Funes: un repositorio digital para publicar y compartir documentos en Educación Matemática

OpenAIRE

Gómez, Pedro; Cañadas, María C.; Soler, Camilo; Restrepo, Ángela M.

2009-01-01

Presentamos el proyecto Funes, un repositorio electrónico de documentos en Educación Matemática. Su propósito es contribuir a la consolidación de la comunidad iberoamericana de Educación Matemática, al proporcionar un espacio virtual en el que profesores, innovadores e investigadores pueden compartir su producción escrita y pueden aprender mutuamente a partir de ella.

Los repositorios de acceso abierto en Argentina: situación actual Open access repositories in Argentine: an update

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina De Volder

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Se llevó a cabo una caracterización básica y descriptiva de los repositorios argentinos de acceso abierto. Se identificaron quince repositorios: siete institucionales pertenecientes a cinco universidades nacionales; cuatro temáticos; tres de tesis y disertaciones y una biblioteca digital exclusivamente de revistas. De la investigación, se desprende que en nuestro país no hay políticas públicas ni mandatos relacionados con el acceso abierto; sí proyectos aislados surgidos y mantenidos en general por la iniciativa y el trabajo de los bibliotecarios, sobre todo en el ámbito universitario.A basic and descriptive characterization of the Argentinean repositories of open access was carried out. Fifteen repositories were identified: seven institutional belonging to five national universities; four thematic; three of thesis and dissertations and a digital library exclusively of journals. The results show that Argentina has not public policies or mandates in relation to open access. However, it has only isolated projects generally supported by the initiative and work of librarians, most of them in the university field.

ESTIMACIÓN DE CALIDAD DE OBJETOS DE APRENDIZAJE EN REPOSITORIOS DE RECURSOS EDUCATIVOS ABIERTOS BASADA EN LAS INTERACCIONES DE LOS ESTUDIANTES

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Aldo Gordillo Méndez

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Los recursos educativos abiertos se han erigido como uno de los pilares fundamentales de la educación abierta. Una de las principales barreras que está obstaculizando su uso y adopción es la carencia de mecanismos de control de calidad efectivos y sostenibles en los repositorios. Estrategias de evaluación como la revisión por pares no han resultado lo su®cientemente escalables para afrontar el ritmo de creación de materiales abiertos por parte de la comunidad. El presente estudio muestra una nueva estrategia basada en analíticas de aprendizaje para estimar la calidad de los objetos de aprendizaje en base a las interacciones que los estudiantes tienen con ellos en entornos abiertos. Se analizaron 146.291 sesiones de interacción de estudiantes con 256 objetos de aprendizaje distribuidos a través de un repositorio abierto. Un total de 11 interacciones estudiante-objeto de aprendizaje fueron consi- deradas en el estudio. La calidad de los recursos fue medida empleando el instrumento estándar de evaluación LORI (Learning Object Review Instru- ment. Para estudiar las relaciones entre las interacciones de los estudiantes con los objetos de aprendizaje y la calidad de los mismos y para construir una métrica de predicción se utilizaron análisis de regresión lineal. Los resulta- dos muestran que existe relación entre las interacciones y la calidad, y que es posible estimar con un error moderado la calidad de los objetos de apren- dizaje en base a las interacciones que los estudiantes tienen con ellos. Los resultados obtenidos señalan que la analítica de aprendizaje propuesta puede ser utilizada en repositorios de objetos de aprendizaje abiertos para detectar automáticamente recursos con ̄ictivos o de baja calidad.

Sistema de Recomendación para la Búsqueda Personalizada en un Repositorio de Trabajos de Titulación

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Rodrigo Vences Nava

2015-12-01

Full Text Available La producción académica de estudiantes en una institución educativa reúne resultados de investigaciones actuales y originales de diversas temáticas. Hoy en día podemos encontrar repositorios de tesis digitales en Internet disponibles para su consulta. Se han hecho esfuerzos por estandarizar dichos repositorios para establecer interoperabilidad entre diferentes instituciones; Sin embargo estos esfuerzos se centran más en la recuperación de información que en la recomendación de contenido. El modelo que se propone es una solución para la búsqueda, recuperación y recomendación de trabajos de titulación en una institución educativa, personalizando la recuperación de información utilizando filtrados por contenido y colaborativo. El sistema de recomendación resultante, producto de esta investigación, se espera facilite el acceso de forma particular a los trabajos de titulación del área de ciencias sociales tanto a profesores como estudiantes permitiendo realizar consultas sobre temas específicos, recuperando la información solicitada y personalizándola de acuerdo al perfil de usuario construido con base en su interacción con el sistema.

Un repositorio digital de contenido fílmico como recurso didáctico

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Miguel Ángel Tobías Martínez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available El uso de vídeos como recurso didáctico estimula la construcción de nuevo conocimiento. A pesar de la existencia de este recurso en diversos géneros y medios, no se valora la experiencia de los profesionales que lo aprovechan en clase y además no se cuenta con espacios online que orienten y apoyen el uso apropiado de esta práctica. En el ámbito del aprendizaje online, surge la propuesta de un repositorio de vídeos de corta duración, con el objetivo de orientar acerca de su uso como recurso didáctico, a fin de incentivar un intercambio de ideas y experiencias (fomentar y crear conocimiento, en el proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje, sirviendo esto como recurso para profesionales en la construcción de los MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses. Metodológicamente se propone una arquitectura en tres etapas: identificación/reconocimiento, diseminación y colaboración, para el uso de vídeos como recurso didáctico, sustentándose en una extensa investigación exploratoria, basándose en las tecnologías educativas existentes y tendencias tecnológicas para la educación superior. El resultado es la creación de un repositorio de Recuperación de Contenido de Información en Vídeos (RECIF, un espacio virtual de intercambio de experiencias por medio de vídeos. Se concluye que por medio de metodologías que faciliten el desarrollo de procesos y productos innovadores, se pueden crear espacios de clases motivadoras, virtuales o presenciales, que completen un aprendizaje interactivo y colaborativo, estimulando la creatividad y el dinamismo.

Accesibilidad de los contenidos en un repositorio institucional: análisis, herramientas y usos del formato EPUB

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Marisa R. De Giusti

2016-01-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de este trabajo es describir alternativas incorporadas en el formato EPUB3 para promover el acceso a la producción académica y científica de las instituciones por parte de personas con discapacidades visuales. Como punto de partida se toma la figura del repositorio institucional como espacio que alberga y difunde esta producción, y cuyos objetivos incluyen darle mayor visibilidad y maximizar su impacto, manteniéndose así en la misma línea con la propuesta de este estudio. Se analizan los aportes introducidos en el formato EPUB3 con respecto a sus antecesores. En particular, se estudian las extensiones existentes que sirven para optimizar la síntesis de voz a partir de los textos (TTS, text-to-speech, la incorporación de voces adicionales y múltiples voces, y finalmente las herramientas disponibles para visualizar y reproducir documentos EPUB3 con incorporaciones TTS. En este aspecto, se hace énfasis en las aplicaciones accesibles gratuitamente desde dispositivos móviles actuales a fin de asegurar el aprovechamiento de estos aportes por cualquier potencial persona usuaria. Por último, se evalúa la viabilidad de implementar un circuito de generación de documentos EPUB3 accesibles, y se analizan posibles servicios adicionales que el repositorio institucional.

Accesibilidad de los contenidos en un repositorio institucional: análisis, herramientas y usos del formato EPUB

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Marisa R. De Giusti

2016-07-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de este trabajo es describir alternativas incorporadas en el formato EPUB3 para promover el acceso a la producción académica y científica de las instituciones por parte de personas con discapacidades visuales. Como punto de partida se toma la figura del repositorio institucional como espacio que alberga y difunde esta producción, y cuyos objetivos incluyen darle mayor visibilidad y maximizar su impacto, manteniéndose así en la misma línea con la propuesta de este estudio. Se analizan los aportes introducidos en el formato EPUB3 con respecto a sus antecesores. En particular, se estudian las extensiones existentes que sirven para optimizar la síntesis de voz a partir de los textos (TTS, text-to-speech, la incorporación de voces adicionales y múltiples voces, y finalmente las herramientas disponibles para visualizar y reproducir documentos EPUB3 con incorporaciones TTS. En este aspecto, se hace énfasis en las aplicaciones accesibles gratuitamente desde dispositivos móviles actuales a fin de asegurar el aprovechamiento de estos aportes por cualquier potencial persona usuaria. Por último, se evalúa la viabilidad de implementar un circuito de generación de documentos EPUB3 accesibles, y se analizan posibles servicios adicionales que el repositorio institucional puede brindar a partir de estas herramientas.

Propuesta de creación de un repositorio digital de ámbito cultural en Andalucía

OpenAIRE

Saborido Piñero, Santiago

2013-01-01

A lo largo de este trabajo hemos desarrollado una propuesta de repositorio digital de ámbito cultural en Andalucía, para las Instituciones de la Administración Autonómica dependientes de la Consejería de Educación, Cultura y Deportes. La oportunidad de este proyecto surge de la escasa difusión que muchos de los activos digitales culturales de la Junta de Andalucía tienen en la actualidad en Internet, lo que nos llevo a plantear la necesidad de la creación y puesta en marc...

Repositorio de la producción científica de los profesionales de un hospital universitario

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Esther Mayor Guerra

2015-05-01

Full Text Available El acceso a la información científica es un tema muy debatido en la actualidad. Se recopiló la producción científica de los profesionales del Hospital Provincial Docente Clinicoquirúrgico "Saturnino Lora Torres" de Santiago de Cuba para elaborar el diseño del repositorio institucional de acceso abierto, que respondió a los requerimientos de los tipos de contenidos generados por sus profesionales y las políticas para entrar en él. Se concluyó la primera etapa y se encuentra en fase de construcción la segunda

Extensión de taxonomía y tratamiento de valores faltantes sobre un repositorio de incidentes de seguridad informática

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Carlos Javier Carvajal Montealegre

2013-06-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se detalla el proceso de estimación de datos faltantes mediante el teorema de Bayes, sobre un repositorio de incidentes de seguridad informática compuesto por datos de tipo categórico. Así mismo, se hace uso de una taxonomía, ampliada y redefinida para acoplarse a los incidentes encontrados.

La comunidad «Recursos y datos primarios» de la Universitat Pompeu Fabra: los repositorios institucionales como infraestructuras científicas: estudio de caso

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Arano, Silvia

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This article presents an initial approach to open access publication of research data from the humanities. It is a case study of the creation of two data collections at the institutional repository of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, one containing the annexes of doctoral theses and the other, language tools and resources. Finally, we analyze the experience and draw conclusions regarding the use of repositories as infrastructure.

El artículo presenta una primera aproximación a la publicación en acceso abierto de datos resultantes de la investigación en el área de humanidades. Describe el estudio de caso implementado en el repositorio institucional de la Universitat Pompeu Fabra, a partir de la creación de dos colecciones con datos, una para los anexos presentes en las tesis y otra para las herramientas y recursos lingüísticos. Finalmente se analiza la experiencia realizada y se extraen algunas conclusiones respecto a la utilización de los repositorios como infraestructuras.

Uso de la web 2.0 como herramienta de marketing y difusión de Dadun, el repositorio institucional de la Universidad de Navarra

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Cózar Santiago, Amparo

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Teniendo presente los continuos cambios que están afectando tanto al personal investigador como a los bibliotecarios, nos vemos en la necesidad de estar en un continuo proceso de aprendizaje. Debemos aprender a establecer una conversación con los usuarios, buscar nuevos canales de comunicación, y proporcionarles las herramientas necesarias para la comprensión del mundo en el que está desarrollando su quehacer profesional o su investigación. Encontramos los repositorios como vías de comunicación de la investigación, así como de difusión y preservación. Pero no hemos de conformarnos con el simple hecho de tener un repositorio en nuestra institución, sino que debemos darlo a conocer a nuestra comunidad. En el presente trabajo se hace un recorrido por las distintas acciones emprendidas en la Biblioteca de la Universidad de Navarra, deteniéndonos en el blog “Investigación Científica en Abierto”.

El desarrollo de software dirigido por modelos en los repositorios institucionales

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Jose Texier

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Los Repositorios Institucionales (RI se han consolidado en la academia, prueba de ello es el crecimiento en número de registros en los directorios existentes realizado por diferentes vías: autoarchivo por parte de autores, la incorporación de material a cargo de bibliotecarios, entre otras. En este trabajo se hace un relevamiento bibliográfico sobre el uso del enfoque de Desarrollo de Software Dirigido por Modelos (MDD en los sistemas de RI con el propósito de establecer una relación entre ellos. El MDD es un paradigma de construcción de software que asigna a los modelos un rol central y se derivan modelos que van desde los más abstractos a los más concretos. Este paradigma, además, proporciona un marco de trabajo que permite a los interesados compartir sus puntos de vista y manipular las representaciones de las entidades del dominio. En conclusión, el seguimiento de las diferentes investigaciones relevadas y lo aquí expuesto permiten incentivar implementaciones de software para los RI.

Aplicaciones de Software Libre para automatizar servicios en una biblioteca: uso de software Calibre para la creación de un repositorio digital

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Rolando Herrera Burgos

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Este artículo propone el uso de herramientas informáticas desarrolladas bajo el modelo de Software Libre para poder automatizar de forma sencilla distintos servicios que pueden brindar las bibliotecas. Se explora el uso de la aplicación Calibre para crear un repositorio digital que permita a los usuarios acceder a materiales en línea y a texto completo mediante el uso de Internet.

Estudio de calidad de los repositorios de recursos educativos abiertos en el marco de la educación universitaria

OpenAIRE

Atenas Rivera, Javiera

2014-01-01

Esta tesis ha sido desarrollada a modo de compendio de publicaciones las cuales presentan el proceso y los resultados de esta investigación, así como las líneas de investigación futuras. Los artículos han sido publicados entre 2012 y 2014 en formato de artículos en revistas científicas internacionales, en castellano y en inglés, y como capítulo de un libro. El objeto de investigación de esta tesis son los Repositorios de Recursos Educativos Abiertos (RREA), los cuales son definidos por M...

Los repositorios como herramienta para la recuperación del patrimonio bibliográfico: el caso de seis bibliotecas públicas municipales del departamento de Antioquia

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Wilson Castaño Muñoz

2016-01-01

Full Text Available El siguiente artículo tiene como objetivo principal evidenciar la importancia de implementar un repositorio digital en la investigaciones sobre la recuperación del patrimonio bibliográfico de seis bibliotecas públicas de los municipios de Andes, El Carmen de Viboral, Puerto Berrio, Sonsón, Turbo y Yarumal del departamento de Antioquia, Colombia. Se presenta brevemente el concepto de patrimonio-bibliográfico y se abordan los repositorios institucionales y digitales como categoría analítica y alternativa para la recuperación, organización y difusión de información patrimonial. The following article has as main objective to demonstrate the importance of implementing a digital repository in the research about the bibliographical patrimony recovery in six public libraries in municipalities located in the department of Antioquia, Colombia such as Andes, el Carmen de Viboral, Puerto Berrío, Sonsón, Turbo and Yarumal. The concept of bibliographical patrimony appears briefly in the article and the institutional and digital repositories are approached as an analytical and alternative category for the recovery, organization and dissemination of the patrimony information. .

Propuesta sociotecnológica para el desarrollo de repositorios de Acceso Abierto adecuados al contexto universitario argentino

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Patricia San Martín

2014-01-01

Full Text Available El artículo presenta los principales resultad os del proyecto de investigación científico - tecnológica " Hacia el desarrollo y utilización de Repositorios de Acceso Abierto para Objetos Digitales Educativos en el contexto de las universidades públicas de la región centro - este de Argentina ". El objetivo de este proyecto interdisciplinario se centró en diseñar y proponer un primer modelo teórico, metodológico y tecnológico de carácter experimental de Repositorios Institucionales de Acceso Abierto para Objetos Digitales Educativos. En atención al marco teór ico y metodológico del Dispositivo Hipermedial Dinámico, se adoptó un enfoque socio - tecnológico. Por lo tanto, se implementaron instrumentos y técnicas metodológicas cualitativas y de la Ingeniería del Software . A partir de datos diagnósticos sobre problem áticas de usabilidad de DSpace y en atención a las necesidades y prácticas de publicación en acceso abierto de la comunidad académica regional, se desarrolla la propuesta de un Primer Prototipo Experimental para Objetos Digitales Educativos con tecnología DSpace . S e explicitan las opciones de diseño en cuanto a la organización interna, la visibilidad y la usabilidad del prototipo. Respecto de la organización interna, se predeterminaron 12 colecciones de diversos tipos de Objetos Digitales Educativos. Se con templó la definición de campos de metadatos obligatorios y optativos para cada colección combinando los estándares de metadatos Dublin Core y Learning Object Metadata. Sobre la usabilidad, se presentan las mejoras y evaluaciones del prototipo realizadas p or académicos de las universidades participantes. Dichas evaluaciones muestran una mejora en las condiciones de autoarchivo y la posibilidad de avanzar hacia modelos de publicación más eficientes, integradores y abiertos.

Propuesta sociotecnológica para el desarrollo de repositorios de Acceso Abierto adecuados al contexto universitario argentino

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Patricia San Martín

2014-07-01

Full Text Available El artículo presenta los principales resultados del proyecto de investigación científico-tecnológica "Hacia el desarrollo y utilización de Repositorios de Acceso Abierto para Objetos Digitales Educativos en el contexto de las universidades públicas de la región centro-este de Argentina". El objetivo de este proyecto interdisciplinario se centró en diseñar y proponer un primer modelo teórico, metodológico y tecnológico de carácter experimental de Repositorios Institucionales de Acceso Abierto para Objetos Digitales Educativos. En atención al marco teórico y metodológico del Dispositivo Hipermedial Dinámico, se adoptó un enfoque socio-tecnológico. Por lo tanto, se implementaron instrumentos y técnicas metodológicas cualitativas y de la Ingeniería del Software. A partir de datos diagnósticos sobre problemáticas de usabilidad de DSpace y en atención a las necesidades y prácticas de publicación en acceso abierto de la comunidad académica regional, se desarrolla la propuesta de un Primer Prototipo Experimental para Objetos Digitales Educativos con tecnología DSpace. Se explicitan las opciones de diseño en cuanto a la organización interna, la visibilidad y la usabilidad del prototipo. Respecto de la organización interna, se predeterminaron 12 colecciones de diversos tipos de Objetos Digitales Educativos. Se contempló la definición de campos de metadatos obligatorios y optativos para cada colección combinando los estándares de metadatos Dublin Core y Learning Object Metadata. Sobre la usabilidad, se presentan las mejoras y evaluaciones del prototipo realizadas por académicos de las universidades participantes. Dichas evaluaciones muestran una mejora en las condiciones de autoarchivo y la posibilidad de avanzar hacia modelos de publicación más eficientes, integradores y abiertos.

REPOSITORIO DIGITAL PARA UNA MEJOR GESTIÓN DE LA INFORMACIÓN CIENTÍFICA EN LA UNIVERSIDAD LAS TUNAS

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Yunior Rodríguez Rodríguez

2015-07-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo aborda la importancia de la implementación de un repositorio digital para una mejor gestión de la información científica en la Universidad de Las Tunas, donde podamos socializar y consultar las tesis de grado, maestría y doctorado, resultados de proyectos de investigación, libros, revistas, manuscritos creados en nuestra Universidad e incluso digitalizar libros de única edición y de difícil acceso. Se ofrecen definiciones de varios autores así como los antecedentes de la gestión de información científica en nuestra universidad, además de las ventajas de su creación. También se muestra el diagnóstico y la estrategia para si implementación.

PROTOTIPO PARA RECUPERACIÓN SEMÁNTICA DE INFORMACIÓN DE PROYECTOS DE GRADO EN INGENIERÍA DE SISTEMAS CON BASE EN UN REPOSITORIO ONTOLÓGICO

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Cristian Eduardo Padilla Castro

2012-08-01

Full Text Available En el presente artículo se da a conocer un modelo para trabajar en la Web en lo que concierne a la recuperación de información, mediante el uso de SPARQL, el lenguaje de recuperación estándar para la Web Semántica. Es descrita también la manera en que se puede hacer posible la evolución hacia la Web semántica, teniendo presente que ya existen herramientas como el framework jena implementado en Java y aplicaciones resource description framework ontology Web language como lenguajes de representación basados en XML, utilizados en la investigación para la construcción del prototipo que permite recuperar semánticamente información de proyectos de grado en ingeniería de sistemas a partir de un repositorio ontológico.

Preservación digital de revistas en la UNAM y repositorios institucionales, un acercamiento

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Daniel Villanueva Rivas

2015-01-01

Full Text Available La finalidad del presente documento es aportar la experiencia en materia de migración y preservación digital de revistas técnicas y científicas adquiridas por compra en la Universidad Autónoma de México (UNAM. Se aborda de manera general las características de las colecciones impresas de la UNAM, con datos actualizados sobre estas; además, se plantea el estado del arte respecto de las suscripciones impresas con datos duros, algunos de los cuales están actualizados hasta el 2014; también se brinda un bosquejo de algunos proyectos de preservación digital como repositorios con la opinión de la UNESCO al respecto, para después presentar los tres principales proyectos de preservación colaborativa digital con sus características, ventajas y desventajas, organizados por bibliotecarios y editores de manera conjunta, y denominados Pórtico, LOCKSS y CLOKSS. El Sistema Bibliotecario de la UNAM está compuesto por 138 bibliotecas; las publicaciones periódicas impresas, como en cualquier otra biblioteca, tienen un común denominador respecto de las suscripciones, denominado faltante. Este se debe a diversos factores relacionados con la edición logística de envío, recepción y control de las suscripciones, lo cual hace padecer a los usuarios y, por tanto, al personal que labora en las bibliotecas del sistema. Uno de los grandes retos a los que se enfrenta es el cambio de modelo de adquisición de impreso o impreso más electrónico a solo digital, lo cual obliga a pensar en preservar lo adquirido. Existen varios modelos de preservación digital que se analizarán para finalmente determinar cuál es el mejor para la UNAM.

Preservación digital de revistas en la UNAM y repositorios institucionales, un acercamiento

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Daniel Villanueva Rivas

2015-01-01

Full Text Available La finalidad del presente documento es aportar la experiencia en materia de migración y preservación digital de revistas técnicas y científicas adquiridas por compra en la UNAM. Se aborda de manera general las características de las colecciones impresas de la UNAM, con datos actualizados sobre estas; además, se plantea el estado del arte respecto de las suscripciones impresas con datos duros, algunos de los cuales están actualizados hasta el 2014; también se brinda un bosquejo de algunos proyectos de preservación digital como repositorios con la opinión de la UNESCO al respecto, para después presentar los tres principales proyectos de preservación colaborativa digital con sus características, ventajas y desventajas, organizados por bibliotecarios y editores de manera conjunta, y denominados Pórtico, LOCKSS y CLOKSS. El Sistema Bibliotecario de la UNAM está compuesto por 138 bibliotecas; las publicaciones periódicas impresas, como en cualquier otra biblioteca, tienen un común denominador respecto de las suscripciones, denominado faltante. Este se debe a diversos factores relacionados con la edición logística de envío, recepción y control de las suscripciones, lo cual hace padecer a los usuarios y, por tanto, al personal que labora en las bibliotecas del sistema. Uno de los grandes retos a los que se enfrenta es el cambio de modelo de adquisición de impreso o impreso más electrónico a solo digital, lo cual obliga a pensar en preservar lo adquirido. Existen varios modelos de preservación digital que se analizarán para finalmente determinar cuál es el mejor para la UNAM.

Estrategias de comunicación para potenciar el uso de Recursos Educativos Abiertos (REA a través de repositorios y metaconectores

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Dora María Tovar Gutiérrez

2014-02-01

Full Text Available El propósito de la presente investigación es analizar las aplicaciones educativas de los Recursos Educativos Abiertos existentes en tres repositorios digitales (DAR, CREA, Laboratorio MLearning y un sistema de indexación de recursos (TEMOA de las instituciones mexicanas participantes en el proyecto CUDI-CONACYT 2011, para detectar sus ventajas y áreas de oportunidad, así como valorar diversos procesos de comunicación para fomentar el uso de los recursos en los procesos de enseñanza, con el fin de describir estrategias exitosas para lograr un mayor impacto en su uso. La metodología fue exploratoria descriptiva, bajo el paradigma cualitativo. Los resultados indican que las estrategias de organización, de aportación de información y de anticipación, así como de generalización, son implementadas para potencializar el uso de los REA. También señalan que el método de comunicación audiovisual (frente al uso de la comunicación oral facilita la asimilación de la información; esto como consecuencia del reuso, disponibilidad e información complementaria que ofrece el recurso. Asimismo, se detectó la importancia de integrar la claridad del mensaje y la retroalimentación en el contenido del REA para promover la comunicación eficaz.

El Archivo de la Palabra : contexto y proyecto del repositorio audiovisual del Ateneu Barcelonès

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Alcaraz Martínez, Rubén

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Es presenten els resultats del projecte de digitalització del fons audiovisual de l'Ateneu Barcelonès iniciat per l'Àrea de Biblioteca i Arxiu Històric l'any 2011. S'explica la metodologia de treball fent èmfasi en la gestió dels fitxers analògics i nascuts digitals i en la problemàtica derivada dels drets d'autor. Finalment, es presenta l'Arxiu de la Paraula i l'@teneu hub, nous repositori i web respectivament, l'objectiu dels quals és difondre el patrimoni audiovisual i donar accés centralitzat als diferents continguts generats per l'entitat.Se presentan los resultados del proyecto de digitalización del fondo audiovisual del Ateneu Barcelonès iniciado por el área de Biblioteca y Archivo Histórico en 2011. Se explica la metodología de trabajo haciendo énfasis en la gestión de los ficheros analógicos y nacidos digitales y en la problemática derivada de los derechos de autor. Finalmente, se presenta el Archivo de la Palabra y el @teneo hub, nuevos repositorio y web respectivamente, cuyo objetivo es difundir el patrimonio audiovisual y dar acceso centralizado a los diferentes contenidos generados por la entidad.This paper reports on the project to digitize the audiovisual archives of the Ateneu Barcelonès, which was launched by that institution’s Library and Archive department in 2011. The paper explains the methodology used to create the repository, focusing on the management of analogue files and born-digital materials and the question of author’s rights. Finally, it presents the new repository L’Arxiu de la Paraula (the Word Archive and the new website, @teneu hub, which are designed to disseminate the Ateneu’s audiovisual heritage and provide centralized access to its different contents.

M-learning y realidad aumentada: Revisión de literatura científica en el repositorio WoS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2017-07-01

Full Text Available La realidad aumentada surge como un útil sobre el que se precisa examinar su real implementación educativa. Esta investigación hace un análisis bibliométrico sobre documentos del repositorio Web of Science. Este servicio ofrece en Internet la producción científica de más de 7.000 instituciones de todo el mundo. Se toma como base un universo de 12.000 revistas indexadas y 148.000 actas de conferencias y se selecciona una muestra centrada en los términos «m-learning» y «augmented reality» como descriptores o componentes de títulos en trabajos científicos. El análisis sobre revistas n=741 y actas n=913 en los dos últimos años muestra una perspectiva diferenciada por áreas. La investigación se complementa con un análisis cualitativo de 67 producciones científicas sobre estos descriptores en ese periodo de tiempo. En el estudio sobresalen cinco temáticas: la conceptualización del fenómeno, el desarrollo de nuevas metodologías, la motivación generada, su deslocalización espacial y las materias objeto de implementación. Las investigaciones destacan cambios lógicos, como un mayor y diferente acceso a la información, junto a innovaciones trascendentes, como el incremento de actividades informales y lúdicas, la inserción en ambientes virtuales icónicos, la pertenencia a grupos específicos, y redes de interacción amistosa dentro de nuevas escalas de valores. Todo ello hace que estos instrumentos pasen a ser partes fundamentales en las metodologías. La educación parece subsidiaria a estos avances técnicos y a sus requisitos, imponiéndose un drástico cambio metodológico en nuevos escenarios formativos.

Digital.CSIC: el impacto de la ciencia en abierto

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Martínez Santiago, María Dolores

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Desde la Oficina Técnica de la Unidad de Recursos de Información Científica para la Investigación (URICI se están llevando a cabo mejoras en el repositorio institucional Digital.CSIC con el objeto de analizar la visibilidad y el impacto de los trabajos depositados a través de estadísticas, citas y otros indicadores. Para optimizar el tiempo de depósito, han desarrollado la pasarela ConCiencia que permite trasvasar los datos bibliográficos y el texto completo al repositorio de forma rápida, tanto es así que a partir del mes de su inauguración ha habido un gran incremento de depósitos en el repositorio.

Las tesis doctorales en España (1997-2008: análisis, estadísticas y repositorios cooperativos

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Fuentes Pujol, Eulàlia

2010-03-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the state of production of doctoral theses in Spanish universities and their dissemination, in light of changes that occurred over the period 1997–2008. The transformation factors that had to be dealt with included the process of adaptation to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA, the huge impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT, and the appearance of the Open Access movement designed to provide free access to scientific and scholarly literature. Following an exhaustive review of the existing studies on doctoral theses, this paper examines the statistics compiled by the National Statistics Institute (INE, EUROSTAT and other specialized sources. Some of the major databases and cooperative theses repositories at both the Spanish national and international level are described. Finally, the data are analysed and conclusions drawn on the ability of the Spanish academic system to disseminate knowledge via the training of new scientists.

El artículo analiza el estado de la producción y difusión de tesis doctorales en las universidades españolas, a la luz de los cambios acaecidos en el período 1997-2008. Entre los factores de transformación cabe señalar el proceso de adaptación al Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES, el enorme impacto de las Tecnologías de la Información y de las Comunicaciones (TIC y el movimiento orientado al acceso abierto (Open Access de los documentos científicos. Después de una exhaustiva revisión bibliográfica de la literatura profesional sobre tesis doctorales, se examinan las series estadísticas elaboradas por el Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE, EUROSTAT y otras fuentes especializadas. A continuación, se describen algunas de las principales bases de datos y repositorios cooperativos de tesis existentes a nivel español e internacional. Finalmente, se analizan los datos obtenidos y se extraen algunas conclusiones sobre la capacidad del

las distintas organizaciones

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A. Maldonado Ibáñez

2006-01-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo trata sobre la definición de un repositorio-catálogo de estilos aplicables a la representación cartográfica de los distintos fenómenos geográficos, basándose en la simbología normalizada de las distintas Organizaciones Cartográficas, tales como el Instituto Geográfico Nacional, el Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, el Instituto Nacional de Estadística, etc. El catálogo permitirá una elección rápida y sencilla de los diversos estilos utilizados por dichos organismos oficiales. Se trata de definir un repositorio en el que almacenar los estilos individualizados aplicables a los fenómenos geográficos, en el que se disponga de la capacidad de insertar, borrar y actualizar nuevos estilos. El repositorio debe responder como catálogo sobre el que buscar y descargar estilos. Una de las aplicaciones del repositorio-catálogo es la generación de estilos en el formato Style Layer Descriptor (SLD para ser visualizados mediante Servidores de Mapas en Red conformes con OGC.

Repositories; Repositorios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freire, Carolina Braccini; Tello, Cledola Cassia Oliveira de [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)]. E-mails: cbf@cdtn.br; tellocc@cdtn.br

2007-11-15

The use of the nuclear energy is increasing in all areas. Then the radioactive waste management is in continuous development to comply the national and international established requirements. The final objective is to assure that it will not have any contamination of the public or the environmental, and that the exposition doses will be lower than the radiological protection limits. The multi barrier concept for the repository is internationally recognized. Among the repository types, the most used are: near surface, geological formations and of deposition in rock cavities. This article explains the concept and the types of repository and gives some examples of them. (author)

«Alacena»: repositorio de diseños de apren dizaje para la enseñanza universitaria «Alacena», An Open Learning Design Repository for University Teaching

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Carlos Marcelo García

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Ser docente significa estar implicado en el diseño de actividades de aprendizaje. La profesión docente se ha transformado en una «profesión del conocimiento» no ya porque el conocimiento haya sido o sea el componente legitimador de la profesión, sino porque el docente es el diseñador de ambientes de aprendizaje y tiene la capacidad de rentabilizar los espacios donde se produce el conocimiento. Ahora bien, estos ambientes de aprendizaje durante mucho tiempo han quedado regulados en el ámbito de privacidad del aula y a la complicidad con el alumnado. Uno de los aspectos positivos que ha tenido la puesta en marcha del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior ha sido aportar una mayor transparencia a los procesos de diseño del aprendizaje de los alumnos. Nuestro objetivo en este estudio consistió en identificar, representar y documentar una amplia variedad de diseños de aprendizaje realizados por docentes con amplia experiencia innovadora y que pudieran estar disponibles y accesibles a través de Internet. El profesorado que ha participado en este estudio lo han conformado un total de cincuenta y ocho docentes principalmente de las diferentes universidades andaluzas y de las cinco ramas de conocimiento. A partir de entrevistas procedimos a representar el total de secuencias de aprendizaje que están disponibles en el repositorio de secuencias que hemos denominado «Alacena». Este repositorio está accesible en la página web de nuestro grupo de investigación http://prometeo.us.es/idea. Como conclusiones del estudio se constata que existen diseños del aprendizaje innovadores y universitarios que pretenden promover en el alumnado una alta comprensión de lo aprendido a través de su implicación en procesos de indagación y/o colaboración y que son representación de buenas prácticas de enseñanza.Being a teacher means being involved in the design of learning activities. The teaching profession has become a «profession of knowledge

El acceso abierto en las universidades españolas: estado de la cuestión y propuestas de mejora

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Casal Reyes, Mabela

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo analiza la situación actual de los repositorios institucionales en las universidades españolas, desde el punto de vista de sus contenidos, las políticas de depósito y acceso a la investigación y el estado de cumplimiento de las políticas nacionales referentes al archivo en los repositorios institucionales en la actualidad. Para ello se ha partido de los resultados de una encuesta elaborada en el marco del III Plan estratégico REBIUN 2020 (2011, concretamente en la línea estratégica 2 dedicada a “Dar soporte a la docencia, aprendizaje e investigación y gestión”. A partir del análisis obtenido, se establecen unas recomendaciones para favorecer el desarrollo de los repositorios y conseguir incrementar el impacto y visibilidad de las universidades españolas.

Aspectos legales y éticos vinculados con el establecimiento y uso de los reservorios y bancos de ADN humano

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Bianchi, Néstor Oscar

2007-01-01

Full Text Available La utilidad de los depósitos de material genético humano para la investigación médica, antropológica y básica es indiscutible. Los repositorios y bancos permiten compartir las muestras entre distintos laboratorios de investigación, efectuar nuevos ensayos moleculares en muestras representativas de distintos grupos étnicos o de diversas enfermedades genéticas o hereditarias, acelerar y abaratar la obtención de resultados evitando la implementación de colectas de material biológico cada vez que se inicia un nuevo proyecto científico. Sin embargo, la organización de un repositorio o banco de material genético es compleja, involucra a varias partes (donantes, representantes legales del repositorio o banco, usuarios del material depositado y a distintas entidades y organismos públicos y privados con y sin fines de lucro, tales como organismos que proveen los fondos para financiar los bancos y repositorios, entidades sede de los bancos y repositorios, comités de ética encargados de autorizar y monitorear los depósitos de material genético, empresas farmacéuticas que realizan investigaciones con fines de lucro, organizaciones no gubernamentales sin fines de lucro que colectan fondos para el establecimiento de reservorios de material genético destinados a mejorar la asistencia médica de determinadas afecciones. Esta multiplicidad de actores con intereses diversos genera también diversas interpretaciones de las cuestiones éticas y legales relacionadas con los depósitos de material genético, las cuales se hacen evidentes al analizar las recomendaciones sobre el tema que hacen distintas organizaciones internacionales tales como UNESCO, HUGO, OMS, Comités de Ética de la Comunidad Europea y de Australia, “American Society of Human Genetics”, “American College of Medical Genetics”.

Radioactive wastes repository in Temascalapa, State of Mexico, public opinion. Determination of health effects; Repositorio de residuos radiactivos en Temascalapa Estado de Mexico, Opinion publica. Determinacion de efectos en la salud

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solis Tinoco, E

1998-12-31

Nuclear waste usually concerns public about the impact on public health and the environment. In Mexico, such interest exists, particularly in the Temascalapa Municipality, Mexico where a low level waste repository recognized by the IAEA, has been functioning since 1972. Maquixco repository is located at 42 Kilometers northeast of Mexico City. Although the environmental radiological monitoring records have demonstrated negligible impact on the environment, in 1998 an unusual public polemic on radioactive health effects appeared among Temascalapa residents. This paper presents a research performed during 1998 with the participation of the National Nuclear Research Institute of Mexico and the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The research design allowed the involvement of local authorities, as a way of stimulate public participation. The research was performed in nine locations of the Temascalapa Municipality, it was focused on public polemics, associated to Maquixco repository as well as trying to identify demographic factors that exert influence on public attitudes. There are also presented the results of personal dosimetry analysis performed on a four hundred residents sample of this Municipality. (Author)

Radioactive wastes repository in Temascalapa, State of Mexico, public opinion. Determination of health effects; Repositorio de residuos radiactivos en Temascalapa Estado de Mexico, Opinion publica. Determinacion de efectos en la salud

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solis Tinoco, E

1999-12-31

Nuclear waste usually concerns public about the impact on public health and the environment. In Mexico, such interest exists, particularly in the Temascalapa Municipality, Mexico where a low level waste repository recognized by the IAEA, has been functioning since 1972. Maquixco repository is located at 42 Kilometers northeast of Mexico City. Although the environmental radiological monitoring records have demonstrated negligible impact on the environment, in 1998 an unusual public polemic on radioactive health effects appeared among Temascalapa residents. This paper presents a research performed during 1998 with the participation of the National Nuclear Research Institute of Mexico and the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The research design allowed the involvement of local authorities, as a way of stimulate public participation. The research was performed in nine locations of the Temascalapa Municipality, it was focused on public polemics, associated to Maquixco repository as well as trying to identify demographic factors that exert influence on public attitudes. There are also presented the results of personal dosimetry analysis performed on a four hundred residents sample of this Municipality. (Author)

TICKS: Arquitectura híbrida de gestión documental integrada con BPM para la gestión de notas de gasto

OpenAIRE

Lorente Almansa, Raquel

2016-01-01

Una arquitectura híbrida de gestión documental está formada por la combinación de dos gestores de contenido uno en la nube y el otro local. La gestión de contenido empresarial permite controlar la documentación que se genera en las organizaciones. Tener un repositorio donde poder gestionar la documentación producida día a día aporta beneficios. Si, además, se manejan dos tipos de repositorios: uno en la nube y otro en local para almacenar los documentos estaremos aportando valo...

Health Effects of Climate Change (Environmental Health Student Portal)

Science.gov (United States)

... change can affect your health. Read About It Climate Change and Human Health (Public Broadcasting Services (including their teacher resources)) - Web ... Health Sciences) - Overview of the potential effects of climate change on human health. Climate and Health Program: Health Effects (Centers for ...

e-Tesis: la biblioteca digital de tesis doctorales de la Universidad de Córdoba

OpenAIRE

Murillo-Fernández, José Ángel; Guzmán-Pérez, Catalina; Cámara-Aroca, Mercedes

2008-01-01

Comunicación presentada a la 3ª Reunión del Grupo OS/Repositorios: La proyección de los repositorios institucionales. Madrid, 10-12 Diciembre 2008. Se presenta en el trabajo una herramienta diseñada para la gestión integral de las tesis doctorales de la Universidad de Córdoba (UCO). La aplicación “e-Tesis” permite el seguimiento electrónico del proceso desde que el doctorando presenta la tesis, el período de exposición pública, la lectura y la publicación digital; todo ello garantizando...

Climate Effects on Health

Science.gov (United States)

... Guidance and Trainings Webinars Data and Tools Publications Climate Effects on Health Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share ... effects has been excerpted from the Third National Climate Assessment’s Health Chapter . Additional information regarding the health ...

