International journal of environmental research and public health
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Jul 2019
Quantification of Elemental Contaminants in Unregulated Water across Western Navajo Nation.
The geologic profile of the western United States lends itself to naturally elevated levels of arsenic and uranium in groundwater and can be exacerbated by mining enterprises. The Navajo Nation, located in the American Southwest, is the largest contiguous Native American Nation and has over a 100-year legacy of hard rock mining. ⋯ Of these, 14 elements had at least one instance of a concentration greater than a national regulatory limit, and six of these (V, Ca, As, Mn, Li, and U) had the highest incidence of exceedances and were of concern to various communities on the Navajo Nation. Our findings are similar to other studies conducted in Arizona and on the Navajo Nation and demonstrate that other elements may be a concern for public health beyond arsenic and uranium.
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Jul 2019
Meta AnalysisDose-Response Relationship of Outdoor Exposure and Myopia Indicators: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Various Research Methods.
Myopia in children has dramatically increased worldwide. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the effects of outdoor light exposure on myopia. According to research data from 13 studies of 15,081 children aged 4-14 at baseline, outdoor light exposure significantly reduced myopia incidence/prevalence (odds ratio [OR] = 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80-0.91, p < 0.00001; I2 = 90%), spherical equivalent refractive error (SER) by 0.15 D/year (0.09-0.27, p < 0.0001), and axial elongation by 0.08 mm/year (-0.14 to -0.02, p = 0.02). ⋯ Daily outdoor light exposure of more than 120 min was the most effective intervention, and weekly intervention time exhibited a dose-response relationship with all three indicators. Subgroup comparisons revealed that interventional studies report greater benefits from outdoor light exposure compared with cohort and cross-sectional studies, and individuals with myopia in intervention studies experienced slightly greater benefits than individuals without, in terms of SER and axial elongation. Therefore, this study suggests 120 min/day of outdoor light exposure at school.
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Jul 2019
Risk, Transformation and Adaptation: Ideas for Reframing Approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction.
Recognition of projected increases in exposure to large-scale hazard events over the coming decades has identified a need to develop how disaster risk reduction and recovery are conceptualized and enacted. This paper discusses some strategies for pursing this goal in both disaster recovery and preparedness settings. The approaches discussed include understanding how communities learn from their hazardous experiences and transform these lessons into beliefs, relationships and capabilities that build future adaptive capacity. ⋯ These include a need for rethinking socio-environmental relationships, increasing risk acceptance in the context of evolving hazardscapes, and countering beliefs regarding not preparing. The paper then offers strategies for motivating transformation and consolidating the outcomes of transformation in pre-event disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies. A preliminary model that could inform the development of research questions on the development of transformative outcomes and their consolidation in enduring adaptive processes is presented.
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Jul 2019
Types of Exposure Pesticide Poisoning in Jiangsu Province, China; The Epidemiologic Trend between 2006 and 2018.
Pesticide poisoning is an important issue in rural China, and is also a major public health problem that affects the health of farmers. The purpose of this paper is to explore the epidemiology of pesticide poisoning in Jiangsu Province, and to put forward the relevant suggestions on the logical and discerning utilization of the pesticides. ⋯ Although there is a decreased risk for pesticide poisoning among farmworkers in Jiangsu Province, the number of farmworkers with pesticide poisoning is still high. Further management of the pesticide utilization is necessary, especially insecticide. More attention ought to be paid to the protection of vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly.
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Jul 2019
Identifying Predictors of Changes in Physical Activity Level in Adolescence: A Prospective Analysis in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It is known that physical activity levels (PA levels) decline during adolescence, but there is a lack of knowledge on possible predictors of changes in PA levels in this period of life. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the relationship between sociodemographic and behavioral factors (predictors), PA levels and changes in PA levels in older adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The sample comprised 872 participants (404 females) tested at baseline (16 years of age) and at follow-up (18 years of age). ⋯ The negative relationship between illicit drug consumption and PA decline could be a result of a large number of children who quit competitive sports in this period of life. In achieving appropriate PA-levels, special attention should be placed on children whose mothers are not highly educated, who live in rural communities, and who report the consumption of illicit drugs. The results highlighted the importance of studying correlates of PA levels and changes in PA levels during adolescence.