Residential Radon in Manizales, Colombia: Results of a Pilot Study

Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless noble gas, causally related with the onset of lung cancer. We aimed to describe the distribution of radon exposure in the municipality of Manizales, Colombia, in order to estimate the population’s exposure and establish the percentage of dwellings that surpass reference levels. A cross-sectional study representing all geographical areas was carried out by measuring indoor radon concentrations. Participants answered a short questionnaire. Alpha-track type radon detectors were installed in all residences for six months. The detectors were subsequently processed at the Galician Radon Laboratory, an accredited laboratory at the University of Santiago de Compostela. A total of 202 homes were measured. Seventy-seven percent of the sampled houses were three stories high, their median age was 30 years, and half were inhabited by three people or fewer. For most dwellings, the building materials of walls and flooring were brick and covered cement, respectively. Results showed a geometric mean of radon concentration of 8.5 Bq/m3 and a maximum value of 50 Bq/m3. No statistically significant differences were found either between the geometric mean of the dwelling’s site, the height at which detectors were placed inside the home, or the wall and flooring materials, or between mean 222Rn concentrations in rural and urban areas. No dwelling surpassed the 222Rn reference level established by the WHO. This study shows that residential radon levels in Manizales, Colombia, seem to be low, though a more in-depth approach should be carried out. Despite these results, it is essential to create a national radon program and establish a radon concentration reference level for Colombia in line with international recommendations.

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Sorrentina Peninsula: Geographical Distribution of the Indoor Radon Concentrations in Dwellings—Gini Index Application

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11177975 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (17) ◽

pp. 7975

Author(s):

Filomena Loffredo ◽

Irene Opoku-Ntim ◽

Maria Quarto

Keyword(s):

Standard Deviation ◽

Radon Concentration ◽

Gini Index ◽

Indoor Radon ◽

Geometric Mean ◽

Reference Level ◽

Geometric Standard Deviation ◽

Data Normalization ◽

Control Plan ◽

Radon Concentrations

The radon isotope (222Rn, half-life 3.8 days) is a radioactive byproduct of the 238U decay chain. Because radon is the second biggest cause of lung cancer after smoking, dense maps of indoor radon concentration are required to implement effective locally based risk reduction strategies. In this regard, we present an innovative method for the construction of interpolated maps (kriging) based on the Gini index computation to characterize the distribution of Rn concentration. The Gini coefficient variogram has been shown to be an effective predictor of radon concentration inhomogeneity. It allows for a better constraint of the critical distance below which the radon geological source can be considered uniform, at least for the investigated length scales of variability; it also better distinguishes fluctuations due to environmental predisposing factors from those due to random spatially uncorrelated noise. This method has been shown to be effective in finding larger-scale geographical connections that can subsequently be connected to geological characteristics. It was tested using real dataset derived from indoor radon measurements conducted in the Sorrentina Peninsula in Campania, Italy. The measurement was carried out in different residences using passive detectors (CR-39) for two consecutive semesters, beginning in September–November 2019 and ending in September–November 2020, to estimate the yearly mean radon concentration. The measurements and analysis were conducted in accordance with the quality control plan. Radon concentrations ranged from 25 to 722 Bq/m3 before being normalized to ground level, and from 23 to 933 Bq/m3 after being normalized, with a geometric mean of 120 Bq/m3 and a geometric standard deviation of 1.35 before data normalization, and 139 Bq/m3 and a geometric standard deviation of 1.36 after data normalization. Approximately 13% of the tests conducted exceeded the 300 Bq/m3 reference level set by Italian Legislative Decree 101/2020. The data show that the municipalities under investigation had no influence on indoor radon levels. The geology of the monitored location is interesting, and because soil is the primary source of Rn, risk assessment and mitigation for radon exposure cannot be undertaken without first analyzing the local geology. This research examines the spatial link among radon readings using the mapping based on the Gini method (kriging).

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Maternal depression and loss of children under the one-child family planning policy in China: a cross-sectional study of 300 000 women

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-048554 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. e048554

Author(s):

Hanyu Wang ◽

Eric Frasco ◽

Jie Shang ◽

Minne Chen ◽

Tong Xin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Family Planning ◽

Maternal Depression ◽

Urban Areas ◽

The Elderly ◽

Population Based ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Only Child ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Live Births ◽