Fons antic i repositoris universitaris a Espanya

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Herrera Morillas, José Luis

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Es mostra la presència de col·leccions de fons antic en els repositoris de les biblioteques universitàries espanyoles després d'analitzar tots els repositoris. Per a aquesta anàlisi, com a part de la metodologia emprada, s'ha elaborat un model o llista que consta d'onze elements. Del conjunt de les universitats espanyoles, seixanta tenen repositoris, vint-i-vuit dels quals (16,8 % disposen de col·leccions de fons antic. Com que del concepte de repositori institucional no sembla desprendre's que tingui com a finalitat incloure aquest tipus de col·leccions, es reflexiona sobre la peculiaritat que una part dels repositoris universitaris espanyols inclogui col·leccions d'aquestes característiques.Se muestra la presencia de colecciones de fondo antiguo en los repositorios de las bibliotecas universitarias españolas después de analizar todos los repositorios. Para este análisis, como parte de la metodología empleada, se ha elaborado un modelo o lista que consta de once elementos. Del conjunto de las universidades españolas, sesenta cuentan con repositorios y, de estos, veintiocho (16,8 % disponen de colecciones de fondo antiguo. Debido a que del concepto de repositorio institucional no parece desprenderse que tenga como finalidad albergar este tipo de colecciones, se hace una reflexión sobre la peculiaridad de que parte de los repositorios universitarios españoles incluya colecciones de estas características.This paper uses an analysis of the repositories of Spanish universities to identify which institutions contain rare book and manuscript collections. The method used in this analysis involved examining each university on the basis of a list comprising eleven elements. A total of 60 universities were found to have repositories but only 28 (16.8 % of these contained rare book and manuscript collections. In the light of these figures, which suggest that Spanish university repositories do not generally consider the preservation of rare

Iniciativas del Acceso Abierto a la información científica y académica en el campo Ingeniería

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Doria, María Vanesa

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Las iniciativas que propone el Acceso Abierto (AA propician el acceso a la información científico-técnica que se produce en todo el mundo y una mayor visibilidad de la producción científica de instituciones, países y regiones subdesarrolladas. La estrategia para llevar a la práctica dichas iniciativas se sustancian en la creación y mantenimiento de repositorios institucionales y/o temáticos. En nuestros días la clave es el acceso a información libre y gratuita, partiendo además del principio de compartir conocimientos como el principal recurso de cualquier organización. El presente trabajo recoge la importancia de la iniciativa para el AA a la información científica y académica. Se analizan la estructura y funcionamiento de los repositorios temáticos y se presenta una propuesta de repositorio en Ingeniería de Software para el Dpto de Sistemas de la Facultad de Tecnología y Ciencias Aplicadas de la Universidad Nacional de Catamarca.

Health Effects of Air Pollution

Science.gov (United States)

... Health effects of air pollution Health effects of air pollution Breathing air that is not clean can hurt ... important to know about the health effects that air pollution can have on you and others. Once you ...

Multipollutant health effect simulations

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Resulting betas (health effects) from a variety of copollutant epidemiologic models used to analyze the impact of exposure measurement error on health effect...

Effects of Health Literacy and Social Capital on Health Information Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yong-Chan; Lim, Ji Young; Park, Keeho

2015-01-01

This study aimed to examine whether social capital (bonding and bridging social capital) attenuate the effect of low functional health literacy on health information resources, efficacy, and behaviors. In-person interviews were conducted with 1,000 residents in Seoul, Korea, in 2011. The authors found that respondents' functional health literacy had positive effects on the scope of health information sources and health information self-efficacy but not health information-seeking intention. Respondents' social capital had positive effects on the scope of health information sources, health information efficacy, and health information-seeking intention. The authors found (a) a significant moderation effect of bridging social capital on the relation between health literacy and health information self-efficacy and (b) a moderation effect of bonding social capital on the relation between health literacy and health information-seeking intention.

It’s a Repository, it’s a Depository, it’s an Archive...: Open Access, Digital Collections and Value

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Guédon, Jean-Claude

2009-06-01

Full Text Available In the context of Open Access to scientific and scholarly literature, repositories, both institutional and subject-based, have come to play an important role. However, the nature of repositories appears to be difficult to pin down as each category of people involved seems to have a different vision. The shifting interpretation of repositories has been a source of weakness in the promotion of these instruments. It is suggested here that this situation is not unique to repositories; on the contrary, all sociotechnical objects go through such a phase if we are to follow some of the important studies coming from the “Social construction of technology” school of thought. This suggests that technical objects succeed when relevant social groups interpret the meaning and function of a particular technology. By examining a number of events around repositories, in particular struggles around the possibility of mandating deposits, it is possible to identify a number of relevant social groups, as well as examine how they can either ally with each other or are displaying conflictual fault-lines between them. Using this form of analysis should help develop strategies to develop repositories.En el contexto del Acceso Abierto a la literatura científica y académica, los repositorios, tanto los institucionales como los disciplinares o temáticos, van a jugar un papel importante. No obstante, resulta difícil caracterizar la naturaleza de los repositorios debido a que cada categoría de personas relacionadas con ellos parecen tener diferente perspectiva. La cambiante interpretación que han teniendo los repositorios ha constituido una fuente de debilidad para la promoción de este instrumento. Aquí se sugiere que esta situación no se da sólo en el caso de los repositorios; al contrario, como muestran algunos importantes estudios provenientes de la escuela de pensamiento que aboga por la “Construcción social de la tecnología”, todos los objetos

Effect of health development assistance on health status in sub-Saharan Africa

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Negeri KG

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Keneni Gutema Negeri,1 Damen Halemariam,21School of Public and Environmental Health, Health Service Management Unit, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, 2College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Introduction: Data on the effect of health aid on the health status in developing countries are inconclusive. Moreover, studies on this issue in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the effect of health development aid in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Using panel data analytic method, as well as infant mortality rate as a proxy for health status, this study examines the effect of health aid on infant mortality rate in sub-Saharan Africa. The panel was constructed from data on 43 countries for the period 1990–2010. Fixed effect, random effect, and first difference generalized method of moments estimator were used for estimation. Results: Health development aid has a statistically significant positive effect. A 1% increase of health development assistance per capita saves the lives of two infants per 1,000 live births (P=0.000 in the region. Conclusion: Contrary to health aid pessimists’ view, this study observes the fact that health development assistance has strong favorable effect in improving health status in sub-Saharan Africa. Keywords: health aid, infant mortality, developing countries, panel data

A multilevel model of organizational health culture and the effectiveness of health promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yea-Wen; Lin, Yueh-Ysen

2014-01-01

Organizational health culture is a health-oriented core characteristic of the organization that is shared by all members. It is effective in regulating health-related behavior for employees and could therefore influence the effectiveness of health promotion efforts among organizations and employees. This study applied a multilevel analysis to verify the effects of organizational health culture on the organizational and individual effectiveness of health promotion. At the organizational level, we investigated the effect of organizational health culture on the organizational effectiveness of health promotion. At the individual level, we adopted a cross-level analysis to determine if organizational health culture affects employee effectiveness through the mediating effect of employee health behavior. The study setting consisted of the workplaces of various enterprises. We selected 54 enterprises in Taiwan and surveyed 20 full-time employees from each organization, for a total sample of 1011 employees. We developed the Organizational Health Culture Scale to measure employee perceptions and aggregated the individual data to formulate organization-level data. Organizational effectiveness of health promotion included four dimensions: planning effectiveness, production, outcome, and quality, which were measured by scale or objective indicators. The Health Promotion Lifestyle Scale was adopted for the measurement of health behavior. Employee effectiveness was measured subjectively in three dimensions: self-evaluated performance, altruism, and happiness. Following the calculation of descriptive statistics, hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to test the multilevel hypotheses. Organizational health culture had a significant effect on the planning effectiveness (β = .356, p production (β = .359, p promotion. In addition, results of cross-level moderating effect analysis by HLM demonstrated that the effects of organizational health culture on three dimensions of

Health effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahieu, L.

1998-01-01

The main objectives of research in the field of health effects at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN are: (1) to study cancer mortality and morbidity in nuclear workers in Belgium; (2) to document the feasibility of retrospective cohort studies in Belgium; (3) to participate in the IARC study; (4) to elucidate the mechanisms of the effects of ionizing radiation on the mammalian embryo during the early phases of its development; (5) to assess the genetic risks of material exposure to ionizing radiation; (6) to elucidate the cellular mechanisms leading to brain damage after prenatal irradiation; (7) to advise authorities and to provide the general population with adequate information concerning the health risk arising from radiation exposure. Progress and major achievements in these topical areas for 1997 are reported

Health effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahieu, L

1998-07-01

The main objectives of research in the field of health effects at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN are: (1) to study cancer mortality and morbidity in nuclear workers in Belgium; (2) to document the feasibility of retrospective cohort studies in Belgium; (3) to participate in the IARC study; (4) to elucidate the mechanisms of the effects of ionizing radiation on the mammalian embryo during the early phases of its development; (5) to assess the genetic risks of material exposure to ionizing radiation; (6) to elucidate the cellular mechanisms leading to brain damage after prenatal irradiation; (7) to advise authorities and to provide the general population with adequate information concerning the health risk arising from radiation exposure. Progress and major achievements in these topical areas for 1997 are reported.

Interfaces de consulta en las colecciones digitales patrimoniales españolas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreu Sulé Duesa

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Se analizan las interfaces de consulta de 31 repositorios patrimoniales españoles con el objetivo de identificar sus puntos fuertes y sus puntos débiles. Los elementos analizados (ayudas, consulta multilingüe, modalidades de búsqueda, lenguajes de interrogación, etc. han sido establecidos a partir de la bibliografía especializada, tanto la que hace referencia de manera específica a las interfaces de consulta de todo tipo de repositorios, como la que trata el tema desde una perspectiva distinta o más amplia (por ejemplo, interfaces de catálogos de bibliotecas, usabilidad. Se propone una serie de recomendaciones con el fin de mejorar los puntos débiles detectados.

Health-related ad information and health motivation effects on product evaluations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chrysochou, Polymeros; Grunert, Klaus G

2014-01-01

This study tests the effect of health-related ad information on perceived product healthfulness and purchase intention. Also, the study investigates whether consumers' health motivation moderates the effects, because of the way health motivation affects processing of health-related information...... in ads. Three types of healthrelated ad elements are distinguished: functional claims, process claims and health imagery. These elements were combined in mock ads and an online experiment was run to test the study hypotheses. Results show that health imagery has the largest impact on consumers' product...

Health effects of risk-assessment categories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kramer, C.F.; Rybicka, K.; Knutson, A.; Morris, S.C.

1983-10-01

Environmental and occupational health effects associated with exposures to various chemicals are a subject of increasing concern. One recently developed methodology for assessing the health impacts of various chemical compounds involves the classification of similar chemicals into risk-assessment categories (RACs). This report reviews documented human health effects for a broad range of pollutants, classified by RACs. It complements other studies that have estimated human health effects by RAC based on analysis and extrapolation of data from animal research

Health effects of risk-assessment categories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kramer, C.F.; Rybicka, K.; Knutson, A.; Morris, S.C.

1983-10-01

Environmental and occupational health effects associated with exposures to various chemicals are a subject of increasing concern. One recently developed methodology for assessing the health impacts of various chemical compounds involves the classification of similar chemicals into risk-assessment categories (RACs). This report reviews documented human health effects for a broad range of pollutants, classified by RACs. It complements other studies that have estimated human health effects by RAC based on analysis and extrapolation of data from animal research.

The Effect of Childhood Health Status on Adult Health in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qing; Zhang, Huyang; Rizzo, John A; Fang, Hai

2018-01-26

Childhood health in China was poor in the 1950s and 1960s because of limited nutrition. In the last three decades, China has distinguished itself through its tremendous economic growth and improvements in health and nutrition. However, prior to such growth, access to good nutrition was more variable, with potentially important implications, not only for childhood health, but also for adult health, because of its long-term effects lasting into adulthood. To shed light on these issues, this study examined the long-run association between childhood health and adult health outcomes among a middle-aged Chinese population and addresses the endogeneity of childhood health. A nationwide database from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) was employed. Three adult health outcomes variables were used: self-reported health status, cognition, and physical function. The local variation in grain production in the subjects' fetal period and the first 24 months following birth was employed as an instrument for childhood health in order to correct for its endogeneity. Childhood health recalled by the respondents was positively and significantly associated with their adult health outcomes in terms of self-reported health status, cognition, and physical function in single-equation estimates that did not correct for the endogeneity of childhood health. A good childhood health status increased the probabilities of good adult health, good adult cognitive function, and good adult physical function by 16% (95% CI: 13-18%), 13% (95% CI: 10-15%), and 14% (95% CI: 12-17%), respectively. After correcting for endogeneity, the estimated effects of good childhood health were consistent but stronger. We also studied the male and female populations separately, finding that the positive effects of childhood health on adult health were larger for males. In China, childhood health significantly affects adult health. This suggests that early interventions to promote

Cambio climático y salud humana: una revisión desde la perspectiva colombiana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeadran N. Malagón-Rojas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo tiene como objetivo recoger la evidencia científica sobre los efectos del cambio cli-mático sobre la salud humana con énfasis en Colombia. Se llevó a cabo una revisión en bases dedatos y repositorios de revistas por medio de un algoritmo de términosMeSH. Fueron incluidosartículos originales, revisiones sistemáticas o metaanálisis que estuvieran disponibles en textocompleto o disponible en las bases de datos y repositorios consultados. Se usaron restrictoresde idioma, tiempo e idioma. Fueron elegidos 268 títulos en las bases de datos, repositorios derevistas y trabajos de literatura gris: 29 % correspondió a trabajos sobre seguridad alimentaria,25 % a publicaciones sobre enfermedades transmisibles, 35 % a efectos sobre la calidad del airey enfermedades respiratorias y 11 % a publicaciones que abordaban varios temas. Solo fueronencontradas 17 publicaciones sobre trabajos colombianos. La evidencia científica revisada per-mite afirmar que el cambio climático tiene una afectación transversal a la población mundiala distintos niveles y escenarios. El cambio climático afecta la salud humana de forma directa eindirecta. Por otro lado, es importante resaltar que las publicaciones que dan cuenta de los efectosdel cambio climático en Colombia se centran en las enfermedades transmitidas por vectores.

Task force report on health effects assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, C.; Hushon, J.

1978-08-01

From April to August, 1978 MITRE supported the Health Effects Assessment Task Force sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for the Environment at DOE. The findings of that Task Force are incorporated in this report and include a detailed definition of health effects assessment, a survey of the mandates for health effects assessments within DOE/EV, a review of current DOE-EV health effects assessment activities, an analysis of the constraints affecting the health effects assessment process and a discussion of the Task Force recommendations. Included as appendices are summaries of two workshops conducted by the Task Force to determine the state-of-the-art of health effects assessment and modeling and a review of risk assessment activities in other federal agencies. The primary recommendation of the panel was that an office be designated or created under the Office of the Assistant Secretary for the Environment to coordinate the Health Effects Risk Assessment effort covering up to 40 program and policy areas; a similar need was expressed for the environmental effects assessment area. 1 tab

Effects of nuclear war on health and health services. 2. edition.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

In 1981 the World Health Assembly decided to establish an international committee of scientists and experts to study and report on the effects of nuclear war on health and health services. The first report, published in 1984, concluded that it was impossible to prepare health services to deal in any systematic way with a catastrophe resulting from nuclear warfare. This second report incorporates the results of new studies using modern analytical techniques. It focuses not only on the direct effects of nuclear conflict on human beings, but also on the environmental effects - on climate, agriculture and social and economic infrastructure, all of which would profoundly influence human life in both the short- and long-term. The psychological effects of living under the threat of nuclear war are also examined. The experts concluded that no health service anywhere in the world would be able to deal significantly with the appalling health consequences of nuclear war, especially since the health services themselves would be largely destroyed or incapacitated. In the circumstances the experts emphasized the importance of preventing a nuclear conflict. Refs, figs and tabs

Statistical health-effects study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, E.S.

1982-01-01

The main purpose of this program is to analyze the mortality of Hanford workers and to determine the effects of radiation exposure in this population. A secondary purpose is to improve methodology for assessing health effects of chronic low-level exposure to harmful agents or substances, particularly in an occupational setting. In the past year we have updated our analyses, submitted papers for publication in the two areas of methodological research, and have interacted with Hanford Environmental Health Foundation staff to improve data collection procedures

On Effective Graphic Communication of Health Inequality: Considerations for Health Policy Researchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Asada, Yukiko; Abel, Hannah; Skedgel, Chris; Warner, Grace

2017-12-01

Policy Points: Effective graphs can be a powerful tool in communicating health inequality. The choice of graphs is often based on preferences and familiarity rather than science. According to the literature on graph perception, effective graphs allow human brains to decode visual cues easily. Dot charts are easier to decode than bar charts, and thus they are more effective. Dot charts are a flexible and versatile way to display information about health inequality. Consistent with the health risk communication literature, the captions accompanying health inequality graphs should provide a numerical, explicitly calculated description of health inequality, expressed in absolute and relative terms, from carefully thought-out perspectives. Graphs are an essential tool for communicating health inequality, a key health policy concern. The choice of graphs is often driven by personal preferences and familiarity. Our article is aimed at health policy researchers developing health inequality graphs for policy and scientific audiences and seeks to (1) raise awareness of the effective use of graphs in communicating health inequality; (2) advocate for a particular type of graph (ie, dot charts) to depict health inequality; and (3) suggest key considerations for the captions accompanying health inequality graphs. Using composite review methods, we selected the prevailing recommendations for improving graphs in scientific reporting. To find the origins of these recommendations, we reviewed the literature on graph perception and then applied what we learned to the context of health inequality. In addition, drawing from the numeracy literature in health risk communication, we examined numeric and verbal formats to explain health inequality graphs. Many disciplines offer commonsense recommendations for visually presenting quantitative data. The literature on graph perception, which defines effective graphs as those allowing the easy decoding of visual cues in human brains, shows

Health effects assessment summary tables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The document is an excellent pointer system to identify current literature or changes in assessment criteria for many chemicals of interest to Superfund. It was prepared for Superfund use by the Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office (ECAO-Cin) in EPA's Office of Health and Environmental Assessment. Chemicals considered are those for which Health Effects Assessment Documents, Health and Environmental Effects Profiles, Health Assessment Documents or Air Quality Criteria Documents have been prepared by ECAO. Radionuclides considered are those believed to be most common at Superfund sites. Tables summarize reference doses (RfDs) for toxicity from subchronic and chronic inhalation, oral exposure, slope factors and unit risk values for carcinogenicity based on lifetime inhalation and oral exposure, and radionuclide carcinogenicity

Health promotion: An effective tool for global health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjiv Kumar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Health promotion is very relevant today. There is a global acceptance that health and social wellbeing are determined by many factors outside the health system which include socioeconomic conditions, patterns of consumption associated with food and communication, demographic patterns, learning environments, family patterns, the cultural and social fabric of societies; sociopolitical and economic changes, including commercialization and trade and global environmental change. In such a situation, health issues can be effectively addressed by adopting a holistic approach by empowering individuals and communities to take action for their health, fostering leadership for public health, promoting intersectoral action to build healthy public policies in all sectors and creating sustainable health systems. Although, not a new concept, health promotion received an impetus following Alma Ata declaration. Recently it has evolved through a series of international conferences, with the first conference in Canada producing the famous Ottawa charter. Efforts at promoting health encompassing actions at individual and community levels, health system strengthening and multi sectoral partnership can be directed at specific health conditions. It should also include settings-based approach to promote health in specific settings such as schools, hospitals, workplaces, residential areas etc. Health promotion needs to be built into all the policies and if utilized efficiently will lead to positive health outcomes.

Health effects of job insecurity

OpenAIRE

Green, F.

2015-01-01

Research has shown that job insecurity affects both mental and physical health, though the effects are lower when employees are easily re-employable. The detrimental effects of job insecurity can also be partly mitigated by employers allowing greater employee participation in workplace decision-making in order to ensure fair procedures. But as job insecurity is felt by many more people than just the unemployed, the negative health effects during recessions are multiplied and extend through th...

40 CFR 350.21 - Adverse health effects.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Adverse health effects. 350.21 Section... § 350.21 Adverse health effects. The Governor or State emergency response commission shall identify the adverse health effects associated with each of the chemicals claimed as trade secret and shall make this...

Effect of Dynamic Meditation on Mental Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Iqbal, Naved; Singh, Archana; Aleem, Sheema

2016-02-01

Although traditional meditation has been found to be effective in improving physical and mental health of subjects, there was a paucity of research of the effect of active or dynamic meditation on these variables. Therefore, the present study was aimed at studying the effect of dynamic meditation on mental health of the subjects. Total sample of the present study comprised 60 subjects, 30 each in experimental and control group. Subjects in experimental group were given 21-day training in dynamic meditation. Mental health of the experimental and control group subjects was measured in pre- and post-condition with the help of Mental Health Inventory developed by Jagadish and Srivastava (Mental Health inventory, Manovaigyanik Parikshan Sansthan, Varanasi, 1983). Obtained data were analyzed with the help of ANCOVA. In post-condition, experimental group scored better than control group on integration of personality, autonomy and environmental mastery. Effect sizes of dynamic meditation on these dimensions of mental health were large. However, experimental group and control group did not differ significantly on positive self-evaluation, perception of reality and group-oriented attitude dimensions of mental health in post-condition. Overall, dynamic meditation training was effective in improving mental health of the subjects.

Cost-effectiveness and the socialization of health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Musgrove, P

1995-01-01

The more health care is socialized, the more cost-effectiveness is an appropriate criterion for expenditure. Utility-maximizing individuals, facing divisibility of health care purchases and declining marginal health gains, and complete information about probable health improvements, should buy health care according to its cost-effectiveness. Absent these features, individual health spending will not be cost-effective; and in any case, differences in personal utilities and risk aversion will not lead to the same ranking of health care interventions for everyone. Private insurance frees consumers from concern for cost, which undermines cost-effectiveness, but lets them emphasize effectiveness, which favors value for money. This is most important for costly and cost-effective interventions, especially for poor people. Cost-effectiveness is more appropriate and easier to achieve under second-party insurance. More complete socialization of health care, via public finance, can yield greater efficiency by making insurance compulsory. Cost-effectiveness is also more attractive when taxpayers subsidize others' care: needs (effectiveness) take precedence over wants (utility). The gain in effectiveness may be greater, and the welfare loss from Pareto non-optimality smaller, in poor countries than in rich ones.

Noise Pollution and Health Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geravandi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background Noise pollution is of particular importance due to the physical and psychological effects on humans. Noise is a stressor that affects the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system. Noise is also a threat to marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Health risks from noise are correlated with road traffic. In other words, noise health effects are the health consequences of elevated sound levels. Objectives This study aims to determine the effect of noise pollution (near roadways on health issues in Ahvaz, Iran. Materials and Methods In this cross-sectional study, equivalent sound pressure level were measured by sound level meters TES-1353 in 75 locations around 4 roadways, which had a high load of traffic in Ahvaz City during day time. During the study, 820 measurements were recorded at measuring stations, for 7 days per week with 1-hour interval between each measurement. Statistical analysis was carried out by SPSS software. Results According to the research findings, the equivalent sound pressure levels in all stations were 76.28 ± 3.12 dB (Mean ± SD. According to sound measurements and the survey questionnaire, noise pollution is higher than EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency and Iran standard level. Based on result of this study the worst noise health effects were the nervousness and sleep quality during 2012. Conclusions According to the results of this study, with increasing load of traffic, there is an increasing need for proper consideration plans to control noise pollution and prevent its effects.

Industrial wind turbines and adverse health effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffery, Roy D; Krogh, Carmen M E; Horner, Brett

2014-01-01

Some people living in the environs of industrial wind turbines (IWTs) report experiencing adverse health and socioeconomic effects. This review considers the hypothesis that annoyance from audible IWTs is the cause of these adverse health effects. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar for articles published since 2000 that included the terms "wind turbine health," "wind turbine infrasound," "wind turbine annoyance," "noise annoyance" or "low frequency noise" in the title or abstract. Industrial wind turbines produce sound that is perceived to be more annoying than other sources of sound. Reported effects from exposure to IWTs are consistent with well-known stress effects from persistent unwanted sound. If placed too close to residents, IWTs can negatively affect the physical, mental and social well-being of people. There is sufficient evidence to support the conclusion that noise from audible IWTs is a potential cause of health effects. Inaudible low-frequency noise and infrasound from IWTs cannot be ruled out as plausible causes of health effects.

Physiological Basis for Prompt Health Effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

VINCENT, Andrew

2006-01-01

As input to design considerations precluding worker radiological exposure that could lead to an acute health effect from a postulated accident condition, an assessment of the short term health effects was performed. To assure that the impact of the accident scenario on the individual is appropriately considered, both external and internal exposures are included in the evaluation. The focus of this evaluation was to develop a quantitative basis from which to consider the level of exposure postulated in an accident that could lead to a defined physiological impact for short term health effects. This paper does not assess latent health effects of radiological exposure associated with normal operations or emergency response guidelines as these are clearly articulated in existing regulations and ICRP documents. The intent of this paper is to facilitate a dialogue on the appropriate meaning of currently undefined terms such as ''significant'' exposure and ''high-hazard material'' in DSA development

Mecanismos articulados: Geometría Dinámica y Cinemática en un entorno educativo STEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fco. Javier Manzano Mozo

2017-05-01

Presentamos dos repositorios digitales de mecanismos articulados, la Kinematics Models For Design Digital Library y el Laboratorio delle Macchine Matematiche así como una revisión de propuestas didácticas del uso educativo de este tipo de mecanismos.

90.000 trabajos disponibles en Digital.CSIC

OpenAIRE

Oficina Técnica de Digital.CSIC; Román-Molina, Juan

2014-01-01

Póster elaborado al alcanzar el repositorio los 90.000 trabajos.-- Se incluye versión en formato PDF.-- El resto de los hitos está disponible en la siguiente url: http://digital.csic.es/enCifras/crecimientoLineal.jsp

HEALTH - module for assessment of stochastic health effects after nuclear accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raicevic, J.J.; Gajic, M.; Popovic, Z.

2003-01-01

In this paper the program module HEALTH for assessment of stochastic health effects in the case of nuclear accidents is presented. Program module HEALTH is a part of the new European real-time computer system RODOS for nuclear emergency and preparedness. Some of the key features of module HEALTH are presented, and some possible further improvements are discussed (author)

Effects of nuclear war on health and health services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

This report reviews the findings since 1987 in the field of research related to the possible impact of nuclear war and nuclear explosions on health and health services. An annex contains the finding and conclusions of a 1989 United Nations study on the climatic and other effects of nuclear war. 1 tab

Literature survey: health effects of radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tveten, U.; Garder, K.

This report was originally written as a chapter of a report entitled 'Air pollution effects of electric power generation, a literature survey', written jointly by the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) and the Institutt for Atomenergi (IFA). (INIS RN242406). A survey is presented of the health effects of radiation. It has not, however, been the intention of the authors to make a complete list of all the literature relevant to this subject. The NILU/IFA report was meant as a first step towards a method of comparing the health effects of electric power generation by fission, gas and oil. Consequently information relevant to quantification of the health effects on humans has been selected. It is pointed out that quantitative information on the health effects of low radiation and dose rates, as are relevant to routine releases, does not exist for humans. The convention of linear extrapolation from higher doses and dose rates is used worldwide, but it is felt by most that the estimates are conservative. As an example of the use of the current best estimates, a calculation of normal release radiation doses is performed. (Auth.)

Effectiveness and Appropriateness of mHealth Interventions for Maternal and Child Health: Systematic Review

OpenAIRE

Chen, Huan; Chai, Yanling; Dong, Le; Niu, Wenyi; Zhang, Puhong

2018-01-01

Background The application of mobile health (mHealth) technology in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) is increasing worldwide. However, best practice and the most effective mHealth interventions have not been reviewed systematically. Objective A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of mHealth interventions for RMNCH around the world were conducted to investigate their characteristics as well as the features and effectiveness of mHealth interventions. Methods ...

Electronic cigarettes: human health effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Callahan-Lyon, Priscilla

2014-05-01

With the rapid increase in use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), users and non-users are exposed to the aerosol and product constituents. This is a review of published data on the human health effects of exposure to e-cigarettes and their components. Literature searches were conducted through September 2013 using multiple electronic databases. Forty-four articles are included in this analysis. E-cigarette aerosols may contain propylene glycol, glycerol, flavourings, other chemicals and, usually, nicotine. Aerosolised propylene glycol and glycerol produce mouth and throat irritation and dry cough. No data on the effects of flavouring inhalation were identified. Data on short-term health effects are limited and there are no adequate data on long-term effects. Aerosol exposure may be associated with respiratory function impairment, and serum cotinine levels are similar to those in traditional cigarette smokers. The high nicotine concentrations of some products increase exposure risks for non-users, particularly children. The dangers of secondhand and thirdhand aerosol exposure have not been thoroughly evaluated. Scientific evidence regarding the human health effects of e-cigarettes is limited. While e-cigarette aerosol may contain fewer toxicants than cigarette smoke, studies evaluating whether e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes are inconclusive. Some evidence suggests that e-cigarette use may facilitate smoking cessation, but definitive data are lacking. No e-cigarette has been approved by FDA as a cessation aid. Environmental concerns and issues regarding non-user exposure exist. The health impact of e-cigarettes, for users and the public, cannot be determined with currently available data.

Avaliação da eficácia da “política mandatória” em repositórios: um estudo de caso no Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco – Portugal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Eduarda Pereira Rodrigues

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Introducción: Se presentan los resultados de un estudio sobre el efecto de la adopción y aplicación de la política de depósito de documentos (PDD en el Repositorio Científico del Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco - Portugal (RCIPCB. Metodología: El trabajo se divide en dos partes. La primera parte se refiere a la posición de los profesores/investigadores bajo el PDD y el depósito de sus trabajos científicos en el Repositorio; la segunda parte se relaciona con el desempeño de la RCIPCB como tal. El estudio se llevó a cabo mediante la aplicación de una encuesta en línea para profesores /investigadores - IPCB (n = 505 - seguida de un análisis estadístico descriptivo. Resultados: el 96,6% de los profesores /investigadores dijeron desconocer el RCIPCB; 66,0% de los encuestados respondió conocer el PDD; sólo el 11,9% de los encuestados indicaron que presentaron cuatro documentos (o más de su producción científica en el año 2011 al Repositorio; 50,8% de los profesores /investigadores dijeron no haber presentado ningún documento en el mismo año. Las explicaciones más citadas para tal comportamiento fueron: falta de tiempo (43,5%; cuestiones relacionadas con la asignación de los derechos de autor (21,7%; y por el olvido (17,4%. Después de la aprobación de la PDD se observó una reducción en el número total de documentos depositados (10,3% y el número de documentos de auto-archivado (44,0%. Conclusiones: Se concluye que la PDD no se ha producido los resultados deseados en relación con el nivel de auto-archivo ni se verificó el crecimiento del Repositorio utilizando la propuesta de archivos mediados. Consideramos la necesidad de medidas adicionales para mejorar el suministro de archivos mediados y el autoarchivo en el RCIPCB.

Mercury Quick Facts: Health Effects of Mercury Exposure

Science.gov (United States)

... 2012 What are the Health Effects of Mercury Exposure? The health effects that can be caused by breathing mercury depend ... they breathe faster and have smaller lungs. Health effects caused by long-term exposure to mercury vapors • • Anxiety • • Excessive shyness • • Anorexia • • Sleeping ...

Repositorio ontológico institucional

OpenAIRE

Durán, Elena Beatriz; Zachman, Patricia Paola; Álvarez, Margarita; Aguilera, Jonatan; Nuñez, Juan; Umaño, Marcos

2013-01-01

En muchas instituciones universitarias la información resultante de actividades académicas, científicas e investigativas, se encuentra desvinculada; dificultando su disponibilidad para los nuevos procesos de investigación que realizan estudiantes y docentes. Esto se agudiza aún más cuando se requiere conocer detalles significativos de la información compilada. Antes esta problemática, las ontologías y los metadatos juegan un papel fundamental, y, constituyen la mejor vía (conceptual e instrum...

Work stress and health effects among university personnel.

Science.gov (United States)

Donders, N C G M; van der Gulden, J W J; Furer, J W; Tax, B; Roscam Abbing, E W

2003-10-01

(1) To investigate the contribution of job characteristics and personal characteristics to the explanation of health effects among university personnel; (2) to investigate the differences between scientific personnel (SP) and non-scientific personnel (NSP); (3) to investigate whether health effects occurred one after another. The well being at work of employees at a Dutch university (n=2,522) was investigated by means of a questionnaire. A model was constructed in which several job and personal characteristics were set out against health effects. The latter were assumed to occur in phases: decreased "job satisfaction" as an early effect, followed by increased "tension" and "emotional exhaustion", and possibly also by increased "perceived health complaints". The contribution of job and personal characteristics to the explanation of health effects was investigated by means of linear regression analysis, with separate analyses for SP and NSP. Positive job characteristics, especially professional expertise and work variety, contributed to the explanation of "job satisfaction". The major contributors to "tension" and "emotional exhaustion" were negative characteristics, such as work pressure. Besides the negative aspects, the major contributors to the explanation of "perceived health complaints" were sex, age and other health effects. In NSP, social support contributed to the explanation of "tension" and "emotional exhaustion", but not in SP. The explained variance of "job satisfaction" by the positive job characteristics in NSP was much higher than that in SP. To investigate whether health effects occurred one after another, we considered explained variance. Explained variance in "job satisfaction" was much higher than in "perceived health complaints". "Emotional exhaustion" and "tension" were in between. Contrary to expectations, decision latitude and social support played only minor roles. Also, the differences between SP and NSP were smaller than expected. As

Effect of health development assistance on health status in sub-Saharan Africa

OpenAIRE

Negeri, Gutema; Haile Mariam,Damen

2016-01-01

Keneni Gutema Negeri,1 Damen Halemariam,21School of Public and Environmental Health, Health Service Management Unit, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, 2College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Introduction: Data on the effect of health aid on the health status in developing countries are inconclusive. Moreover, studies on this issue in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. Therefore, this stud...

Electronic cigarettes: human health effects

Science.gov (United States)

Callahan-Lyon, Priscilla

2014-01-01

Objective With the rapid increase in use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), users and non-users are exposed to the aerosol and product constituents. This is a review of published data on the human health effects of exposure to e-cigarettes and their components. Methods Literature searches were conducted through September 2013 using multiple electronic databases. Results Forty-four articles are included in this analysis. E-cigarette aerosols may contain propylene glycol, glycerol, flavourings, other chemicals and, usually, nicotine. Aerosolised propylene glycol and glycerol produce mouth and throat irritation and dry cough. No data on the effects of flavouring inhalation were identified. Data on short-term health effects are limited and there are no adequate data on long-term effects. Aerosol exposure may be associated with respiratory function impairment, and serum cotinine levels are similar to those in traditional cigarette smokers. The high nicotine concentrations of some products increase exposure risks for non-users, particularly children. The dangers of secondhand and thirdhand aerosol exposure have not been thoroughly evaluated. Conclusions Scientific evidence regarding the human health effects of e-cigarettes is limited. While e-cigarette aerosol may contain fewer toxicants than cigarette smoke, studies evaluating whether e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes are inconclusive. Some evidence suggests that e-cigarette use may facilitate smoking cessation, but definitive data are lacking. No e-cigarette has been approved by FDA as a cessation aid. Environmental concerns and issues regarding non-user exposure exist. The health impact of e-cigarettes, for users and the public, cannot be determined with currently available data. PMID:24732161

Climate change and health effects in Northwest Alaska

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Brubaker

2011-10-01

Full Text Available This article provides examples of adverse health effects, including weather-related injury, food insecurity, mental health issues, and water infrastructure damage, and the responses to these effects that are currently being applied in two Northwest Alaska communities.In Northwest Alaska, warming is resulting in a broad range of unusual weather and environmental conditions, including delayed freeze-up, earlier breakup, storm surge, coastal erosion, and thawing permafrost. These are just some of the climate impacts that are driving concerns about weather-related injury, the spread of disease, mental health issues, infrastructure damage, and food and water security. Local leaders are challenged to identify appropriate adaptation strategies to address climate impacts and related health effects.The tribal health system is combining local observations, traditional knowledge, and western science to perform community-specific climate change health impact assessments. Local leaders are applying this information to develop adaptation responses.The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium will describe relationships between climate impacts and health effects and provide examples of community-scaled adaptation actions currently being applied in Northwest Alaska.Climate change is increasing vulnerability to injury, disease, mental stress, food insecurity, and water insecurity. Northwest communities are applying adaptation approaches that are both specific and appropriate.The health impact assessment process is effective in raising awareness, encouraging discussion, engaging partners, and implementing adaptation planning. With community-specific information, local leaders are applying health protective adaptation measures.

People Create Health: Effective Health Promotion is a Creative Process

OpenAIRE

Cloninger, C. Robert; Cloninger, Kevin M.

2013-01-01

Effective health promotion involves the creative cultivation of physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being. Efforts at health promotion produce weak and inconsistent benefits when it does not engage people to express their own goals and values. Likewise, health promotion has been ineffective when it relies only on instruction about facts regarding a healthy lifestyle, or focuses on reduction of disease rather than the cultivation of well-being. Meta-analysis of longitudinal studies an...

Creació d'un portal web cercador de feina

OpenAIRE

Gómez Mondragón, Sergi

2012-01-01

Projecte de fi de carrera d'un portal web cercador de feina realitzat amb .NET i utilitzant SQL com a repositori de dades. Proyecto de fin de carrera de un portal web buscador de empleo realizado con .NET y utilizando SQL como repositorio de datos.

[Earthquakes--a historical review, environmental and health effects, and health care measures].

Science.gov (United States)

Nola, Iskra Alexandra; Doko Jelinić, Jagoda; Žuškin, Eugenija; Kratohvil, Mladen

2013-06-01

Earthquakes are natural disasters that can occur at any time, regardless of the location. Their frequency is higher in the Circum-Pacific and Mediterranean/Trans-Asian seismic belt. A number of sophisticated methods define their magnitude using the Richter scale and intensity using the Mercani-Cancani-Sieberg scale. Recorded data show a number of devastating earthquakes that have killed many people and changed the environment dramatically. Croatia is located in a seismically active area, which has endured a series of historical earthquakes, among which several occurred in the Zagreb area. The consequences of an earthquake depend mostly on the population density and seismic resistance of buildings in the affected area. Environmental consequences often include air, water, and soil pollution. The effects of this kind of pollution can have long-term health effects. The most dramatic health consequences result from the demolition of buildings. Therefore, quick and efficient aid depends on well-organized health professionals as well as on the readiness of the civil defence, fire department, and Mountain Rescue Service members. Good coordination among these services can save many lives Public health interventions must include effective control measures in the environment as secondary prevention methods for health problems caused by unfavourable environmental factors. The identification and control of long-term hazards can reduce chronic health effects. The reduction of earthquake-induced damages includes setting priorities in building seismically safe buildings.

World Organisation for Animal Health: strengthening Veterinary Services for effective One Health collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Corning, S

2014-08-01

To effectively reduce health risks at the animal-human-ecosystems interface, a One Health strategy is crucially important to create strong national and regional animal health systems that are well coordinated with strong public health systems. Animal diseases, particularly those caused by new and emerging zoonotic pathogens, must be effectively controlled at their source to reduce their potentially devastating impact upon both animal and human health. As the international organisation responsible for developing standards, guidelines and recommendations for animal health, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) plays an important role in minimising animal and public health risks attributable to zoonoses and other animal diseases, which can have severe consequences for global food safety and security. National Veterinary Services, which implement OIE animal health and welfare standards and other measures, are the first line of defence against these diseases, and must have the capacity to meet the core requirements necessary for their diagnosis and control. The OIE works collaboratively with the World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to improve the ability of national animal and public health systems to respond to current and emerging animal health risks with public health consequences. In addition to improving and aligning national laboratory capacities in high-risk areas, the OIE collaborates on One Health-oriented projects for key diseases, establishing model frameworks which can be applied to manage other existing and emerging priority diseases. This article reviews the role and activities of the OIE in strengthening the national Veterinary Services of its Member Countries for a more effective and sustainable One Health collaboration.

Air pollution health effects of electric power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-11-01

stitutt for Atomenergi (IFA) and Norsk Institutt for Luftforskning (NILU) have undertaken a joint project with the ultimate purpose of comparing the relative air pollution health effects of gas-fired, oil-fired and uranium-fueled electric power generating plants. Phase I of the project includes a literature review on pollutant emissions and their health effects. The methods which have previouously been used to compare the relative health effects are also reviewed. The radioactive effluents from nuclear power plants are tabulated and the health effects discussed on the basis of data from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, medical irradiation therapy and studies of USAEC and UKAEA employees. It is pointed out that there is no indication that chronic low-level radiation has somatic effects, and the Japanese data gives no conclusive indication of genetic effects. Background irradiation in Kerala and Guarapari and in USA is also cited. Following a brief presentation of the principal air pollutants from fossil fuels a number of studies of 'smog' incidents in the UK and USA are discussed, and a prediction equation based on multiple regression analysis is presented. Finally the methods of comparing the health effects from nuclear and fossil-fuel plants are discussed. In an appendix Lave and Freeburg's study 'Health effects of electricity generation from coal, oil and nuclear fuel' is evaluated. (JIW)

The Environmental Science and Health Effects Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michael Gurevich; Doug Lawson; Joe Mauderly

2000-01-01

The goal of the Environmental Science and Health Effect Program is to conduct policy-relevant research that will help us understand atmospheric impacts and potential health effects that may be caused by the use of petroleum-based fuels and alternative transportation fuels from mobile sources

The Environmental Science and Health Effects Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michael Gurevich; Doug Lawson; Joe Mauderly

2000-04-10

The goal of the Environmental Science and Health Effect Program is to conduct policy-relevant research that will help us understand atmospheric impacts and potential health effects that may be caused by the use of petroleum-based fuels and alternative transportation fuels from mobile sources.

