scholarly journals Emerging Public Health Concern and Air Pollution: A Case Study of Delhi’s Air Pollution Governance

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 196-201
Author(s):  
Dr. Subhadra Rajpoot ◽  
Devang Pratap Singh
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Risk Governance ◽  
Healthy Environment ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
National Capital ◽  
Managing Risk

Air Pollution is a major concern in today’s scenarios as it is leading to serious health hazards and also retrograding our environment. In recent times there has been a rapid increase in various health factors which has affected lives at a very vast scale. Talking about air pollution in cities like Delhi and other metro cities where air pollution is at its peak. Talking about Delhi which is sometimes also referred as ‘Gas Chamber’ has been a research model for managing risk and controlling air pollution in mounting and towards making Delhi's environment healthy. In this research paper we are trying to understand air pollution governance as a means of risk management. Delhi which follows multi-level governance where public health emergencies in recent times, keeping public trust doctrine as the conceptual basis to look at governance. Delhi traversing as National Capital Territory can be considered as a victim of the Air Pollution and its consequent impacts. The lack of integrated approach in Delhi for risk governance has made this process multifaceted and a challenging task. This study can enlighten us on emergence of public health concerns due to air pollution and its governance, keeping in consideration it has not kept an equal balance even with the backing of legislative measures and intervention of court laws. Due to increasing air pollution levels in the city, right to Life and right to a Healthy Environment are being violated from which the levels of air quality continues to be poor. Lastly for which good governance is required in order to reduce the same at this pandemic.

scholarly journals Indian agriculture, air pollution, and public health in the age of COVID

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J McDonald ◽  
Balwinder-Singh ◽  
M.L. Jat ◽  
Peter Craufurd ◽  
Jon Hellin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Crop Residues ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Public Health Burden ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Indian Agriculture ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Agricultural Burning ◽  
Northwest India

Emerging evidence supports the intuitive link between chronic health conditions associated with air pollution and the vulnerability of individuals and communities to COVID-19. Poor air quality already imposes a highly significant public health burden in Northwest India, with pollution levels spiking to hazardous levels in November and early December when rice crop residues are burned. The urgency of curtailing the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigating a potential resurgence later in the year provides even more justification for accelerating efforts to dramatically reduce open agricultural burning in India.

scholarly journals The Establishment of the Household Air Pollution Consortium (HAPCO)

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 422
Author(s):  
H. Dean Hosgood ◽  
Madelyn Klugman ◽  
Keitaro Matsuo ◽  
Alexandra J. White ◽  
Atsuko Sadakane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Lung Cancer Death ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Carcinogenic Potential ◽  
The Us ◽  
Disease Specific Mortality

Household air pollution (HAP) is of public health concern, with ~3 billion people worldwide (including >15 million in the US) exposed. HAP from coal use is a human lung carcinogen, yet the epidemiological evidence on carcinogenicity of HAP from biomass use, primarily wood, is not conclusive. To robustly assess biomass’s carcinogenic potential, prospective studies of individuals experiencing a variety of HAP exposures are needed. We have built a global consortium of 13 prospective cohorts (HAPCO: Household Air Pollution Consortium) that have site- and disease-specific mortality and solid fuel use data, for a combined sample size of 587,257 participants and 57,483 deaths. HAPCO provides a novel opportunity to assess the association of HAP with lung cancer death while controlling for important confounders such as tobacco and outdoor air pollution exposures. HAPCO is also uniquely positioned to determine the risks associated with cancers other than lung as well as nonmalignant respiratory and cardiometabolic outcomes, for which prospective epidemiologic research is limited. HAPCO will facilitate research to address public health concerns associated with HAP-attributed exposures by enabling investigators to evaluate sex-specific and smoking status-specific effects under various exposure scenarios.

scholarly journals The Effects of Air Pollution on COVID-19 Infection and Mortality—A Review on Recent Evidence

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurshad Ali ◽  
Farjana Islam
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Nitrogen Dioxide ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Public Health Concern ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The World ◽  
Harmful Effects