Child Group

ObjectivesThis study aims to explore the association between maternal depression and the loss of the only child under the family-planning (FP) policy.DesignCross-sectional data from a Chinese population-based study were analysed.SettingPopulation from 10 (5 rural and 5 urban) areas in China.ParticipantsAround 300 000 females were included in the study. The FP group was defined as women with one or two live births. Those with no surviving child were classified into the loss-of-only-child group. The non-FP group included women who had more than two live births. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between major depressive disorder (MDD) and family types, after stratification and adjustment.OutcomeMDD was assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Inventory.ResultsThe odds of MDD are 1.42 times higher in the FP group in general (OR=1.42, 95% CI: 1.28 to 1.57), as opposed to the non-FP group. In particular, the odds of MDD are 1.36 times greater in the non-loss-of-only-child group (OR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.21 to 1.51) and 2.80 (OR=2.80, 95% CI: 0.88 to 8.94) times greater in the loss-of-only-child group, compared with the non-FP group. The associations between FP groups and MDD appeared to be stronger in the elderly population, in those who were married, less educated and those with a higher household income. The association was found progressively stronger in those who lost their only child.ConclusionsPeople in the FP group, especially those who lost their only child, are more susceptible to MDD than their counterparts in the non-FP group. Mental health programmes should give special care to those who lost their only child and take existing social policies and norms, such as FP policies, into consideration.

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Urinary Concentrations of Metals and Metalloids in Malaysian Adults

Exposure and Health ◽

10.1007/s12403-021-00390-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Zurahanim Fasha Anual ◽

Noraishah Mohammad Sham ◽

Rashidah Ambak ◽

Fatimah Othman ◽

Rafiza Shaharudin

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

Geometric Mean ◽

Urine Samples ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Metals And Metalloids ◽

High Exposure ◽

Academic Qualification ◽

Metal Levels

AbstractExposure to environmental pollutants in humans can be conducted through direct measurement of biological media such as blood, urine or hair. Assessment studies of metals and metalloids in Malaysia is very scarce although cross-sectional nationwide human biomonitoring surveys have been established by the USA, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, and Korea. This study aims to assess urinary metal levels namely cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) among Malaysian adults. This was a cross-sectional study involving 1440 adults between the age of 18 and 88 years old. After excluding those with 24 h urine samples of less than 500 ml, urine creatinine levels < 0.3 or > 3.0 g/L and those who refuse to participate in the study, a total of 817 respondents were included for analysis. A questionnaire with socio-demographic information such as age, gender, occupation, ethnic, academic qualification and medical history was administered to the respondents. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected in a container before being transported at 4 °C to the laboratory. Samples were then aliquoted into 15 ml tubes and kept at − 80 °C until further analysis. Urine was diluted ten-fold with ultrapure water, filtered and analysed for metals and metalloids using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The geometric mean of urinary As, Ni, Cd and Pb concentrations among adults in Malaysia was 48.21, 4.37, 0.32, and 0.80 µg/L, respectively. Males showed significantly higher urinary metal concentrations compared to females for As, Cd and Pb except for Ni. Those who resided in rural areas exhibited significantly higher As, Cd and Pb urinary concentrations than those who resided in urban areas. As there are no nationwide data on urinary metals, findings from this study could be used to identify high exposure groups, thus enabling policy makers to improve public health strategically.

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Empty shelves: selected essential medicines stockouts in South Africa

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.490 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

L Wolvaardt ◽

R Nemuntandani ◽

I Kamungoma-Dada

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Treatment Interruption ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Essential Medicines ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Antiretroviral Medication

Abstract Background Access to essential medicines in South Africa has been compromised by stockouts in health facilities. This study describes the occurrence of stockouts for a selection of essential medicines. Methods This cross-sectional study used secondary data retrieved from the Stop Stock Outs Project (SSP). A descriptive analysis was conducted on data from the 2013-2015 SSP case management database of routinely reported stockouts. Chi square tests of independence was conducted on data from the SSP 2015 annual telephonic survey to investigate associations between the occurrence of stockouts, the level of health facility and the type of health professional. Results 231 facilities reported 609 stockouts. Antiretroviral medication had the most stockout reports (78%; n = 475/609), followed by anti-infectives (17.1%; n = 104/609) and tuberculosis medication (4.9%; n = 30/609). The highest number of stockout reports were received from Gauteng province and the majority (71.09%; n = 150/211) of facilities reporting stockouts were in urban areas. There were more stockouts at ambulatory, rather than inpatient care, facilities however, this was not statistically significant. Conclusions This study confirms that South Africa experiences medicine stockouts for many of the essential medicines, with antiretroviral medication being the category most affected. The stockouts vary between provinces and the urban-rural divide but are an equal threat to both ambulatory and inpatient facilities. Key messages The pattern of stockouts experienced over a three-year period suggest that stockouts are ‘normal’ despite the substantive effects of treatment interruption – especially patients with HIV and/or TB. Antiretroviral therapy is at risk as a result of stockouts.