Health effects of unemployment benefit program generosity.

Science.gov (United States)

Cylus, Jonathan; Glymour, M Maria; Avendano, Mauricio

2015-02-01

We assessed the impact of unemployment benefit programs on the health of the unemployed. We linked US state law data on maximum allowable unemployment benefit levels between 1985 and 2008 to individual self-rated health for heads of households in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and implemented state and year fixed-effect models. Unemployment was associated with increased risk of reporting poor health among men in both linear probability (b=0.0794; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.0623, 0.0965) and logistic models (odds ratio=2.777; 95% CI=2.294, 3.362), but this effect is lower when the generosity of state unemployment benefits is high (b for interaction between unemployment and benefits=-0.124; 95% CI=-0.197, -0.0523). A 63% increase in benefits completely offsets the impact of unemployment on self-reported health. Results suggest that unemployment benefits may significantly alleviate the adverse health effects of unemployment among men.

Relocation: Its Effect on Health, Functioning and Mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Borup, Jerry H.; And Others

1980-01-01

Relocation of older patients had a positive effect on hypochondria, stamina, hygiene, and daily functioning but no effect on health status. Self-health assessments, stamina, hypochondria, and hygiene had no effect on the mortality rate of relocated patients, but daily functioning did effect the mortality rate. (Author)

Health Effects of Chronic Arsenic Exposure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Young-Seoub Hong

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Arsenic is a unique element with distinct physical characteristics and toxicity whose importance in public health is well recognized. The toxicity of arsenic varies across its different forms. While the carcinogenicity of arsenic has been confirmed, the mechanisms behind the diseases occurring after acute or chronic exposure to arsenic are not well understood. Inorganic arsenic has been confirmed as a human carcinogen that can induce skin, lung, and bladder cancer. There are also reports of its significant association to liver, prostate, and bladder cancer. Recent studies have also suggested a relationship with diabetes, neurological effects, cardiac disorders, and reproductive organs, but further studies are required to confirm these associations. The majority of research to date has examined cancer incidence after a high exposure to high concentrations of arsenic. However, numerous studies have reported various health effects caused by chronic exposure to low concentrations of arsenic. An assessment of the health effects to arsenic exposure has never been performed in the South Korean population; thus, objective estimates of exposure levels are needed. Data should be collected on the biological exposure level for the total arsenic concentration, and individual arsenic concentration by species. In South Korea, we believe that biological exposure assessment should be the first step, followed by regular health effect assessments.

Human health effects of air pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kampa, Marilena; Castanas, Elias

2008-01-01

Hazardous chemicals escape to the environment by a number of natural and/or anthropogenic activities and may cause adverse effects on human health and the environment. Increased combustion of fossil fuels in the last century is responsible for the progressive change in the atmospheric composition. Air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ozone (O 3 ), heavy metals, and respirable particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), differ in their chemical composition, reaction properties, emission, time of disintegration and ability to diffuse in long or short distances. Air pollution has both acute and chronic effects on human health, affecting a number of different systems and organs. It ranges from minor upper respiratory irritation to chronic respiratory and heart disease, lung cancer, acute respiratory infections in children and chronic bronchitis in adults, aggravating pre-existing heart and lung disease, or asthmatic attacks. In addition, short- and long-term exposures have also been linked with premature mortality and reduced life expectancy. These effects of air pollutants on human health and their mechanism of action are briefly discussed. - The effect of air pollutants on human health and underlying mechanisms of cellular action are discussed

Effective public health management: The Nigerian experience | Abe ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Public health management in Nigeria is the process of mobilizing and deploying resources for the provision of effective public health services. To ensure an effective public health, population based strategies would need to be put in place and this would require proper management to yield desired results. This paper ...

Spillover Effects of Maternal Education on Child's Health and Health Behavior

OpenAIRE

Kemptner, Daniel; Marcus, Jan

2013-01-01

This study investigates the effects of maternal education on child's health and health behavior. We draw on a rich German panel data set containing information about three generations. This allows instrumenting maternal education by the number of her siblings while conditioning on grandparental characteristics. The instrumental variables approach has not yet been used in the intergenerational context and works for the sample sizes of common household panels. We find substantial effects on hea...

Judicialization of Health: A Perspective of Effectiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Mota Estabel

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This work is scoped to synthesize the legalization of the right to health, and offer a perspective for shaping effectiveness. Using the inductive method and based on research literature and case law, at first a brief history of the right to health will be presented as well as some of the principles relating to fundamental precept. Per second, from a normative and jurisprudential approach, the right will be presented to health in the judiciary perspective, focused on the instruments already used (court decisions, the number of demands that concern the health issue, and public policies adopted by the judiciary both in its own sphere as administratively. Finally, emphasis shall be the various issues in the legal health procedure regarding the joint responsibility of federal entities and guidelines for proper conformation of the right to health, the effect of promoting citizenship and social justice.

Effectiveness and Appropriateness of mHealth Interventions for Maternal and Child Health: Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Huan; Chai, Yanling; Dong, Le; Niu, Wenyi; Zhang, Puhong

2018-01-09

The application of mobile health (mHealth) technology in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) is increasing worldwide. However, best practice and the most effective mHealth interventions have not been reviewed systematically. A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of mHealth interventions for RMNCH around the world were conducted to investigate their characteristics as well as the features and effectiveness of mHealth interventions. Studies of mHealth interventions for RMNCH between January 2011 and December 2016 were retrieved from 6 databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Global Health, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, and Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Medium). Comparable studies were included in a random-effects meta-analysis for both exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and antenatal checks (ANC). Descriptive analyses were conducted for mHealth studies with a range of study designs. Analyses of 245 studies were included, including 51 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Results showed that there are increasing numbers of studies on mHealth interventions for RMNCH. Although 2 meta-analysis, one with 2 RCTs on EBF (odds ratio [OR] 2.03, 95% CI 1.34-3.08, I 2 =25%) and the other with 3 RCTs on ANC (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.13-1.79, I 2 =78%), showed that mHealth interventions are more effective than usual care, almost half (43%) of RCTs showed negative or unclear results on mHealth interventions. Functions described in mHealth interventions were diverse, and the health stages covered were broad. However, single function or single stage appeared to be dominant among mHealth interventions compared with multiple functions or stages. More rigorous evaluations are needed to draw consistent conclusions and to analyze mHealth products with multiple functions, especially those popular in the app markets. ©Huan Chen, Yanling Chai, Le Dong, Wenyi Niu, Puhong Zhang. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth

The health effects of exercising in air pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Giles, Luisa V; Koehle, Michael S

2014-02-01

The health benefits of exercise are well known. Many of the most accessible forms of exercise, such as walking, cycling, and running often occur outdoors. This means that exercising outdoors may increase exposure to urban air pollution. Regular exercise plays a key role in improving some of the physiologic mechanisms and health outcomes that air pollution exposure may exacerbate. This problem presents an interesting challenge of balancing the beneficial effects of exercise along with the detrimental effects of air pollution upon health. This article summarizes the pulmonary, cardiovascular, cognitive, and systemic health effects of exposure to particulate matter, ozone, and carbon monoxide during exercise. It also summarizes how air pollution exposure affects maximal oxygen consumption and exercise performance. This article highlights ways in which exercisers could mitigate the adverse health effects of air pollution exposure during exercise and draws attention to the potential importance of land use planning in selecting exercise facilities.

The effect of military deployment on mental health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyk-Jensen, Stéphanie; Weatherall, Cecilie Dohlmann; W. Jepsen, Peter

for the non-deployed eligible men, and our results hold to various robustness checks. Our administrative records provide objective measures of mental health service use in the form of psychiatric diagnoses and purchase of mental health-related medication. The very rich data makes it possible to control......In this paper we estimate the causal effect of military deployment on soldiers’ mental health. To handle the selection bias problem, we use longitudinal data for deployed and non-deployed eligible men in a difference-in-differences setting. Using pair-wise matching, we impute deployment dates...... for important variables like intelligence tests and family background. We find significant adverse effects of military deployment on soldiers’ mental health service use. Highlights: - Causal effect of military deployment on soldiers’ use of mental health service - Using a difference-in-differences approach...

The influence of source term release parameters on health effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Jong Tae; Ha, Jae Joo

1998-08-01

In this study, the influence of source term release parameters on the health effects was examined. This is very useful in identifying the relative importance of release parameters and can be an important factor in developing a strategy for reducing offsite risks. The release parameters investigated in this study are release height, heat content, fuel burnup, release time, release duration, and warning time. The health effects affected by the change of release parameters are early fatalities, cancer fatalities, early injuries, cancer injuries, early fatality risk, population weighted early fatality risk, population weighted cancer fatality risk, effective whole body population dose, population exceeding an early acute red bone marrow dose of 1.5 Sv, and distance at which early fatalities are expected to occur. As release height increases, the values of early health effects such as early fatalities and injuries decrease. However, the release height dose not have significant influences on late health effects. The values of both early and late health effects decrease as heat content increases. The increase fuel burnup, i.e., the increase of core inventories increases the late health effects, however, has small influence on the early health effects. But, the number of early injuries increases as the fuel burnup increases. The effects of release time increase shows very similar influence on both the early and late health effects. As the release time increases to 2 hours, the values of health effects increase and then decrease rapidly. As release duration increases, the values of late health effects increase slightly, however, the values of early health effects decrease. As warning time increases to 2 hours, the values of late health effects decrease and then shows no variation. The number of early injuries decreases rapidly as the warning time increases to 2 hours. However, the number of early fatalities and the early fatality risk increase as the warning time increases

Coalfield health effects: Variation in health across former coalfield areas in England

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riva, M.; Terashima, M.; Curtis, S.; Shucksmith, J.; Carlebach, S. [University of Durham, Durham (United Kingdom)

2011-03-15

Regions affected by deindustrialisation are often characterised by unfavourable local health profiles. This was the situation in coalfield areas in England, where the scale and suddenness of the job losses in the 1980s and 1990s left these communities experiencing difficult socioeconomic conditions, and associated poor health status. Using data from the Health Survey for England, this paper examines whether poorer health outcomes still characterise coalfield areas today. Findings confirm a 'coalfield health effect' related to limiting long-term illness. With regards to self reported general health and mental health outcomes, results are less clear. The population health profile of coalfield communities is not homogeneous, with some coalfield communities faring worse than others, indicating more localised health issues.

42 CFR 90.7 - Decision to conduct health effects study.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... occurred, and any possible health effects resulting from such exposure. (b) Should ATSDR decide, in its... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Decision to conduct health effects study. 90.7... ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES ADMINISTRATIVE...

The effect of individual factors on health behaviors among college students: the mediating effects of eHealth literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, WanChen; Chiang, ChiaHsun; Yang, ShuChing

2014-12-12

College students' health behavior is a topic that deserves attention. Individual factors and eHealth literacy may affect an individual's health behaviors. The integrative model of eHealth use (IMeHU) provides a parsimonious account of the connections among the digital divide, health care disparities, and the unequal distribution and use of communication technologies. However, few studies have explored the associations among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health behaviors, and IMeHU has not been empirically investigated. This study examines the associations among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health behaviors using IMeHU. The Health Behavior Scale is a 12-item instrument developed to measure college students' eating, exercise, and sleep behaviors. The eHealth Literacy Scale is a 12-item instrument designed to measure college students' functional, interactive, and critical eHealth literacy. A nationally representative sample of 525 valid college students in Taiwan was surveyed. A questionnaire was administered to collect background information about participants' health status, degree of health concern, major, and the frequency with which they engaged in health-related discussions. This study used Amos 6.0 to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis to identify the best measurement models for the eHealth Literacy Scale and the Health Behavior Scale. We then conducted a multiple regression analysis to examine the associations among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health behaviors. Additionally, causal steps approach was used to explore indirect (mediating) effects and Sobel tests were used to test the significance of the mediating effects. The study found that perceptions of better health status (t520=2.14-6.12, PeHealth literacy and adoption of healthy eating, exercise, and sleep behaviors. Moreover, eHealth literacy played an intermediary role in the association between individual factors and health behaviors (Sobel test=2.09-2.72, PeHealth

Effects of nutrition on oral health

OpenAIRE

G A Agbelusi

2010-01-01

Nutrition represents a summation of intake, absorption, storage and utilization of foods by the tissues. Oral tissues are one of the most sensitive indicators of nutritional state of the body. Nutritional deficiencies are associated with changes in the integrity (health and appearance) of the oral structures/ tissues and these changes are frequently the first clinical signs of deficiency. Nutrition affects oral health and oral health affects nutrition. The effects of malnutrition can be s...

Guidelines for developing effective health education service in a national health agency.

Science.gov (United States)

Ochor, J O

1983-01-01

The constraints facing health education include: the fragmentation and dispersal of health-educational services among different agencies and personnel; lack of policy guidelines; ineffectively organized and inefficiently managed health education systems; poor hierarchical status and inadequacy of resources. To resolve these constraints, national health education systems in health agencies should be developed on the basis of stipulated guidelines that could ensure their viability, efficiency and effectiveness. A study at the African Regional Health Education Centre, Ibadan, Nigeria, has yielded thirty synthesized guidelines. The "guidelines" were empirically tested as an evaluation tool by assessing the operational and organizational status of Oyo State Health Education Unit, Ibadan, Nigeria. These guidelines are adaptable to local conditions to enhance the re-organization, re-orientation and consolidation of health education in national health agencies.

Effect of Health Care Professionals' Continuing Education ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of educational intervention by health care providers on clinical outcomes in type 2 diabetes patients in a Yemeni health facility. Methods: A prospective, one-group and pre- and post-test design to assess the effects of health care providers' education on clinical patient outcomes was ...

The Effects of Noise on Health

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Harris, Charles

1997-01-01

.... This is followed by a discussion of noise induced physiological changes, noise as a stress, and on some specialized topics on the effects of impulsive acoustic stimuli, on effects on sleep, and on hearing and health effects of people living under military training routes.

Health effects estimation for contaminated properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marks, S.; Denham, D.H.; Cross, F.T.; Kennedy, W.E. Jr.

1984-05-01

As part of an overall remedial action program to evaluate the need for and institute actions designed to minimize health hazards from inactive tailings piles and from displaced tailings, methods for estimating health effects from tailings were developed and applied to the Salt Lake City area. 2 references, 2 tables

Health effects models for nuclear power plant accident consequence analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abrahamson, S.; Bender, M.A.; Boecker, B.B.; Scott, B.R.

1993-05-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has sponsored several studies to identify and quantify, through the use of models, the potential health effects of accidental releases of radionuclides from nuclear power plants. The Reactor Safety Study provided the basis for most of the earlier estimates related to these health effects. Subsequent efforts by NRC-supported groups resulted in improved health effects models that were published in the report entitled open-quotes Health Effects Models for Nuclear Power Plant Consequence Analysisclose quotes, NUREG/CR-4214, 1985 and revised further in the 1989 report NUREG/CR-4214, Rev. 1, Part 2. The health effects models presented in the 1989 NUREG/CR-4214 report were developed for exposure to low-linear energy transfer (LET) (beta and gamma) radiation based on the best scientific information available at that time. Since the 1989 report was published, two addenda to that report have been prepared to (1) incorporate other scientific information related to low-LET health effects models and (2) extend the models to consider the possible health consequences of the addition of alpha-emitting radionuclides to the exposure source term. The first addendum report, entitled open-quotes Health Effects Models for Nuclear Power Plant Accident Consequence Analysis, Modifications of Models Resulting from Recent Reports on Health Effects of Ionizing Radiation, Low LET Radiation, Part 2: Scientific Bases for Health Effects Models,close quotes was published in 1991 as NUREG/CR-4214, Rev. 1, Part 2, Addendum 1. This second addendum addresses the possibility that some fraction of the accident source term from an operating nuclear power plant comprises alpha-emitting radionuclides. Consideration of chronic high-LET exposure from alpha radiation as well as acute and chronic exposure to low-LET beta and gamma radiations is a reasonable extension of the health effects model

Health effects models for nuclear power plant accident consequence analysis: Modifications of models resulting from recent reports on health effects of ionizing radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abrahamson, S. (Wisconsin Univ., Madison, WI (United States)); Bender, M.A. (Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)); Boecker, B.B.; Scott, B.R. (Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Inst., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Inhalation Toxicology Research Inst.); Gilbert, E.S. (Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States))

1991-08-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has sponsored several studies to identify and quantify the potential health effects of accidental releases of radionuclides from nuclear power plants. The most recent health effects models resulting from these efforts were published in two reports, NUREG/CR-4214, Rev. 1, Part 1 (1990) and Part 2 (1989). Several major health effects reports have been published recently that may impact the health effects models presented in these reports. This addendum to the Part 2 (1989) report, provides a review of the 1986 and 1988 reports by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council BEAR 5 Committee report and Publication 60 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection as they relate to this report. The three main sections of this addendum discuss early occurring and continuing effects, late somatic effects, and genetic effects. The major changes to the NUREG/CR-4214 health effects models recommended in this addendum are for late somatic effects. These changes reflect recent changes in cancer risk factors that have come from longer followup and revised dosimetry in major studies like that on the Japanese A-bomb survivors. The results presented in this addendum should be used with the basic NUREG/CR-4214 reports listed above to obtain the most recent views on the potential health effects of radionuclides released accidentally from nuclear power plants. 48 refs., 4 figs., 24 tabs.

Health effects models for nuclear power plant accident consequence analysis: Modifications of models resulting from recent reports on health effects of ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abrahamson, S.; Bender, M.A.; Boecker, B.B.; Scott, B.R.

1991-08-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has sponsored several studies to identify and quantify the potential health effects of accidental releases of radionuclides from nuclear power plants. The most recent health effects models resulting from these efforts were published in two reports, NUREG/CR-4214, Rev. 1, Part 1 (1990) and Part 2 (1989). Several major health effects reports have been published recently that may impact the health effects models presented in these reports. This addendum to the Part 2 (1989) report, provides a review of the 1986 and 1988 reports by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council BEAR 5 Committee report and Publication 60 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection as they relate to this report. The three main sections of this addendum discuss early occurring and continuing effects, late somatic effects, and genetic effects. The major changes to the NUREG/CR-4214 health effects models recommended in this addendum are for late somatic effects. These changes reflect recent changes in cancer risk factors that have come from longer followup and revised dosimetry in major studies like that on the Japanese A-bomb survivors. The results presented in this addendum should be used with the basic NUREG/CR-4214 reports listed above to obtain the most recent views on the potential health effects of radionuclides released accidentally from nuclear power plants. 48 refs., 4 figs., 24 tabs

Definición y desarrollo de herramienta web de gestión de metadatos Business Intelligence

OpenAIRE

Montalvillo Mendizabal, Leticia

2012-01-01

Hoy en día las grandes empresas cuentan con sistemas de Business Intelligence (BI) para diversos objetivos y tareas que deben realizar. Este proyecto se centra en la definición de un repositorio de metadatos BI que almacenará los datos relativos a los Indicadores Clave de Rendimiento (KPI).

Effects of student participation in school health promotion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Griebler, Ursula; Rojatz, Daniela; Simovska, Venka

2017-01-01

The aim of this systematic review was to summarize systematically the existing evidence for the effects of student participation in designing, planning, implementing and/or evaluating school health promotion measures. The focus was on the effects of participation in school health promotion measur...

Health and environmental effects of nuclear weapons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

This report briefly reviews previous WHO work on the health consequences of nuclear war and concentrates on current information about the effects of nuclear weapons on health, and related environmental problems. 15 refs

Revised nonstochastic health effects models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaniv, S.S.; Scott, B.R.

1991-01-01

In 1989, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published a revision of the 1985 report, Health Effects Models for Nuclear Power Plant Accident Consequence Analysis, NUREG/CR-4214, that included models for early occurring and continuing nonstochastic effects, cancers and thyroid nodules, and genetic effects. This paper discusses specific models for lethality from early occurring and continuing effects. For brevity, hematopoietic-syndrome lethality is called hematopoietic death; pulmonary-syndrome lethality is called pulmonary death; and gastrointestinal syndrome lethality is called gastrointestinal death. Two-parameter Weibull risk functions are recommended for estimating the risk of hematopoietic, pulmonary, or gastrointestinal death. The risks are obtained indirectly by using hazard functions; as a result, this type of approach has been called hazard-function modeling and the models generated are called hazard-function models. In the 1989 NUREG/CR-4214 report, changes were made in the parameter values for a number of effects, and the models used to estimate hematopoietic and pulmonary deaths were substantially revised. Upper and lower estimates of model parameters are provided for all early health effects models. In this paper, we discuss the 1989 models for hematopoietic and pulmonary deaths, highlighting the differences between the 1989 and 1985 models. In addition, we give the reasons for which the 1985 models were modified

Traffic-related air pollution - the health effects scrutinized

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijland, M.E.

2013-01-01

Numerous studies have been published on the health effects associated with exposure to air pollution. Air pollution is acknowledged as a public health risk and air quality regulations are set for specific air pollutants to protect human health. A major pollutant, well known for its adverse health

Effects of an employee exercise programme on mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Emerson, N D; Merrill, D A; Shedd, K; Bilder, R M; Siddarth, P

2017-03-01

Prior research indicates that workplace wellness programmes (WWPs) are generally associated with lowered healthcare costs and improved employee health. Despite the importance of mental well-being in workplace productivity and attendance, few WWP studies have focused on improvements in psychological well-being. To examine the effects of the Bruin Health Improvement Program (BHIP), a 3-month exercise and nutrition WWP, on seven domains of health: physical and mental health, stress, energy level, social satisfaction, self-efficacy and quality of life. Using data from BHIP completers, we conducted multiple one-way multivariate analyses of variance and follow-up univariate t-tests to examine changes in physical and mental health, stress, energy level, social satisfaction, self-efficacy and quality of life. Effect sizes were also calculated post hoc to determine the magnitude of each effect. Results for the 281 participants reveal significant improvements across all seven domains (P < 0.001). Effect sizes ranged from 0.19 to 0.67. This study is unique in revealing the effects of a WWP on multiple domains of psychological well-being. Given rising healthcare costs associated with mental health, targeting mental health through WWP may be an effective strategy for reducing indirect healthcare costs associated with absenteeism and presenteeism. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Health effects of coal technologies: research needs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-09-01

In this 1977 Environmental Message, President Carter directed the establishment of a joint program to identify the health and environmental problems associated with advanced energy technologies and to review the adequacy of present research programs. In response to the President's directive, representatives of three agencies formed the Federal Interagency Committee on the Health and Environmental Effects of Energy Technologies. This report was prepared by the Health Effects Working Group on Coal Technologies for the Committee. In this report, the major health-related problems associated with conventional coal mining, storage, transportation, and combustion, and with chemical coal cleaning, in situ gasification, fluidized bed combustion, magnetohydrodynamic combustion, cocombustion of coal-oil mixtures, and cocombustion of coal with municipal solid waste are identified. The report also contains recommended research required to address the identified problems.

Health effects of ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radford, E.P.

1980-01-01

This presentation is restricted to the health effects of low doses of ionizing radiation. In general, these cumulative exposures are well below 100 rem, or about 50 times background or less. The two effects of interest in this dose range are genetic mutations and cancer production. The genetic effects will not be discussed in detail. The chief reason for the rise in risk estimates for cancer is the longer follow-up of exposed populations

Long-term health effects of unintentional injuries in Danish adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laursen, Bjarne; Møller, Hanne

2012-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of self-reported health effects of unintentional injuries in the adult Danish population, including the limitation of daily activities and perceived general health. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the 2005 National Health...... reported poor health in general. The most severe health effects affected the head, neck and back, as well as multiple body parts. Those injuries that entailed the most severe health effects were caused by traffic injuries and falls. CONCLUSION: Long-term effects of injuries are prevalent in the adult...... population and most can be attributed to falls and traffic injuries. Back injuries and multiple injuries had the largest influence on perceived health. FUNDING: The work was supported by TrygFonden grant no. 7585-07. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant....

EFFECTS OF ARSENIC EXPOSURE IN HUMAN HEALTH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aline Sueli de Lima Rodrigues

2008-10-01

Full Text Available In recent years, ingestion of inorganic arsenic from drinking water has emerged as an important public health concern. It enters drinking water supplies from natural deposits in the earth or from agricultural and industrial practices, mainly the mining. The health consequences of chronic arsenic exposure include increased risk for various forms of cancer and numerous pathologic effects, such as cutaneous effects (hyperpigmentation and hyperkeratoses, gastrointestinal effects, vascular effects, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy. This way, this study presents through a critical revision of the literature, the more relevant current aspects on the immunological consequences, carcinogenic and resulting genetics of the human intoxication for arsenic. They were identified and analyzed 50 works published on the subject among the years of 1979 and 2008, being used as main sources LILACS-BIREME MEDLINE/Index Medicus, SciELO and PubMed. The specific Arsênio e saúde humana effects of the intoxication for arsenic about the human health are not still completely elucidated. Thus, is possible that this element affects functions still unknown, becoming important the scientificexploration on the subject.

Evaluating the effectiveness of health care teams.

Science.gov (United States)

Mickan, Sharon M

2005-05-01

While it is recognised that effective health care teams are associated with quality patient care, the literature is comparatively sparse in defining the outcomes of effective teamwork. This literature review of the range of organisational, team and individual benefits of teamwork complements an earlier article which summarised the antecedent conditions for (input) and team processes (throughput) of effective teams. This article summarises the evidence for a range of outcome measures of effective teams. Organisational benefits of teamwork include reduced hospitalisation time and costs, reduced unanticipated admissions, better accessibility for patients, and improved coordination of care. Team benefits include efficient use of health care services, enhanced communication and professional diversity. Patients report benefits of enhanced satisfaction, acceptance of treatment and improved health outcomes. Finally, team members report enhanced job satisfaction, greater role clarity and enhanced well-being. Due to the inherent complexity of teamwork, a constituency model of team evaluation is supported where key stakeholders identify and measure the intended benefits of a team.

Good jobs, good pay, better health? The effects of job quality on health among older European workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Henseke, Golo

2018-01-01

Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, this study presents new evidence on the effects of job quality on the occurrence of severe acute conditions, the level of cardiovascular risk factors, musculoskeletal disorders, mental health, functional disabilities and self-assessed health among workers aged 50+. By combining intrinsic job quality with job insecurity and pay the study maps out multiple potential pathways through which work may affect health and well-being. Levering longitudinal data and external information on early retirement ages allows for accounting of unobserved heterogeneity, selection bias and reverse causality. The empirical findings suggest that inequities in health correlate with inequities in job quality, though a substantial fraction of these associations reflect time-constant unobserved heterogeneity. Still, there is evidence for genuine protective effects of better jobs on musculoskeletal disorders, mental health and general health. The effect could contribute to a substantial number of avoidable disorders among older workers, despite relatively modest effect sizes at the level of individuals. Mental health, in particular, responds to changes in job quality. Selection bias such as the healthy worker effect does not alter the results. But the influence of job quality on health may be transitional among older workers. An in-depth analysis of health dynamics reveals no evidence for persistence.

Household air pollution and its effects on health.

Science.gov (United States)

Apte, Komalkirti; Salvi, Sundeep

2016-01-01

Household air pollution is a leading cause of disability-adjusted life years in Southeast Asia and the third leading cause of disability-adjusted life years globally. There are at least sixty sources of household air pollution, and these vary from country to country. Indoor tobacco smoking, construction material used in building houses, fuel used for cooking, heating and lighting, use of incense and various forms of mosquito repellents, use of pesticides and chemicals used for cleaning at home, and use of artificial fragrances are some of the various sources that contribute to household air pollution. Household air pollution affects all stages of life with multi-systemic health effects, and its effects are evident right from pre-conception to old age. In utero exposure to household air pollutants has been shown to have health effects which resonate over the entire lifetime. Exposures to indoor air pollutants in early childhood also tend to have repercussions throughout life. The respiratory system bears the maximum brunt, but effects on the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, and nervous system are largely underplayed. Household air pollutants have also been implicated in the development of various types of cancers. Identifying household air pollutants and their health implications helps us prepare for various health-related issues. However, the real challenge is adopting changes to reduce the health effects of household air pollution and designing innovative interventions to minimize the risk of further exposure. This review is an attempt to understand the various sources of household air pollution, the effects on health, and strategies to deal with this emergent risk factor of global mortality and morbidity.

Effects of donor proliferation in development aid for health on health program performance: A conceptual framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Pallas, Sarah Wood; Ruger, Jennifer Prah

2017-02-01

Development aid for health increased dramatically during the past two decades, raising concerns about inefficiency and lack of coherence among the growing number of global health donors. However, we lack a framework for how donor proliferation affects health program performance to inform theory-based evaluation of aid effectiveness policies. A review of academic and gray literature was conducted. Data were extracted from the literature sample on study design and evidence for hypothesized effects of donor proliferation on health program performance, which were iteratively grouped into categories and mapped into a new conceptual framework. In the framework, increases in the number of donors are hypothesized to increase inter-donor competition, transaction costs, donor poaching of recipient staff, recipient control over aid, and donor fragmentation, and to decrease donors' sense of accountability for overall development outcomes. There is mixed evidence on whether donor proliferation increases or decreases aid volume. These primary effects in turn affect donor innovation, information hoarding, and aid disbursement volatility, as well as recipient country health budget levels, human resource capacity, and corruption, and the determinants of health program performance. The net effect of donor proliferation on health will vary depending on the magnitude of the framework's competing effects in specific country settings. The conceptual framework provides a foundation for improving design of aid effectiveness practices to mitigate negative effects from donor proliferation while preserving its potential benefits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling the cost-effectiveness of health care systems for alcohol use disorders: how implementation of eHealth interventions improves cost-effectiveness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, Filip; Lokkerbol, Joran; Riper, Heleen; Majo, Maria Cristina; Boon, Brigitte; Blankers, Matthijs

2011-01-01

Informing policy decisions about the cost-effectiveness of health care systems (ie, packages of clinical interventions) is probably best done using a modeling approach. To this end, an alcohol model (ALCMOD) was developed. The aim of ALCMOD is to estimate the cost-effectiveness of competing health

The effects of public health policies on population health and health inequalities in European welfare states: protocol for an umbrella review.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, Katie; Bambra, Clare; McNamara, Courtney; Huijts, Tim; Todd, Adam

2016-04-08

The welfare state is potentially an important macro-level determinant of health that also moderates the extent, and impact, of socio-economic inequalities in exposure to the social determinants of health. The welfare state has three main policy domains: health care, social policy (e.g. social transfers and education) and public health policy. This is the protocol for an umbrella review to examine the latter; its aim is to assess how European welfare states influence the social determinants of health inequalities institutionally through public health policies. A systematic review methodology will be used to identify systematic reviews from high-income countries (including additional EU-28 members) that describe the health and health equity effects of upstream public health interventions. Interventions will focus on primary and secondary prevention policies including fiscal measures, regulation, education, preventative treatment and screening across ten public health domains (tobacco; alcohol; food and nutrition; reproductive health services; the control of infectious diseases; screening; mental health; road traffic injuries; air, land and water pollution; and workplace regulations). Twenty databases will be searched using a pre-determined search strategy to evaluate population-level public health interventions. Understanding the impact of specific public health policy interventions will help to establish causality in terms of the effects of welfare states on population health and health inequalities. The review will document contextual information on how population-level public health interventions are organised, implemented and delivered. This information can be used to identify effective interventions that could be implemented to reduce health inequalities between and within European countries. PROSPERO CRD42016025283.

Polyphenol-Rich Lentils and Their Health Promoting Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Ganesan, Kumar; Xu, Baojun

2017-11-10

Polyphenols are a group of plant metabolites with potent antioxidant properties, which protect against various chronic diseases induced by oxidative stress. Evidence showed that dietary polyphenols have emerged as one of the prominent scientific interests due to their role in the prevention of degenerative diseases in humans. Possible health beneficial effects of polyphenols are measured based on the human consumption and their bioavailability. Lentil ( Lens culinaris ; Family: Fabaceae) is a great source of polyphenol compounds with various health-promoting properties. Polyphenol-rich lentils have a potential effect on human health, possessing properties such as antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory and anticancer. Based on the explorative study, the current comprehensive review aims to give up-to-date information on nutritive compositions, bioactive compounds and the health-promoting effect of polyphenol-rich lentils, which explores their therapeutic values for future clinical studies. All data of in vitro , in vivo and clinical studies of lentils and their impact on human health were collected from a library database and electronic search (Science Direct, PubMed and Google Scholar). Health-promoting information was gathered and orchestrated in the suitable place in the review.

The effect of health shocks on smoking and obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sundmacher, Leonie

2012-08-01

To investigate whether negative changes in their own health (i.e. health shocks) or in that of a smoking or obese household member, lead smokers to quit smoking and obese individuals to lose weight. The study is informed by economic models ('rational addiction' and 'demand for health' models) which offer hypotheses on the relationship between health shocks and health-related behaviour. Each hypothesis was tested applying a discrete-time hazard model with random effects using up to ten waves of the German Socioeconomic Panel (GSOEP) and statistics on cigarette, food and beverage prices provided by the Federal Statistical Office. Health shocks had a significant positive impact on the probability that smokers quit during the same year in which they experienced the health shock. Health shocks of a smoking household member between year t-2 and t-1 also motivated smoking cessation, although statistical evidence for this was weaker. Health shocks experienced by obese individuals or their household members had, on the other hand, no significant effect on weight loss, as measured by changes in Body Mass Index (BMI). The results of the study suggest that smokers are aware of the risks associated with tobacco consumption, know about effective strategies to quit smoking, and are willing to quit for health-related reasons. In contrast, there was no evidence for changes in health-related behaviour among obese individuals after a health shock.

Effects of health information technology on malpractice insurance premiums.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hye Yeong; Lee, Jinhyung

2015-04-01

The widespread adoption of health information technology (IT) will help contain health care costs by decreasing inefficiencies in healthcare delivery. Theoretically, health IT could lower hospitals' malpractice insurance premiums (MIPs) and improve the quality of care by reducing the number and size of malpractice. This study examines the relationship between health IT investment and MIP using California hospital data from 2006 to 2007. To examine the effect of hospital IT on malpractice insurance expense, a generalized estimating equation (GEE) was employed. It was found that health IT investment was not negatively associated with MIP. Health IT was reported to reduce medical error and improve efficiency. Thus, it may reduce malpractice claims from patients, which will reduce malpractice insurance expenses for hospitals. However, health IT adoption could lead to increases in MIPs. For example, we expect increases in MIPs of about 1.2% and 1.5%, respectively, when health IT and labor increase by 10%. This study examined the effect of health IT investment on MIPs controlling other hospital and market, and volume characteristics. Against our expectation, we found that health IT investment was not negatively associated with MIP. There may be some possible reasons that the real effect of health IT on MIPs was not observed; barriers including communication problems among health ITs, shorter sample period, lower IT investment, and lack of a quality of care measure as a moderating variable.

Indirect environmental effects of nuclear war affecting health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leaf, A.

1984-01-01

The indirect effects of a nuclear war that will affect the health of survivors are considered to include consequences to: (a) the economies of nations, (b) food and nutrition, (c) water supplies, (d) the climate and the ecosphere, and (e) sanitation and public health; and they include long-term radiation effects

Chernobyl: the effects on public health?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aurengo, A. [Hopital Pitie-Salpetriere, Dept. Nucleaire Medecine, 75 - Paris (France)

2003-07-01

Because of its public health, ecological and industrial consequences, the Chernobyl accident has become a myth which serves as the focus of many fears, justified or not. no one can question the seriousness of the event, but after fifteen years there is still no agreement about the effect it has had or will have on public health. For example, the total number of deaths attributed to Chernobyl varies from less than a hundred to several millions and congenital malformations from negligible to cataclysmic. Effects on public health may be calculated from data on contamination, from the dose received and from the risk, all three of which are likely to be very roughly known; or they may be evaluated on the spot, either by epidemiological studies or by examining medical registers. This report makes an inventory of the different risks and takes stock on them. (N.C.)

Chernobyl: the effects on public health?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aurengo, A.

2003-01-01

Because of its public health, ecological and industrial consequences, the Chernobyl accident has become a myth which serves as the focus of many fears, justified or not. no one can question the seriousness of the event, but after fifteen years there is still no agreement about the effect it has had or will have on public health. For example, the total number of deaths attributed to Chernobyl varies from less than a hundred to several millions and congenital malformations from negligible to cataclysmic. Effects on public health may be calculated from data on contamination, from the dose received and from the risk, all three of which are likely to be very roughly known; or they may be evaluated on the spot, either by epidemiological studies or by examining medical registers. This report makes an inventory of the different risks and takes stock on them. (N.C.)

THE EFFECT OF TAX PREFERENCES ON HEALTH SPENDING

Science.gov (United States)

Cogan, John F.; Hubbard, R. Glenn; Kessler, Daniel P.

2011-01-01

In this paper, we estimate the effect of the tax preference for health insurance on health care spending using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys from 1996–2005. We use the fact that Social Security taxes are only levied on earnings below a statutory threshold to identify the impact of the tax preference. Because employer-sponsored health insurance premiums are excluded from Social Security payroll taxes, workers who earn just below the Social Security tax threshold receive a larger tax preference for health insurance than workers who earn just above it. We find a significant effect of the tax preference, consistent with previous research. PMID:22500056

The effectiveness of health communication strategies in health education in Kushima, Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebina, Ryoko; Kawasaki, Fumiko; Taniguchi, Izumi; Togari, Taisuke; Yamazaki, Yoshihiko; Sparks, Michael

2010-03-01

Japan's 2008 health policy focuses more than ever on health education for behaviour change and outcome measures for physical health status. This is at odds with contemporary health promotion and health education, which frame health as a resource for everyday life and indicate that the evaluation of interventions should measure broader aspects of health rather than just physical aspects. The application of a combination of different health communication models and theories allows for a customized approach, depending on the types of change that are being sought, and can lead to increased relevance as well as a better fit when it comes to evaluating the achievement of broad health promotion goals. This article explores the application of the Outcome Model for Health Promotion to a two-year health education intervention in Kushima, Japan. This model measures program effectiveness from four aspects: physical health outcomes; intermediate health outcomes; health promotion outcomes; and health promotion actions. A quantitative and qualitative longitudinal, mixed model study design and methods were used for the analysis. Data was taken from health exams, structured interviews, and participant observations collected from 67 participants at four times over two years. This intervention relied primarily on health education and communication to achieve mental and social health outcomes more significantly and faster than physical health outcomes. The importance of moving outcome measurement beyond direct health achievements is discussed in light of the relationships between physical, mental, and social health and its determinants, and our results.

Effectiveness of counseling at primary health facilities: Level of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effectiveness of counseling at primary health facilities: Level of knowledge of antenatal attendee and their ... Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of counseling on HIV done in primary health facilities ... AJOL African Journals Online.

Adverse health effects of non-medical cannabis use.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Wayne; Degenhardt, Louisa

2009-10-17

For over two decades, cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, has been the most widely used illicit drug by young people in high-income countries, and has recently become popular on a global scale. Epidemiological research during the past 10 years suggests that regular use of cannabis during adolescence and into adulthood can have adverse effects. Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory studies have established an association between cannabis use and adverse outcomes. We focus on adverse health effects of greatest potential public health interest-that is, those that are most likely to occur and to affect a large number of cannabis users. The most probable adverse effects include a dependence syndrome, increased risk of motor vehicle crashes, impaired respiratory function, cardiovascular disease, and adverse effects of regular use on adolescent psychosocial development and mental health.

