scholarly journals Low-Cost Data Acquisition Station for Microclimate Detection and Public Health Risks Management: A Case Study of Casablanca

Author(s):  
Akensous Youness ◽  
Hakdaoui Mustapha ◽  
Al-Akad Sultan ◽  
Al Sabri Ahmed

<p class="0abstract">the environmental data acquisition station is used to manage the public health and detection of a microclimate of a city for a broadcast processed high precision data for users. This research article is summarizing the applications of Electronics and GIS applications to health risks management due to air pollution, noise and microclimate change detection, to study the geography of urban health risks and environmental change in Casablanca, Morocco. acquisition of environmental and Climatological Data using sensor networks, results a new possibilities and advantages, of environmental data monitoring using electronic circuit with a broadcasting system via a technology with wireless transmitter. The main object of this research is to present a simple and rapid method to provide instant microclimate and environment data, which can be used to manage the public risks caused by pollution and environment changes. As the climate and environment conditions are variable from a place to place, it is difficult to get accurate climate and environment for a particular location in a city. With the advancement of technology, especially data acquisition systems, the problem of large set up area and cost has been reduced. The data acquisition station can be set up at any place and provide an accurate and instant climate and environment report to any citizen of the city. The report of the data acquisition system can be used by the users to choose the best place for them to live due to their diseases. In addition, these data can be collected in a GIS system to create a microclimate change and air pollution map of different zones in the city, predict the future climate, and air pollution of the city.</p>

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Borrell ◽  
L Artazcoz ◽  
I Pasarín ◽  
M Rodríguez-Sanz ◽  
L Palència ◽  
...  

Abstract In Spain, the Public Health Law approved in 2011 foresees the creation of a Surveillance System on Social Determinants of Health and Equity. However, although information on health inequalities has been reported in technical reports and scientific articles before, it is not until now with the change of the Spanish government the political will to set up the more strategic surveillance system approved and foreseen in 2011 is there. The change of government in some cities can be an opportunity to advance in the surveillance of health inequalities and policies to tackle them. In Barcelona, for instance, there is a wealth of information and research on health inequalities, but in the past health inequalities was not clearly prioritised on the political agenda. Hence, although health inequalities have been presented in many reports, a monitoring and surveillance system has not been available nor a prioritised task. This has now changed and as part of Spain's engagement in the Joint Action Health Equity Europe project (JAHEE) a system for Monitoring Health Inequalities in the city of Barcelona is being established. During the course of the JAHEE project the objectives of the system and target populations will be defined, sources of information and indicators identified, dissemination and evaluation structures set up before finally, in the next step, the system is to be implemented. The ambition is that the new monitoring system on health inequalities set up in Barcelona in its final form, will make out a part of the information systems of the Public Health Observatory of the city of Barcelona. In this presentation, we will learn more about the establishment, the content and the experiences gained while setting up the new monitoring system on health inequalities in Barcelona - from defining the objective of the system to implementing it.


2001 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Marín Sánchez

This research investigated the quality of communication between doctors and patients of the Public Health Services in the city of Seville, Spain. Two hundred and twenty-eight doctors were selected at random from all of the clinics in the city for interviews. The interviews were guided by a specially composed questionnaire, which obtained answers to 30 variables grouped under four headings: variables which influence doctor-patient communication, interest in the consultation, information used in the consultation, and qualities of doctor-patient communication. Chi-squared tests were carried out on the different groups, which confirmed the objectives proposed in the investigation – among which was the need to set up communications training programs for doctors in order to improve their communication skills.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 783-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solomon O. Giwa ◽  
Collins N. Nwaokocha ◽  
Hezekiah O. Adeyemi

Purpose Nigeria, a prominent country in Sub-Sahara Africa, is plagued with a protracted, erratic and low power supply. The purpose of this paper is to present an experimental investigation of the noise levels and pollutants’ (CO, CO2 and particulate matter (PM2.5)) concentrations associated with the prevalent use of diesel-powered generators in the country. It is aimed to provide information on the level of gaseous, particulate and noise pollutants that are related to diesel-powered generators that could assist in policy formulation and create public awareness on the possible health risks. Design/methodology/approach Diesel-fueled generators (105) with age and installed capacity ranging from 0.5 to 14 years and 10 to 500 kVA, respectively, were engaged in this work at Sango area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Standard measuring instruments were placed at 1 m from the diesel-powered generators to determine the noise levels and concentrations of CO, CO2 and PM2.5. Findings Ranges of 72.6–115.6 dB, 19–198 ppm, 501–5,805 ppm and 221–492 µg/m3 for the noise level, CO, CO2 and PM2.5 concentrations, respectively, were obtained. Both the averages and ranges of the noise levels and pollutants’ concentrations were considerably higher than the recommended maximum limits. Thus, this study substantiated the pollution of ambient noise and air because of the operation of diesel-fueled generators. Furthermore, the health risks connected to the exposure to CO and PM2.5 as implied via the evaluation of the air quality index revealed very unhealthy and hazardous conditions, respectively. Research limitations/implications The measurement of the pollutants’ concentrations at the tips of the exhaust pipes of the diesel-powered generators was desirable but could not be achieved using manually logged devices. Nonetheless, adequate pollutants’ concentration data that satisfactorily represent the level of air pollution associated with diesel-fueled generators’ operations were obtained at around 1 m from the exhaust pipes. Practical implications The study provided additional knowledge on the levels of noise and pollutants, and the public health risks connected to the operations of diesel-powered generators that will be beneficial to the public and policymakers. Originality/value The results revealed a considerably high level of noise and air pollution, and the inherent environmental and public health problems connected to diesel-powered generators’ usage in Nigeria. This could serve as a viable tool for formulating environmental policy and providing the necessary societal awareness in this regard.