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Urinary Paraben Concentration and Its Association with Serum Triglyceride Concentration in 2013-2014 NHANES Participants: A Cross-Sectional Study

Journal of Environmental and Public Health ◽

10.1155/2020/8196014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rebecca Pazos ◽

Cristina Palacios ◽

Adriana Campa

Keyword(s):

Geometric Mean ◽

Serum Triglyceride ◽

Health Impact ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Urinary Concentration ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Endocrine Disrupting ◽

Serum Triglyceride Concentration ◽

Hispanic White

Background. Alkyl esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid, colloquially known as parabens, are types of preservatives found in multiple foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products to which Americans are exposed daily. It is unclear if parabens exhibit endocrine-disrupting properties. Parabens may interact with triglycerides in adipose tissue and impact lipid metabolism. Objective. To evaluate the association between urinary paraben concentrations and serum triglyceride concentrations. Design. A cross-sectional study. Setting. The Mobile Examination Centers affiliated with 2013-2014 NHANES. Participant(s). 827 adults (20 years or older) affiliated with the 2013-2014 NHANES. Intervention(s). None. Main Outcome Measure(s). Triglyceride levels were associated with urinary paraben concentrations (methyl, ethyl, and propyl) using a hierarchical multiple regression, adjusting for ethnicity/race, gender, BMI, and age. Unadjusted results are also reported. Results. The geometric mean of the urinary concentration of methylparaben, ethylparaben, and propylparaben was 57.100, 2.537, and 6.537 ng/ml, respectively. Triglyceride concentrations were inversely associated with methylparaben (β = −0.092, P=0.07), ethylparaben (β = −0.066, P=0.045), and propylparaben (β = −0.076, P=0.025). Being female, non-Hispanic White, and non-Hispanic Black were associated with decreasing triglyceride levels in the presence of methylparaben, ethylparaben, and propylparaben, and age, BMI, and being male were associated with increasing circulating triglycerides. Conclusion. Despite the potential detrimental effects of parabens on triglycerides, our results suggest that urinary excretions of methylparaben, ethylparaben, and propylparaben are associated with lower concentrations of circulating triglycerides in certain populations. Further research is needed to confirm the mechanisms and health impact of this relationship.

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Relation between Feed Particle Size Distribution and Plumage Condition in Laying Hens on Commercial Farms

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11030773 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 773

Author(s):

Ruben Schreiter ◽

Klaus Damme ◽

Markus Freick

Keyword(s):

Damage Control ◽

Geometric Mean ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Nutrient Analysis ◽

Indirect Measure ◽

Model Animal ◽

Commercial Farms ◽

And Control ◽

Feed Samples

In this cross-sectional study, 103 complete feed samples from laying hen herds affected by plumage damage as an indirect measure for severe feather pecking (affected herds; AH, n = 37) and control herds without plumage damage (control herd; CH, n = 66) of commercial German farms were examined by dry sieve and nutrient analysis. AH showed higher percentages of particles >2.50 mm (mean ± SD, CH: 11.0 ± 8.5%, AH: 24.9 ± 14.3%) and 2.00–2.50 mm (CH: 11.2 ± 5.3%, AH: 15.7 ± 5.7%), but lower proportions of fractions 1.01–1.60 mm (CH: 22.9 ± 4.9%, AH: 17.8 ± 5.7%), 0.51–1.00 mm (CH: 25.5 ± 8.2%, AH: 16.0 ± 6.8%) and ≤0.50 mm (CH: 15.4 ± 5.0%, AH: 11.0 ± 4.8%) (p < 0.001). Diets of AH had a higher geometric mean diameter (GMD) compared to CH (AH: 1470.8 ± 343.9 μm; CH: 1113.3 ± 225.7 μm) (p < 0.001). Contents of crude ash (CH: 130.3 ± 18.8 g/kg, AH: 115.9 ± 24.3 g/kg), lysine (CH: 8.2 ± 1.0 g/kg, AH: 7.7 ± 1.2 g/kg), methionine (CH: 3.4 ± 0.5 g/kg, AH: 3.2 ± 0.6 g/kg) and sodium (CH: 1.7 ± 0.4 g/kg, AH: 1.3 ± 0.4 g/kg) were lower in AH (p ≤ 0.041). In a logistic regression model, animal age (p = 0.041) and GMD (p < 0.001) were significant factors on the occurrence of plumage damage.