Evaluación de periódicos científicos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Getulio Teixeira Batista

2007-06-01

Full Text Available La visibilidad de publicaciones on-line es bastante impresionante cuando comparada con publicaciones impresas. Lawrence (2001 computó el aumento del porcentaje de citas en 1.494 situaciones que contienen por lo menos cinco artículos on-line y cinco en papel. Resultados mostrearan un promedio de 336% más citas para artículos on-line comparados a artículos publicados en papel en la misma situación. Si los artículos publicados en la misma situación son de calidad similar, entonces ellos concluyeron que artículos on-line se citan más favorablemente debido a su mayor visibilidad. Thomson Scientific, tradicionalmente involucrada con periódicos impresos, anunció en el 28 de noviembre de 2005, el lanzamiento de Web Citation Index™, el índice de la cita multidisciplinario de volúmenes académicos de repositorios institucionales y temáticos (http://scientific.thomson.com/press/2005/8298416/. El Web Citation Index™ cubre resúmenes y indexadores (A&I que conecta artículos en pre-impresión, repositorios institucionales y periódicos de acceso abierto (OA(Chillingworth, 2005. La visibilidad de publicaciones on-line es bastante impresionante cuando comparada con publicaciones impresas. Lawrence (2001 computó el aumento del porcentaje de citas en 1.494 situaciones que contienen por lo menos cinco artículos on-line y cinco en papel. Resultados mostrearan un promedio de 336% más citas para artículos on-line comparados a artículos publicados en papel en la misma situación. Si los artículos publicados en la misma situación son de calidad similar, entonces ellos concluyeron que artículos on-line se citan más favorablemente debido a su mayor visibilidad. Thomson Scientific, tradicionalmente involucrada con periódicos impresos, anunció en el 28 de noviembre de 2005, el lanzamiento de Web Citation Index™, el índice de la cita multidisciplinario de volúmenes académicos de repositorios institucionales y temáticos (http

Health effects estimation code development for accident consequence analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Togawa, O.; Homma, T.

1992-01-01

As part of a computer code system for nuclear reactor accident consequence analysis, two computer codes have been developed for estimating health effects expected to occur following an accident. Health effects models used in the codes are based on the models of NUREG/CR-4214 and are revised for the Japanese population on the basis of the data from the reassessment of the radiation dosimetry and information derived from epidemiological studies on atomic bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The health effects models include early and continuing effects, late somatic effects and genetic effects. The values of some model parameters are revised for early mortality. The models are modified for predicting late somatic effects such as leukemia and various kinds of cancers. The models for genetic effects are the same as those of NUREG. In order to test the performance of one of these codes, it is applied to the U.S. and Japanese populations. This paper provides descriptions of health effects models used in the two codes and gives comparisons of the mortality risks from each type of cancer for the two populations. (author)

Bridge health monitoring with consideration of environmental effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yuhee; Kim, Hyunsoo; Shin, Soobong; Park, Jongchil

2012-01-01

Reliable response measurements are extremely important for proper bridge health monitoring but incomplete and unreliable data may be acquired due to sensor problems and environmental effects. In the case of a sensor malfunction, parts of the measured data can be missing so that the structural health condition cannot be monitored reliably. This means that the dynamic characteristics of natural frequencies can change as if the structure is damaged due to environmental effects, such as temperature variations. To overcome these problems, this paper proposes a systematic procedure of data analysis to recover missing data and eliminate the environmental effects from the measured data. It also proposed a health index calculated statistically using revised data to evaluate the health condition of a bridge. The proposed method was examined using numerically simulated data with a truss structure and then applied to a set of field data measured from a cable stayed bridge

Bridge health monitoring with consideration of environmental effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yuhee; Kim, Hyunsoo; Shin, Soobong [Inha Univ., Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jongchil [Korea Expressway Co., (Korea, Republic of)

2012-12-15

Reliable response measurements are extremely important for proper bridge health monitoring but incomplete and unreliable data may be acquired due to sensor problems and environmental effects. In the case of a sensor malfunction, parts of the measured data can be missing so that the structural health condition cannot be monitored reliably. This means that the dynamic characteristics of natural frequencies can change as if the structure is damaged due to environmental effects, such as temperature variations. To overcome these problems, this paper proposes a systematic procedure of data analysis to recover missing data and eliminate the environmental effects from the measured data. It also proposed a health index calculated statistically using revised data to evaluate the health condition of a bridge. The proposed method was examined using numerically simulated data with a truss structure and then applied to a set of field data measured from a cable stayed bridge.

Greenstone: uso actual en Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcela Fushimi

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo presenta las características e historia del software para crear y gestionar bibliotecas digitales Greenstone, desarrollado inicialmente por la Universidad de Waikato, Nueva Zelandia en 1997. En primer lugar, se describe la comunidad de usuarios a nivel global, focalizando en el uso actual que el software ha alcanzado en Argentina: la cantidad de implementaciones disponibles, su evolución, el tipo, tamaño y variedad de los desarrollos existentes, así como su aplicación a la gestión de repositorios digitales de ciencia y tecnología en el ámbito de las instituciones científicas, tecnológicas y de educación superior en Argentina. En segundo lugar, se detallan las acciones llevadas a cabo a partir de la creación del Centro Nacional de Promoción de Greenstone en Argentina en 2009. Datos recabados en encuestas realizadas permitieron observar que las razones predominantes para elegir esta plataforma fueron, entre otras, su facilidad de instalación y configuración, su bajo nivel de requerimiento tecnológico, la generalizada escasez de recursos humanos dedicados a esta actividad, y la complejidad que presentaban los softwares alternativos existentes en ese momento. A lo largo de estos 8 años, tanto los repositorios digitales como los sistemas que los soportan evolucionaron drásticamente, modificando el escenario actual. Paralelamente, en 2016 la nueva versión mayor de Greenstone implementó una reingeniería completa del software para su adaptación a las tecnologías en uso: XML, XSLT, Web-services y Java. Como consecuencia de esto, la comunidad de desarrollo local se plantea nuevos desafíos para la migración de las bibliotecas digitales y repositorios implementados con versiones anteriores.

Health Effects and Public Health Concerns of Energy Drink Consumption in the United States: A Mini-Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Shaar, Laila; Vercammen, Kelsey; Lu, Chang; Richardson, Scott; Tamez, Martha; Mattei, Josiemer

2017-01-01

As energy drink consumption continues to grow worldwide and within the United States, it is important to critically examine the nutritional content and effects on population health of these beverages. This mini-review summarizes the current scientific evidence on health consequences from energy drink consumption, presents relevant public health challenges, and proposes recommendations to mitigate these issues. Emerging evidence has linked energy drink consumption with a number of negative health consequences such as risk-seeking behaviors, poor mental health, adverse cardiovascular effects, and metabolic, renal, or dental conditions. Despite the consistency in evidence, most studies are of cross-sectional design or focus almost exclusively on the effect of caffeine and sugar, failing to address potentially harmful effects of other ingredients. The negative health effects associated with energy drinks (ED) are compounded by a lack of regulatory oversight and aggressive marketing by the industry toward adolescents. Moreover, the rising trend of mixing ED with alcohol presents a new challenge that researchers and public health practitioners must address further. To curb this growing public health issue, policy makers should consider creating a separate regulatory category for ED, setting an evidence-based upper limit on caffeine, restricting sales of ED, and regulating existing ED marketing strategies, especially among children and adolescents.

Health Effects and Public Health Concerns of Energy Drink Consumption in the United States: A Mini-Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laila Al-Shaar

2017-08-01

Full Text Available As energy drink consumption continues to grow worldwide and within the United States, it is important to critically examine the nutritional content and effects on population health of these beverages. This mini-review summarizes the current scientific evidence on health consequences from energy drink consumption, presents relevant public health challenges, and proposes recommendations to mitigate these issues. Emerging evidence has linked energy drink consumption with a number of negative health consequences such as risk-seeking behaviors, poor mental health, adverse cardiovascular effects, and metabolic, renal, or dental conditions. Despite the consistency in evidence, most studies are of cross-sectional design or focus almost exclusively on the effect of caffeine and sugar, failing to address potentially harmful effects of other ingredients. The negative health effects associated with energy drinks (ED are compounded by a lack of regulatory oversight and aggressive marketing by the industry toward adolescents. Moreover, the rising trend of mixing ED with alcohol presents a new challenge that researchers and public health practitioners must address further. To curb this growing public health issue, policy makers should consider creating a separate regulatory category for ED, setting an evidence-based upper limit on caffeine, restricting sales of ED, and regulating existing ED marketing strategies, especially among children and adolescents.

Health effects model for nuclear power plant accident consequence analysis. Part I. Introduction, integration, and summary. Part II. Scientific basis for health effects models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, J.S.; Moeller, D.W.; Cooper, D.W.

1985-07-01

Analysis of the radiological health effects of nuclear power plant accidents requires models for predicting early health effects, cancers and benign thyroid nodules, and genetic effects. Since the publication of the Reactor Safety Study, additional information on radiological health effects has become available. This report summarizes the efforts of a program designed to provide revised health effects models for nuclear power plant accident consequence modeling. The new models for early effects address four causes of mortality and nine categories of morbidity. The models for early effects are based upon two parameter Weibull functions. They permit evaluation of the influence of dose protraction and address the issue of variation in radiosensitivity among the population. The piecewise-linear dose-response models used in the Reactor Safety Study to predict cancers and thyroid nodules have been replaced by linear and linear-quadratic models. The new models reflect the most recently reported results of the follow-up of the survivors of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and permit analysis of both morbidity and mortality. The new models for genetic effects allow prediction of genetic risks in each of the first five generations after an accident and include information on the relative severity of various classes of genetic effects. The uncertainty in modeloling radiological health risks is addressed by providing central, upper, and lower estimates of risks. An approach is outlined for summarizing the health consequences of nuclear power plant accidents. 298 refs., 9 figs., 49 tabs.

Health effects model for nuclear power plant accident consequence analysis. Part I. Introduction, integration, and summary. Part II. Scientific basis for health effects models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, J.S.; Moeller, D.W.; Cooper, D.W.

1985-07-01

Analysis of the radiological health effects of nuclear power plant accidents requires models for predicting early health effects, cancers and benign thyroid nodules, and genetic effects. Since the publication of the Reactor Safety Study, additional information on radiological health effects has become available. This report summarizes the efforts of a program designed to provide revised health effects models for nuclear power plant accident consequence modeling. The new models for early effects address four causes of mortality and nine categories of morbidity. The models for early effects are based upon two parameter Weibull functions. They permit evaluation of the influence of dose protraction and address the issue of variation in radiosensitivity among the population. The piecewise-linear dose-response models used in the Reactor Safety Study to predict cancers and thyroid nodules have been replaced by linear and linear-quadratic models. The new models reflect the most recently reported results of the follow-up of the survivors of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and permit analysis of both morbidity and mortality. The new models for genetic effects allow prediction of genetic risks in each of the first five generations after an accident and include information on the relative severity of various classes of genetic effects. The uncertainty in modeloling radiological health risks is addressed by providing central, upper, and lower estimates of risks. An approach is outlined for summarizing the health consequences of nuclear power plant accidents. 298 refs., 9 figs., 49 tabs

Depiction of Health Effects of Electronic Cigarettes on YouTube.

Science.gov (United States)

Merianos, Ashley L; Gittens, Olivia E; Mahabee-Gittens, E Melinda

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to assess the quantity, quality, and reach of e-cigarette health effects YouTube videos, and to quantify the description of positive and negative e-cigarette health effects and promotional content in each video. Searches for videos were conducted in 2015 using the YouTube search engine, and the top 20 search results by relevance and view count were identified. Videos were classified by educational/medical news, advertising/marketing, and personal/testimonial categories. A coding sheet was used to assess the presence or absence of negative and positive health effects, and promotional content. Of the 320 videos retrieved, only 55 unique videos were included. The majority of videos (46.9%) were educational/medical/news, 29.7% were personal/testimonial, and 23.4% were advertising/marketing. The three most common negative health effects included discussing nicotine, e-cigarettes not being FDA regulated, and known and unknown health consequences related to e-cigarette use. The top positive health effects discussed were how e-cigarettes can help individuals quit smoking, e-cigarettes are healthier than smoking, and e-cigarettes have no smoke or secondhand smoke exposure. It is critical to monitor YouTube health effects content and develop appropriate messages to inform consumers about the risks associated with use while mitigating misleading information presented.

Interdisciplinariedad y redes epistemológicas de la ciencia en Internet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gherab Martín, Karim

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The expression open science is characterized and related with open science, and it is argued that a good design of digital repositories and their connexion through Internet may dramatically increase interdisciplinarity. Also, such repositories are characterized as trading zones where scholar journals could harvest papers they should publish as unitary discourses, yet in the context of a proposed model that is very different compared to usual current publishers’ practices.Se caracteriza la expresión ciencia abierta, relacionándola con el acceso abierto, y se muestra el modo en que un buen diseño de los repositorios digitales y de sus interconexiones en Internet pueden incrementar sensiblemente la interdisciplinariedad. Además, dichos repositorios se caracterizan como trading zones o “mercados académicos”, de donde las revistas académicas podrían recuperar artículos que deberían presentar en forma de discursos unitarios, en el contexto de un modelo propuesto radicalmente diferente a las prácticas editoriales comunes actualmente.

Statistical health-effects study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, E.S.; Sever, L.E.

1983-01-01

A principal objective of this program is to determine if there are demonstrable effects of radiation exposure to the Hanford worker by analyzing mortality records of this population. A secondary purpose is to improve methodology for assessing health effects of chronic low-level exposure to harmful agents or substances, particularly i an occupational setting. In the past year we have updated our analyses and initiated new areas of analysis. Complete documentation was provided for our computer program for the mortality study, and a user's manual is under development. A case-control study of birth defects was started in FY 1982

Health Care Satisfaction: Effects of Immigration, Acculturation, Language.

Science.gov (United States)

Schutt, Russell K; Mejía, Camila

2017-12-01

Differences in health care satisfaction can alter patterns of health care utilization and so affect health outcomes, but little is known about variation in satisfaction in relation to immigration status. Health care satisfaction is analyzed with survey data from state public health program patients. Overall health care satisfaction is higher for first generation Hispanic immigrants and lower among those in the second generation compared to white Americans-consistent with the pattern termed the "healthy migrant effect." This pattern is more pronounced for Portuguese-speaking immigrants and is not explained by self-reported health, communication ability or acculturation. Satisfaction with specific aspects of health care follows different patterns that may be explained by differences in experiences and culture. As anticipated by segmented assimilation theory, we find variation in cross-generational patterns of health care satisfaction both within and between ethnic groups. This variation indicates the importance of distinguishing Portuguese-speakers from Spanish-speakers and of taking into account differences in the ways they are able to communicate with health care providers as well as differences in their orientations toward health care. Our disparate findings with other immigrant groups also reinforce limiting expectations of a "healthy migrant effect" to Latinos. Finally, the variable influences on different satisfaction measures indicate the importance of considering the relative influence of culturally-based orientations and health care experiences on the specific outcomes measured, with particular sensitivity to acceptance of individualized standards of care.

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS DOCUMENT ...

Science.gov (United States)

Health and Environmental Effects Documents (HEEDS) are prepared for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER). This document series is intended to support listings under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) as well as to provide health-related limits and goals for emergency and remedial actions under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). Both published literature and information obtained from Agency Program Office files are evaluated as they pertain to potential human health, aquatic life and environmental effects of hazardous waste constituents. Several quantitative estimates are presented provided sufficient data are available. For systemic toxicants, these include Reference Doses (RfDs) for chronic and subchronic exposures for both the inhalation and oral exposures. In the case of suspected carcinogens, RfDs may not be estimated. Instead, a carcinogenic potency factor, or q1*, is provided. These potency estimates are derived for both oral and inhalation exposures where possible. In addition, unit risk estimates for air and drinking water are presented based on inhalation and oral data, respectively. Reportable quantities (RQs) based on both chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity are derived. The RQ is used to determine the quantity of a hazardous substance for which notification is required in the event of a release as specified under CERCLA.

Effect of Health Insurance on the Use and Provision of Maternal Health Services and Maternal and Neonatal Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Lauren A.; Hatt, Laurel E.

2013-01-01

Financial barriers can affect timely access to maternal health services. Health insurance can influence the use and quality of these services and potentially improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of the evidence on health insurance and its effects on the use and provision of maternal health services and on maternal and neonatal health outcomes in middle- and low-income countries. Studies were identified through a literature search in key databases and consultation with experts in healthcare financing and maternal health. Twenty-nine articles met the review criteria of focusing on health insurance and its effect on the use or quality of maternal health services, or maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Sixteen studies assessed demand-side effects of insurance, eight focused on supply-side effects, and the remainder addressed both. Geographically, the studies provided evidence from sub-Saharan Africa (n=11), Asia (n=9), Latin America (n=8), and Turkey. The studies included examples from national or social insurance schemes (n=7), government-run public health insurance schemes (n=4), community-based health insurance schemes (n=11), and private insurance (n=3). Half of the studies used econometric analyses while the remaining provided descriptive statistics or qualitative results. There is relatively consistent evidence that health insurance is positively correlated with the use of maternal health services. Only four studies used methods that can establish this causal relationship. Six studies presented suggestive evidence of overprovision of caesarean sections in response to providers’ payment incentives through health insurance. Few studies focused on the relationship between health insurance and the quality of maternal health services or maternal and neonatal health outcomes. The available evidence on the quality and health outcomes is inconclusive, given the differences in measurement, contradictory findings, and

Cultural competence and perceptions of community health workers' effectiveness for reducing health care disparities.

Science.gov (United States)

Mobula, Linda M; Okoye, Mekam T; Boulware, L Ebony; Carson, Kathryn A; Marsteller, Jill A; Cooper, Lisa A

2015-01-01

Community health worker (CHW) interventions improve health outcomes of patients from underserved communities, but health professionals' perceptions of their effectiveness may impede integration of CHWs into health care delivery systems. Whether health professionals' attitudes and skills, such as those related to cultural competence, influence perceptions of CHWs, is unknown. A questionnaire was administered to providers and clinical staff from 6 primary care practices in Maryland from April to December 2011. We quantified the associations of self-reported cultural competence and preparedness with attitudes toward the effectiveness of CHWs using logistic regression adjusting for respondent age, race, gender, provider/staff status, and years at the practice. We contacted 200 providers and staff, and 119 (60%) participated. Those reporting more cultural motivation had higher odds of perceiving CHWs as helpful for reducing health care disparities (odds ratio [OR] = 9.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.48-28.80). Those reporting more frequent culturally competent behaviors also had higher odds of believing CHWs would help reduce health disparities (OR = 3.58, 95% CI = 1.61-7.92). Attitudes toward power and assimilation were not associated with perceptions of CHWs. Cultural preparedness was associated with perceived utility of CHWs in reducing health care disparities (OR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.21-4.51). Providers and staff with greater cultural competence and preparedness have more positive expectations of CHW interventions to reduce healthcare disparities. Cultural competency training may complement the use of CHWs and support their effective integration into primary care clinics that are seeking to reduce disparities. © The Author(s) 2014.

A simple model for discounting radiation health effects risks with time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandquist, G.M.; Rogers, V.C.

1988-01-01

In estimating human health effects resulting from ionizing radiation exposures, it is often assumed that the age of the person at the time of exposure and the latency period for the appearance of any associated health effects are values that maximize the consequences of the exposure. Such assumptions are obviously conservative, but they can result in distortions and errors when nondiscounted radiation-related health effects arising from nonradiation-related risks. Human life expectancy obviously decreases with age, and the latency period for radiation-related health effects can range from a few years to several decades. For example, if a man is 45 yr old at the time of exposure and this exposure results in a lethal health effect 20 yr after exposure, then the expected number of years of life loss is ∼5 yr and not 70 yr, as is commonly assumed in radiation risk assessment studies. If one full-health effect is equivalent to 70 person-yr, then this example exposure results in only 0.07 full-health effects

[Effects of volcanic eruptions on human health in Iceland. Review].

Science.gov (United States)

Gudmundsson, Gunnar; Larsen, Guðrun

2016-01-01

Volcanic eruptions are common in Iceland and have caused health problems ever since the settlement of Iceland. Here we describe volcanic activity and the effects of volcanic gases and ash on human health in Iceland. Volcanic gases expelled during eruptions can be highly toxic for humans if their concentrations are high, irritating the mucus membranes of the eyes and upper respiratory tract at lower concentrations. They can also be very irritating to the skin. Volcanic ash is also irritating for the mucus membranes of the eyes and upper respiratory tract. The smalles particles of volcanic ash can reach the alveoli of the lungs. Described are four examples of volcanic eruptions that have affected the health of Icelanders. The eruption of Laki volcanic fissure in 1783-1784 is the volcanic eruption that has caused the highest mortality and had the greatest effects on the well-being of Icelanders. Despite multiple volcanic eruptions during the last decades in Iceland mortality has been low and effects on human health have been limited, although studies on longterm effects are lacking. Studies on the effects of the Eyjafjallajökul eruption in 2010 on human health showed increased physical and mental symptoms, especially in those having respiratory disorders. The Directorate of Health in Iceland and other services have responded promptly to recurrent volcanic eruptions over the last few years and given detailed instructions on how to minimize the effects on the public health. Key words: volcanic eruptions, Iceland, volcanic ash, volcanic gases, health effects, mortality. Correspondence: Gunnar Guðmundsson, ggudmund@landspitali.is.

Expanded BPA residential weatherization program: summary of regional health effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandusky, W.F.; Thor, P.W.; Alton, C.C.; Mellinger, P.J.; Cross, F.T.

1984-11-01

The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Expanded Residential Weatherization Program has been completed, printed, and distributed. This document incorporates numerous revisions based on both oral and written comments received during the public comment of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The estimates of regional health effects were revised to incorporate results of the second Pacific Northwest Residential Energy Survey (PNWRES). The FEIS now expresses the estimated regional health effects in terms of incidence of cancers per 100,000 people exposed, which allows comparison to be made to the annual average risk of fatality by other causes. The estimates of regional health effects are also compared to health effects resulting from supplying and operating a conventional coal plant at a power level equal to the amount of energy saved from installation of additional tightening measures. Numerical results for the estimated health effects described above are provided. A summary of the comments received on the DEIS is also provided, along with estimated health effects associated with the Environmentally Preferred and BPA Preferred Alternatives to the Proposed Action. 8 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs

Effects of Prenatal Care on Child Health at Age 5

Science.gov (United States)

Noonan, Kelly; Corman, Hope; Schwartz-Soicher, Ofira; Reichman, Nancy E.

2012-01-01

Objectives The broad goal of contemporary prenatal care is to promote the health of the mother, child, and family through the pregnancy, delivery, and the child’s development. Although the vast majority of mothers giving birth in developed countries receive prenatal care, past research has not found compelling evidence that early or adequate prenatal care has favorable effects on birth outcomes. It is possible that prenatal care confers health benefits to the child that do not become apparent until after the perinatal period. Methods Using data from a national urban birth cohort study in the U.S., we estimate the effects of prenatal care on four markers of child health at age 5—maternal-reported health status, asthma diagnosis, overweight, and height. We implement a number of different strategies to address the issue of potential omitted variables bias as well as a large number of specification checks to validate the findings. Results and Conclusions Prenatal care, defined a number of different ways, does not appear to have any effect on the outcomes examined. The findings are robust and suggest that routine health care encounters during the prenatal period could potentially be used more effectively to enhance children’s health trajectories. However, future research is needed to explore the effects of prenatal care on additional child health and developmental outcomes as well as the effects of preconceptional and maternal lifetime helathcare on child health. PMID:22374319

Health effects engineering: Perspectives for environmental health and environmental engineering studies-domestic biomass combustion as an example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Xiang; Yu Qi; Chen Limin

2007-01-01

Health effects engineering (HEE) is a newly developed research field, which involves collaboration with environmental scientists, engineering researchers, and toxicologists. By employing the methods of HEE, one can not only confirm which attributes of the project are likely to contribute to certain health effects, but can also get rid of the adverse health effects by engineering technologies. HEE is thought to be particularly important to domestic projects in which there is a lack of environmental assessment. This paper presented the authors' viewpoints of the principles of HEE in the field of the environmental health and engineering studies by using programs of domestic biomass combustion as an example. The authors showed that there are three sub-fields of HEE, which are as follows: engineering behavior, the pollution characteristics, and the health effects. The authors conclude that the principles of HEE compose a helix with the studies in the fields of environmental science, health, and engineering, and give suggestions on how to perform HEE in a practical field

School Physical Education: The Effectiveness of Health-Related Interventions and Recommendations for Health-Promotion Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Quitério, Ana Luísa Dias

2013-01-01

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of physical education (PE) interventions designed to foster health features among school-aged children, and to present a qualitative perspective of the different approaches that are most effective in promoting health among youth. Design: Systematic review. Method: An extensive electronic literature search was…

Health effects of airborne exposures from concentrated animal feeding operations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heederik, Dick; Sigsgaard, Torben; Thorne, Peter S

2006-01-01

effects related to low-level gas and particulate emissions. Most information comes from studies among workers in CAFO installations. Research over the last decades has shown that microbial exposures, especially endotoxin exposure, are related to deleterious respiratory health effects, of which cross......-shift lung function decline and accelerated decline over time are the most pronounced effects. Studies in naïve subjects and workers have shown respiratory inflammatory responses related to the microbial load. This working group, which was part of the Conference on Environmental Health Impacts...... but also on potential health effects from microbial exposures, concentrating on susceptible subgroups, especially asthmatic children and the elderly, since these exposures have been shown to be related to respiratory health effects among workers in CAFOs. Udgivelsesdato: 2007-Feb...

Cost-Effectiveness of a School-Based Emotional Health Screening Program

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Elena; Stoep, Ann Vander; McCauley, Elizabeth; Kernic, Mary A.

2009-01-01

Background: School-based screening for health conditions can help extend the reach of health services to underserved populations. Screening for mental health conditions is growing in acceptability, but evidence of cost-effectiveness is lacking. This study assessed costs and effectiveness associated with the Developmental Pathways Screening…

Radiation and health effects. A report on the TMI-2 accident and related health studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-08-01

On March 28, 1979, the Unit 2 reactor at the Three Mile Island (TMI) Nuclear Station was severely damaged by an accident. Radioactivity was discharged to the environment resulting in a small amount of radiation exposure to the public. Continuing concerns by some members of the communities around TMI about the potential radiation-induced health effects prompted GPU Nuclear Corporation to examine the information gathered from the accident investigation in the context of our current knowledge of radiation and its effects on human health. Although this report deals with technical matters, the information is presented in a manner that can be understood by those who do not have scientific backgrounds. This report is divided into three major sections. The first section provides an overview of the past 80 years of relevant research on the subject of radiation and its effects on human health. During that time, scientists and physicians throughout the world have studied hundreds of thousands of individuals exposed to radiation from medical and occupational sources and from nuclear weapons explosions. Epidemiologic studies of humans, such as the Japanese survivors of the atomic bomb, have established that following exposure to large doses of radiation, certain health effects, including cancer, can be observed. Radiation-induced health effects from low doses of radiation, such as those associated with the TMI-2 accident, appear infrequently, if at all, and are identical and, therefore, indistinguishable from similar health effects which occur normally. For example, cancers induced by radiation are indistinguishable from those occurring spontaneously or normally. It is not possible, therefore, for scientists to determine directly whether radiation-induced health effects at low doses occur at all; such observations can only be inferred by statistical methods. The second section of this report provides a brief description of the TMI-2 accident. Most of the radioactivity from the

[A Literature Review of Health Effects on Workers in Disasters].

Science.gov (United States)

Igarashi, Yu; Mori, Koji

2015-09-01

Various types of disasters, such as natural disasters, industrial accidents and crimes, often occur in the workplace and many workers are involved in them. They are not only directly injured but also exposed to health hazards, such as terrible experiences and chemical materials. Occupational health specialists are expected to act to minimize the adverse health effects from them speedily and appropriately. It is assumed that learning from past cases is effective for such occupational health activities. Accordingly, we conducted a literature review about the health effects on workers in disasters. Relevant literature was searched in PubMed. Twenty four studies were extracted by our criteria. In this review, subjects were limited to general workers by excluding professional workers, such as emergency services and firefighters. The health effects were examined as follows: mental health (13 articles), respiratory (5), cardiovascular (2), musculoskeletal (1), skin (1), nervous (1), and general (1). It was obvious that few studies on general workers were published when considering large number of disasters in the past. Factors that affect health outcomes were categorized into ① those related to devastation of environment of work and life due to disaster, and ② those related to health hazards due to disasters. Knowledge from the review will support the activities of occupational health specialists during disasters, but additional studies are needed.

Health effects of uranium mining and milling for commercial nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Branagan, E.F. Jr.; Gotchy, R.L.

1980-01-01

Radiological health effects potentially associated with uranium mining and milling have been estimated on both a regional and continental basis. Estimates of radon releases from mining were taken from testimony presented in licensing hearings during 1978. Estimates of the health effects from milling were derived from a draft NRC document titled Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Uranium Milling. Health effects per annual fuel requirement (AFR) were presented on both a cumulative and continuous basis. In general, potential health effects to the general public because of both the mining and milling of one AFR are a very small fraction of the health effects caused by background radiation, on either a cumulative basis or a continuous basis. On a cumulative basis (from 1978 to the year 3000), potential health effects due to milling are about an order of magnitude less than those due to mining

Depiction of Health Effects of Electronic Cigarettes on YouTube

Science.gov (United States)

Merianos, Ashley L.; Gittens, Olivia E.; Mahabee-Gittens, E. Melinda

2016-01-01

Background This study was conducted to assess the quantity, quality, and reach of e-cigarette health effects YouTube videos, and to quantify the description of positive and negative e-cigarette health effects and promotional content in each video. Method Searches for videos were conducted in 2015 using the YouTube search engine, and the top 20 search results by relevance and view count were identified. Videos were classified by educational/medical news, advertising/marketing, and personal/testimonial categories. A coding sheet was used to assess the presence or absence of negative and positive health effects, and promotional content. Results Of the 320 videos retrieved, only 55 unique videos were included. The majority of videos (46.9%) were educational/medical/news, 29.7% were personal/testimonial, and 23.4% were advertising/marketing. The three most common negative health effects included discussing nicotine, e-cigarettes not being FDA regulated, and known and unknown health consequences related to e-cigarette use. The top positive health effects discussed were how e-cigarettes can help individuals quit smoking, e-cigarettes are healthier than smoking, and e-cigarettes have no smoke or secondhand smoke exposure. Conclusions It is critical to monitor YouTube health effects content and develop appropriate messages to inform consumers about the risks associated with use while mitigating misleading information presented. PMID:28217030

Promote Health or Prevent Disease? The Effects of Health-Related Advertising on Eating Behavior Intention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chia-Yen Lin

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The health medical costs of colorectal cancer are increasingly higher in Taiwan. The National Health Insurance Administration (NHI and The Health Promotion Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW in Taiwan encourage individuals to adopt an earnest approach to healthy behavior through advocacy advertising. However, the number of colorectal cancer patients continues to increase annually. Our study explored the effects of health-related advertisements (ads on healthy behavior intentions as influenced by regulatory focus theory (RFT and construal level theory (CLT. We conducted an experiment with different public health advocacy ads. A 2 (regulatory focus: promotion vs. prevention × 2 (temporal distance: one month vs. one year × 2 (graphics-text ratio: more pictures and less text vs. fewer pictures and more text three-factor experiment was adopted. The multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA results revealed that ads with higher construal levels (i.e., more text had greater effects with a promotion-oriented regulatory focus. However, no significant differences were found in either attitude toward the ads or behavior intention when the regulatory focus was prevention. In addition, according to the young testers and those who were psychologically distant from colorectal cancer, different temporal distances and different construal levels had no statistically significantly effects on attitudes toward advertising or on behavior intentions. The results revealed that viewers found the information easier to understand when the ads triggered the regulatory focuses of the viewers and applied an appropriate graphics-text ratio, which resulted in favorable health-related advertising effectiveness. Thus, we provide two suggestions regarding the use of health-related advertising for MOHW in the future.

Promote health or prevent disease? The effects of health-related advertising on eating behavior intention.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chia-Yen

2015-03-27

The health medical costs of colorectal cancer are increasingly higher in Taiwan. The National Health Insurance Administration (NHI) and The Health Promotion Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) in Taiwan encourage individuals to adopt an earnest approach to healthy behavior through advocacy advertising. However, the number of colorectal cancer patients continues to increase annually. Our study explored the effects of health-related advertisements (ads) on healthy behavior intentions as influenced by regulatory focus theory (RFT) and construal level theory (CLT). We conducted an experiment with different public health advocacy ads. A 2 (regulatory focus: promotion vs. prevention) × 2 (temporal distance: one month vs. one year) × 2 (graphics-text ratio: more pictures and less text vs. fewer pictures and more text) three-factor experiment was adopted. The multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) results revealed that ads with higher construal levels (i.e., more text) had greater effects with a promotion-oriented regulatory focus. However, no significant differences were found in either attitude toward the ads or behavior intention when the regulatory focus was prevention. In addition, according to the young testers and those who were psychologically distant from colorectal cancer, different temporal distances and different construal levels had no statistically significantly effects on attitudes toward advertising or on behavior intentions. The results revealed that viewers found the information easier to understand when the ads triggered the regulatory focuses of the viewers and applied an appropriate graphics-text ratio, which resulted in favorable health-related advertising effectiveness. Thus, we provide two suggestions regarding the use of health-related advertising for MOHW in the future.

Promote Health or Prevent Disease? The Effects of Health-Related Advertising on Eating Behavior Intention

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chia-Yen

2015-01-01

The health medical costs of colorectal cancer are increasingly higher in Taiwan. The National Health Insurance Administration (NHI) and The Health Promotion Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) in Taiwan encourage individuals to adopt an earnest approach to healthy behavior through advocacy advertising. However, the number of colorectal cancer patients continues to increase annually. Our study explored the effects of health-related advertisements (ads) on healthy behavior intentions as influenced by regulatory focus theory (RFT) and construal level theory (CLT). We conducted an experiment with different public health advocacy ads. A 2 (regulatory focus: promotion vs. prevention) × 2 (temporal distance: one month vs. one year) × 2 (graphics-text ratio: more pictures and less text vs. fewer pictures and more text) three-factor experiment was adopted. The multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) results revealed that ads with higher construal levels (i.e., more text) had greater effects with a promotion-oriented regulatory focus. However, no significant differences were found in either attitude toward the ads or behavior intention when the regulatory focus was prevention. In addition, according to the young testers and those who were psychologically distant from colorectal cancer, different temporal distances and different construal levels had no statistically significantly effects on attitudes toward advertising or on behavior intentions. The results revealed that viewers found the information easier to understand when the ads triggered the regulatory focuses of the viewers and applied an appropriate graphics-text ratio, which resulted in favorable health-related advertising effectiveness. Thus, we provide two suggestions regarding the use of health-related advertising for MOHW in the future. PMID:25826394

HELLE: Health Effects of Low Level Exposures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoten, Eert

1998-01-01

The Health Council is closely involved in establishing the scientific foundation of exposure limits for substances and radiation in order to protect public health. Through the years, the Council has contributed to the formulation of principles and procedures, both for carcinogenic and for noncarcinogenic agents. As a rule, the discussion with regard to the derivation of health-based recommended exposure limits centers around the appropriateness of extrapolation methods (What can be inferred from data on high exposure levels and on experimental animals?). Generally speaking, there is a lack of direct information on the health effects of low levels of exposure. Effects at these levels cannot usually be detected by means of traditional animal experiments or epidemiological research. The capacity of these analytical instruments to distinguish between ''signal'' and ''noise'' is inadequate in most cases. Annex B of this report contains a brief outline of the difficulties and the established methods for tackling this problem. In spite of this, the hope exists that the posited weak signals, if they are indeed present, can be detected by other means. The search will have to take place on a deeper level. In other words, effort must be made to discover what occurs at underlying levels of biological organization when organisms are exposed to low doses of radiation or substances. Molecular and cell biology provide various methods and techniques which give an insight into the processes within the cell. This results in an increase in the knowledge about the molecular and cellular effects of exposure to agents, or stated differently, the working mechanisms which form the basis of the health effects. Last year, the Health Council considered that the time was ripe to take stock of the state of knowledge in this field. To this end, an international working conference was held from 19 to 21 October 1997, entitled ''Health Effects of Low Level Exposures: Scientific Developments and

Effect of occupational noise-induced sleep disturbance on worker's health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milad Abbasi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: In addition to the noise, sleep disturbance (SD as an outcome of the exposure to the wind turbine noises (WTNs can adversely affect general health. This study aimed to investigate the effect of SD induced from WTNs on general health indicators. Materials and Methods: A total number of fifty tree workers from Manjil wind farm voluntarily participated in this study. Based on the job similarity and vicinity to the sound sources, workers were classified into three occupational groups including repairman, security, and official staff. Individual's health and sleep status were gathered using the 28-item General Health Questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scales, respectively. Noise was measured based on ISO 9612. ANOVA, Chi-square, and linear and multiple regression tests were used for data analysis in the SPSS 20 software environment. Results: The mean values of 8-h equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level (LAeq, 8 h among whole workers was 71 ± 10 dB (A. The averages of somatic symptom, anxiety insomnia, social dysfunction, depression, and general health among the participants were 5 ± 2.44, 7 ± 2.35, 11 ± 2.65, 2 ± 1.54, 22 ± 6.53, and 7.3 ± 3.1, respectively. According to the results, SD and noise exposure had an adverse health effect on physical symptoms, depression, and overall general health of participants. Moreover, SD and work experience were effective factors on anxiety-insomnia. SD had greatest effect on general health when all variables are controlled, so that general health will increase by 2.42 units for each unit increase of SD. Conclusion: We found that in addition to the sound effect, noise-induced SD also affects worker's health and strengthen sound effects on human well-being.

Información científica. Oferta de productos y servicios multidisciplinares en 2010

OpenAIRE

Maldonado Martínez, Ángeles

2011-01-01

[ES] Revisión del estado del mercado de la información científica en 2010. Presentación de la oferta de productos y servicios multidisciplinares más relevantes. Se pasa revista a las principales plataformas y agregadores de revistas, bases de datos bibliográficas, repositorios de acceso abierto y buscadores académicos.

Health Effects of Air Pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Environmental Education Report and Newsletter, 1985

1985-01-01

Summarizes health hazards associated with air pollution, highlighting the difficulty in establishing acceptable thresholds of exposure. Respiratory disease, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other problems are addressed. Indicates that a wide range of effects from any one chemical exists and that there are differences in sensitivity to…

NTP monograph on health effects of low-level lead.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-01

Although reductions in lead (Pb) exposure for the U.S. population have resulted in lower blood Pb levels over time, epidemiological studies continue to provide evidence of health effects at lower and lower blood Pb levels. Low-level Pb was selected for evaluation by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) because of (1) the availability of a large number of epidemiological studies of Pb, (2) a nomination by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for an assessment of Pb at lower levels of exposure, and (3) public concern for effects of Pb in children and adults. This evaluation summarizes the evidence in humans and presents conclusions on health effects in children and adults associated with low-level Pb exposure as indicated by less than 10 micrograms of Pb per deciliter of blood (Monograph on Health Effects of Low-Level Lead. The document and appendices are available at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/evals. This document provides background on Pb exposure and includes a review of the primary epidemiological literature for evidence that low-level Pb is associated with neurological, immunological, cardiovascular, renal, and/or reproductive and developmental effects. The NTP Monograph presents specific conclusions for each health effect area. Overall, the NTP concludes that there is sufficient evidence that blood Pb levels Monograph on November 17-18, 2011 (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/37090.

Effect of organisational downsizing on health of employees.

Science.gov (United States)

Vahtera, J; Kivimäki, M; Pentti, J

1997-10-18

Reduction of personnel by businesses and other organisations (organisational downsizing) is common in Europe, but little is known about its effects on the health of employees. We used employers' records to investigate the relation between downsizing and subsequent absenteeism because of ill health in 981 local-government workers who remained in employment in Raisio, south-western Finland, during a period of economic decline (1991-95). Data were separated into three time periods: 1991, before downsizing; 1993, major downsizing in some workplaces and occupations; and 1993-95, after downsizing. We obtained data on sick leave from records kept by the occupational health-care unit in Raisio. We also investigated whether the effects of downsizing were dependent on ten other predictors of sick leave. There was a significant association between downsizing and medically certified sick leave. The rate of absenteeism was 2.3 times greater (95% CI 2.0-2.7) after major downsizing, classified by occupation, than after minor downsizing. The corresponding rate ratios for musculoskeletal disorders and trauma were 5.7 (4.1-8.0) and 2.7 (1.7-4.2), respectively. The effects of downsizing by workplace depended on the age distribution of the staff. When the proportion of employees who were older than 50 years was high, downsizing increased the individual risk of absence because of ill health by 3.2-14.0 times, depending on diagnostic category. When the proportion of employees over 50 years was low, downsizing had only slight effects on health. Other risk factors that increased rates of sick leave after downsizing were age over 44 years, a large workplace, poor health before downsizing, and high income. Downsizing is a risk to the health of employees. But this risk varies according to individual factors, such as age, socioeconomic status, and health, as well as factors related to place of work, for example, size and age structure of the staff.

Effects of changes in the pre-licensure education of health workers on health-worker supply.

