamic state of dispersed systems released during technological construction processes using a number of protective measures will reduce emissions of pollutants into the air. The objects of this research were the construction site and residential buildings of a large residential complex «Ekaterininskiy» located in Rostov-on-Don. The obtained measurement data as a result of this type of environmental monitoring showed the level of atmospheric air pollution from the construction industry using the example of the construction of the residential complex “Ekaterininskiy” in Rostov-onDon. After analyzing the situation with dust pollution the protective measures were suggested.

Increasing incidence of multiple sclerosis in women in Northern Finland

2010 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
O Krökki ◽  
R Bloigu ◽  
M Reunanen ◽  
AM Remes
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Time Intervals ◽  
The Past ◽  
Mcdonald Criteria ◽  
Epidemiological Features ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
The Mean

Background: The geographical distribution of multiple sclerosis (MS) means that prevalence rates increase with latitude north or south of the equator. Temporally, a tendency for increased incidences of MS has been observed over the past two decades. Objectives: Since epidemiological studies of MS in areas close to the Arctic Circle are rare, we evaluated the incidence and prevalence of MS in Northern Ostrobothnia by means of a retrospective cohort study covering the period 1992–2007. Methods: Patients with a definite clinical diagnosis of MS based on the Poser criteria and the early McDonald criteria of 2001 were identified in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia (population 386,972) and the incidence was calculated at 1-year time intervals, both overall and by gender. Results: The overall prevalence was 103/100,000 (95% CI, 93–113), with a female/male ratio of 2.17. The mean overall incidence was 6.3/100,000 (95% CI, 5.2–7.2). The incidence shows a tendency to increase over the 16-year period due to a pronounced rise in the female incidence. Conclusions: Our results show a high prevalence of MS in Northern Ostrobothnia and a disproportional increase in the female MS incidence. These recent epidemiological features may be associated with environmental risk factors such as a vitamin D deficit, low life-long UV radiation and the high-latitude geographical location.

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