Environmental research
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Environmental research · Feb 2019
Impact of heatwaves on daily outpatient visits of respiratory disease: A time-stratified case-crossover study.
This study aims to estimate the impact of heatwaves from July 2010 to October 2012 on daily outpatient visits for respiratory disease (RD) in Cangnan, China and identify vulnerable populations. ⋯ Heatwaves had a significant harmful impact on daily outpatient visits for RD in Cangnan, especially for vulnerable population identified. These results can be used not only to strengthen the health education and protection of these vulnerable populations, but also to assist relevant organizations with developing intervention programmes and improving disease prevention and community care.
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Environmental research · Feb 2019
Relationships between home ventilation rates and respiratory health in the Colorado Home Energy Efficiency and Respiratory Health (CHEER) study.
As societies adopt green building practices to reduce energy expenditures and emissions that contribute to climate change, it is important to consider how such building design changes influence health. These practices typically focus on reducing air exchange rates between the building interior and the outdoor environment to minimize energy loss, the health effects of which are not well characterized. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between air exchange rates and respiratory health in a multi-ethnic population living in low-income, urban homes. ⋯ While prior studies have highlighted the potential hazards of low ventilation rates in residences, this study suggests high ventilation rates in single-family homes, duplexes and town-homes in urban areas may also have negative impacts on respiratory health, possibly due to the infiltration of outdoor pollutants.