Science.gov (United States)

Pariyo, George W; Kiwanuka, Suzanne N; Rutebemberwa, Elizeus; Okui, Olico; Ssengooba, Freddie

2009-04-15

The current and projected crisis because of a shortage of health workers in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) requires that effective strategies for expanding the numbers of health workers are quickly identified in order to inform action by policymakers, educators, and health managers. To assess the effect of changes in the pre-licensure education of health professionals on health-worker supply. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2007, Issue 3), EMBASE, Ovid (1980 to week 3, October 2007), MEDLINE, Ovid (1950 to week 3, October 2007), CINAHL (October 2007), LILACS (week 4, November 2007), ERIC (1966 to week 3, February 2008), and Sociological Abstracts (October 2007). We searched WHO (WHOLIS) (February 2008), World Bank, Google Scholar, and human resources on health-related websites to obtain grey literature. Key experts in human resources for health were contacted to identify unpublished studies. The reference lists of included studies were searched for additional articles. Randomised controlled trials, non-randomised controlled trials, controlled before and after studies, and interrupted time-series studies that measured increased numbers of health workers ultimately available for recruitment into the health workforce or improved patient to health professional ratios as their primary outcomes were considered. Although the focus of the review was on LMIC, we included studies regardless of where they were done. Heterogeneity between the two included studies precluded meta-analysis; therefore, data were presented separately for each study. Two studies of the 7880 identified from searching the electronic databases met the inclusion criteria. Both studies were controlled before and after studies, of moderate to high risk of bias, that explored the effects of interventions to improve retention of minority groups in health professional training institutions. These studies reported that an intervention

Energy Drink Consumption: Beneficial and Adverse Health Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsunni, Ahmed Abdulrahman

2015-10-01

Consumption of energy drinks has been increasing dramatically in the last two decades, particularly amongst adolescents and young adults. Energy drinks are aggressively marketed with the claim that these products give an energy boost to improve physical and cognitive performance. However, studies supporting these claims are limited. In fact, several adverse health effects have been related to energy drink; this has raised the question of whether these beverages are safe. This review was carried out to identify and discuss the published articles that examined the beneficial and adverse health effects related to energy drink. It is concluded that although energy drink may have beneficial effects on physical performance, these products also have possible detrimental health consequences. Marketing of energy drinks should be limited or forbidden until independent research confirms their safety, particularly among adolescents.

Health Effects of Non-Ionizing Radiation on Human

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zubaidah-Alatas; Yanti Lusiyanti

2001-01-01

Increases of development and use of equipment that procedures non-ionizing radiant energy such as laser, radar, microwave ovens, power lines and hand phones, bring about public concern about the possible health effects owing to the non-ionizing radiation exposure. Non ionizing electromagnetic radiation compared to ionizing radiation, has longer wavelength, lower frequency, and lower photon energy in its interaction with body tissues. The term on non-ionizing radiation refers to the groups of electromagnetic radiations with energies less than about 10 eV corresponding to wavelengths in the ultraviolet, visible, infra red microwave and radiofrequency spectral regions. This paper describes the current state of knowledge about types of non-ionizing radiation and the health effects at molecular and cellular levels as well as its effects on human health. (author)

Physical Health Effects of Intimate Partner Abuse

Science.gov (United States)

Sillito, Carrie LeFevre

2012-01-01

Although intimate partner violence has been recognized as both a social problem and health issue, the extent to which it is a health issue for both males and females in the general population is largely unknown. This longitudinal research uses data from the National Survey of Family and Households (1987-2003). Random effects logistic regression…

Environmental and health effects of the herbicide glyphosate.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Bruggen, A H C; He, M M; Shin, K; Mai, V; Jeong, K C; Finckh, M R; Morris, J G

2018-03-01

The herbicide glyphosate, N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine, has been used extensively in the past 40years, under the assumption that side effects were minimal. However, in recent years, concerns have increased worldwide about the potential wide ranging direct and indirect health effects of the large scale use of glyphosate. In 2015, the World Health Organization reclassified glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans. A detailed overview is given of the scientific literature on the movement and residues of glyphosate and its breakdown product aminomethyl phosphonic acid (AMPA) in soil and water, their toxicity to macro- and microorganisms, their effects on microbial compositions and potential indirect effects on plant, animal and human health. Although the acute toxic effects of glyphosate and AMPA on mammals are low, there are animal data raising the possibility of health effects associated with chronic, ultra-low doses related to accumulation of these compounds in the environment. Intensive glyphosate use has led to the selection of glyphosate-resistant weeds and microorganisms. Shifts in microbial compositions due to selective pressure by glyphosate may have contributed to the proliferation of plant and animal pathogens. Research on a link between glyphosate and antibiotic resistance is still scarce but we hypothesize that the selection pressure for glyphosate-resistance in bacteria could lead to shifts in microbiome composition and increases in antibiotic resistance to clinically important antimicrobial agents. We recommend interdisciplinary research on the associations between low level chronic glyphosate exposure, distortions in microbial communities, expansion of antibiotic resistance and the emergence of animal, human and plant diseases. Independent research is needed to revisit the tolerance thresholds for glyphosate residues in water, food and animal feed taking all possible health risks into account. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photo-sharing social media for eHealth: analysing perceived message effectiveness of sexual health information on Instagram.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Donnell, Nicole Hummel; Willoughby, Jessica Fitts

2017-10-01

Health professionals increasingly use social media to communicate health information, but it is unknown how visual message presentation on these platforms affects message reception. This study used an experiment to analyse how young adults (n = 839) perceive sexual health messages on Instagram. Participants were exposed to one of four conditions based on visual message presentation. Messages with embedded health content had the highest perceived message effectiveness ratings. Additionally, message sensation value, attitudes and systematic information processing were significant predictors of perceived message effectiveness. Implications for visual message design for electronic health are discussed.

Estimated effect of alcohol pricing policies on health and health economic outcomes in England: an epidemiological model.

Science.gov (United States)

Purshouse, Robin C; Meier, Petra S; Brennan, Alan; Taylor, Karl B; Rafia, Rachid

2010-04-17

Although pricing policies for alcohol are known to be effective, little is known about how specific interventions affect health-care costs and health-related quality-of-life outcomes for different types of drinkers. We assessed effects of alcohol pricing and promotion policy options in various population subgroups. We built an epidemiological mathematical model to appraise 18 pricing policies, with English data from the Expenditure and Food Survey and the General Household Survey for average and peak alcohol consumption. We used results from econometric analyses (256 own-price and cross-price elasticity estimates) to estimate effects of policies on alcohol consumption. We applied risk functions from systemic reviews and meta-analyses, or derived from attributable fractions, to model the effect of consumption changes on mortality and disease prevalence for 47 illnesses. General price increases were effective for reduction of consumption, health-care costs, and health-related quality of life losses in all population subgroups. Minimum pricing policies can maintain this level of effectiveness for harmful drinkers while reducing effects on consumer spending for moderate drinkers. Total bans of supermarket and off-license discounting are effective but banning only large discounts has little effect. Young adult drinkers aged 18-24 years are especially affected by policies that raise prices in pubs and bars. Minimum pricing policies and discounting restrictions might warrant further consideration because both strategies are estimated to reduce alcohol consumption, and related health harms and costs, with drinker spending increases targeting those who incur most harm. Policy Research Programme, UK Department of Health. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The economic costs of radiation-induced health effects: Estimation and simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nieves, L.A.; Tawil, J.J.

1988-08-01

This effort improves the quantitative information available for use in evaluating actions that alter health risks due to population exposure to ionizing radiation. To project the potential future costs of changes in health effects risks, Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) constructed a probabilistic computer model, Health Effects Costs Model (HECOM), which utilizes the health effect incidence estimates from accident consequences models to calculate the discounted sum of the economic costs associated with population exposure to ionizing radiation. Application of HECOM to value-impact and environmental impact analyses should greatly increase the quality of the information available for regulatory decision making. Three major types of health effects present risks for any population sustaining a significant radiation exposure: acute radiation injuries (and fatalities), latent cancers, and impairments due to genetic effects. The literature pertaining to both incidence and treatment of these health effects was reviewed by PNL and provided the basis for developing economic cost estimates. The economic costs of health effects estimated by HECOM represent both the value of resources consumed in diagnosing, treating, and caring for the patient and the value of goods not produced because of illness or premature death due to the health effect. Additional costs to society, such as pain and suffering, are not included in the PNL economic cost measures since they do not divert resources from other uses, are difficult to quantify, and do not have a value observable in the marketplace. 83 refs., 3 figs., 19 tabs

The economic costs of radiation-induced health effects: Estimation and simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nieves, L.A.; Tawil, J.J.

1988-08-01

This effort improves the quantitative information available for use in evaluating actions that alter health risks due to population exposure to ionizing radiation. To project the potential future costs of changes in health effects risks, Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) constructed a probabilistic computer model, Health Effects Costs Model (HECOM), which utilizes the health effect incidence estimates from accident consequences models to calculate the discounted sum of the economic costs associated with population exposure to ionizing radiation. Application of HECOM to value-impact and environmental impact analyses should greatly increase the quality of the information available for regulatory decision making. Three major types of health effects present risks for any population sustaining a significant radiation exposure: acute radiation injuries (and fatalities), latent cancers, and impairments due to genetic effects. The literature pertaining to both incidence and treatment of these health effects was reviewed by PNL and provided the basis for developing economic cost estimates. The economic costs of health effects estimated by HECOM represent both the value of resources consumed in diagnosing, treating, and caring for the patient and the value of goods not produced because of illness or premature death due to the health effect. Additional costs to society, such as pain and suffering, are not included in the PNL economic cost measures since they do not divert resources from other uses, are difficult to quantify, and do not have a value observable in the marketplace. 83 refs., 3 figs., 19 tabs.

Health sector reforms and human resources for health in Uganda and Bangladesh: mechanisms of effect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kielmann Tara

2007-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite the expanding literature on how reforms may affect health workers and which reactions they may provoke, little research has been conducted on the mechanisms of effect through which health sector reforms either promote or discourage health worker performance. This paper seeks to trace these mechanisms and examines the contextual framework of reform objectives in Uganda and Bangladesh, and health workers' responses to the changes in their working environments by taking a 'realistic evaluation' approach. Methods The study findings were generated by triangulating both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis among policy technocrats, health managers and groups of health providers. Quantitative surveys were conducted with over 700 individual health workers in both Bangladesh and Uganda and supplemented with qualitative data obtained from focus group discussions and key interviews with professional cadres, health managers and key institutions involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of the reforms of interest. Results The reforms in both countries affected the workforce through various mechanisms. In Bangladesh, the effects of the unification efforts resulted in a power struggle and general mistrust between the two former workforce tracts, family planning and health. However positive effects of the reforms were felt regarding the changes in payment schemes. Ugandan findings show how the workforce responded to a strong and rapidly implemented system of decentralisation where the power of new local authorities was influenced by resource constraints and nepotism in recruitment. On the other hand, closer ties to local authorities provided the opportunity to gain insight into the operational constraints originating from higher levels that health staff were dealing with. Conclusion Findings from the study suggest that a reform planners should use the proposed dynamic responses model to

Health effects of daily airborne particle dose in children: Direct association between personal dose and respiratory health effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buonanno, Giorgio; Marks, Guy B.; Morawska, Lidia

2013-01-01

Air pollution is a widespread health problem associated with respiratory symptoms. Continuous exposure monitoring was performed to estimate alveolar and tracheobronchial dose, measured as deposited surface area, for 103 children and to evaluate the long-term effects of exposure to airborne particles through spirometry, skin prick tests and measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO). The mean daily alveolar deposited surface area dose received by children was 1.35 × 10 3 mm 2 . The lowest and highest particle number concentrations were found during sleeping and eating time. A significant negative association was found between changes in pulmonary function tests and individual dose estimates. Significant differences were found for asthmatics, children with allergic rhinitis and sensitive to allergens compared to healthy subjects for eNO. Variation is a child's activity over time appeared to have a strong impact on respiratory outcomes, which indicates that personal monitoring is vital for assessing the expected health effects of exposure to particles. -- Highlights: •Particle dose was estimated through personal monitoring on more than 100 children. •We focused on real-time daily dose of particle alveolar deposited surface area. •Spirometry, skin prick and exhaled Nitric Oxide tests were performed. •Negative link was found between changes in pulmonary functions and individual doses. •A child's lifestyle appeared to have a strong impact on health respiratory outcomes. -- The respiratory health effects of daily airborne particle dose on children through personal monitoring

Health effects in residents of high background radiation regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanson, G.P.

1984-01-01

Although the health effects of radiation doses in occupationally exposed persons had received attention, it was not until the 1950s, when the atmospheric atom bomb tests of the United States and the Soviet Union had raised the level of environmental radioactivity, that the long-term effects of low-level radiation dosage became a matter of popular concern throughout the world. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) was created, and the World Health Organization (WHO) appointed an expert committee to provide advice concerning radiation and human health. In its first report, the WHO expert committee identified several areas of high natural radiation where studies of the exposed population might possibly provide information concerning the effects of chromic low-level radiation dosage

Quantal health effects of three toxic agents combined

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seiler, F.A.

1988-01-01

Quantal health effects such as cancer, correlated with the combined action of three toxic agents, are considered. Data on the combined effects of two agents are scarce and no such data exist for three toxicants, yet concerns have arisen about simultaneous exposure of radiation workers to three different agents. Using models developed from the analysis of health effects involving two toxicants, equations for the combined effects of three agents are derived from a more general formalism. An application of practical interest is the incidence of cancer of the esophagus and its correlation with concurrent exposures to alcohol, tobacco, and either low- or high-LET radiation. (author)

Longitudinal health effects of disasters.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

IJzermans, C.J.; Donker, G.

2003-01-01

Background and Aim: We are involved in research on the possible health effects of three disasters in the Netherlands: a plane crash in an Amsterdam neighbourhood, the explosion of a firework factory in the city of Enschede and a fire in a discotheque in Volendam. Which methodologies were used and

Categories of adverse health effects from indoor air pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weetman, D.F.; Munby, J.

1994-01-01

There is a lack of precision in the definition of health, which leads to confusion in the assessment of adverse effects arising from indoor air pollution. Adverse health effects range from annoyance to life-threatening conditions. Survey responses suggest that males and females differ in their perception of a healthy person, but both sexes envisage a male in terms of positive fitness, strength, energy and the possession of an athletic body, rather than how long one was likely to live. Psychological fitness was relatively unimportant in describing the health of others, but was rates as very important with respect to one's own health. Mortality statistics tend to obscure the proportion of the population who suffer chronic illness that is not life threatening. Although health is largely determined by genetic constitution, lifestyle and environmental factors, the morale of an individual is also important. A new classification of the adverse effects on health of indoor air pollution is proposed: this includes 'comfort' responses, such as sick building syndrome (category 1); acute chemical effects, the nature of which depends upon the specific intoxicant (category 2B), and perceived chronic grave risk, including cancer causation (category 3). The magnitude of risk in this latter category is imprecise, because its measurement involves the technique of quantitative risk assessment. (author) 1 fig., 2 tabs., 158 refs

Health and environmental effects of coal-fired electric power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, S.C.; Hamilton, L.D.

1984-05-01

This paper describes health and environmental impacts of coal-fired electric power plants. Effects on man, agriculture, and natural ecosystems are considered. These effects may result from direct impacts or exposures via air, water, and food chains. The paper is organized by geographical extent of effect. Occupational health impacts and local environmental effects such as noise and solid waste leachate are treated first. Then, regional effects of air pollution, including acid rain, are analyzed. Finally, potential global impacts are examined. Occupational health concerns considered include exposure to noise, dust, asbestos, mercury, and combustion products, and resulting injury and disease. Local effects considered include noise; air and water emissions of coal storage piles, solid waste operations, and cooling systems. Air pollution, once an acute local problem, is now a regional concern. Acute and chronic direct health effects are considered. Special attention is given to potential effects of radionuclides in coal and of acid rain. Finally, potential global impacts associated with carbon dioxide emissions are considered. 88 references, 9 tables

Review of the Evidence for Oral Health Promotion Effectiveness

Science.gov (United States)

Satur, Julie G.; Gussy, Mark G.; Morgan, Michael V.; Calache, Hanny; Wright, Clive

2010-01-01

Dental caries, periodontal diseases, tooth loss and oral cancers have significant burden of disease effects, quality of life and cost implications for the Australian community. Oral health promotion is a key approach to addressing these conditions endorsed as part of the National Oral Health Plan. Understanding the evidence for effectiveness of…

Health Effects of the New Nordic Diet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Sanne Kellebjerg

The health effects of the New Nordic Diet (NND) are investigated in a six month randomized controlled intervention, in which the NND was compared to the average Danish diet (ADD) among 181 adult participants. Foods were handed out free of charge from a study shop according to the ad libitum...... period. Based on this study, the health effects of the NND are considerable as shown by the lower body weight and lower blood pressure. The follow up period clearly illustrated the challenges related to the voluntary and self-administered adherence to new dietary guidelines but also supports thatthe NND...

Health Insurance and Health Status: Exploring the Causal Effect from a Policy Intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Jay; Lei, Xiaoyan; Liu, Gordon G

2016-11-01

Whether health insurance matters for health has long been a central issue for debate when assessing the full value of health insurance coverage in both developed and developing countries. In 2007, the government-led Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) program was piloted in China, followed by a nationwide implementation in 2009. Different premium subsidies by government across cities and groups provide a unique opportunity to employ the instrumental variables estimation approach to identify the causal effects of health insurance on health. Using a national panel survey of the URBMI, we find that URBMI beneficiaries experience statistically better health than the uninsured. Furthermore, the insurance health benefit appears to be stronger for groups with disadvantaged education and income than for their counterparts. In addition, the insured receive more and better inpatient care, without paying more for services. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Health effects attributable to coal and nuclear fuel cycle alternatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gotchy, R.L.

1977-09-01

Estimates of mortality and morbidity are presented based on present-day knowledge of health effects resulting from current component designs and operations of the fuel cycles, and anticipated emission rates and occupational exposure for the various fuel cycle facilities expected to go into operation in approximately the 1975-1985 period. It was concluded that, although there are large uncertainties in the estimates of potential health effects, the coal fuel cycle alternative has a greater health impact on man than the uranium fuel cycle. However, the increased risk of health effects for either fuel cycle represents a very small incremental risk to the average individual in the public

Effects of Child Health on Parents’ Social Capital”

OpenAIRE

Schultz, Jennifer; Corman, Hope; Noonan, Kelly; Reichman, Nancy E

2009-01-01

This paper adds to the literature on social capital and health by testing whether an exogenous shock in the health of a family member (a new baby) affects the family’s investment in social capital. It also contributes to a small but growing literature on the effects of children’s health on family resources and provides information about associations between health and social capital in a socioeconomically disadvantaged population. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing stud...

The Effect of Adolescent Training Program on Risky Health Behaviours and Health Perception

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meltem KÜRTÜNCÜ

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the risky health behaviors and to raise the awareness of adolescents (attending high school education about prevention of risky behaviors and solutions by the effect of module-based training courses (about reproductive health and birth control, sexually transmitted infections, harmful habits, psychosocial behavior. Being planned as cross-sectional, this study was performed between September 2013-June 2014 in three states and a private high school in Zonguldak and conducted with a group of students aged between 14 and 19.926 students have participated before the training and 534 students have participated after training. It was seen that the mean scores of ‘The Adolescent Risk-Taking Questionnaire', ‘The Adolescent's Attitudes Towards Violence Scale' and ‘taking risk about social status', ‘traffic', ‘subtance use' subscales have decreased after the risk prevention trainings. The means scores of ‘Adolescent Coping with Problems Scale', ‘Nutrition Behaviour Scale' and ‘Nutrition Attitude Scale' have raised. Hence, the scores of domains reflecting adolescent health perception such as hygiene, sleep and exercise have raised while the scores of somatic symptoms domain, such as abdominal pain, headache, and fatigue have been failed. Consequently, it was determined that the training courses about risky health behaviours were effective in preventing risky health behaviors and creating positive health perceptions of adolescents.

The positive and negative health effects of alcohol- and the public health implications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønbæk, Morten

2009-01-01

In this paper, the negative and the positive effects of alcohol on health are reviewed. It is first of all established facts that a high alcohol intake implies an increased risk of a large number of health outcomes, such as dementia, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cirrhosis, upper digestive tr...... good reasons therefore....

Attributability of health effects at low radiation doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez, Abel

2008-01-01

Full text: A controversy still persists on whether health effects can be alleged from radiation exposure situations involving low radiation doses (e.g. below the international dose limits for the public). Arguments have evolved around the validity of the dose-response representation that is internationally used for radiation protection purposes, namely the so-called linear-non-threshold (LNT) model. The debate has been masked by the intrinsic randomness of radiation interaction at the cellular level and also by gaps in the relevant scientific knowledge on the development and expression of health effects. There has also been a vague use, abuse, and misuse of radiation-related risk concepts and quantities and their associated uncertainties. As a result, there is some ambiguity in the interpretation of the phenomena and a general lack of awareness of the implications for a number of risk-causation qualities, namely its attributes and characteristics. In particular, the LNT model has been used not only for protection purposes but also for blindly attributing actual effects to specific exposure situations. The latter has been discouraged as being a misuse of the model, but the supposed incorrectness has not been clearly proven. The paper will endeavour to demonstrate unambiguously the following thesis in relation to health effects due to low radiation doses: 1) Their existence is highly plausible. A number of epidemiological statistical assessments of sufficiently large exposed populations show that, under certain conditions, the prevalence of the effects increases with dose. From these assessments, it can be hypothesized that the occurrence of the effects at any dose, however small, appears decidedly worthy of belief. While strictly the evidence does not allow to conclude that a threshold dose level does not exist either. In fact, a formal quantitative uncertainty analysis, combining the different uncertain components of estimated radiation-related risk, with and

Attributability of Health Effects at Low Radiation Doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez, A.J.

2011-01-01

Full text: A controversy still persists on whether health effects can be alleged from radiation exposure situations involving low radiation doses (e.g. below the international dose limits for the public). Arguments have evolved around the validity of the dose response representation that is internationally used for radiation protection purposes, namely the so-called linear-non-threshold (LNT) model. The debate has been masked by the intrinsic randomness of radiation interaction at the cellular level and also by gaps in the relevant scientific knowledge on the development and expression of health effects. There has also been a vague use, abuse, and misuse of radiation-related risk concepts and quantities and their associated uncertainties. As a result, there is some ambiguity in the interpretation of the phenomena and a general lack of awareness of the implications for a number of risk-causation qualities, namely its attributes and characteristics. In particular, the LNT model has been used not only for protection purposes but also for blindly attributing actual effects to specific exposure situations. The latter has been discouraged as being a misuse of the model, but the supposed incorrectness has not been clearly proven. The paper will endeavour to demonstrate unambiguously the following thesis in relation to health effects due to low radiation doses: (i) Their existence is highly plausible. A number of epidemiological statistical assessments of sufficiently large exposed populations show that, under certain conditions, the prevalence of the effects increases with dose. From these assessments, it can be hypothesized that the occurrence of the effects at any dose, however small, appears decidedly worthy of belief. While strictly the evidence does not allow to conclude that a threshold dose level does not exist either In fact, a formal quantitative uncertainty analysis, combining the different uncertain components of estimated radiation-related risk, with and

Health and environmental effects of nuclear weapons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-08-01

Since 1981 WHO has been studying and reporting on the effects of nuclear war on health and health services. This report provides information on the subject and refers to earlier related work of WHO. It forms the basis for a request from WHO to the International Court of Justice regarding the legality of the use of nuclear weapons. 15 refs

Environmental Justice and Health Effects of Urban Air Pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, John A; Mitchell, Mark A; Edgerton, Victor S; VanCott, Robert

2015-02-01

Minority communities often bear the burden of "hosting" pollution sources. This report assesses whether there are any health effects from living near such pollution sources and whether health effects of pollution vary by sex, ethnicity, or income. The air pollution emissions from Hartford area, point sources are modeled and exposures are estimated for the residents who participated in a geographically-based health survey. The pollution intensities and other individual and neighborhood characteristics are used to predict an individual's reported respiratory problems. The results indicate that respiratory problems are correlated significantly with pollution levels, especially sulfur dioxide from the local trash-to-energy incinerator-the fifth largest one in the U.S. The effects of a given pollution level tend to be more serious for specific subgroups based upon sex, ethnicity, poverty, and age. Even when controlling for other factors, air pollution levels are significantly correlated with health problems, especially for Hispanics. This air pollution may contribute to health disparities. © 2015 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Health Effects of Climate Change in the WHO European Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanja Wolf

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The evidence of observed health effects as well as projections of future health risks from climate variability and climate change is growing. This article summarizes new knowledge on these health risks generated since the IPCC fourth assessment report (AR4 was published in 2007, with a specific focus on the 53 countries comprising the WHO European Region. Many studies on the effects of weather, climate variability, and climate change on health in the European Region have been published since 2007, increasing the level of certainty with regard to already known health threats. Exposures to temperature extremes, floods, storms, and wildfires have effects on cardiovascular and respiratory health. Climate- and weather-related health risks from worsening food and water safety and security, poor air quality, and ultraviolet radiation exposure as well as increasing allergic diseases, vector- and rodent-borne diseases, and other climate-sensitive health outcomes also warrant attention and policy action to protect human health.

Flexible working conditions and their effects on employee health and wellbeing.

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Kerry; Pabayo, Roman; Critchley, Julia A; Bambra, Clare

2010-02-17

Flexible working conditions are increasingly popular in developed countries but the effects on employee health and wellbeing are largely unknown. To evaluate the effects (benefits and harms) of flexible working interventions on the physical, mental and general health and wellbeing of employees and their families. Our searches (July 2009) covered 12 databases including the Cochrane Public Health Group Specialised Register, CENTRAL; MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; PsycINFO; Social Science Citation Index; ASSIA; IBSS; Sociological Abstracts; and ABI/Inform. We also searched relevant websites, handsearched key journals, searched bibliographies and contacted study authors and key experts. Randomised controlled trials (RCT), interrupted time series and controlled before and after studies (CBA), which examined the effects of flexible working interventions on employee health and wellbeing. We excluded studies assessing outcomes for less than six months and extracted outcomes relating to physical, mental and general health/ill health measured using a validated instrument. We also extracted secondary outcomes (including sickness absence, health service usage, behavioural changes, accidents, work-life balance, quality of life, health and wellbeing of children, family members and co-workers) if reported alongside at least one primary outcome. Two experienced review authors conducted data extraction and quality appraisal. We undertook a narrative synthesis as there was substantial heterogeneity between studies. Ten studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Six CBA studies reported on interventions relating to temporal flexibility: self-scheduling of shift work (n = 4), flexitime (n = 1) and overtime (n = 1). The remaining four CBA studies evaluated a form of contractual flexibility: partial/gradual retirement (n = 2), involuntary part-time work (n = 1) and fixed-term contract (n = 1). The studies retrieved had a number of methodological limitations including short follow-up periods

Air pollution epidemiology. Assessment of health effects and risks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katsouyanni, K. [Athens Univ. (Greece). Dept. of Hygiene and Epidemiology

1995-12-31

Air pollution epidemiology is the study of the occurrence and distribution of health outcomes in association with community air pollution exposure. It is therefore specific in the exposure variable. Air pollution health effects became evident during high air pollution episodes which occurred in the first decades of our century. Since then, legal and other control measures have led to lower air pollution levels. However, recent results from several studies indicate that lower levels of air pollution than the previously considered safe have serious adverse health effects. Although, there is increasingly agreement that air pollution, at levels measured today, affects health, there is still a lot to be understood concerning specific causal pollutants, biologic mechanisms involved and sensitive groups of individuals. The extent of potential confounding, time-considerations in air pollution effects, individual variation in air pollution exposure and exposure misclassification are some factors which complicate the study of these issues. (author)

Air pollution epidemiology. Assessment of health effects and risks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katsouyanni, K [Athens Univ. (Greece). Dept. of Hygiene and Epidemiology

1996-12-31

Air pollution epidemiology is the study of the occurrence and distribution of health outcomes in association with community air pollution exposure. It is therefore specific in the exposure variable. Air pollution health effects became evident during high air pollution episodes which occurred in the first decades of our century. Since then, legal and other control measures have led to lower air pollution levels. However, recent results from several studies indicate that lower levels of air pollution than the previously considered safe have serious adverse health effects. Although, there is increasingly agreement that air pollution, at levels measured today, affects health, there is still a lot to be understood concerning specific causal pollutants, biologic mechanisms involved and sensitive groups of individuals. The extent of potential confounding, time-considerations in air pollution effects, individual variation in air pollution exposure and exposure misclassification are some factors which complicate the study of these issues. (author)

Beneficial effects of probiotic and food borne yeasts on human health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moslehi Jenabian, Saloomeh; Pedersen, Line Lindegaard; Jespersen, Lene

2010-01-01

Besides being important in the fermentation of foods and beverages, yeasts have shown numerous beneficial effects on human health. Among these, propiotic effects are the most well known health effects including prevention and treatment of intestinal diseases and immunomodulatory effects. Other...

A rapid evidence review on the effectiveness of institutional health partnerships.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Ema; Doyle, Vicki; Weakliam, David; Schönemann, Yvonne

2015-12-14

Institutional Health Partnerships are long-term, institution to institution partnerships between high income and low and middle income countries which seek to build capacity and strengthen health institutions in order to improve health service delivery and outcomes. Funding for Institutional Health Partnerships has increased in recent years. This paper outlines a rapid evidence review on the effectiveness of this modality. A rapid evidence review of published and grey literature was conducted. Content relating to the effectiveness of working in partnership and methods and frameworks used were extracted and analysed. The results of this analysis were used to structure a discussion regarding the next steps to strengthen the evidence base for the effectiveness of institutional health partnerships. The evidence review, including citation mapping, returned 27 published papers and 17 grey literature documents that met all of the inclusion criteria. Most of the literature did not meet the high standards of formal academic rigour and there was no original research amongst this literature that specifically addressed the effectiveness of institutional health partnerships. This was not surprising given institutional health partnerships do not lend themselves easily to case control studies and randomised control trials due to their high level of diversity and operation in complex social systems. There was, however, a body of practice based knowledge and experience. Evidence for the effectiveness of Institutional Health Partnerships is thin both in terms of quantity and academic rigour. There is a need to better define and differentiate Institutional Health Partnerships in order to measure and compare effectiveness across such a diverse group. Effectiveness needs to be measured at the level of individual partnerships, the bodies that facilitate partnership programmes and the level of health service delivery. There is a need to develop indicators and frameworks that specifically

[Health promotion effectiveness: developing and testing a system for routine evaluation in health education, workplace health promotion and setting approach supplied by the German statutory health insurance agencies].

Science.gov (United States)

Kliche, T; Riemann, K; Bockermann, C; Niederbühl, K; Wanek, V; Koch, U

2011-04-01

The aim of the study was to develop and test a routine evaluation system for all health promotion and education activities funded by the German statutory health insurance companies. The system aims at measuring both individual health effects and the complex organisational effects of setting projects. Measurement instruments were developed synoptically and tested in three field tests (2003-2008). In order to assess the impact of individual health training, 212 courses of the health insurance companies were evaluated. To assess the setting approach, 56 schools participating in a health-promotion project were included, and for workplace health-promotion 6 projects of different health insurance companies were included. The research design was an observational study. Instead of control groups, individual data were compared to reference values for gender- and age-matched groups from national health surveys. The studies consisted of baseline and final assessment (T1/T2), complemented by a follow-up (T3), all adapted to the time of intervention (i. e., 3-24 months for T1/T2 and 3-18 months for T2/T3). The evaluation system provides multilevel-measurement based upon validated questionnaires for health-related structures and processes in institutions, and for the participating individual's subjective health, health problems, health-related quality of life, workplace and institutional satisfaction. Controlling for central confounders is also possible (input and dosage, age, gender, educational background). Thus, short but valid measurement instruments of high usability are available to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention, health promotion and education. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Health effects models for nuclear power plant accident consequence analysis: Low LET radiation: Part 2, Scientific bases for health effects models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abrahamson, S.; Bender, M.; Book, S.; Buncher, C.; Denniston, C.; Gilbert, E.; Hahn, F.; Hertzberg, V.; Maxon, H.; Scott, B.

1989-05-01

This report provides dose-response models intended to be used in estimating the radiological health effects of nuclear power plant accidents. Models of early and continuing effects, cancers and thyroid nodules, and genetic effects are provided. Two-parameter Weibull hazard functions are recommended for estimating the risks of early and continuing health effects. Three potentially lethal early effects -- the hematopoietic, pulmonary and gastrointestinal syndromes -- are considered. Linear and linear-quadratic models are recommended for estimating cancer risks. Parameters are given for analyzing the risks of seven types of cancer in adults -- leukemia, bone, lung, breast, gastrointestinal, thyroid and ''other''. The category, ''other'' cancers, is intended to reflect the combined risks of multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and cancers of the bladder, kidney, brain, ovary, uterus and cervix. Models of childhood cancers due to in utero exposure are also provided. For most cancers, both incidence and mortality are addressed. Linear and linear-quadratic models are also recommended for assessing genetic risks. Five classes of genetic disease -- dominant, x-linked, aneuploidy, unbalanced translocation and multifactorial diseases --are considered. In addition, the impact of radiation-induced genetic damage on the incidence of peri-implantation embryo losses is discussed. The uncertainty in modeling radiological health risks is addressed by providing central, upper, and lower estimates of all model parameters. Data are provided which should enable analysts to consider the timing and severity of each type of health risk. 22 refs., 14 figs., 51 tabs.

Health effects models for nuclear power plant accident consequence analysis: Low LET radiation: Part 2, Scientific bases for health effects models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abrahamson, S.; Bender, M.; Book, S.

1989-05-01

This report provides dose-response models intended to be used in estimating the radiological health effects of nuclear power plant accidents. Models of early and continuing effects, cancers and thyroid nodules, and genetic effects are provided. Two-parameter Weibull hazard functions are recommended for estimating the risks of early and continuing health effects. Three potentially lethal early effects -- the hematopoietic, pulmonary and gastrointestinal syndromes -- are considered. Linear and linear-quadratic models are recommended for estimating cancer risks. Parameters are given for analyzing the risks of seven types of cancer in adults -- leukemia, bone, lung, breast, gastrointestinal, thyroid and ''other''. The category, ''other'' cancers, is intended to reflect the combined risks of multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and cancers of the bladder, kidney, brain, ovary, uterus and cervix. Models of childhood cancers due to in utero exposure are also provided. For most cancers, both incidence and mortality are addressed. Linear and linear-quadratic models are also recommended for assessing genetic risks. Five classes of genetic disease -- dominant, x-linked, aneuploidy, unbalanced translocation and multifactorial diseases --are considered. In addition, the impact of radiation-induced genetic damage on the incidence of peri-implantation embryo losses is discussed. The uncertainty in modeling radiological health risks is addressed by providing central, upper, and lower estimates of all model parameters. Data are provided which should enable analysts to consider the timing and severity of each type of health risk. 22 refs., 14 figs., 51 tabs

Health effects associated with energy conservation measures in commercial buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stenner, R.D.; Baechler, M.C.

1990-09-01

Indoor air quality can be impacted by hundreds of different chemicals. More than 900 different organic compounds alone have been identified in indoor air. Health effects that could arise from exposure to individual pollutants or mixtures of pollutants cover the full range of acute and chronic effects, including largely reversible responses, such as rashes and irritations, to the irreversible toxic and carcinogenic effects. These indoor contaminants are emitted from a large variety of materials and substances that are widespread components of everyday life. Pacific Northwest Laboratory conducted a search of the peer-reviewed literature on health effects associated with indoor air contaminants for the Bonneville Power Administration to aid the agency in the preparation of environmental documents. Results are reported in two volumes. Volume 1 summarizes the results of the search of the peer-reviewed literature on health effects associated with a selected list of indoor air contaminants. In addition, the report discusses potential health effects of polychlorinated biphenyls and chlorofluorocarbons. All references to the literature reviewed are found in this document Volume 2. Volume 2 provides detailed information from the literature reviewed, summarizes potential health effects, reports health hazard ratings, and discusses quantitative estimates of carcinogenic risk in humans and animals. Contaminants discussed in this report are those that; have been measured in the indoor air of a public building; have been measured (significant concentrations) in test situations simulating indoor air quality (as presented in the referenced literature); and have a significant hazard rating. 38 refs., 7 figs., 23 tabs

Health effects associated with energy conservation measures in commercial buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stenner, R.D.; Baechler, M.C.

1990-09-01

Indoor air quality can be impacted by hundreds of different chemicals. More than 900 different organic compounds alone have been identified in indoor air. Health effects that could arise from exposure to individual pollutants or mixtures of pollutants cover the full range of acute and chronic effects, including largely reversible responses, such as rashes and irritations, to the irreversible toxic and carcinogenic effects. These indoor contaminants are emitted from a large variety of materials and substances that are widespread components of everyday life. Pacific Northwest Laboratory conducted a search of the peer-reviewed literature on health effects associated with indoor air contaminants for the Bonneville Power Administration to aid the agency in the preparation of environmental documents. Results are reported in two volumes. Volume 1 summarizes the results of the search of the peer-reviewed literature on health effects associated with a selected list of indoor air contaminants. In addition, the report discusses potential health effects of polychlorinated biphenyls and chlorofluorocarbons. All references to the literature reviewed are found in this document Volume 2. Volume 2 provides detailed information from the literature reviewed, summarizes potential health effects, reports health hazard ratings, and discusses quantitative estimates of carcinogenic risk in humans and animals. Contaminants discussed in this report are those that; have been measured in the indoor air of a public building; have been measured (significant concentrations) in test situations simulating indoor air quality (as presented in the referenced literature); and have a significant hazard rating. 38 refs., 7 figs., 23 tabs.

Health and psychosocial effects of flexible working hours.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Daniela; Nachreiner, Friedhelm

2004-12-01

To examine whether any impairments in health and social lives can be found under different kinds of flexible working hours, and whether such effects are related to specific characteristics of these working hours. Two studies -- a company based survey (N=660) and an internet survey (N=528) -- have been conducted. The first one was a questionnaire study (paper and pencil) on employees working under some 'typical' kinds of different flexible working time arrangements in different companies and different occupational fields (health care, manufacturing, retail, administration, call centres). The second study was an internet-based survey, using an adaptation of the questionnaire from the first study. The results of both studies consistently show that high variability of working hours is associated with increased impairments in health and well-being and this is especially true if this variability is company controlled. These effects are less pronounced if variability is self-controlled; however, autonomy does not compensate the effects of variability. Recommendations for an appropriate design of flexible working hours should be developed in order to minimize any impairing effects on health and psychosocial well-being; these recommendations should include -- besides allowing for discretion in controlling one's (flexible) working hours -- that variability in flexible working hours should be kept low (or at least moderate), even if this variability is self-controlled.

Intermediate and long-term health effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leaf, A.