Author(s):  
Samuel Llano

As is described in this conclusion, more than the media and culture, Madrid’s public space constituted the primary arena where reactions and attitudes toward social conflict and inequalities were negotiated. Social conflict in the public space found expression through musical performance, as well as through the rise of noise that came with the expansion and modernization of the city. Through their impact on public health and morality, noise and unwelcomed musical practices contributed to the refinement of Madrid’s city code and the modernization of society. The interference of vested political interests, however, made the refining of legislation in these areas particularly difficult. Analysis of three musical practices, namely, flamenco, organilleros, and workhouse bands, has shown how difficult it was to adopt consistent policies and approaches to tackling the forms of social conflict that were associated with musical performance.


Author(s):  
Giovanni Tripepi ◽  
Mario Plebani ◽  
Giorgio Iervasi ◽  
Mercedes Gori ◽  
Daniela Leonardis ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Italy was the second country in the world, after China, to be hit by SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The Italy’s experience teaches that steps to limit people’s movement by imposing “red zones” need to be put in place early by carefully identifying the cities to be included within these areas of quarantine. The assessment of the relationship between the distance from an established outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 infection with transmission-linked cases and mortality observed in other sites could provide useful information to identify the optimal radius of red zones. Methods We investigated the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 cases and the distance of each Italian province from the first outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Italy (the city of Lodi placed in the Lombardia region). In 38 provinces of Lombardia and neighboring regions, we performed a breakpoint analysis to identify the radius of the red zone around Lodi minimizing epidemic spread and mortality in neighboring cities. Results In all Italian provinces a non-linear relationship was found between SARS-CoV-2 cases and distance from Lodi. In an analysis including the provinces of Lombardia and neighboring regions, SARS-CoV-2 cases and mortality increased when the distance from Lodi reduced below 92 km and 140 km, respectively, and such relationships were amplified by ozone (O3) pollution. Conclusions The breakpoint analysis identifies the radius around the outbreak of Lodi minimizing the public health consequences of SARS-CoV-2 in neighboring cities. Such an approach can be useful to identify the red zones in future epidemics due to highly infective pathogens similar to SARS-CoV-2.


Author(s):  
David Rojas-Rueda

Background: Bicycling has been associated with health benefits. Local and national authorities have been promoting bicycling as a tool to improve public health and the environment. Mexico is one of the largest Latin American countries, with high levels of sedentarism and non-communicable diseases. No previous studies have estimated the health impacts of Mexico’s national bicycling scenarios. Aim: Quantify the health impacts of Mexico urban bicycling scenarios. Methodology: Quantitative Health Impact Assessment, estimating health risks and benefits of bicycling scenarios in 51,718,756 adult urban inhabitants in Mexico (between 20 and 64 years old). Five bike scenarios were created based on current bike trends in Mexico. The number of premature deaths (increased or reduced) was estimated in relation to physical activity, road traffic fatalities, and air pollution. Input data were collected from national publicly available data sources from transport, environment, health and population reports, and surveys, in addition to scientific literature. Results: We estimated that nine premature deaths are prevented each year among urban populations in Mexico on the current car-bike substitution and trip levels (1% of bike trips), with an annual health economic benefit of US $1,897,920. If Mexico achieves similar trip levels to those reported in The Netherlands (27% of bike trips), 217 premature deaths could be saved annually, with an economic impact of US $45,760,960. In all bicycling scenarios assessed in Mexico, physical activity’s health benefits outweighed the health risks related to traffic fatalities and air pollution exposure. Conclusion: The study found that bicycling promotion in Mexico would provide important health benefits. The benefits of physical activity outweigh the risk from traffic fatalities and air pollution exposure in bicyclists. At the national level, Mexico could consider using sustainable transport policies as a tool to promote public health. Specifically, the support of active transportation through bicycling and urban design improvements could encourage physical activity and its health co-benefits.


2002 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 569-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen L. Jellison ◽  
Harold F. Hemond ◽  
David B. Schauer

ABSTRACT Understanding the behavior of Cryptosporidium oocysts in the environment is critical to developing improved watershed management practices for protection of the public from waterborne cryptosporidiosis. Analytical methods of improved specificity and sensitivity are essential to this task. We developed a nested PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay that allows detection of a single oocyst in environmental samples and differentiates the human pathogen Cryptosporidium parvum from other Cryptosporidium species. We tested our method on surface water and animal fecal samples from the Wachusett Reservoir watershed in central Massachusetts. We also directly compared results from our method with those from the immunofluorescence microscopy assay recommended in the Information Collection Rule. Our results suggest that immunofluorescence microscopy may not be a reliable indicator of public health risk for waterborne cryptosporidiosis. Molecular and environmental data identify both wildlife and dairy farms as sources of oocysts in the watershed, implicate times of cold water temperatures as high-risk periods for oocyst contamination of surface waters, and suggest that not all oocysts in the environment pose a threat to public health.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document