The outbreak of COVID-19 has created a serious public health concern worldwide. Although, most of the regions around the globe have been affected by COVID-19 infections; some regions are more badly affected in terms of infections and fatality rates than others. The exact reasons for such variations are not clear yet. This review discussed the possible effects of air pollution on COVID-19 infections and mortality based on some recent evidence. The findings of most studies reviewed here demonstrate that both short-term and long-term exposure to air pollution especially PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) may contribute significantly to higher rates of COVID-19 infections and mortalities with a lesser extent also PM10. A significant correlation has been found between air pollution and COVID-19 infections and mortality in some countries in the world. The available data also indicate that exposure to air pollution may influence COVID-19 transmission. Moreover, exposure to air pollution may increase vulnerability and have harmful effects on the prognosis of patients affected by COVID-19 infections. Further research should be conducted considering some potential confounders such as age and pre-existing medical conditions along with exposure to NO2, PM2.5 and other air pollutants to confirm their detrimental effects on mortalities from COVID-19.

Air pollution and asthma: how can a public health concern inform the care of individual patients?

2014 ◽  
Vol 113 (4) ◽  
pp. 343-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle L. North ◽  
Neil E. Alexis ◽  
Anne K. Ellis ◽  
Chris Carlsten
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Public Health Concern

scholarly journals Effects of policy-driven hypothetical air pollutant interventions on childhood asthma incidence in southern California

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (32) ◽  
pp. 15883-15888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Garcia ◽  
Robert Urman ◽  
Kiros Berhane ◽  
Rob McConnell ◽  
Frank Gilliland
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Childhood Asthma ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Asthma Incidence ◽  
Pollutant Reduction

Childhood asthma is a major public health concern and has significant adverse impacts on the lives of the children and their families, and on society. There is an emerging link between air pollution, which is ubiquitous in our environment, particularly in urban centers, and incident childhood asthma. Here, using data from 3 successive cohorts recruited from the same 9 communities in southern California over a span of 20 y (1993 to 2014), we estimated asthma incidence using G-computation under hypothetical air pollution exposure scenarios targeting nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) in separate interventions. We reported comparisons of asthma incidence under each hypothetical air pollution intervention with incidence under the observed natural course of exposure; results that may be more tangible for policymakers compared with risk ratios. Model results indicated that childhood asthma incidence rates would have been statistically significantly higher had the observed reduction in ambient NO2 in southern California not occurred in the 1990s and early 2000s, and asthma incidence rates would have been significantly lower had NO2 been lower than what it was observed to be. For example, compliance with a hypothetical standard of 20 ppb NO2 was estimated to result in 20% lower childhood asthma incidence (95% CI, −27% to −11%) compared with the exposure that actually occurred. The findings for hypothetical PM2.5 interventions, although statistically significant, were smaller in magnitude compared with results for the hypothetical NO2 interventions. Our results suggest a large potential public health benefit of air pollutant reduction in reduced incidence of childhood asthma.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Substandard Amoxicillin Oral Dosage Forms in the National Capital District of Papua New Guinea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherryl G. Robertson ◽  
Naomi T. Hehonah ◽  
Rose D. Mayaune ◽  
Beverley D. Glass
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Essential Medicine ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Oral Dosage ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Drug Candidate ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Chromatography Method ◽  
National Capital

Antibiotics are commonly reported as being substandard or falsified in low- to middle-income countries, having potential to contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance and drug-resistant infections. Amoxicillin, used to treat a number of infections and listed by the WHO as an essential medicine, presented as a good drug candidate for this study. We aimed to measure the prevalence of substandard and falsified amoxicillin oral products (tablets, capsules, and suspensions) in the National Capital District of Papua New Guinea (PNG). These oral products were surveyed in 2018 and 2019 from retail pharmacies, private and public health facilities, and the Area Medical Store, representing more than 90% of licensed medicine outlets. The product packaging was visually inspected, and the samples were analyzed for amoxicillin content using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography method. Although no falsified products were identified, 15% of the 190 products analyzed contained substandard amounts of amoxicillin. Quality varied with the dosage form (P = 0.002), with capsules exhibiting the lowest incidence of substandard content (4% in 2019) and tablets collected in 2018 experiencing the highest failure rate (50%). Suspension (40%) quality was compromised by failure to achieve homogeneity on reconstitution. A higher incidence of substandard content (P = 0.002) was associated with one major retail group. Routine testing of medicines by resource-poor countries is often unachievable, leading to the circulation of poor quality drugs, which is a global public health concern. Our study highlighted that substandard amoxicillin oral products are indeed prevalent in the NCD of PNG.