1987-01-01

This report summarizes the health effects caused by immune suppression, infectious diseases, and food supplies and starvation in the aftermath of a nuclear war. It has been concluded that starvation will be essentially global - a consequence of a major nuclear war that at present seems likely to cause more deaths than all the direct effects of nuclear war combined. 68 refs, 1 fig., 1 tab

The Effectiveness of Mobile-Health Technology-Based Health Behaviour Change or Disease Management Interventions for Health Care Consumers: A Systematic Review

Science.gov (United States)

Free, Caroline; Phillips, Gemma; Galli, Leandro; Watson, Louise; Felix, Lambert; Edwards, Phil; Patel, Vikram; Haines, Andy

2013-01-01

Background Mobile technologies could be a powerful media for providing individual level support to health care consumers. We conducted a systematic review to assess the effectiveness of mobile technology interventions delivered to health care consumers. Methods and Findings We searched for all controlled trials of mobile technology-based health interventions delivered to health care consumers using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Global Health, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, UK NHS HTA (Jan 1990–Sept 2010). Two authors extracted data on allocation concealment, allocation sequence, blinding, completeness of follow-up, and measures of effect. We calculated effect estimates and used random effects meta-analysis. We identified 75 trials. Fifty-nine trials investigated the use of mobile technologies to improve disease management and 26 trials investigated their use to change health behaviours. Nearly all trials were conducted in high-income countries. Four trials had a low risk of bias. Two trials of disease management had low risk of bias; in one, antiretroviral (ART) adherence, use of text messages reduced high viral load (>400 copies), with a relative risk (RR) of 0.85 (95% CI 0.72–0.99), but no statistically significant benefit on mortality (RR 0.79 [95% CI 0.47–1.32]). In a second, a PDA based intervention increased scores for perceived self care agency in lung transplant patients. Two trials of health behaviour management had low risk of bias. The pooled effect of text messaging smoking cessation support on biochemically verified smoking cessation was (RR 2.16 [95% CI 1.77–2.62]). Interventions for other conditions showed suggestive benefits in some cases, but the results were not consistent. No evidence of publication bias was demonstrated on visual or statistical examination of the funnel plots for either disease management or health behaviours. To address the limitation of the older search, we also reviewed more recent literature. Conclusions Text

The effectiveness of mobile-health technology-based health behaviour change or disease management interventions for health care consumers: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Free, Caroline; Phillips, Gemma; Galli, Leandro; Watson, Louise; Felix, Lambert; Edwards, Phil; Patel, Vikram; Haines, Andy

2013-01-01

Mobile technologies could be a powerful media for providing individual level support to health care consumers. We conducted a systematic review to assess the effectiveness of mobile technology interventions delivered to health care consumers. We searched for all controlled trials of mobile technology-based health interventions delivered to health care consumers using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Global Health, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, UK NHS HTA (Jan 1990-Sept 2010). Two authors extracted data on allocation concealment, allocation sequence, blinding, completeness of follow-up, and measures of effect. We calculated effect estimates and used random effects meta-analysis. We identified 75 trials. Fifty-nine trials investigated the use of mobile technologies to improve disease management and 26 trials investigated their use to change health behaviours. Nearly all trials were conducted in high-income countries. Four trials had a low risk of bias. Two trials of disease management had low risk of bias; in one, antiretroviral (ART) adherence, use of text messages reduced high viral load (>400 copies), with a relative risk (RR) of 0.85 (95% CI 0.72-0.99), but no statistically significant benefit on mortality (RR 0.79 [95% CI 0.47-1.32]). In a second, a PDA based intervention increased scores for perceived self care agency in lung transplant patients. Two trials of health behaviour management had low risk of bias. The pooled effect of text messaging smoking cessation support on biochemically verified smoking cessation was (RR 2.16 [95% CI 1.77-2.62]). Interventions for other conditions showed suggestive benefits in some cases, but the results were not consistent. No evidence of publication bias was demonstrated on visual or statistical examination of the funnel plots for either disease management or health behaviours. To address the limitation of the older search, we also reviewed more recent literature. Text messaging interventions increased adherence to ART and

Effective communication approaches in tuberculosis control: Health workers' perceptions and experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Arulchelvan, Sriram; Elangovan, Rengan

2017-10-01

Health workers' experiences and understanding of the myths, misconceptions, beliefs about TB, and patients in the community (and effective communication methods) can be useful in designing effective IEC materials and strategies. To study the perceptions and experiences of health workers regarding TB disease, patients, and effective communication strategies in TB control. A survey was conducted among health workers involved in Directly Observed Treatment Short (DOTS) course. Data regarding general health beliefs, prevalent myths and misconceptions about TB in their respective localities, knowledge level among patients, and utilization of various communication strategies were collected. There is a significant increase in knowledge about TB during DOTS among patients, as observed by about half of the health workers. TB patients are aware about how TB spreads to others and their responsibilities. Regular interaction with patients is required for treatment adherence. Two thirds of the health workers believe that media-mix strategy can be very effective in creating awareness among the patients as well as the public. Health workers realized that the video player facility on their mobile phones is useful for showing health-related videos. A combination of mass media and interpersonal communication could be effective for TB control. Face-to-face communication with community members, patient-provider discussions, and information through television could be very effective techniques. Exclusive communication materials should be designed for family members of the patients. Smart phones can be used for effective implementation of TB control programs. Copyright © 2016 Tuberculosis Association of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Health effects models for nuclear power plant accident consequence analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, J.S.; Abrahmson, S.; Bender, M.A.; Boecker, B.B.; Scott, B.R.; Gilbert, E.S.

1993-10-01

This report is a revision of NUREG/CR-4214, Rev. 1, Part 1 (1990), Health Effects Models for Nuclear Power Plant Accident Consequence Analysis. This revision has been made to incorporate changes to the Health Effects Models recommended in two addenda to the NUREG/CR-4214, Rev. 1, Part 11, 1989 report. The first of these addenda provided recommended changes to the health effects models for low-LET radiations based on recent reports from UNSCEAR, ICRP and NAS/NRC (BEIR V). The second addendum presented changes needed to incorporate alpha-emitting radionuclides into the accident exposure source term. As in the earlier version of this report, models are provided for early and continuing effects, cancers and thyroid nodules, and genetic effects. Weibull dose-response functions are recommended for evaluating the risks of early and continuing health effects. Three potentially lethal early effects -- the hematopoietic, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal syndromes are considered. Linear and linear-quadratic models are recommended for estimating the risks of seven types of cancer in adults - leukemia, bone, lung, breast, gastrointestinal, thyroid, and ''other''. For most cancers, both incidence and mortality are addressed. Five classes of genetic diseases -- dominant, x-linked, aneuploidy, unbalanced translocations, and multifactorial diseases are also considered. Data are provided that should enable analysts to consider the timing and severity of each type of health risk

Alcohol and cannabis: Comparing their adverse health effects and regulatory regimes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Wayne

2017-04-01

The claim that the adverse health effects of cannabis are much less serious than those of alcohol has been central to the case for cannabis legalisation. Regulators in US states that have legalised cannabis have adopted regulatory models based on alcohol. This paper critically examines the claim about adverse health effects and the wisdom of regulating cannabis like alcohol. First, it compares what we know about the adverse health effects of alcohol and cannabis. Second, it discusses the uncertainties about the long term health effects of sustained daily cannabis use. Third, it speculates about how the adverse health effects of cannabis may change after legalisation. Fourth, it questions the assumption that alcohol provides the best regulatory model for a legal cannabis market. Fifth, it outlines the major challenges in regulating cannabis under the liberal alcohol-like regulatory regimes now being introduced. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Legal aspects of recent studies on the health effects of radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Persson, L.

1992-01-01

The risk of ionising radiation has recently been reviewed by three different high-level bodies. United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) issued in 1988 a report to the General Assembly with the title ''Sources, Effects and Risks of Ionising Radiation''. A review of the biological effects of ionizing radiations has also been performed by the United States National Research Council's Committee BEIR V, published in 1989, with the title ''Health Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionising Radiation''. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has in November 1990 adopted its new recommendations issued as ICRP Publication 60. One of the newer health hazards is non-ionizing radiation (NIR), exposure to which extends from occupational into the field of public health. There are also collaborate studies on the health risks of non-ionizing radiation performed by e.g. the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA). The most recent studies on the health effects of radiation are discussed in the paper. (author)

A health hierarchy of effects model: a synthesis of advertising and health hierarchy conceptualizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Rouse, R A

1991-01-01

Work by both advertising and health researchers has independently yielded hierarchy of effects models which can be used to predict campaign success. Unfortunately, however, previous work has been criticized as "common sense" approaches which are more "assumed" than "proven." This analysis argues that much of the problem is due to the lack of precision often associated with over-simplified "uni-dimensional" models. Instead, this perspective synthesized a "two-dimensional" health hierarchy of effects model and outlines a pragmatic strategy for campaign measurement.

Characteristics of effective health care managers.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Sherryl W

2005-01-01

This article provides an overview of traditional and contemporary management theories. Concerns, characteristics, and skills of effective managers are also presented. Further, a self-assessment (survey) of 7 highly effective health care managers in a South Georgia community was conducted to determine their ratings on 6 management indices. The assessment or Scale of Transformational Leadership uses a Likert-type scale to allow for the evaluation of managers. The scale contains 6 management elements for assessment: attention, meaning, trust, self, vision, and feeling. Individual ratings and group summary skills rating are presented. Findings revealed the order of managerial importance of the elements as follows (from highest to lowest): Management of Trust, Management of Attention, Management of Self, Management of Feeling, Management of Meaning, and Management of Risk. As a second tier, the final ratings are corroborated by health care management interns.

Effect of immersive workplace experience on undergraduate nurses' mental health clinical confidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Christopher; Moxham, Lorna; Taylor, Ellie K; Perlman, Dana; Brighton, Renee; Sumskis, Susan; Heffernan, Tim; Lee-Bates, Benjamin

2017-12-01

Preregistration education needs to ensure that student nurses are properly trained with the required skills and knowledge, and have the confidence to work with people who have a mental illness. With increased attention on non-traditional mental health clinical placements, further research is required to determine the effects of non-traditional mental health clinical placements on mental health clinical confidence. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of a non-traditional mental health clinical placement on mental health nursing clinical confidence compared to nursing students undergoing traditional clinical placements. Using the Mental Health Nursing Clinical Confidence Scale, the study investigated the relative effects of two placement programmes on the mental health clinical confidence of 79 nursing students. The two placement programmes included a non-traditional clinical placement of Recovery Camp and a comparison group that attended traditional clinical placements. Overall, the results indicated that, for both groups, mental health placement had a significant effect on improving mean mental health clinical confidence, both immediately upon conclusion of placement and at the 3-month follow up. Students who attended Recovery Camp reported a significant positive difference, compared to the comparison group, for ratings related to communicating effectively with clients with a mental illness, having a basic knowledge of antipsychotic medications and their side-effects, and providing client education regarding the effects and side-effects of medications. The findings suggest that a unique clinical placement, such as Recovery Camp, can improve and maintain facets of mental health clinical confidence for students of nursing. © 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Strategic information technology alliances for effective health-care supply chain management.

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Stephen C; Rivers, Patrick A; Hsu, H Y Sonya

2009-08-01

To gain and sustain competitive advantage, health-care providers have to continuously review and renovate their operational and information technology (IT) strategies through collaborative and cooperative endeavour with their supply chain channel members. This paper explores new ways of enhancing a health-care organization's responsiveness to changes and increasing its competitiveness through implementing strategic information technology alliances among channel members in a health-care supply chain network. An overview of issues and problems (e.g. bullwhip effect, negative externalities and free-riding phenomenon in multichannel supply chains) presented in the health-care supply chains is first delineated. This paper further goes over the issues of health-care supply chain coordination and integration for strategic IT alliances, followed by the discussion of the spillover effect of IT investments. A number of viable IT practices (such as information sharing and Internet-enabled supply chain portal) for effective health-care supply chain collaboration and coordination are then examined in this research. Finally, the paper discusses how strategic IT alliances can help improve the effectiveness of health-care supply chain management.

Acute health effects of the Sea Empress oil spill.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, R A; Temple, J M; Evans, D; Fone, D L; Palmer, S R

1999-05-01

To investigate whether residents in the vicinity of the Sea Empress tanker spill suffered an increase in self reported physical and psychological symptoms, which might be attributable to exposure to crude oil. Retrospective cohort study; postal questionnaire including demographic details, a symptom checklist, beliefs about health effects of oil and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression and SF-36 mental health scales. Populations living in four coastal towns on the exposed south Pembrokeshire coast and two control towns on the unexposed north coast. 539 exposed and 550 unexposed people sampled at random from the family health services authority age-sex register who completed questionnaires. Adjusted odds ratios for self reported physical symptoms; scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression and SF-36 mental health scales, in 1089 people who responded out of a possible 1585 (69%). Living in areas exposed to the crude oil spillage was significantly associated with higher anxiety and depression scores, worse mental health; and self reported headache (odds ratio = 2.35, 95% CI 1.56, 3.55), sore eyes (odds ratio = 1.96, 95% CI 1.06, 3.62), and sore throat (odds ratio = 1.70, 95% CI 1.12, 2.60) after adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, anxiety, and the belief that oil had affected health. People living in exposed areas reported higher rates of physical and psychological symptoms than control areas. Symptoms significantly associated with exposure after adjustment for anxiety and health beliefs were those expected from the known toxicological effect of oil, suggesting a direct health effect on the exposed population.

Health effects models for nuclear power plant accident consequence analysis. Modification of models resulting from addition of effects of exposure to alpha-emitting radionuclides: Revision 1, Part 2, Scientific bases for health effects models, Addendum 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abrahamson, S. [Wisconsin Univ., Madison, WI (United States); Bender, M.A. [Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States); Boecker, B.B.; Scott, B.R. [Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Inst., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Inhalation Toxicology Research Inst.; Gilbert, E.S. [Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

1993-05-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has sponsored several studies to identify and quantify, through the use of models, the potential health effects of accidental releases of radionuclides from nuclear power plants. The Reactor Safety Study provided the basis for most of the earlier estimates related to these health effects. Subsequent efforts by NRC-supported groups resulted in improved health effects models that were published in the report entitled {open_quotes}Health Effects Models for Nuclear Power Plant Consequence Analysis{close_quotes}, NUREG/CR-4214, 1985 and revised further in the 1989 report NUREG/CR-4214, Rev. 1, Part 2. The health effects models presented in the 1989 NUREG/CR-4214 report were developed for exposure to low-linear energy transfer (LET) (beta and gamma) radiation based on the best scientific information available at that time. Since the 1989 report was published, two addenda to that report have been prepared to (1) incorporate other scientific information related to low-LET health effects models and (2) extend the models to consider the possible health consequences of the addition of alpha-emitting radionuclides to the exposure source term. The first addendum report, entitled {open_quotes}Health Effects Models for Nuclear Power Plant Accident Consequence Analysis, Modifications of Models Resulting from Recent Reports on Health Effects of Ionizing Radiation, Low LET Radiation, Part 2: Scientific Bases for Health Effects Models,{close_quotes} was published in 1991 as NUREG/CR-4214, Rev. 1, Part 2, Addendum 1. This second addendum addresses the possibility that some fraction of the accident source term from an operating nuclear power plant comprises alpha-emitting radionuclides. Consideration of chronic high-LET exposure from alpha radiation as well as acute and chronic exposure to low-LET beta and gamma radiations is a reasonable extension of the health effects model.

"Health in all policies" in practice: guidance and tools to quantifying the health effects of cycling and walking.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahlmeier, Sonja; Racioppi, Francesca; Cavill, Nick; Rutter, Harry; Oja, Pekka

2010-03-01

There is growing interest in "Health in All Policies" approaches, aiming at promoting health through policies which are under the control of nonhealth sectors. While economic appraisal is an established practice in transport planning, health effects are rarely taken into account. An international project was carried out to develop guidance and tools for practitioners for quantifying the health effects of cycling and walking, supporting their full appraisal. A systematic review of existing approaches was carried out. Then, the products were developed with an international expert panel through an extensive consensus finding process. Methodological guidance was developed which addresses the main challenges practitioners encounter in the quantification of health effects from cycling and walking. A "Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) for cycling" was developed which is being used in several countries. There is a need for a more consistent approach to the quantification of health benefits from cycling and walking. This project is providing guidance and an illustrative tool for cycling for practical application. Results show that substantial savings can be expected. Such tools illustrate the importance of considering health in transport policy and infrastructure planning, putting "Health in All Policies" into practice.

RADIOFREQUENCY AND MICROWAVE RADIATION HEALTH EFFECTS AND OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivana Damnjanović

2011-12-01

Full Text Available In the recent years, there have been considerable discussion and concern about the possible hazards of RF/MW radiation. More recently, the growth and development in personal mobile communications have focused attention on the frequencies associated with this technology. A number of studies have examined the health effects of RF/MW electromagnetic fields (EMFs, originating from occupational exposure, hobbies, or residence near the radio or television transmitters. Particularly controversial are the biophysical mechanisms by which these RF fields may affect biological systems. General health effects reviews explore possible carcinogenic, reproductive and neurological effects. Health effects by exposure source have been observed in radar traffic devices, wireless communications with cellular phones, radio transmission, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI. Several epidemiological surveys have suggested associations with non-specific complaints such as headache, tiredness, sleep disturbance, loss of memory, and dizziness. These findings, which echo reports of illness associated with other types of radiofrequency (RF radiation, relate not only to the use of mobile phones, but also to residence near the mobile phone base stations and other settings involving occupational exposure. The biological effects suggest that some precautions are necessary, and preventive approaches are highly recommended. Further researches are required to give more information about the effects of microwave radiation on our health, especially in occupational setting and professionally exposed workers.

The Health Effect of Psychostimulants: A Literature Review

OpenAIRE

Barbara Broers; Thierry Favrod-Coune

2010-01-01

Prevalence of psychostimulant use is high, and raising in several countries. Nicotine is the legal stimulant causing the most important public health impact. Cocaine ranks among the most used illicit substances after cannabis. Stimulant medications are frequently misused. Psychostimulants can lead to addiction, have physical, psychological and social health consequences and can induce a great disease burden. The aim of the present article is to provide a literature review on the health effect...

Effect of school eye health promotion on children's eye health literacy in Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Paudel, Prakash; Yen, Phung Thi; Kovai, Vilas; Naduvilath, Thomas; Ho, Suit May; Giap, Nguyen Viet; Holden, Brien A

2017-10-06

Health promotion intervention in schools is a useful strategy to improve students' health awareness. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of eye health promotion interventions on eye health literacy in school children in Vietnam. A piloted questionnaire was administered to 300 children from five secondary schools in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Vietnam at baseline and re-administered after the eye health promotion interventions. McNemar chi-square and logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. A total of 300 children aged 12-15 years (mean, 13.3 ± 1.3 years; 60% female) participated in the baseline survey. The participation rate in the post-health promotion survey was 94.7%. After the health promotion interventions, number of children who had correct eye health knowledge increased by 10-20% (60-75% to 70-95%), more children reported having had an eye examination (63.3% to 84.7%; p promotion interventions significantly improve eye health knowledge, attitudes and practices of school children. Additionally, participation of parents and teachers as change agents may further improve children's health literacy. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Enhancing the Effectiveness of Consumer-Focused Health Information Technology Systems Through eHealth Literacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kayser, Lars; Kushniruk, Andre; Osborne, Richard H

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: eHealth systems and applications are increasingly focused on supporting consumers to directly engage with and use health care services. Involving end users in the design of these systems is critical to ensure a generation of usable and effective eHealth products and systems. Often...... the end users engaged for these participatory design processes are not actual representatives of the general population, and developers may have limited understanding about how well they might represent the full range of intended users of the eHealth products. As a consequence, resulting information...... model with the domains of a new concept of eHealth literacy. METHODS: This approach expands an existing method for supporting health IT system development, which advocates use of a three-dimensional user-task-context matrix to comprehensively identify the users of health IT systems, and what their needs...

Mental health promotion of Iranian university students: the effect of self-esteem and health locus of control.

Science.gov (United States)

Moshki, M; Amiri, M; Khosravan, S

2012-10-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of self-esteem and health control belief on promoting students' mental health. In so doing, 144 students from two medical universities in the north-east of Iran were recruited into study. They were pair-matched and randomly assigned to case and control groups. The data were collected through Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire-28, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scales. The results showed that there were significant differences between the groups before and after the intervention. The external components of health locus of control (chance and powerful others) showed a significant decrease but the internal health locus of control and self-esteem revealed a significant increase after the intervention (P mental health had a significant increase after 3 months of intervention (P control beliefs, self-esteem and mental health promotion of the students. This will require additional monitoring and uninterrupted attempts to be effective. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing.

Health effects of employment: a systematic review of prospective studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Noordt, Maaike; IJzelenberg, Helma; Droomers, Mariël; Proper, Karin I.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this review was to systematically summarise the literature on the health effects of employment. A search for prospective studies investigating the effect of employment on health was executed in several electronic databases, and references of selected publications were checked.

The effects of health education on health outcomes: Evidence from a natural randomized experiment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leuven, E.; Oosterbeek, H.; de Wolf, I.F.

2007-01-01

This paper estimates the effects of attending medical school on health behavior and health status exploiting that admission to medical school in the Netherlands is determined by a lottery. Because lottery losers are permitted to re-apply, we use the result of the first lottery in which someone

Health effects of biomass exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rastogi, S.K.; Husain, Tanveer

1993-01-01

Biomass fuels such as coal, wood, crop residues, kerosene oil and dung-cakes meet the energy needs in the household sector in India and other developing countries. Crop residues and dung-cakes are largely used in rural areas, whereas wood forms the major source of fuel in urban as well as rural areas. Combustion of these fuels produces various kinds of poisonous gases such as CO, smoke, nitrogen dioxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and respirable particulates. These gases are released in the domestic environment and they pollute the indoor air. The women and children are the one who suffer most from this air pollution. This results into a variety of health problems principally pertaining to respiratory system among the women and children. Studies on this aspect are reviewed. They point towards the positive relationship between biomass smoke and various health effects, particularly respiratory diseases. Need for research on the ways to prevent pollution due to biomass and resultant health hazards is emphasised. (M.G.B.). 25 refs., 2 tabs

Cutting-edge technology for public health workforce training in comparative effectiveness research.

Science.gov (United States)

Salinas-Miranda, Abraham A; Nash, Michelle C; Salemi, Jason L; Mbah, Alfred K; Salihu, Hamisu M

2013-06-01

A critical mass of public health practitioners with expertise in analytic techniques and best practices in comparative effectiveness research is needed to fuel informed decisions and improve the quality of health care. The purpose of this case study is to describe the development and formative evaluation of a technology-enhanced comparative effectiveness research learning curriculum and to assess its potential utility to improve core comparative effectiveness research competencies among the public health workforce. Selected public health experts formed a multidisciplinary research collaborative and participated in the development and evaluation of a blended 15-week comprehensive e-comparative effectiveness research training program, which incorporated an array of health informatics technologies. Results indicate that research-based organizations can use a systematic, flexible, and rapid means of instructing their workforce using technology-enhanced authoring tools, learning management systems, survey research software, online communities of practice, and mobile communication for effective and creative comparative effectiveness research training of the public health workforce.

Effective recruitment and retention strategies in community health programs.

Science.gov (United States)

McCann, Jennifer; Ridgers, Nicola D; Carver, Alison; Thornton, Lukar E; Teychenne, Megan

2013-08-01

The aim of this project was to identify effective recruitment and retention strategies used by health-promotion organisations that focus on increasing physical activity and improving nutrition within the local community. Semistructured telephone or face-to-face interviews with 25 key informants from stakeholder organisations were conducted. Key informants discussed strategies used by their organisation to effectively recruit and retain participants into community-based healthy eating and/or physical activity programs. Transcribed data were analysed with NVivo software. Effective recruitment strategies included word of mouth, links with organisations, dissemination of printed materials, media, referrals, cross-promotion of programs and face-to-face methods. Effective retention strategies included encouraging a sense of community ownership, social opportunities, recruiting a suitable leader and offering flexibility and support. Fees and support for recruiting and retaining participants was also identified. This study provides novel insights to a greatly under researched topic in the field of health promotion. There are two key take-home messages from the present study that are applicable to health practitioners as well as developers and deliverers of community health-promotion programs: (1) it is imperative that all community health organisations report on the effectiveness of their recruitment and retention, both successes and failures; and (2) there is a clear need to tailor the recruitment and retention approach to the target population and the setting the program is occurring in. SO WHAT? These findings provide important insights for the development of future community-based healthy eating and physical activity programs.

State Support: A Prerequisite for Global Health Network Effectiveness

Science.gov (United States)

Marten, Robert; Smith, Richard D.

2018-01-01

Shiffman recently summarized lessons for network effectiveness from an impressive collection of case-studies. However, in common with most global health governance analysis in recent years, Shiffman underplays the important role of states in these global networks. As the body which decides and signs international agreements, often provides the resourcing, and is responsible for implementing initiatives all contributing to the prioritization of certain issues over others, state recognition and support is a prerequisite to enabling and determining global health networks’ success. The role of states deserves greater attention, analysis and consideration. We reflect upon the underappreciated role of the state within the current discourse on global health. We present the tobacco case study to illustrate the decisive role of states in determining progress for global health networks, and highlight how states use a legitimacy loop to gain legitimacy from and provide legitimacy to global health networks. Moving forward in assessing global health networks’ effectiveness, further investigating state support as a determinant of success will be critical. Understanding how global health networks and states interact and evolve to shape and support their respective interests should be a focus for future research. PMID:29524958

Effects of martial arts on health status: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bu, Bin; Haijun, Han; Yong, Liu; Chaohui, Zhang; Xiaoyuan, Yang; Singh, Maria Fiatarone

2010-11-01

To systematically summarize the evidence for the effects of martial arts on health and fitness, to show the strengths of different types of martial arts, and to get a more complete picture of the impacts of martial arts on health, and also to provide a basis for future research on martial arts as an exercise prescription in exercise therapy. We searched for "martial arts"health" and "random" in eight databases (n= 5432). Randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials on the health effects of martial arts were included in the study. The final analysis included 28 papers (one general martial arts, one kung fu, sixteen tai chi, six judo, three karate, and one taekwondo). Among the disciplines of martial arts, tai chi was the most well-studied, followed by judo, karate, and taekwondo. Research topics varied widely, and included health, injuries, competition, morals and psychology, and herbal medicine. Most found positive effects on health. Tai chi is no-contact, low-impact, soft body and mindfulness exercise, which has been widely adopted by elderly people and proven to be a beneficial health promotion exercise. Research on judo, karate, and taekwondo mainly focused on improvements to athletes' competitive abilities, rather than on health effects. We did not find any published randomized controlled trials or controlled clinical trials on aikido, kendo, sumo, kyudo, qi gong, or other disciplines. Since martial arts are widely practiced, their effects on physiology, morphology, immunology, and neurology should be further studied in order to help people to select the best discipline or style to accomplish their purposes. This necessitates categorizing and classifying the disciplines and styles according to their effects on different body systems and levels of contact, as well as standardizing evaluation criteria for martial arts. Martial arts as an exercise prescription can then move from an experience-based to an evidence-based treatment. © 2010 Blackwell

Comprehensive effective and efficient global public health surveillance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McNabb Scott JN

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract At a crossroads, global public health surveillance exists in a fragmented state. Slow to detect, register, confirm, and analyze cases of public health significance, provide feedback, and communicate timely and useful information to stakeholders, global surveillance is neither maximally effective nor optimally efficient. Stakeholders lack a globa surveillance consensus policy and strategy; officials face inadequate training and scarce resources. Three movements now set the stage for transformation of surveillance: 1 adoption by Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO of the revised International Health Regulations (IHR[2005]; 2 maturation of information sciences and the penetration of information technologies to distal parts of the globe; and 3 consensus that the security and public health communities have overlapping interests and a mutual benefit in supporting public health functions. For these to enhance surveillance competencies, eight prerequisites should be in place: politics, policies, priorities, perspectives, procedures, practices, preparation, and payers. To achieve comprehensive, global surveillance, disparities in technical, logistic, governance, and financial capacities must be addressed. Challenges to closing these gaps include the lack of trust and transparency; perceived benefit at various levels; global governance to address data power and control; and specified financial support from globa partners. We propose an end-state perspective for comprehensive, effective and efficient global, multiple-hazard public health surveillance and describe a way forward to achieve it. This end-state is universal, global access to interoperable public health information when it’s needed, where it’s needed. This vision mitigates the tension between two fundamental human rights: first, the right to privacy, confidentiality, and security of personal health information combined with the right of sovereign, national entities

Comprehensive effective and efficient global public health surveillance.

Science.gov (United States)

McNabb, Scott J N

2010-12-03

At a crossroads, global public health surveillance exists in a fragmented state. Slow to detect, register, confirm, and analyze cases of public health significance, provide feedback, and communicate timely and useful information to stakeholders, global surveillance is neither maximally effective nor optimally efficient. Stakeholders lack a globa surveillance consensus policy and strategy; officials face inadequate training and scarce resources.Three movements now set the stage for transformation of surveillance: 1) adoption by Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) of the revised International Health Regulations (IHR[2005]); 2) maturation of information sciences and the penetration of information technologies to distal parts of the globe; and 3) consensus that the security and public health communities have overlapping interests and a mutual benefit in supporting public health functions. For these to enhance surveillance competencies, eight prerequisites should be in place: politics, policies, priorities, perspectives, procedures, practices, preparation, and payers.To achieve comprehensive, global surveillance, disparities in technical, logistic, governance, and financial capacities must be addressed. Challenges to closing these gaps include the lack of trust and transparency; perceived benefit at various levels; global governance to address data power and control; and specified financial support from globa partners.We propose an end-state perspective for comprehensive, effective and efficient global, multiple-hazard public health surveillance and describe a way forward to achieve it. This end-state is universal, global access to interoperable public health information when it's needed, where it's needed. This vision mitigates the tension between two fundamental human rights: first, the right to privacy, confidentiality, and security of personal health information combined with the right of sovereign, national entities to the ownership and stewardship

Algoritmo de filtrado multi-termino para la obtención de relaciones jerárquicas en la construcción automática de un tesauro de descriptores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Velasco, M.

1999-03-01

Full Text Available The new techniques of domain analysis (thematic, etc. supply methods to create repositories or sets of structured information. A specific methodology to automatically generate domains (thematic, etc. uses as repository a structure based on documental thesauri. One of the stages described in this methodology to generate a thesaurus is the acquisition of concepts using statistical techniques to filter information. This paper presents modifications to these filtering techniques to obtain composite terms.

Las nuevas técnicas de análisis de dominios (temáticos, etc. proporcionan métodos para la construcción de repositorios o conjuntos de información estructurada. Existe una metodología específica para generar automáticamente dominios (temáticos, etc. que utiliza como repositorio una estructura basada en los tesauros documentales. Una de las fases indicadas en esta metodología para la generación del tesauro es la adquisición de conceptos, que utiliza técnicas de filtrado de información estadísticas. En este trabajo se presentan modificaciones a estas técnicas de filtrado para proporcionar términos compuestos.

Health effects and sources of indoor air pollution. Part I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samet, J.M.; Marbury, M.C.; Spengler, J.D.

1987-01-01

Since the early 1970s, the health effects of indoor air pollution have been investigated with increasing intensity. Consequently, a large body of literature is now available on diverse aspects of indoor air pollution: sources, concentrations, health effects, engineering, and policy. This review begins with a review of the principal pollutants found in indoor environments and their sources. Subsequently, exposure to indoor air pollutants and health effects are considered, with an emphasis on those indoor air quality problems of greatest concern at present: passive exposure to tobacco smoke, nitrogen dioxide from gas-fueled cooking stoves, formaldehyde exposure, radon daughter exposure, and the diverse health problems encountered by workers in newer sealed office buildings. The review concludes by briefly addressing assessment of indoor air quality, control technology, research needs, and clinical implications. 243 references

Poor housing quality: Prevalence and health effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Emma; Lester, Laurence H; Bentley, Rebecca; Beer, Andrew

2016-01-01

Housing is a central component of productive, healthy, and meaningful lives, and a principle social determinant of health and well-being. Surprisingly, though, evidence on the ways that housing influences health in Australia is poorly developed. This stems largely from the fact that the majority of the population are accommodated in good quality housing. The dominance of a "good housing paradigm" means that households living in poor quality and unhealthy housing are doubly disadvantaged-by the quality of their housing and because policy makers in Australia do not acknowledge the health effects of housing. In this article, we examine the relationship between health outcomes and quality of housing. We base our analysis on data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, a panel dataset that is representative across Australia. We find a sizeable, policy-important, and to date under-acknowledged cohort of Australians whose health is influenced by poor-condition dwellings.

Effectiveness of a Multilevel Workplace Health Promotion Program on Vitality, Health, and Work-Related Outcomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hendriksen, I.J.M.; Snoijer, M.; Kok, B.P. de; Vlisteren, J. van; Hofstetter, H.

2016-01-01

Objective: Evaluation of the effectiveness of a workplace health promotion program on employees’ vitality, health, and work-related outcomes, and exploring the influence of organizational support and the supervisors’ role on these outcomes. Methods: The 5-month intervention included activities at

[Cost-effectiveness in Dutch mental health care: future because of ROM?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Agthoven, M. van; Kolk, A. van der; Knegtering, H.; Delespaul, P.A.; Arends, J.; Jeurissen, P.P.T.; Krabbe, P.F.M.; Huijsman, R.; Luijk, R.; Beurs, E. de; Hakkaart-van Roijen, L.; Bruggeman, R.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: The document reporting Dutch mental health care negotiations for 2014 - 2017 calls for a cost decrease based on cost-effectiveness. Thanks to rom, the Dutch mental health care seems well prepared for cost-effectiveness research.
AIM: Evaluate how valid cost-effectiveness research

The effectiveness of M-health technologies for improving health and health services: a systematic review protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patel Vikram

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The application of mobile computing and communication technology is rapidly expanding in the fields of health care and public health. This systematic review will summarise the evidence for the effectiveness of mobile technology interventions for improving health and health service outcomes (M-health around the world. Findings To be included in the review interventions must aim to improve or promote health or health service use and quality, employing any mobile computing and communication technology. This includes: (1 interventions designed to improve diagnosis, investigation, treatment, monitoring and management of disease; (2 interventions to deliver treatment or disease management programmes to patients, health promotion interventions, and interventions designed to improve treatment compliance; and (3 interventions to improve health care processes e.g. appointment attendance, result notification, vaccination reminders. A comprehensive, electronic search strategy will be used to identify controlled studies, published since 1990, and indexed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Global Health, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, or the UK NHS Health Technology Assessment database. The search strategy will include terms (and synonyms for the following mobile electronic devices (MEDs and a range of compatible media: mobile phone; personal digital assistant (PDA; handheld computer (e.g. tablet PC; PDA phone (e.g. BlackBerry, Palm Pilot; Smartphone; enterprise digital assistant; portable media player (i.e. MP3 or MP4 player; handheld video game console. No terms for health or health service outcomes will be included, to ensure that all applications of mobile technology in public health and health services are identified. Bibliographies of primary studies and review articles meeting the inclusion criteria will be searched manually to identify further eligible studies. Data on objective and self-reported outcomes and study quality will

The effectiveness of M-health technologies for improving health and health services: a systematic review protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Free, Caroline; Phillips, Gemma; Felix, Lambert; Galli, Leandro; Patel, Vikram; Edwards, Philip

2010-10-06

The application of mobile computing and communication technology is rapidly expanding in the fields of health care and public health. This systematic review will summarise the evidence for the effectiveness of mobile technology interventions for improving health and health service outcomes (M-health) around the world. To be included in the review interventions must aim to improve or promote health or health service use and quality, employing any mobile computing and communication technology. This includes: (1) interventions designed to improve diagnosis, investigation, treatment, monitoring and management of disease; (2) interventions to deliver treatment or disease management programmes to patients, health promotion interventions, and interventions designed to improve treatment compliance; and (3) interventions to improve health care processes e.g. appointment attendance, result notification, vaccination reminders.A comprehensive, electronic search strategy will be used to identify controlled studies, published since 1990, and indexed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Global Health, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, or the UK NHS Health Technology Assessment database. The search strategy will include terms (and synonyms) for the following mobile electronic devices (MEDs) and a range of compatible media: mobile phone; personal digital assistant (PDA); handheld computer (e.g. tablet PC); PDA phone (e.g. BlackBerry, Palm Pilot); Smartphone; enterprise digital assistant; portable media player (i.e. MP3 or MP4 player); handheld video game console. No terms for health or health service outcomes will be included, to ensure that all applications of mobile technology in public health and health services are identified. Bibliographies of primary studies and review articles meeting the inclusion criteria will be searched manually to identify further eligible studies. Data on objective and self-reported outcomes and study quality will be independently extracted by two review

[Effects of urban noise on mental health].

Science.gov (United States)

Belojević, G; Jakovljević, B; Kocijancić, R; Pjerotić, L; Dimitrijević, J

1995-01-01

The results of the latest studies on the effects of urban noise on mental health are presented in this paper. Numerous psychiatric symptoms have been frequently noticed in the population of the settlements with a high level of urban noise: fatigue, headaches, tension, anxiety, irritability, bad concentration, insomnia, whith a consequently high consumption of psychotropic medicines. Higher admission rates in psychiatric hospitals have been noticed from noisy areas in comparison with low noise regions. By use of diagnostic psychiatric interviews it has been shown as well, that in sensitive categories of population positive correlation can be expected between the number of persons with mental disorder and the level of environmental noise. Noise annoyance and sleep disturbance, namely shortening or absence of the sleep phase 4 and REM, are the basic negative psychological effects of noise, with an adverse effect on mental health in general.

Radiation and health effects. A report on the TMI-2 accident and related health studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1986-08-01

On March 28, 1979, the Unit 2 reactor at the Three Mile Island (TMI) Nuclear Station was severely damaged by an accident. Radioactivity was discharged to the environment resulting in a small amount of radiation exposure to the public. Continuing concerns by some members of the communities around TMI about the potential radiation-induced health effects prompted GPU Nuclear Corporation to examine the information gathered from the accident investigation in the context of our current knowledge of radiation and its effects on human health. Although this report deals with technical matters, the information is presented in a manner that can be understood by those who do not have scientific backgrounds. This report is divided into three major sections. The first section provides an overview of the past 80 years of relevant research on the subject of radiation and its effects on human health. During that time, scientists and physicians throughout the world have studied hundreds of thousands of individuals exposed to radiation from medical and occupational sources and from nuclear weapons explosions. Epidemiologic studies of humans, such as the Japanese survivors of the atomic bomb, have established that following exposure to large doses of radiation, certain health effects, including cancer, can be observed. Radiation-induced health effects from low doses of radiation, such as those associated with the TMI-2 accident, appear infrequently, if at all, and are identical and, therefore, indistinguishable from similar health effects which occur normally. For example, cancers induced by radiation are indistinguishable from those occurring spontaneously or normally. It is not possible, therefore, for scientists to determine directly whether radiation-induced health effects at low doses occur at all; such observations can only be inferred by statistical methods. The second section of this report provides a brief description of the TMI-2 accident. Most of the radioactivity from the

The Health Effects of Income Inequality: Averages and Disparities.

Science.gov (United States)

Truesdale, Beth C; Jencks, Christopher

2016-01-01

Much research has investigated the association of income inequality with average life expectancy, usually finding negative correlations that are not very robust. A smaller body of work has investigated socioeconomic disparities in life expectancy, which have widened in many countries since 1980. These two lines of work should be seen as complementary because changes in average life expectancy are unlikely to affect all socioeconomic groups equally. Although most theories imply long and variable lags between changes in income inequality and changes in health, empirical evidence is confined largely to short-term effects. Rising income inequality can affect individuals in two ways. Direct effects change individuals' own income. Indirect effects change other people's income, which can then change a society's politics, customs, and ideals, altering the behavior even of those whose own income remains unchanged. Indirect effects can thus change both average health and the slope of the relationship between individual income and health.

The effective use of fluorides in public health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jones, Sheila; Burt, Brian A; Petersen, Poul Erik

2005-01-01

, systematic reviews summarizing these extensive databases have indicated that water fluoridation and fluoride toothpastes both substantially reduce the prevalence and incidence of dental caries. We present four case studies that illustrate the use of fluoride in modern public health practice, focusing on......Dental caries remain a public health problem for many developing countries and for underprivileged populations in developed countries. This paper outlines the historical development of public health approaches to the use of fluoride and comments on their effectiveness. Early research...

The effects of terrorism on adult mental health: a public health preparedness approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sameera S. Karnik

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Terrorism is a disruptive man-made disaster event challenging human health and wellbeing. It is a hostile activity which brings about much casualty, even death. It not only causes physical casualties but also brings about psychological morbidity and can lead to long term mental disorders. The effects of terrorist attacks on people’s psychological health covers a wide range such as acute stress symptoms to long term disorders like Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD. The psychological disorder due to traumatic distress is treated with psychotherapies such as psychosocial intervention, psychological debriefing, psychological first aid care, psychological counseling services, and psychoeducation. Government is supporting state and local public health departments to develop efficient public health preparedness planning programs in case of emergency situations. There are some newer approaches working towards enhancing health security and managing responses to a psychological impact of a disaster event like a terrorist attack.

FLUORIDE: A REVIEW OF USE AND EFFECTS ON HEALTH

OpenAIRE

Kanduti, Domen; Sterbenk, Petra; Artnik, Barbara

2016-01-01

Introduction: Appropriate oral health care is fundamental for any individual?s health. Dental caries is still one of the major public health problems. The most effective way of caries prevention is the use of fluoride. Aim: The aim of our research was to review the literature about fluoride toxicity and to inform physicians, dentists and public health specialists whether fluoride use is expedient and safe. Methods: Data we used in our review were systematically searched and collected from web...

Effects of air pollution on human health

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heimann, H

1961-01-01

An appreciable amount of knowledge exists about the effects of community air pollution upon human health. This knowledge comes in part from direct studies of the air pollution health problem and in part from investigations done for other purposes. It is equally apparent that there are many aspects of the subject of the health effects of air pollution on which sound information is lacking. Many years undoubtedly will pass before we have the answers to all the questions involved. Man-made air pollution could be entirely eliminated, but the price that civilization would be required to pay for this would be exorbitant by any standards, whether monetary or otherwise. It is unreasonable to contemplate that we could put a stop to all combustion, the chief source of man-made air pollution. It is logical, however, to consider that the clarification of the air on a qualitatively and quantitatively selective basis is feasible, and in some cases, highly desirable. This can be done, for example, by selectively arresting the contaminants at their source. 404 references.