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HEALTH-RELATED BEHAVIORS OF SENIORS IN RURAL VERSUS URBAN AREAS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Health Problems of Civilization ◽

10.5114/hpc.2020.93293 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Aneta Omelan ◽

Iwona Zielińska ◽

Bogdan Wziątek ◽

Ernest Bielinis ◽

Robert Podstawski

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Related Behaviors ◽

Health Related

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Cross-sectional study of drivers of animal-source food consumption in low-income urban areas of Nairobi, Kenya

BMC Nutrition ◽

10.1186/s40795-016-0109-z ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Laura Cornelsen ◽

Pablo Alarcon ◽

Barbara Häsler ◽

Djesika D. Amendah ◽

Elaine Ferguson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Consumption ◽

Low Income ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Animal Source ◽

Animal Source Food

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GENDER AND RURAL–URBAN DIFFERENCES IN THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

Journal of Biosocial Science ◽

10.1017/s0021932010000234 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 42 (5) ◽

pp. 653-676 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

OLAYINKA O. OMIGBODUN ◽

KOFOWOROLA I. ADEDIRAN ◽

JOSHUA O. AKINYEMI ◽

AKINYINKA O. OMIGBODUN ◽

BABATUNDE O. ADEDOKUN ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Private Schools ◽

Rural Schools ◽

Private School ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

School Type ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Male Adolescents ◽

Demographic Correlates ◽

Low Bmi

SummaryThis study assessed gender and rural/urban differences in height and weight, and the prevalence of stunting, underweight and overweight of school-going adolescents in south-west Nigeria, using 2007 WHO reference values for comparison. The influence of sexual maturity and the socio-demographic correlates of growth performance were also examined. In this cross-sectional study, 924 male (51.4%) and 875 female (48.6%) students (1799 in total) aged 10–19 years from eighteen schools in Ibadan (five rural, nine urban public and four urban private) were interviewed and examined. Although males were significantly taller than females (p<0.05), stunting was more pronounced for males, who were 7.5 cm shorter than the 2007 WHO reference, compared with females who were 3.5 cm shorter. Body mass index (BMI) for girls was also greater than for boys (p<0.05). Rural adolescents had lower heights and BMIs compared with those in urban areas. The mean height of male adolescents in rural schools fell below 2 SDs of the 2007 WHO reference between 14 and 17 years, while heights of males and females in private schools were similar to the median 2007 WHO standard. Low height-for-age was observed in 282 adolescents (15.7%), which, after multivariate analysis, was significantly associated with school type, gender, number of mother's children and puberty onset. Adolescents in rural schools were much more likely to be stunted than those in urban private schools (AOR 13.1; 95% CI 5.2–33.2) and males were three times more likely to be stunted compared with females (AOR 3.3; 95% CI 2.4–1.4). Low BMI-for-age was observed in 240 adolescents (18.9%), with correlates similar to stunting. Adolescents at the pre-puberty stage were twice as likely to have low BMI-for-age (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.6–2.5) than those with signs of puberty. There were 2.3% overweight adolescents, who were significantly more likely to be female, in private school and post-pubertal. Innovative interventions for Nigerian adolescents, especially rural inhabitants and males, are needed to reduce the prevalence of stunting and underweight.

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Outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Beijing: a 5-year cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041917 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. e041917

Author(s):

Fei Shao ◽

Haibin Li ◽

Shengkui Ma ◽

Dou Li ◽

Chunsheng Li

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Arrest ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Patient Characteristics ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Term Survival ◽

Shockable Rhythm ◽

Bystander Cpr ◽

Hospital Cardiac Arrest

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to assess the trends in outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Beijing over 5 years.DesignCross-sectional study.MethodsAdult patients with OHCA of all aetiologies who were treated by the Beijing emergency medical service (EMS) between January 2013 and December 2017 were analysed. Data were collected using the Utstein Style. Cases were followed up for 1 year. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise the sample and logistic regression was performed.ResultsOverall, 5016 patients with OHCA underwent attempted resuscitation by the EMS in urban areas of Beijing during the study period. Survival to hospital discharge was 1.2% in 2013 and 1.6% in 2017 (adjusted rate ratio=1.0, p for trend=0.60). Survival to admission and neurological outcome at discharge did not significantly improve from 2013 to 2017. Patient characteristics and the aetiology and location of cardiac arrest were consistent, but there was a decrease in the initial shockable rhythm (from 6.5% to 5.6%) over the 5 years. The rate of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) increased steadily over the years (from 10.4% to 19.4%).ConclusionSurvival after OHCA in urban areas of Beijing did not improve significantly over 5 years, with long-term survival being unchanged, although the rate of bystander CPR increased steadily, which enhanced the outcomes of patients who underwent bystander CPR.

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