scholarly journals THE NATIONAL CAPITAL UNDER THE EFFECT OF SEVERE AIR POLLUTION – A CONCERN FOR COMMUNITY LIVING AND EXISTENCE

2019 ◽  
pp. 78-82
Author(s):  
Dr. Yashoda Tammineni
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Quality Index ◽  
Air Quality Index ◽  
Pm 2.5 ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
The People ◽  
National Capital ◽  
Pm 10 ◽  
National Emergency

It’s of great concern to observe that the capital of our country, Delhi is under the severe grip of air pollution since a couple of days sending most alarming indications even for a national emergency. The Air quality index (AQI) entered the "severe plus" or "emergency" category and the Pollution levels in Delhi peaked to a three-year high in the month of November this year. Alarmingly, the level of particulate matter (PM) in the air reached intolerable level and the real time AQI was as high as 999 at monitoring stations at many places in Delhi. The smog (smoke and fog) has reached such an intolerable state that the people are suffering from severe pulmonary disorders and the visual clearance has enormously reduced leading to road accidents and even effected the air trafficking. Until and unless the AQI comes down drastically general living conditions in Delhi seems to be next to impossible. KEYWORDS: Air quality index (AQI), PM 2.5 Pollution, PM 10 Pollution, Severe Smog, Pulmonary disorders

scholarly journals Air Quality in Africa: Public Health Implications

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asmamaw Abera ◽  
Johan Friberg ◽  
Christina Isaxon ◽  
Michael Jerrett ◽  
Ebba Malmqvist ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Household Waste ◽  
Annual Review ◽  
Publication Date ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Development Processes

This review highlights the importance of air quality in the African urban development process. We address connections between air pollution and ( a) rapid urbanization, ( b) social problems, ( c) health impacts, ( d) climate change, ( e) policies, and (  f ) new innovations. We acknowledge that air pollution levels in Africa can be extremely high and a serious health threat. The toxic content of the pollution could relate to region-specific sources such as low standards for vehicles and fuels, cooking with solid fuels, and burning household waste. We implore the pursuit of interdisciplinary research to create new approaches with relevant stakeholders. Moreover, successful air pollution research must regard conflicts, tensions, and synergies inherent to development processes in African municipalities, regions, and countries. This includes global relationships regarding climate change, trade, urban planning, and transportation. Incorporating aspects of local political situations (e.g., democracy) can also enhance greater political accountability and awareness about air pollution. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Public Health, Volume 42 is April 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

scholarly journals Making the invisible visible: Engaging school children in monitoring air pollution in London

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Varaden ◽  
Christopher McKevitt ◽  
Benjamin Barratt
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Primary School ◽  
School Children ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Participatory Methods ◽  
Air Pollution Exposure ◽  
Pollution Exposure ◽  
The Impact

Exposure to air pollution is a public health concern accountable for numerous health problems and tens of thousands of premature deaths each year in the UK. Despite this evidence, public understanding and awareness of the issue is low in comparison to other public health risks. Improved methods for engaging with the public to communicate this risk are required. This study aimed to investigate the impact of collecting personalized air pollution exposure data on children and parents from a London primary school in terms of perceptions of and responses to air quality. Drawing on a participatory research approach, 400 children from a London primary school learnt about air pollution. A subset of ten children measured the air pollution they were exposed to as they travelled to and from school using portable exposure monitors and GPS watches, and shared the data they collected with the whole school. Data on the impact of the approach on the school community were collected using observations, surveys distributed to all school children and their parents, and interviews with the parents and children who collected the air pollution data. Most participants said that having access to personalized data that they themselves collected increased their air pollution awareness and their desire to reduce their air pollution exposure. The children's participation in the project inspired them to think about ways in which they could influence other people's behaviour, such as proposing anti-idling campaigns and encouraging their parents to cycle or walk to school. The use of participatory methods has the potential to facilitate the dissemination of information from a small group of individuals to a bigger audience. This study suggests that participatory methods can be implemented in practice, and they have the potential to be effective and engaging tools for raising awareness of air pollution as a health risk in communities.

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