Health effects of low-level ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabrikant, J.I.

1979-04-01

It is now assumed that any exposure to radiaton at low levels of dose carries some risk of deleterious effects. How low this level may be, or the probability or magnitude of the risk, still are not known. Our best scientific knowledge and advice are essential for the protection of the public health, for the effective application of new technologies in medicine and industry and for guidance in the production of nuclear energy. Unless man wishes to dispense with those activities which inevitably involve exposure to low levels of ionizing radiations, he must recognize that some degree of risk to health, however small, exists. A pragmatic appraisal of how man wishes to continue to derive the benefits of health and happiness from such activities involving ionizing radiaton in times of everchanging conditions and public attitudes in our resource-limited society is the task which lies before all of us - all men and women of our society, of science and of medicine, and of law and government - now and in the future

Health inequalities by socioeconomic characteristics in Spain: the economic crisis effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Barroso, Clara; Abásolo, Ignacio; Cáceres, José J

2016-04-11

An economic crisis can widen health inequalities between individuals. The aim of this paper is to explore differences in the effect of socioeconomic characteristics on Spaniards' self-assessed health status, depending on the Spanish economic situation. Data from the 2006-2007 and 2011-2012 National Health Surveys were used and binary logit and probit models were estimated to approximate the effects of socioeconomic characteristics on the likelihood to report good health. The difference between high and low education levels leads to differences in the likelihood to report good health of 16.00-16.25 and 18.15-18.22 percentage points in 2006-07 and 2011-12, respectively. In these two periods, the difference between employees and unemployed is 5.24-5.40 and 4.60-4.90 percentage points, respectively. Additionally, the difference between people who live in households with better socioeconomic conditions and those who are in worse situation reaches 5.37-5.46 and 3.63-3.74 percentage points for the same periods, respectively. The magnitude of the contribution of socioeconomic characteristics to health inequalities changes with the economic cycle; but this effect is different depending on the socioeconomic characteristics indicator that is being measured. In recessive periods, health inequalities due to education level increase, but those linked to individual professional status and household living conditions are attenuated. When the joint effects of individuals' characteristics are considered, the economic crisis brings about a slight increase in the inequalities in the probability of reporting good health between the two extreme profiles of individuals. The design of public policies aimed at preventing any worsening of health inequalities during recession periods should take into account these differential effects of socioeconomic characteristics indicators on health inequalities.

About the Associate Director for Health of EPA's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL)

Science.gov (United States)

Dr. Ronald Hines serves as Associate Director for Health for the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development (ORD).

Effects of house prices on health: New evidence from Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Atalay, Kadir; Edwards, Rebecca; Liu, Betty Y J

2017-11-01

Recent house price variation has strongly affected households' housing wealth and debt, yet the non-economic consequences of these changes in housing wealth are still poorly understood. Using a sample of 19,000 individuals from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey (HILDA) for 2001-2015, we examine the relationship between house price fluctuations and individual health by exploiting large exogenous changes in house prices in Australia. We find that an increase in local house prices is associated with a positive effect on the physical health of outright owners and a negative effect on the physical and mental health of renters. Improvements in physical health for outright owners can be partially attributed to health-related investments and behaviours such as a reduction in weight, an increase in physical exercise and an increase in time allocated to home production. These findings support the presence of a health-wealth gradient through the wealth mechanism distinct from the effects of local area amenities and macroeconomic conditions. Our findings highlight some of the often-overlooked social impacts - both positive and negative - of fluctuations in the housing market. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Integrated Health Management Intervention on Overweight and Obesity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiting Yang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Overweight or obese adults aged 20~55 years and living in Beijing more than one year were randomly divided into different management groups. A one-year integrated health management intervention was applied in the health management groups. The physical indicators and metabolic indicators changed after one-year intervention on the overweight and obese adults. The annual reduction of the physical indicators was significant in all groups (p<0.05 except the weight loss in the placebo + general management group. The health management and the dietary supplement have statistically significant (p<0.001, p<0.001 effects on the annual reduction of these indicators and interactive effect between them was found on some of these indicators such as bodyweight, body mass index (BMI, body fat ratio (BFR, and hipline (p<0.05. The dietary supplement + health management group had the best annual reduction effects for the indicators among the groups. Integrated health management interventions including both dietary supplements intervention and health management could improve metabolic indicators in overweight and obese adults together with the physical indicators, suggesting the intermediated role of metabolic indictors in controlling obesity.

Factors increasing vulnerability to health effects before, during and after floods.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Dianne; Ebi, Kristie L; Forsberg, Bertil

2013-12-11

Identifying the risk factors for morbidity and mortality effects pre-, during and post-flood may aid the appropriate targeting of flood-related adverse health prevention strategies. We conducted a systematic PubMed search to identify studies examining risk factors for health effects of precipitation-related floods, among Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) member countries. Research identifying flood-related morbidity and mortality risk factors is limited and primarily examines demographic characteristics such as age and gender. During floods, females, elderly and children appear to be at greater risk of psychological and physical health effects, while males between 10 to 29 years may be at greater risk of mortality. Post-flood, those over 65 years and males are at increased risk of physical health effects, while females appear at greater risk of psychological health effects. Other risk factors include previous flood experiences, greater flood depth or flood trauma, existing illnesses, medication interruption, and low education or socio-economic status. Tailoring messages to high-risk groups may increase their effectiveness. Target populations differ for morbidity and mortality effects, and differ pre-, during, and post-flood. Additional research is required to identify the risk factors associated with pre- and post-flood mortality and post-flood morbidity, preferably using prospective cohort studies.

Measuring the health effects of gender.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, S P

2008-04-01

The health effects of gender are mediated via group-level constraints of sex roles and norms, discrimination and marginalisation of individuals, and internalisation of the stresses of role discordance. Although gender is frequently a lens through which data are interpreted there are few composite measures that insert gender as an independent variable into research design. Instead, sex disaggregation of data is often conflated with gender, identifying statistically significant but sometimes clinically insignificant sex differences. To directly assess the impact of gender on wellbeing requires development of group and individual-level derived variables. At the ecological level such a summative variable could be composed of a selection of group-level measures of equality between sexes. This gender index could be used in ecological and individual-level studies of health outcomes. A quantitative indicator of gender role acceptance and of the personal effects of gender inequities could insert the often hidden variable of gender into individual-level clinical research.

Effect of Health Comparisons on Functional Health and Depressive Symptoms - Results of a Population-Based Longitudinal Study of Older Adults in Germany.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Hajek

Full Text Available To investigate the effect of health comparisons on functional health and depressive symptoms in a longitudinal approach. Gender differences were examined.The German Ageing Survey (DEAS is a nationwide, representative longitudinal study of community dwelling individuals living in Germany aged 40 and older. The surveys in 2008 and 2011 were used, with n = 3,983 respondents taking part in both waves. Health comparisons were quantified by the question "How would you rate your health compared with other people your age" (Much better; somewhat better; the same; somewhat worse, much worse. Functional health was assessed by the subscale "physical functioning" of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36 and depressive symptoms were measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D.Adjusting for sociodemographic factors, self-assessed health, social network, self-efficacy and optimism, and morbidity, fixed effects regressions revealed that functional health decreased significantly and considerably with negative health comparisons in the total sample (transitions from 'the same' to 'much worse': β = -11.8, predominantly in men. The effects of negative health comparisons (transitions from 'the same' to 'much worse': β = 4.8 on depressive symptoms were comparable (in terms of significance to the effects on functional health, with stronger effects in women. Positive comparisons did not affect functional health and depressive symptoms.Our findings underline the relevance of negative health comparisons on functional health (men and depressive symptoms (women. Comparison effects are asymmetric and mostly upwards.

The Effect of Working Hours on Health

OpenAIRE

Berniell, Maria Ines; Bietenbeck, Jan

2017-01-01

Does working time causally affect workers' health? We study this question in the context of a French reform which reduced the standard workweek from 39 to 35 hours, at constant earnings. Our empirical analysis exploits variation in the adoption of this shorter workweek across employers, which is mainly driven by institutional features of the reform and thus exogenous to workers' health. Difference-in-differences and lagged dependent variable regressions reveal a negative effect of working hou...

Digital.CSIC Annual Report 2013

OpenAIRE

Román-Molina, Juan; Oficina Técnica de Digital.CSIC

2014-01-01

La Memoria 2013 de DIGITAL.CSIC repasa los logros más destacados del repositorio institucional del CSIC en 3 grandes líneas de actividades: desarrollo de contenidos y servicios a investigadores, formación y colaboración con otras iniciativas de acceso abierto e impacto de la producción científica y estrategias de difusión y marketing.

ZELIZER, Barbie y TENENBOIM-WEINBLATT, Karen (Edit. (2014, Journalism and Memory, Croydon, Palgrave MacMillan, 2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Javier Callejo Gallego

2015-01-01

Full Text Available El periodismo vuelto del revés, mirando hacia atrás, como repositorio de lo que ha pasado. Reflexionar sobre tal reversión es el objetivo del libro editado por Zelizer y Tenenboim-Weinblatt. Un juego oportuno que permite, en su estado actual, la diversidad de miradas que presenta este texto y, por lo tanto, la desigualdad en los enfoques.

What health professionals should know about the health effects of air pollution and climate change on children and pregnant mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Poursafa, Parinaz; Kelishadi, Roya

2011-01-01

Health professionals face the adverse health effects of climate change and air pollution in their practices. This review underscores the effects of these environmental factors on maternal and children's health, as the most vulnerable groups to climate change and air pollution. We reviewed electronic databases for a search of the literature to find relevant studies published in English from 1990 to 2011. Environmental factors, notably climate change and air pollution influence children's health before conception and continue during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence. Experts have suggested that such health hazards may represent the greatest public health challenge that humanity has faced. The accumulation of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, primarily from burning fossil fuels, results in warming which has an impact on air pollution particularly on levels of ozone and particulates. Heat-related health effects include increased rates of pregnancy complications, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, low birth weight, renal effects, vector-borne diseases as malaria and dengue, increased diarrheal and respiratory disease, food insecurity, decreased quality of foods (notably grains), malnutrition, water scarcity, exposures to toxic chemicals, worsened poverty, natural disasters and population displacement. Air pollution has many adverse health effects for mothers and children. In addition to short-term effects like premature labour, intrauterine growth retardation, neonatal and infant mortality rate, malignancies (notably leukaemia and Hodgkin lymphoma), respiratory diseases, allergic disorders and anaemia, exposure to criteria air pollutants from early life might be associated with increase in stress oxidative, inflammation and endothelial dysfunction which in turn might have long-term effects on chronic non-communicable diseases. Health professionals have an exclusive capability to help prevent and reduce the harmful effects of environmental factors for high-risk groups

Health Effects of PCBs in Residences and Schools (HESPERUS)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bräuner, Elvira; Andersen, Zorana Jovanovic; Frederiksen, Marie

2016-01-01

Polychlorinated-biphenyls (PCBs) were introduced in the late 1920s and used until the 1970s when they were banned in most countries due to evidence of environmental build-up and possible adverse health effects. However they still persist in the environment, indoors and in humans. Indoor air...... in contaminated buildings may confer airborne exposure markedly above background regional PCB levels. To date, no epidemiological studies have assessed the health effects from exposure to semi-volatile PCBs in the indoor environment. Indoor air PCBs are generally less chlorinated than PCBs that are absorbed via...... the diet, or via past occupational exposure; therefore their health effects require separate risk assessment. Two separate cohorts of individuals who have either attended schools (n = 66,769; 26% exposed) or lived in apartment buildings (n = 37,185; 19% exposed), where indoor air PCB concentrations have...

Effect of age, education and health status on community dwelling older men's health concerns.

Science.gov (United States)

Tannenbaum, Cara

2012-06-01

A significant gap in evidence characterizes the process of establishing patient-centered health priorities for older men. A cross-sectional postal survey of 2325 Canadian community dwelling men aged 55-97 years old was conducted in 2008 to gauge older men's level of concern for 24 different health items, to determine the impact of age, education and health status on these perceptions, and to ascertain whether men perceive that their health concerns are being attended to. Health issues of greatest concern to men were mobility impairment (64% of respondents), memory loss (64%), and medication side effects (63%). Respondents with lower educational attainment expressed greater concern about their health and were almost 2-fold times more likely to report being concerned about stroke, heart disease and prostate disorders in analyses that controlled for age and health status. Physical and mental health were independently associated with various concerns about health, but old age was not a reliable predictor, with only younger men (erectile dysfunction. Health items of greatest concern to men tended to be those with the lowest screening or counseling rates: these included incontinence, osteoporosis, mobility impairment, falls, anxiety issues, memory loss and depression. An improved consumer-guided agenda for addressing older men's health in the coming decade is urgently required.

Racism, other discriminations and effects on health.

Science.gov (United States)

Gil-González, Diana; Vives-Cases, Carmen; Borrell, Carme; Agudelo-Suárez, Andrés A; Davó-Blanes, Mari Carmen; Miralles, Juanjo; Álvarez-Dardet, Carlos

2014-04-01

We study the probability of perceived racism/other forms of discrimination on immigrant and Spanish populations within different public spheres and show their effect on the health of immigrants using a cross-sectional design (ENS-06). perceived racism/other forms of discrimination (exposure), socio-demographic (explicative), health indicators (dependent). Frequencies, prevalences, and bivariate/multivariate analysis were conducted separately for men (M) and women (W). We estimated the health problems attributable to racism through the population attributable proportion (PAP). Immigrants perceived more racism than Spaniards in workplace (ORM = 48.1; 95% CI 28.2-82.2), and receiving health care (ORW = 48.3; 95% CI 24.7-94.4). Racism and other forms of discrimination were associated with poor mental health (ORM = 5.6; 95% CI 3.9-8.2; ORW = 7.3; 95% CI 4.1-13.0) and injury (ORW = 30.6; 95% CI 13.6-68.7). It is attributed to perceived racism the 80.1% of consumption of psychotropics (M), and to racism with other forms of discrimination the 52.3% of cases of injury (W). Racism plays a role as a health determinant.

[Dependent relative: Effects on family health].

Science.gov (United States)

Estrada Fernández, M Eugenia; Gil Lacruz, Ana I; Gil Lacruz, Marta; Viñas López, Antonio

2018-01-01

The purpose of this work is to analyse the effects on informal caregiver's health and lifestyle when living with a dependent person at home. A comparison will be made between this situation and other situations involving commitment of time and energy, taking into account gender and age differences in each stage of the life cycle. Cross-sectional study analysing secondary data. The method used for collecting information is the computer assisted personal interview carried out in selected homes by the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality. The study included 19,351 participants aged over 25 years who completed the 2011-2012 Spanish National Health Survey. This research is based on demographic information obtained from a Spanish National Health Survey (2011/12). Using an empirical framework, the Logit model was select and the data reported as odds ratio. The estimations were repeated independently by sub-groups of age and gender. The study showed that the health of people who share their lives with a dependent person is worse than those who do not have any dependent person at home (they are 5 times at higher risk of developing health problems). The study found that being a woman, advance age, low educational level and does not work, also has an influence. Being a caregiver reduces the likelihood of maintaining a healthy lifestyle through physical exercise, relaxation, or eating a balanced diet. Living with a dependent person reduces the likelihood of maintaining healthy lifestyles and worsens the state of health of family members. Significant differences in gender and age were found. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of motivational interviewing at improving oral health: a systematic review

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Andreia Morales Cascaes

2014-02-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE : To analyze the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI at improving oral health behaviors (oral hygiene habits, sugar consumption, dental services utilization or use of fluoride and dental clinical outcomes (dental plaque, dental caries and periodontal status. METHODS : A systematic search of PubMed, LILACS, SciELO, PsyINFO, Cochrane and Google Scholar bibliographic databases was conducted looking for intervention studies that investigated MI as the main approach to improving the oral health outcomes investigated. RESULTS : Of the 78 articles found, ten met the inclusion criteria, all based on randomized controlled trials. Most studies (n = 8 assessed multiple outcomes. Five interventions assessed the impact of MI on oral health behaviors and nine on clinical outcomes (three on dental caries, six on dental plaque, four on gingivitis and three on periodontal pockets. Better quality of evidence was provided by studies that investigated dental caries, which also had the largest population samples. The evidence of the effect of MI on improving oral health outcomes is conflicting. Four studies reported positive effects of MI on oral health outcomes whereas another four showed null effect. In two interventions, the actual difference between groups was not reported or able to be recalculated. CONCLUSIONS : We found inconclusive effectiveness for most oral health outcomes. We need more and better designed and reported interventions to fully assess the impact of MI on oral health and understand the appropriate dosage for the counseling interventions.

The Effectiveness of Health Care Information Technologies: Evaluation of Trust, Security Beliefs, and Privacy as Determinants of Health Care Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Background The diffusion of health information technologies (HITs) within the health care sector continues to grow. However, there is no theory explaining how success of HITs influences patient care outcomes. With the increase in data breaches, HITs’ success now hinges on the effectiveness of data protection solutions. Still, empirical research has only addressed privacy concerns, with little regard for other factors of information assurance. Objective The objective of this study was to study the effectiveness of HITs using the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model (DMISSM). We examined the role of information assurance constructs (ie, the role of information security beliefs, privacy concerns, and trust in health information) as measures of HIT effectiveness. We also investigated the relationships between information assurance and three aspects of system success: attitude toward health information exchange (HIE), patient access to health records, and perceived patient care quality. Methods Using structural equation modeling, we analyzed the data from a sample of 3677 cancer patients from a public dataset. We used R software (R Project for Statistical Computing) and the Lavaan package to test the hypothesized relationships. Results Our extension of the DMISSM to health care was supported. We found that increased privacy concerns reduce the frequency of patient access to health records use, positive attitudes toward HIE, and perceptions of patient care quality. Also, belief in the effectiveness of information security increases the frequency of patient access to health records and positive attitude toward HIE. Trust in health information had a positive association with attitudes toward HIE and perceived patient care quality. Trust in health information had no direct effect on patient access to health records; however, it had an indirect relationship through privacy concerns. Conclusions Trust in health information and belief in the effectiveness of

The Effectiveness of Health Care Information Technologies: Evaluation of Trust, Security Beliefs, and Privacy as Determinants of Health Care Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kisekka, Victoria; Giboney, Justin Scott

2018-04-11

The diffusion of health information technologies (HITs) within the health care sector continues to grow. However, there is no theory explaining how success of HITs influences patient care outcomes. With the increase in data breaches, HITs' success now hinges on the effectiveness of data protection solutions. Still, empirical research has only addressed privacy concerns, with little regard for other factors of information assurance. The objective of this study was to study the effectiveness of HITs using the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model (DMISSM). We examined the role of information assurance constructs (ie, the role of information security beliefs, privacy concerns, and trust in health information) as measures of HIT effectiveness. We also investigated the relationships between information assurance and three aspects of system success: attitude toward health information exchange (HIE), patient access to health records, and perceived patient care quality. Using structural equation modeling, we analyzed the data from a sample of 3677 cancer patients from a public dataset. We used R software (R Project for Statistical Computing) and the Lavaan package to test the hypothesized relationships. Our extension of the DMISSM to health care was supported. We found that increased privacy concerns reduce the frequency of patient access to health records use, positive attitudes toward HIE, and perceptions of patient care quality. Also, belief in the effectiveness of information security increases the frequency of patient access to health records and positive attitude toward HIE. Trust in health information had a positive association with attitudes toward HIE and perceived patient care quality. Trust in health information had no direct effect on patient access to health records; however, it had an indirect relationship through privacy concerns. Trust in health information and belief in the effectiveness of information security safeguards increases

Effectiveness of eHealth interventions for reducing mental health conditions in employees: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Elizabeth Stratton

Full Text Available Many organisations promote eHealth applications as a feasible, low-cost method of addressing mental ill-health and stress amongst their employees. However, there are good reasons why the efficacy identified in clinical or other samples may not generalize to employees, and many Apps are being developed specifically for this group. The aim of this paper is to conduct the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the evidence for the effectiveness and examine the relative efficacy of different types of eHealth interventions for employees.Systematic searches were conducted for relevant articles published from 1975 until November 17, 2016, of trials of eHealth mental health interventions (App or web-based focused on the mental health of employees. The quality and bias of all identified studies was assessed. We extracted means and standard deviations from published reports, comparing the difference in effect sizes (Hedge's g in standardized mental health outcomes. We meta-analysed these using a random effects model, stratified by length of follow up, intervention type, and whether the intervention was universal (unselected or targeted to selected groups e.g. "stressed".23 controlled trials of eHealth interventions were identified which overall suggested a small positive effect at both post intervention (g = 0.24, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.35 and follow up (g = 0.23, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.42. There were differential short term effects seen between the intervention types whereby Mindfulness based interventions (g = 0.60, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.85, n = 6 showed larger effects than the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT based (g = 0.15, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.29, n = 11 and Stress Management based (g = 0.17, 95%CI -0.01 to 0.34, n = 6 interventions. The Stress Management interventions however differed by whether delivered to universal or targeted groups with a moderately large effect size at both post-intervention (g = 0.64, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.85 and follow

Effectiveness of eHealth interventions for reducing mental health conditions in employees: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Stratton, Elizabeth; Lampit, Amit; Choi, Isabella; Calvo, Rafael A; Harvey, Samuel B; Glozier, Nicholas

2017-01-01

Many organisations promote eHealth applications as a feasible, low-cost method of addressing mental ill-health and stress amongst their employees. However, there are good reasons why the efficacy identified in clinical or other samples may not generalize to employees, and many Apps are being developed specifically for this group. The aim of this paper is to conduct the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the evidence for the effectiveness and examine the relative efficacy of different types of eHealth interventions for employees. Systematic searches were conducted for relevant articles published from 1975 until November 17, 2016, of trials of eHealth mental health interventions (App or web-based) focused on the mental health of employees. The quality and bias of all identified studies was assessed. We extracted means and standard deviations from published reports, comparing the difference in effect sizes (Hedge's g) in standardized mental health outcomes. We meta-analysed these using a random effects model, stratified by length of follow up, intervention type, and whether the intervention was universal (unselected) or targeted to selected groups e.g. "stressed". 23 controlled trials of eHealth interventions were identified which overall suggested a small positive effect at both post intervention (g = 0.24, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.35) and follow up (g = 0.23, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.42). There were differential short term effects seen between the intervention types whereby Mindfulness based interventions (g = 0.60, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.85, n = 6) showed larger effects than the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) based (g = 0.15, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.29, n = 11) and Stress Management based (g = 0.17, 95%CI -0.01 to 0.34, n = 6) interventions. The Stress Management interventions however differed by whether delivered to universal or targeted groups with a moderately large effect size at both post-intervention (g = 0.64, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.85) and follow-up (g = 0

Influence of Health Warnings on Beliefs about the Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking, in the Context of an Experimental Study in Four Asian Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica L. Reid

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Cigarette package health warnings can be an important and low-cost means of communicating the health risks of smoking. We examined whether viewing health warnings in an experimental study influenced beliefs about the health effects of smoking, by conducting surveys with ~500 adult male smokers and ~500 male and female youth (age 16–18 in Beijing, China (n = 1070, Mumbai area, India (n = 1012, Dhaka, Bangladesh (n = 1018, and Republic of Korea (n = 1362. Each respondent was randomly assigned to view and rate pictorial health warnings for 2 of 15 different health effects, after which they reported beliefs about whether smoking caused 12 health effects. Respondents who viewed relevant health warnings (vs. other warnings were significantly more likely to believe that smoking caused that particular health effect, for several health effects in each sample. Approximately three-quarters of respondents in China (Beijing, Bangladesh (Dhaka, and Korea (which had general, text-only warnings thought that cigarette packages should display more health information, compared to approximately half of respondents in the Mumbai area, India (which had detailed pictorial warnings. Pictorial health warnings that convey the risk of specific health effects from smoking can increase beliefs and knowledge about the health consequences of smoking, particularly for health effects that are lesser-known.

HEALTH LOCUS OF CONTROL PERCEPTION OF ADOLESCENTS, AND ITS EFFECTS ON THEIR HEALTH BEHAVIOURS

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Ruhi Selcuk TABAK

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Main objective of this study is to investigate the relationships between health locus of control perceptions and health behaviours of adolescents as well as the effectiveness of lectures on health locus of control to them. The subjects of our study are 192 students in 6 groups of the 9. Grade students of a high school. Three groups of 108 students were randomly selected as the experiment group who were subjected to 4 class-hours specific lectures on health locus of control. The rest 84 students constituted the control group. A 34-item questionnaire for health behaviours and the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLOC, were filled by the students before and after the lectures. The lectures on health locus of control increased the perception of internal health locus of control of adolescents while decreasing chance health locus of control. The differences between experiment and control groups in this aspect were found to be statistically significant. Internal health locus of control is the main source for the increase of responsibility and management of individuals on their health. The relations that were detected between students’ health behaviours and information solicitation and their perceptions of health locus of control showed that the students with higher internal health locus of control are more eager to be responsible and active for their health, especially, for the health behaviours such as physical exercise, smoking, tooth-brushing, medical check-ups so on. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2006; 5(2.000: 118-130

Shifting schedules: the health effects of reorganizing shift work.

Science.gov (United States)

Bambra, Clare L; Whitehead, Margaret M; Sowden, Amanda J; Akers, Joanne; Petticrew, Mark P

2008-05-01

Approximately one fifth of workers are engaged in some kind of shift work. The harmful effects of shift work on the health and work-life balance of employees are well known. A range of organizational interventions has been suggested to address these negative effects. This study undertook the systematic review (following Quality Of Reporting Of Meta [QUORUM] analyses guidelines) of experimental and quasi-experimental studies, from any country (in any language) that evaluated the effects on health and work-life balance of organizational-level interventions that redesign shift work schedules. Twenty-seven electronic databases (medical, social science, economic) were searched. Data extraction and quality appraisal were carried out by two independent reviewers. Narrative synthesis was performed. The review was conducted between October 2005 and November 2006. Twenty-six studies were found relating to a variety of organizational interventions. No one type of intervention was found to be consistently harmful to workers. However, three types were found to have beneficial effects on health and work-life balance: (1) switching from slow to fast rotation, (2) changing from backward to forward rotation, and (3) self-scheduling of shifts. Improvements were usually at little or no direct organizational cost. However, there were concerns about the generalizability of the evidence, and no studies reported on impacts on health inequalities. This review reinforces the findings of epidemiologic and laboratory-based research by suggesting that certain organizational-level interventions can improve the health of shift workers, their work-life balance, or both. This evidence could be useful when designing interventions to improve the experience of shift work.

Effects of exercise dependence on psychological health of Chinese college students.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Menglong; Nie, Jingsong; Ren, Yujia

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise dependence on the psychological health of Chinese college students. A total of 1601 college students from three universities in Hunan, China, were selected as research subjects. Several measurement scales, including the Exercise Addiction Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Subjective Well-being Scale, were used to survey the psychological health problem of these students and to analyze the effects of exercise dependence on their psychological health. Exercise dependence, based on the structural equation model analysis, can positively influence state anxiety (Pexercise dependence negatively influences students' self-satisfaction (PExercise dependence adversely affects the psychological health of college students. Further research using multi-dimensional exercise addiction scales should be conducted to identify all the negative effects of exercise addiction factors on psychological health.

What Factors Impact Consumer Perception of the Effectiveness of Health Information Sites? An Investigation of the Korean National Health Information Portal.

Science.gov (United States)

Choung, Ji Tae; Lee, Yoon Seong; Jo, Heui Sug; Shim, Minsun; Lee, Hun Jae; Jung, Su Mi

2017-07-01

Lay public's concerns around health and health information are increasing. In response, governments and government agencies are establishing websites to address such concerns and improve health literacy by providing better access to validated health information. Since 2011, the Korean government has constructed the National Health Information Portal (NHIP) website run in collaboration with the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (KAMS). This study therefore aimed to 1) examine consumer use of NHIP, with respect to the usage patterns, evaluation on health information provided, and perceived effectiveness of the site; and 2) identify factors that may impact perceived effectiveness of the site. An online survey was conducted with 164 NHIP users, recruited through a popup window on the main screen of the portal website from October to November 2015. The significant predicting factors supported by the data include the relevance of health information on the site, the usefulness of information in making health decisions, and the effective visualization of information. These factors can inform future efforts to design more effective health information websites, possibly based on metadata systems, to further advance the lay public's information seeking and health literacy. © 2017 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Effect of health education on knowledge and prevention on Hepatitis ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effect of health education on knowledge and prevention on Hepatitis infection among secondary school students in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo state. ... Based on these findings, the study recommended that health education/ health campaign should be directed to school students and Specific risk practices ...

Biologic effects and health hazards of microwave radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Czerski, P; Ostrowski, K; Shore, M L; Silverman, C., Suess, M.J.; Waldeskog, B

1974-01-01

Proceedings of an international symposium held in Warsaw, 15--18 Oct. 1973, sponsored by the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and the Polish Scientific Council to the Minister of Health and Social Welfare are presented. It covered numerous aspects of exposure to microwave radiation. The papers more specifically relating to occupational exposure to microwaves deal with: measurement of microwave radiations, clinical manifestations, neurological findings, health status of microwave workers, blood protein disorders, effects of electromagnetic fields in densely populated areas, microwave cataract and concomitant pathology, retinal changes, assessment of lens translucency in microwave workers. A list of participants at the symposium and an author and subject index are appended.

Health Effects of Ozone and Particle Pollution

Science.gov (United States)

... this page: Health Effects of Ozone and Particle Pollution Two types of air pollution dominate in the ... So what are ozone and particle pollution? Ozone Pollution It may be hard to imagine that pollution ...

Health effects of exhaust particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pihlava, T.; Uuppo, M.; Niemi, S.

2013-11-01

This report introduces general information about diesel particles and their health effects. The purpose of this report is to introduce particulate matter pollution and present some recent studies made regarding the health effects of particulate matter. The aim is not to go very deeply into the science, but instead to keep the text understandable for the average layman. Particulate matter is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. These small particles are made up of a number of components that include for example acids, such as nitrates and sulphates, as well as organic chemicals, metals and dust particles from the soil. Particulate matter comes from several sources, such as transportation emissions, industrial emissions, forest fires, cigarette smoke, volcanic ash and climate variations. Particles are divided into coarse particles with diameters less than 10 ..m, fine particles with diameters smaller than 2.5 ..m and ultra-fine particles with diameters less than 0.1 ..m. The particulate matter in diesel exhaust gas is a highly complex mixture of organic, inorganic, solid, volatile and partly volatile compounds. Many of these particles do not form until they reach the air. Many carcinogenic compounds have been found in diesel exhaust gas and it is considered carcinogenic to humans. Particulate matter can cause several health effects, such as premature death in persons with heart or lung disease, cancer, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function and an increase in respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing. It is estimated that in Finland about 1300 people die prematurely due to particles and the economic loss in the EU due to the health effects of particles can be calculated in the billions. Ultra-fine particles are considered to be the most harmful to human health. Ultrafine particles usually make the most of their quantity and surface area

Redistributive effects of Swedish health care finance.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerdtham, U G; Sundberg, G

1998-01-01

This paper investigates the redistributive effects of the Swedish health care financing system in 1980 and 1990 for four different financial sources: county council taxes, payroll taxes, direct payments and state grants. The redistributive effects are decomposed into vertical, horizontal and 'reranking' segments for each of the four financial sources. The data used are based on probability samples of the Swedish population, from the Level of Living Survey (LNU) from 1981 and 1991. The paper concludes that the Swedish health care financing system is weakly progressive, although direct payments are regressive. There is some horizontal inequity and 'reranking', which mainly comes from the county council taxes, since those tax rates vary for each county council. The implication is that, to some extent, people with equal incomes are treated unequally.

How lay health workers tailor in effective health behaviour change interventions: a protocol for a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodgins, Faith; Gnich, Wendy; Ross, Alastair J; Sherriff, Andrea; Worlledge-Andrew, Heather

2016-06-16

Lay health workers (LHWs) are utilised as a channel of delivery in many health interventions. While they have no formal professional training related to their role, they utilise their connections with the target group or community in order to reach individuals who would not normally readily engage with health services. Lay health worker programmes are often based on psychological theories of behaviour change that point to 'tailoring to individuals' needs or characteristics' as key to success. Although lay health workers have been shown to be effective in many contexts, there is, as yet, little clarity when it comes to how LHWs assess individuals' needs in order to tailor their interventions. This study aims to develop a better understanding of the effective implementation of tailoring in lay health worker interventions by appraising evidence and synthesising studies that report evaluations of tailored interventions. Health and psychology electronic databases (EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE and PsycINFO) will be searched. Reference lists of included studies will also be searched. For articles that are deemed to be potentially relevant, we will employ a 'cluster searching' technique in order to identify all published papers related to a relevant intervention. Cluster searching will be undertaken in an effort to maximise the breadth and depth of description of the intervention. Quantitative studies will be assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies, developed by the Effective Public Health Practice Project, ON, Canada. Qualitative studies will be assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist for qualitative research. Sythesising the data will enable the development of a taxonomy of strategies for the criteria used for individual assessment of recipients' needs and the ways in which messages or actions are tailored to these individual criteria by LHWs. This systematic review focuses specifically on how health promotion and

The health effects of low-dose ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixit, A.N.; Dixit, Nishant

2012-01-01

It has been established by various researches, that high doses of ionizing radiation are harmful to health. There is substantial controversy regarding the effects of low doses of ionizing radiation despite the large amount of work carried out (both laboratory and epidemiological). Exposure to high levels of radiation can cause radiation injury, and these injuries can be relatively severe with sufficiently high radiation doses. Prolonged exposure to low levels of radiation may lead to cancer, although the nature of our response to very low radiation levels is not well known at this time. Many of our radiation safety regulations and procedures are designed to protect the health of those exposed to radiation occupationally or as members of the public. According to the linear no-threshold (LNT) hypothesis, any amount, however small, of radiation is potentially harmful, even down to zero levels. The threshold hypothesis, on the other hand, emphasizes that below a certain threshold level of radiation exposure, any deleterious effects are absent. At the same time, there are strong arguments, both experimental and epidemiological, which support the radiation hormesis (beneficial effects of low-level ionizing radiation). These effects cannot be anticipated by extrapolating from harmful effects noted at high doses. Evidence indicates an inverse relationship between chronic low-dose radiation levels and cancer incidence and/or mortality rates. Examples are drawn from: 1) state surveys for more than 200 million people in the United States; 2) state cancer hospitals for 200 million people in India; 3) 10,000 residents of Taipei who lived in cobalt-60 contaminated homes; 4) high-radiation areas of Ramsar, Iran; 5) 12 million person-years of exposed and carefully selected control nuclear workers; 6) almost 300,000 radon measurements of homes in the United States; and 7) non-smokers in high-radon areas of early Saxony, Germany. This evidence conforms to the hypothesis that

[Study protocol on the effect of the economic crisis on mortality and reproductive health and health inequalities in Spain].

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, Glòria; Gotsens, Mercè; Palència, Laia; Marí-Dell'Olmo, Marc; Domínguez-Berjón, M Felicitas; Rodríguez-Sanz, Maica; Puig, Vanessa; Bartoll, Xavier; Gandarillas, Ana; Martín, Unai; Bacigalupe, Amaia; Díez, Elia; Ruiz, Miguel; Esnaola, Santiago; Calvo, Montserrat; Sánchez, Pablo; Luque Fernández, Miguel Ángel; Borrell, Carme

The aim is to present the protocol of the two sub-studies on the effect of the economic crisis on mortality and reproductive health and health inequalities in Spain. Substudy 1: describe the evolution of mortality and reproductive health between 1990 and 2013 through a longitudinal ecological study in the Autonomous Communities. This study will identify changes caused by the economic crisis in trends or reproductive health and mortality indicators using panel data (17 Autonomous Communities per study year) and adjusting Poisson models with random effects variance. Substudy 2: analyse inequalities by socioeconomic deprivation in mortality and reproductive health in several areas of Spain. An ecological study analysing trends in the pre-crisis (1999-2003 and 2004-2008) and crisis (2009-2013) periods will be performed. Random effects models Besag York and Mollié will be adjusted to estimate mortality indicators softened in reproductive health and census tracts. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The effect of perceived health status on patient satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Hong; Barber, Janet P

2008-01-01

To examine the effect of perceived health status on three components of patient satisfaction. The Household Component of the 1999 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for people 35-64 years of age was used to examine the effect of perceived health status on patient satisfaction measured in terms of access to care, provider quality and quality of care. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression were used to describe the subjects and to examine the relationship between patient satisfaction and perceived health status controlling for patient demographic factors, health factors and provider characteristics. All analyses used STATA 8.0 which is designed to analyze weighted data. A total of 4,417 patients (71% women) met the inclusion criteria for the study. Patients who rated their health excellent or good scored higher on the three dimensions of patient satisfaction. Higher scores on one or more components of patient satisfaction were associated with being older, married, better educated and having higher income, health insurance and good mental health. Seeing the health-care provider for an old problem resulted in lower levels of patient satisfaction. Provider characteristics significantly related to patient satisfaction were listening to the patient, being a specialist, seeing patients in an office setting and being located in the South. This study has shown that patient satisfaction is influenced by a person's self-perceived health status and other personal characteristics that are external to the delivery of health care. These findings suggest that patient satisfaction data should be used judiciously because a significant portion of the variation may be attributed to factors endogenous to the patient and therefore are not amenable to provider intervention.

Radiological health effects models for nuclear power plant accident consequence analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, J.S.; Moeller, D.W.

1989-01-01

Improved health effects models have been developed for assessing the early effects, late somatic effects and genetic effects that might result from low-LET radiation exposures to populations following a major accident in a nuclear power plant. All the models have been developed in such a way that the dynamics of population risks can be analyzed. Estimates of life years lost and the duration of illnesses were generated and a framework recommended for summarizing health impacts. Uncertainty is addressed by providing models for upper, central and lower estimates of most effects. The models are believed to be a significant improvement over the models used in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Reactor Safety Study, and they can easily be modified to reflect advances in scientific understanding of the health effects of ionizing radiation

Electronic cigarettes: human health effects

OpenAIRE

Callahan-Lyon, Priscilla

2014-01-01

Objective With the rapid increase in use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), users and non-users are exposed to the aerosol and product constituents. This is a review of published data on the human health effects of exposure to e-cigarettes and their components. Methods Literature searches were conducted through September 2013 using multiple electronic databases. Results Forty-four articles are included in this analysis. E-cigarette ae...

Racial and ethnic health disparities: evidence of discrimination's effects across the SEP spectrum.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Anna, Laura Hoyt; Ponce, Ninez A; Siegel, Judith M

2010-04-01

Perceived discrimination is a psychosocial stressor that plays a role in explaining racial/ethnic disparities in self-reported physical and mental health. The purpose of this paper is: (1) to investigate the association between perceived discrimination in receiving healthcare and racial/ethnic disparities in self-rated health status, physical, and emotional functional limitations among a diverse sample of California adults; (2) to assess whether discrimination effects vary by racial/ethnic group and gender; and (3) to evaluate how the effects of discrimination on health are manifest across the socioeconomic position (SEP) spectrum. Data were drawn from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey adult file (n=55,428). The analytic approach employed multivariate linear and logistic regressions. Discrimination is qualitatively identified into two types: (1) discrimination due to race/ethnicity, language, or accent, and (2) other discrimination. Findings show that both types of discrimination negatively influenced self-rated health, and were associated with a two to three-fold odds of limitations in physical and emotional health. Further, these effects varied by racial/ethnic group and gender, and the effects were mixed. Most notably, for emotional health, racial/ethnic discrimination penalized Latinas more than non-Latina Whites, but for physical health, other discrimination was less detrimental to Latinas than it was to non-Latina Whites. At higher levels of SEP, the effects of racial/ethnic discrimination on self-rated health and other discriminations' effects on physical health were attenuated. Higher SEP may serve as an important mitigator, particularly when comparing the medium to the low SEP categories. It is also possible that SEP effects cannot be extracted from the relationships of interest in that SEP is an expression of social discrimination. In fact, negative health effects associated with discrimination are evident across the SEP spectrum. This study

Health effects of air quality regulations in Delhi, India

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, Andrew; Kumar, Naresh

2011-03-01

This, the first systematic study, quantifies the health effects of air quality regulations in Delhi, which adopted radical measures to improve air quality, including, for example, the conversion of all commercial vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG), and the closure of polluting industries in residential areas from 2000 to 2002. Air pollution data, collected at 113 sites (spread across Delhi and its neighboring areas) from July-December 2003, were used to compute exposure at the place of residence of 3989 subjects. A socio-economic and respiratory health survey was administered in 1576 households. This survey collected time-use, residence histories, demographic information, and direct measurements of lung function with subjects. The optimal interpolation methods were used to link air pollution and respiratory health data at the place of their residence. Resident histories, in combination with secondary data, were used to impute cumulative exposure prior to the air-quality interventions, and the effects of recent air quality measures on lung function were then evaluated. Three important findings emerge from the analysis. First, the interventions were associated with a significant improvement in respiratory health. Second, the effect of these interventions varied significantly by gender and income. Third, consistent with a causal interpretation of these results, effects were the strongest among those individuals who spend a disproportionate share of their time out-of-doors.

Effects of Stress on Students' Physical and Mental Health and Academic Success

Science.gov (United States)

Shankar, Nilani L.; Park, Crystal L.

2016-01-01

Stress affects students in multiple ways. This article provides a conceptual overview of the direct (e.g., psychoneuroimmunological, endocrine) and indirect (health behavior) pathways through which stress affects physical health, the psychological effects of stress on mental health, and the cognitive effects of stress (e.g., attention,…

Public relations effectiveness in public health institutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Springston, Jeffrey K; Weaver Lariscy, Ruth Ann

2005-01-01

This article explores public relations effectiveness in public health institutions. First, the two major elements that comprise public relations effectiveness are discussed: reputation management and stakeholder relations. The factors that define effective reputation management are examined, as are the roles of issues and crisis management in building and maintaining reputation. The article also examines the major facets of stakeholder relations, including an inventory of stakeholder linkages and key audiences, such as the media. Finally, methods of evaluating public relations effectiveness at both the program level and the institutional level are explored.

The effect of military deployment on mental health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vincent, Stéphanie; Weatherall, Cecilie Dohlmann; W. Jepsen, Peter

2016-01-01

Public concern about soldiers’ mental health has increased over the last decade. Yet the large literature on the mental health problems of returning soldiers relies primarily on self-reported measures that may suffer from non-response bias, usually refers to older conflicts, and focuses mainly...... on specific diagnoses such as PTSD. Another challenge is that the differences between soldiers and non-soldiers are not necessarily causal, instead possibly reflecting an underlying propensity towards active military service. Using the objective measures of hospitalizations and the purchase of mental health...... medication, this paper is the first to investigate the effect of recent military deployments on a broader measure of mental health, for a full population of Danish soldiers and a comparison group of eligible men. We exploit a panel of Danish health administrative records and use propensity score matching...

Health effects of radiation damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gasimova, K; Azizova, F; Mehdieva, K.

2012-01-01

Full text : A summary of the nature of radiactive contamination would be incomplete without some mention of the human health effects relatied to radioactivity and radioactive materials. Several excellent reviews at the variety of levels of detail have been written and should be consulted by the reader. Internal exposures of alpha and beta particles are important for ingested and inhaled radionuclides. Dosimetry models are used to estimate the dose from internally deposited radioactive particles. As mentioned above weighting parameters that take into account the radiation type, the biological half-life and the tissue or organ at risk are used to convert the physically absorbed dose in units of gray (or red) to the biologically significant committed equivalent dose and effective dose, measured in units of Sv (or rem). There is considerable controversy over the shape of the dose-response curve at the chronic low dose levels important for enviromental contamination. Proposed models include linear models, non-linear models and threshold models. Because risks at low dose must be extrapolated from available date at high doses, the shape of the dose-response curve has important implications for the environmental regulations used to protect the general public. The health effect of radiation damage depends on a combination of events of on the cellular, tissue and systemic levels. These lead to mutations and cellular of the irradiated parent cell. The dose level at which significant damage occurs depends on the cell type. Cells that reproduce rapidily, such as those found in bone marrow or the gastrointestinal tract, will be more sensitive to radiation than those that are longer lived, such as striated muscle or nerve cells. The effects of high radiation doses on an organ depends on the various cell types it contains

Immunological Effects of Probiotics and their Significance to Human Health

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Harsharn S.; Grover, Sunita; Batish, Virender K.; Gill, Preet

Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit upon the host (FAO/WHO, 2001). Lactic acid bacteria, particularly Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species are commonly used as probiotics. Other less commonly used probiotics include the yeast Sacchromyces cerevisiae and some non-pathogenic Escherichia coli and Bacillus species. Studies over the past 20 years have demonstrated that probiotic intake is able to confer a range of health benefits including modulation of the immune system, protection against gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections, lowering of blood cholesterol levels, attenuation of overt immuno-inflammatory disorders (such as inflammatory bowel disease, allergies) and anti-cancer effects. However, the strongest clinical evidence for probiotics relates to their effectiveness in improving gut health and modulating (via stimulation or regulation) the host immune system. This chapter provides an overview of the current status of our knowledge regarding the immunostimulatory and immunoregulatory effects of probiotics on the immune system and their significance to human health.

Perceptions of the health effects of stoves in Mongolia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Joanna K; Emmel, Nick D; Manaseki, Semira; Chambers, Jacky

2007-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the views of stove users in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on how stoves affect their health. In this paper focus groups were conducted with improved stove users; traditional stove users; and a mix of traditional and improved stove users. Individual interviews were also held with various types of stove users. A translator moderated all discussions with a questioning route. All discussions were fully transcribed and translated. The transcripts were analysed by identifying common themes in responses to form an emerging theory. The findings in the paper are that all stove users recognised respiratory symptoms caused by stove smoke and other health effects such as warmth, dirt and workload, which they perceived to be important. Stove users had a lack of knowledge about the diseases caused by the smoke. Public health was a key driver for the improved stove project, yet has been neglected in improved stove marketing. The study used in this paper was limited by the language barrier. Some of the meanings of participants' responses may have been lost in translation. This paper has highlighted the importance of the health effects of stove smoke to stove users. Uptake of the improved stoves has been low. Public health should be included in marketing strategies for improved stoves to increase their uptake. The paper shows that acute respiratory infections are a major cause of mortality world-wide. Indoor air pollution from burning biomass fuels in household stoves causes a significant proportion of respiratory infections. No qualitative research has been published exploring stove users' views on the health effects of stoves. This paper provides an insight into stove users' perceptions for those interested in people-centred approaches to tackling international health issues.

Potent health effects of pomegranate

Science.gov (United States)

Zarfeshany, Aida; Asgary, Sedigheh; Javanmard, Shaghayegh Haghjoo

2014-01-01

Accumulating data clearly claimed that Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) has several health benefits. Pomegranates can help prevent or treat various disease risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, oxidative stress, hyperglycemia, and inflammatory activities. It is demonstrated that certain components of pomegranate such as polyphenols have potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic effects. The antioxidant potential of pomegranate juice is more than that of red wine and green tea, which is induced through ellagitannins and hydrosable tannins. Pomegranate juice can reduce macrophage oxidative stress, free radicals, and lipid peroxidation. Moreover, pomegranate fruit extract prevents cell growth and induces apoptosis, which can lead to its anticarcinogenic effects. In addition, promoter inhibition of some inflammatory markers and their production are blocked via ellagitannins. In this article, we highlight different studies on the therapeutic effects of pomegranate and their suggested mechanisms of actions. PMID:24800189

Building institutions for an effective health system: lessons from China's experience with rural health reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloom, Gerald

2011-04-01

This paper is concerned with the management of health system changes aimed at substantially increasing the access to safe and effective health services. It argues that an effective health sector relies on trust-based relationships between users, providers and funders of health services, and that one of the major challenges governments face is to construct institutional arrangements within which these relationships can be embedded. It presents the case of China, which is implementing an ambitious health reform, drawing on a series of visits to rural counties by the author over a 10-year period. It illustrates how the development of reform strategies has been a response both to the challenges arising from the transition to a market economy and the result of actions by different actors, which have led to the gradual creation of increasingly complex institutions. The overall direction of change has been strongly influenced by the efforts made by the political leadership to manage a transition to a modern economy which provides at least some basic benefits to all. The paper concludes that the key lessons for other countries from China's experience with health system reform are less about the detailed design of specific interventions than about its approach to the management of institution-building in a context of complexity and rapid change. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health effects and bioavailability of dietary flavonols

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hollman, P.C.H.; Katan, M.B.

1999-01-01

Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that are ubiquitously present in foods of plant origin. Flavonoids are categorised into flavonols, flavones, catechins, flavanones, anthocyanidins, and isoflavonoids. They may have beneficial health effects because of their antioxidant properties and their

The effects of poverty on children's development and oral health.

Science.gov (United States)

da Fonseca, Marcio A

2012-01-01

According to the US Census Bureau, the poverty rate for children under 18 years of age increased to 22% in 2010. Poverty leads to adverse health outcomes in children and adolescents such as harmful effects on learning, psychosocial development, physical health, productivity and family life. Because the citizens and residents of a country are its most valuable assets, it is unwise to allow housing instability, food insecurity and hunger to continue to exist at its current levels. Reducing poverty is likely to prevent illnesses, decrease hospitalizations, and lead to lower health care costs. There is also a need for intervention strategies to ensure equitable access to healthy foods across the world. Children who are food insecure are more likely to be in poor health and to have poor nutritional outcomes. Poverty may lead to poor dental health due to malnutrition or incorrect diet and it may also have an effect on the child's behavior in the dental office. An understanding of poverty will lessen the anger, frustration and prejudice that pediatric dentists may feel when working with low-income families. This manuscript presents a concise overview of the effects of poverty in children's lives.

Effective US health system websites: establishing benchmarks and standards for effective consumer engagement.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Eric W; Huerta, Timothy R; Schilhavy, Richard A M; Menachemi, Nir

2012-01-01

Hospitals and health systems are playing increasingly important roles as care coordination hubs and consumer information sources. In particular, the accountable care organization (ACO) and medical home models promoted in the Affordable Care Act place hospitals at the center of many activities related to health information exchange. Therefore, it is important for these organizations to have effective websites, and the need for a social media presence to connect with consumers is growing quickly. The purpose of this study is to assess the websites of hospitals and health systems on four dimensions: accessibility, content, marketing, and technology. In addition, an overall score is calculated to identify the top 25 hospital and health system websites. Specific website elements that healthcare managers can inspect visually are described for each dimension in the discussion section. Generally, hospital and health system websites can be more effective from an end user's perspective. In particular, hospitals and health systems lagged on the accessibility scale that measures the education level required to understand the language used on a site. The scale also assesses the extent to which web pages are designed for ease of movement from page to page using embedded links. Given that healthcare consumers come from every demographic and stratum of society, it is important that user-friendliness be optimized for a broadly defined audience. Hospital and health system websites can also be improved on the technology scale, as many sites do not return clear descriptions of links to search engines such as Google and Bing that use webcrawlers to collect information.

The Health Effects and Keep Down of Whole Body Vibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Funda Sevencan

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Vibration was defined that oscillation of the body according to the reference point. The tools that are used in industry and are the source of vibration cause diseases. For this reason, the vibration has been one of the factors that affect the health and of the most widely researched in the field of ergonomics. The perceived intensity and health effects of vibration depend on the vibration frequency, intensity, direction, acceleration, duration of exposure, vibration affects the region, age, gender, posture, distance from the source person, activity, time of day and the person\\s overall health condition. The one of the most common health effects of whole body vibration is impact on musculoskeletal system. In many studies, indicated that whole-body vibration effect waist, back, shoulder and neck especially. There were varied studies that hormone levels were not changed as well there were varied studies that hormone levels were increased or decreased. There were varied studies about the digestive and circulatory system. In these studies, digestive system complaints, peptic ulcer, gastritis, varicose veins and hemorrhoids were determined frequently. For protection the health effect of vibration, Directives of the European Commission, Turkish Standards, Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise and Vibration Regulations were published. For the control of vibration are need technical and medical measures and education [TAF Prev Med Bull 2014; 13(2.000: 177-186

THE USE OF FLUORIDE AND ITS EFFECT ON HEALTH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Domen Kanduti

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Appropriate oral health care is fundamental for any individual’s health. Dental caries is still one of the major public health problems. The most effective way of caries prevention is the use of fluoride. Fluoride occurs naturally in our environment and is always present in our lives. However, the concentration differs from area to area. Exposure can occur through diet, respiration and fluoride supplements. During pregnancy, the placenta acts as a barrier. The fluoride, therefore, crosses the placenta in low concentrations. Drinking water in Slovenia is not fluoridated; the amount of naturally present fluoride is very low. Fluoride can be toxic in extremely high concentrations. The most important effect of fluoride on caries incidence is through its role in the process of remineralisation and demineralisation of tooth enamel. The European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD recommends a preventive topical use of fluoride supplements because of their cariostatic effect. 

Health and environmental effects of complex chemical mixtures: proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1985-01-01

The Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER) of the Department of Energy supports a broad long-term research program on human health and environmental effects from potential exposure to energy-related complex chemical mixtures. The program seeks basic mechanistic data on the effects of complex mixtures at the cellular, molecular, and whole animal levels to aid in predicting human health effects and seeks ecological data on biological and physical transformations in the mixtures, concentrations of the mixtures in various compartments of the environment, and potential routes for human exposure to these mixtures (e.g., food chain). On June 17-18, 1985, OHER held its First Annual Technical Meeting on the Complex Chemical Mixtures Program in Chicago, IL. The primary purpose of the meeting was to enable principal investigators to report the research status and accomplishments of ongoing complex chemical mixture studies supported by OHER. To help focus future research directions round table discussions were conducted.

Effects of student participation in school health promotion: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Griebler, Ursula; Rojatz, Daniela; Simovska, Venka; Forster, Rudolf

2017-04-01

The aim of this systematic review was to summarize systematically the existing evidence for the effects of student participation in designing, planning, implementing and/or evaluating school health promotion measures. The focus was on the effects of participation in school health promotion measures rather than on student involvement at school in general. Participation is a core value for health promotion but empirical evidence of its outcomes is scarce. We searched major bibliographic databases (including ASSIA, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed and the Social Sciences Citation Index). Two reviewers independently decided about inclusion and exclusion of the identified abstracts (n = 5075) and full text articles. Of the 90 full text articles screened, 26 papers met the inclusion criteria. We identified evidence for positive effects, especially for the students themselves, the school as organization, and interactions and social relations at school. Almost all included studies showed personal effects on students referring to an increased satisfaction, motivation and ownership, an increase in skills, competencies and knowledge, personal development, health-related effects and influence on student perspective. Given that student participation has more been discussed as a value, or ideal of health promotion in schools, these findings documenting its effectiveness are important. However, further research is needed to consider the level or intensity of involvement, different approaches and stages of participation in the health promotion intervention, as well as mediating factors such as gender, socio-cultural background or academic achievement, in a more systematic manner. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Polyphenol-Rich Lentils and Their Health Promoting Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kumar Ganesan

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Lentil (Lens culinaris; Family: Fabaceae is a potential functional dietary ingredient which has polyphenol-rich content. Several studies have demonstrated that the consumption of lentil is immensely connected to the reduction in the incidence of diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cancers and cardiovascular diseases due to its bioactive compounds. There has been increasing scientific interest in the study area of lentils as the functional food due to its high nutritive value, polyphenols, and other bioactive compounds. These polyphenols and the bioactive compounds found in lentil play an important role in the prevention of those degenerative diseases in humans. Besides that, it has health-promoting effects. Based on the in vitro, in-vivo and clinical studies, the present review focuses to provide more information on the nutritional compositions, bioactive compounds including polyphenols and health-promoting effects of lentils. Health-promoting information was gathered and orchestrated at a suitable place in the review.

Effects of Hurricane Hugo: Mental Health Workers and Community Members.

Science.gov (United States)

Muzekari, Louis H.; And Others

This paper reports the effects of Hurricane Hugo on mental health workers and indigenous community members. The response and perceptions of mental health staff from the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (Go Teams) from areas unaffected by the hurricane were compared and contrasted with those of a subsequent Hugo Outreach Support Team…

Hails from the crypt: a terror management health model investigation of the effectiveness of health-oriented versus celebrity-oriented endorsements.

Science.gov (United States)

McCabe, Simon; Vail, Kenneth E; Arndt, Jamie; Goldenberg, Jamie L

2014-03-01

Interfacing the terror management health model with the meaning transfer model, we offer novel hypotheses concerning the effectiveness of celebrity and medical endorsements for consumer products and health behavior decisions. Studies 1 and 2 revealed that, compared with control topic primes, death thoughts in focal attention increased the effectiveness of health-oriented (doctor) endorsers but not culture-oriented (celebrity) endorsers, whereas death thoughts outside of focal attention increased the effectiveness of culture-oriented endorsers but not health-oriented endorsers. Studies 3 and 4 then focus more specifically on the valence and specificity of culture-oriented endorsements, revealing that death thoughts outside focal attention increase the effectiveness of culture-oriented endorsers only on the behaviors specifically endorsed and only when the endorser is characterized as possessing cultural value. Discussion focuses on everyday management of existential concerns and implications for persuasive communications in the health domain.

[New welding processes and health effects of welding].

Science.gov (United States)

La Vecchia, G Marina; Maestrelli, Piero

2011-01-01

This paper describes some of the recent developments in the control technology to enhance capability of Pulse Gas Metal Arc Welding. Friction Stir Welding (FSW) processing has been also considered. FSW is a new solid-state joining technique. Heat generated by friction at the rotating tool softens the material being welded. FSW can be considered a green and energy-efficient technique without deleterious fumes, gas, radiation, and noise. Application of new welding processes is limited and studies on health effects in exposed workers are lacking. Acute and chronic health effects of conventional welding have been described. Metal fume fever and cross-shift decline of lung function are the main acute respiratory effects. Skin and eyes may be affected by heat, electricity and UV radiations. Chronic effects on respiratory system include chronic bronchitis, a benign pneumoconiosis (siderosis), asthma, and a possible increase in the incidence of lung cancer. Pulmonary infections are increased in terms of severity, duration, and frequency among welders.

Guidance on health effects of toxic chemicals. Safety Analysis Report Update Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Foust, C.B.; Griffin, G.D.; Munro, N.B.; Socolof, M.L.

1994-02-01

Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (MMES), and Martin Marietta Utility Services, Inc. (MMUS), are engaged in phased programs to update the safety documentation for the existing US Department of Energy (DOE)-owned facilities. The safety analysis of potential toxic hazards requires a methodology for evaluating human health effects of predicted toxic exposures. This report provides a consistent set of health effects and documents toxicity estimates corresponding to these health effects for some of the more important chemicals found within MMES and MMUS. The estimates are based on published toxicity information and apply to acute exposures for an ``average`` individual. The health effects (toxicological endpoints) used in this report are (1) the detection threshold; (2) the no-observed adverse effect level; (3) the onset of irritation/reversible effects; (4) the onset of irreversible effects; and (5) a lethal exposure, defined to be the 50% lethal level. An irreversible effect is defined as a significant effect on a person`s quality of life, e.g., serious injury. Predicted consequences are evaluated on the basis of concentration and exposure time.

Effects of optimism on recovery and mental health after a tornado outbreak.

Science.gov (United States)

Carbone, Eric G; Echols, Erin Thomas

2017-05-01

Dispositional optimism, a stable expectation that good things will happen, has been shown to improve health outcomes in a wide range of contexts, but very little research has explored the impact of optimism on post-disaster health and well-being. Data for this study come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public health systems and mental health community recovery (PHSMHCR) Survey. Participants included 3216 individuals living in counties affected by the April 2011 tornado outbreak in Mississippi and Alabama. This study assesses the effect of dispositional optimism on post-disaster recovery and mental health. Dispositional optimism was found to have a positive effect on personal recovery and mental health after the disaster. Furthermore, it moderated the relationship between level of home damage and personal recovery as well as the relationship between home damage and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with stronger effects for those with increased levels of home damage. The utility of screening for optimism is discussed, along with the potential for interventions to increase optimism as a means of mitigating adverse mental health effects and improving the recovery of individuals affected by disasters and other traumatic events.

Effects of racial discrimination and health behaviors on mental and physical health of middle-class African American men.

Science.gov (United States)

Sellers, Sherrill L; Bonham, Vence; Neighbors, Harold W; Amell, James W

2009-02-01

This research is an examination of the effects of racial discrimination and health-promoting behaviors on the physical and mental health of a sample of 399 well-educated African American men. One would think that the attainment of higher education would increase health-promoting behaviors and might decrease discriminatory experiences that impact health. However, regression analysis indicated a more complex picture. Health-promoting behaviors were positively related to mental health, whereas experiences of racial discrimination contributed to poorer mental health. Relationships between health-promoting behaviors and that of racial discrimination to physical health were found to be nonsignificant. In conclusion, the authors discuss the importance of culturally appropriate health-promotion efforts.

Physical Education Teacher Effectiveness in a Public Health Context

Science.gov (United States)

McKenzie, Thomas L.; Lounsbery, Monica A. F.

2013-01-01

The health benefits of physical activity are well documented, and the important role that schools and physical education (PE) can play in reducing sedentary behavior and contributing to population health has been identified. Although effective teaching is ultimately judged by student achievement, a major component of teacher and school…

Beneficial Effects of Probiotic and Food Borne Yeasts on Human Health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saloomeh Moslehi-Jenabian

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Besides being important in the fermentation of foods and beverages, yeasts have shown numerous beneficial effects on human health. Among these, probiotic effects are the most well known health effects including prevention and treatment of intestinal diseases and immunomodulatory effects. Other beneficial functions of yeasts are improvement of bioavailability of minerals through the hydrolysis of phytate, folate biofortification and detoxification of mycotoxins due to surface binding to the yeast cell wall.

Smoking within the Household: Spousal Peer Effects and Children's Health Implications

OpenAIRE

Canta, Chiara; Dubois, Pierre

2011-01-01

This paper studies spousal peer effects on the smoking behaviour and their implication for the health of children through passive smoking. Smoking decisions are modeled as equilibrium strategies of an incomplete information game within the couple. Using data from the French Health Survey 2002-2003, we identify two distinct effects linked to spousal behaviour: a smoking enhancing effect of smoking partners and a smoking deterring effect of non smoking partners. On the one hand, ...

A health recreation program for u-healthcare clients: effects on mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jisan; Kim, Jeongeun; Jeong, Suyong; Choi, Hanna; Jin, Meiling; Kim, Sukwha

2014-10-01

In this study, a health recreation program was implemented with elderly patients (60 years of age or older) who were receiving ubiquitous healthcare (u-healthcare) services. Furthermore, we examined the effects of health recreation on perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, by comparing survey results before and after the recreation program was conducted. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop an offline service with the ability to promote the impact of the u-healthcare service on mental healthcare. A health recreation program, consisting of a variety of weekly games, songs, and minilectures about mental health over a 10-week period, was offered at a senior citizens center in K-Gu, Seoul, Korea. This program targeted 18 elderly people currently receiving u-healthcare services. Data on the impact of the program on the mental health of the elderly were collected through surveys administered before and after the recreation program, and the results were compared with those of a control group. The control group consisted of 18 elderly people who were receiving u-healthcare services from the same district. The perceived stress and anxiety of the experimental group decreased significantly compared with those of the control group. However, the program did not result in a significant reduction in depression. This offline health recreation program offered to elderly u-healthcare service clients contributed to the promotion of their mental health. Further studies will be required to better incorporate the offline mental healthcare program into their daily lives within the u-healthcare service.

[The effects of blue algae on health].

Science.gov (United States)

van Riel, A J H P; Schets, F M; Meulenbelt, J

2007-08-04

Cyanobacteria (blue algae) regularly cause recreational waters to become murky and smelly. Skin irritation and mild gastrointestinal disorders have regularly been reported following recreational activities in water suspected of being contaminated with cyanobacteria. The exact cause of these effects on health is not clear. Severe effects are not to be expected from recreational exposure to water contaminated with cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria can produce hepatotoxins, neurotoxins, cytotoxins and irritants. In Brazil lethal intoxications have occurred due to the occurrence of toxins in drinking water and in dialysis fluid. The Dutch policy is based on the Commissie Integraal Waterbeheer (Commission Integral Water Management) guidelines for recreational waters. It is not clear to what extent the other cyanotoxins occur in the Netherlands. However, several genera ofcyanobacteria capable of producing these other cyanotoxins have been found in the Netherlands. For a good risk assessment in the Netherlands, more information is needed on the effects on health of cyanobacteria. There is also a need for more data on the prevalence of different cyanobacteria and toxins in Dutch recreational waters.

The Effect of Moral Intelligence and Mental Health on Happiness of Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Pourjamshidi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The research was examined the effect of moral intelligence and mental health on happiness of students using descriptive and correlational method. Two hundred and twenty-six students were selected through stratified random sampling method from postgraduate students at Bu Ali Sina University. Lennick and Kiel’s Ethical characteristics questionnaire, Goldberg’s Mental Health Inventory and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire were used to gather the data. The data was analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient test and path analysis through. The findings showed that the direct effect of both moral intelligence and mental health on happiness were positive and statistically significant. Also, direct effect Moral intelligence on mental health was positive and significant. Furthermore, the indirect effect of moral intelligence on happiness through mediating role of mental health was significant. According to the results, it can be suggested that happiness in university students can be enhanced by planning on moral intelligence

Effects of state-level Earned Income Tax Credit laws in the U.S. on maternal health behaviors and infant health outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Markowitz, Sara; Komro, Kelli A; Livingston, Melvin D; Lenhart, Otto; Wagenaar, Alexander C

2017-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of state-level Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) laws in the U.S. on maternal health behaviors and infant health outcomes. Using multi-state, multi-year difference-in-differences analyses, we estimated effects of state EITC generosity on maternal health behaviors, birth weight and gestation weeks. We find little difference in maternal health behaviors associated with state-level EITC. In contrast, results for key infant health outcomes of birth weight and gestation weeks show small improvements in states with EITCs, with larger effects seen among states with more generous EITCs. Our results provide evidence for important health benefits of state-level EITC policies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct-to-consumer advertising: public perceptions of its effects on health behaviors, health care, and the doctor-patient relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Elizabeth; Lo, Bernard; Pollack, Lance; Donelan, Karen; Lee, Ken

2004-01-01

To determine public perceptions of the effect of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription medications on health behaviors, health care utilization, the doctor-patient relationship, and the association between socioeconomic status and these effects. Cross-sectional survey of randomly selected, nationally representative sample of the US public using computer-assisted telephone interviewing. numbers and proportions of respondents in the past 12 months who, as a result of DTCA, requested preventive care or scheduled a physician visit; were diagnosed with condition mentioned in advertisement; disclosed health concerns to a doctor; felt enhanced confidence or sense of control; perceived an effect on the doctor-patient relationship; requested a test, medication change, or specialist referral; or manifested serious dissatisfaction after a visit to a doctor. As a result of DTCA, 14% of respondents disclosed health concerns to a physician, 6% requested preventive care, 5% felt more in control during a physician visit; 5% made requests for a test, medication change, or specialist referral, and 3% received the requested intervention. One percent of patients reported negative outcomes, including worsened treatment, serious dissatisfaction with the visit, or that the physician acted challenged. Effects of DTCA were greater for respondents with low socioeconomic status. DTCA has positive and negative effects on health behaviors, health service utilization, and the doctor-patient relationship that are greatest on people of low socioeconomic status. The benefits of DTCA in terms of encouraging hard-to-reach sections of the population to seek preventive care must be balanced against increased health care costs caused by clinically inappropriate requests generated by DTCA.

Mental Health Effects of Stress over the Life Span of Refugees.

Science.gov (United States)

Hollifield, Michael; Warner, Teddy D; Krakow, Barry; Westermeyer, Joseph

2018-02-06

Information about the relative impact of stressful events across the lifespan on the mental health of refugees is needed. Cross-sectional data from a community sample of 135 Kurdish and 117 Vietnamese refugees were fit to a path model about the effects of non-war stress, war-related stress, and post-migration stress on mental health. Kurdish and Vietnamese data were generally consistent with the model. However, war-related stress produced no direct but a large indirect effect through post-migration stress on mental health in Kurds. Vietnamese data indicated a modest direct war-related stress effect but no indirect influence through post-migration stress. Different types of stressful events lead to adverse mental health of displaced refugees in a somewhat group-dependent manner. Implications for prevention and treatment are discussed.

Mental Health Effects of Stress over the Life Span of Refugees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Hollifield

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Information about the relative impact of stressful events across the lifespan on the mental health of refugees is needed. Cross-sectional data from a community sample of 135 Kurdish and 117 Vietnamese refugees were fit to a path model about the effects of non-war stress, war-related stress, and post-migration stress on mental health. Kurdish and Vietnamese data were generally consistent with the model. However, war-related stress produced no direct but a large indirect effect through post-migration stress on mental health in Kurds. Vietnamese data indicated a modest direct war-related stress effect but no indirect influence through post-migration stress. Different types of stressful events lead to adverse mental health of displaced refugees in a somewhat group-dependent manner. Implications for prevention and treatment are discussed.

40 CFR 725.260 - Submission of health and environmental effects data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Submission of health and environmental effects data. 725.260 Section 725.260 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... for Research and Development Activities § 725.260 Submission of health and environmental effects data...

40 CFR 725.160 - Submission of health and environmental effects data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... their age, quality, or results. (b) Other data concerning the health and environmental effects of the... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Submission of health and environmental effects data. 725.160 Section 725.160 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED...

Educación inclusiva: Retos y oportunidades

OpenAIRE

Silvana Temesio Vizoso

2016-01-01

Se presentan los aspectos que intervienen en el tratamiento de la accesibilidad en los entornos virtuales: metadatos, modelo conceptual IMS y procesos bajo una visión de accesibilidad “social”. Los recursos educativos en los entornos virtuales, los repositorios de objetos educativos, los estudiantes y los docentes en los cursos constituyen un ecosistema en continua movilidad e interrelación. La propuesta para lograr accesibilidad en entornos virtu...

Infografías de acceso abierto

OpenAIRE

REBIUN; Biblioteca Universitaria

2016-01-01

Infografías elaboradas por el grupo de trabajo de Acceso Abierto de la Red de Bibliotecas Universitarias (REBIUN), del cual forma parte la Biblioteca de la Universidad de Alicante. Contiene: Beneficios de publicar en los repositorios institucionales; Cómo cumplir con los mandatos de acceso abierto; Versiones de los artículos científicos y acceso abierto; Conserva tus derechos de autor frente a las editoriales.

Effects of Indoor Air Pollution on Human Health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berglund, B.; Brunekreef, B.; Knöppel, H.

1992-01-01

This article contains a summary discussion of human health effects linked to indoor air pollution (UP) in homes and other non-industrial environments. Rather than discussing the health effects of the many different pollutants which can be found in indoor air, the approach has been to group broad...... these are respiratory disease (particularly among children), allergy (particularly to house dust mites) and mucous membrane irritation (particularly due to formaldehyde). Large numbers of people have been, and are still being affected. Many chemicals encountered in indoor air are known or suspected to cause sensory...... irritation or stimulation. These, in turn, may give rise to a sense of discomfort and other symptums cummonly reported in so-called “sick” buildings. Camplex mixtures of organic chemicals in indoor air also have the potential to invoke subtle effects on the central and peripheral nervous system, leading...

Domestic Violence and its Effect on Oral Health Behaviour and Oral Health Status

Science.gov (United States)

P, Basavaraj; Singla, Ashish; Kote, Sunder; Singh, Shilpi; Jain, Swati; Singh, Khushboo; Vashishtha, Vaibhav

2014-01-01

Introduction: Violence against women is one of the major public health and human rights problem in the world today. Hence, the present study was conducted with the aim to assess the effect of domestic violence on oral health behavior and oral health status of females attending community outreach programmes in and around Modinagar. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted through the community outreach programmes organized in Modinagar. A structured questionnaire was used to illicit information regarding socio demographic characteristics, oral health behavior and domestic violence. The dental health examination was done to record dental health status, intraoral and extraoral soft tissue injury, tooth fracture and tooth avulsion due to the injury. Results: Out of the total 304 women, 204(67.1%) reported positive domestic violence. Psychological violence was found to be severe whereas sexual violence was found to be mild in most of the cases. Significant difference was found between oral hygiene aids used , frequency of tooth brushing, periodontal status, missing teeth, intraoral soft tissue injuries and fractures between both the groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: The present study confirmed that domestic violence had significant influence on oral health behavior and oral health status of women. Thus, the dental professionals also should make an attempt to help victims gain access to support and referral services and to provide adequate treatment to them so as to make a positive difference in their lives. PMID:25584297

The effectiveness of social marketing in global health: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Firestone, Rebecca; Rowe, Cassandra J; Modi, Shilpa N; Sievers, Dana

2017-02-01

Social marketing is a commonly used strategy in global health. Social marketing programmes may sell subsidized products through commercial sector outlets, distribute appropriately priced products, deliver health services through social franchises and promote behaviours not dependent upon a product or service. We aimed to review evidence of the effectiveness of social marketing in low- and middle-income countries, focusing on major areas of investment in global health: HIV, reproductive health, child survival, malaria and tuberculosis. We searched PubMed, PsycInfo and ProQuest, using search terms linking social marketing and health outcomes for studies published from 1995 to 2013. Eligible studies used experimental or quasi-experimental designs to measure outcomes of behavioural factors, health behaviours and/or health outcomes in each health area. Studies were analysed by effect estimates and for application of social marketing benchmark criteria. After reviewing 18 974 records, 125 studies met inclusion criteria. Across health areas, 81 studies reported on changes in behavioural factors, 97 studies reported on changes in behaviour and 42 studies reported on health outcomes. The greatest number of studies focused on HIV outcomes (n = 45) and took place in sub-Saharan Africa (n = 67). Most studies used quasi-experimental designs and reported mixed results. Child survival had proportionately the greatest number of studies using experimental designs, reporting health outcomes, and reporting positive, statistically significant results. Most programmes used a range of methods to promote behaviour change. Programmes with positive, statistically significant findings were more likely to apply audience insights and cost-benefit analyses to motivate behaviour change. Key evidence gaps were found in voluntary medical male circumcision and childhood pneumonia. Social marketing can influence health behaviours and health outcomes in global health; however evaluations

Health effects of low frequency electric and magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-06-01

The US Department of Labor and the President's Office of Science and Technology Policy (STP) requested that the Committee on interagency Radiation Research and Policy Coordination (CIRRPC) conduct an independent evaluation of the reported health effects from exposure to low-frequency electric and magnetic fields (ELF-EMF), especially reports of carcinogenesis and reproductive and neurophysiological effects focusing on frequencies which appeared to be of greatest public concern. Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) was tasked by the CIRRPC to oversee the review by a panel of independent, non-Federal, scientists. Following their review of over 1000 journal articles, the ORAU Panel concluded ''... that there is no convincing evidence ... to support the contention that exposure to ELF-EMF generated by sources such as household appliances, video display terminals (10 to 30 KHz), and local power lines (15 to 180 Hz) are demonstrable health hazards.'' Although the Panel noted that some biological effects produced by these fields may be of scientific interest and warrant consideration for future research, it concluded that ''... in the broad scope of research needs in basic science and health research, any health concerns over exposures to these fields should not receive a high priority.'' This executive summary outlines the panel's investigation

Dietary intake and health effects of selected toxic elements

OpenAIRE

Silva, André Luiz Oliveira da; Barrocas, Paulo R.G.; Jacob, Silvana do Couto; Moreira, Josino Costa

2005-01-01

Anthropogenic activities have being contributing to the spread of toxic chemicals into the environment, including several toxic metals and metalloids, increasing the levels of human exposure to many of them. Contaminated food is an important route of human exposure and may represent a serious threat to human health. This mini review covers the health effects caused by toxic metals, especially Cd, Hg, Pb and As, the most relevant toxic elements from a human health point of view. As atividad...

The effects on health of radiological and chemical toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toledano, M.; Flury-Herard, A.

2003-01-01

Future trends in the protection against the effects on health of radiological and/or chemical toxicity will certainly be based on improved knowledge of specific biological mechanisms and individual sensitivity. Progress in these areas will most likely be made at the interfaces between research, health care and biomedical monitoring. (authors)

Valuing Health Effect on Air Pollution : WTP Approach Using CVM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Tae Yoo; Um, Mi Jung [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea); Kwak, Seung Jun [Korea University, Seoul (Korea)

1998-09-01

Cost-benefit is required for improving air quality efficiently. Benefit in connection with air quality has influence on health effects, a barrier to administration, aesthetic value, and material loss. Among these, health effects are occupying most of them. In this study, the economic value by the people in Seoul was estimated about symptoms of eye irritation, heartburn, and asthma among health effects relating to air pollution by using conditional value measurement (CVM). As a result, 2,580 won/day for eye irritation, 9,000 won/day for heartburn, and 55,400 won/day for asthma were measured. Moreover, in the case of carrying out several CV questions in one survey, it was found out that the estimated results of single variation model and dual variation model were different. (author). 21 refs., 7 tabs.

Environmental Impacts of the U.S. Health Care System and Effects on Public Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Eckelman, Matthew J; Sherman, Jodi

2016-01-01

The U.S. health care sector is highly interconnected with industrial activities that emit much of the nation's pollution to air, water, and soils. We estimate emissions directly and indirectly attributable to the health care sector, and potential harmful effects on public health. Negative environmental and public health outcomes were estimated through economic input-output life cycle assessment (EIOLCA) modeling using National Health Expenditures (NHE) for the decade 2003-2013 and compared to national totals. In 2013, the health care sector was also responsible for significant fractions of national air pollution emissions and impacts, including acid rain (12%), greenhouse gas emissions (10%), smog formation (10%) criteria air pollutants (9%), stratospheric ozone depletion (1%), and carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic air toxics (1-2%). The largest contributors to impacts are discussed from both the supply side (EIOLCA economic sectors) and demand side (NHE categories), as are trends over the study period. Health damages from these pollutants are estimated at 470,000 DALYs lost from pollution-related disease, or 405,000 DALYs when adjusted for recent shifts in power generation sector emissions. These indirect health burdens are commensurate with the 44,000-98,000 people who die in hospitals each year in the U.S. as a result of preventable medical errors, but are currently not attributed to our health system. Concerted efforts to improve environmental performance of health care could reduce expenditures directly through waste reduction and energy savings, and indirectly through reducing pollution burden on public health, and ought to be included in efforts to improve health care quality and safety.

Environmental Impacts of the U.S. Health Care System and Effects on Public Health.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew J Eckelman

Full Text Available The U.S. health care sector is highly interconnected with industrial activities that emit much of the nation's pollution to air, water, and soils. We estimate emissions directly and indirectly attributable to the health care sector, and potential harmful effects on public health. Negative environmental and public health outcomes were estimated through economic input-output life cycle assessment (EIOLCA modeling using National Health Expenditures (NHE for the decade 2003-2013 and compared to national totals. In 2013, the health care sector was also responsible for significant fractions of national air pollution emissions and impacts, including acid rain (12%, greenhouse gas emissions (10%, smog formation (10% criteria air pollutants (9%, stratospheric ozone depletion (1%, and carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic air toxics (1-2%. The largest contributors to impacts are discussed from both the supply side (EIOLCA economic sectors and demand side (NHE categories, as are trends over the study period. Health damages from these pollutants are estimated at 470,000 DALYs lost from pollution-related disease, or 405,000 DALYs when adjusted for recent shifts in power generation sector emissions. These indirect health burdens are commensurate with the 44,000-98,000 people who die in hospitals each year in the U.S. as a result of preventable medical errors, but are currently not attributed to our health system. Concerted efforts to improve environmental performance of health care could reduce expenditures directly through waste reduction and energy savings, and indirectly through reducing pollution burden on public health, and ought to be included in efforts to improve health care quality and safety.

The causal effect of family income on child health in the U.K.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuehnle, Daniel

2014-07-01

Recent studies examining the effect of family income on child health have been unable to account for the endogeneity of income. Using data from a British cohort study, we address this gap by exploiting exogenous variation in local labour market characteristics to instrument for family income. We estimate the causal effect of family income on different measures of child health and explore the role of potential transmission mechanisms. We find that income has a very small but significant causal effect on subjective child health and no significant effect on chronic health conditions, apart from respiratory illnesses. Using the panel structure, we show that the timing of income does not matter for young children. Moreover, our results provide further evidence that parental health does not drive a spurious relationship between family income and child health. Our study implies that financial transfers are unlikely to deliver substantial improvements in child health. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Simultaneous Effects of Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Child Health on Children’s Cognitive Development

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Dohoon; Jackson, Margot

2018-01-01

Family socioeconomic status (SES) and child health are so strongly related that scholars have speculated child health to be an important pathway through which a “cycle of poverty” is reproduced across generations. Despite increasing recognition that SES and health work reciprocally and dynamically over the life course to produce inequality, however, existing research has yet to address how these two pathways simultaneously shape children’s development. Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and marginal structural models, we ask three questions: 1) how does the reciprocal relationship between socioeconomic disadvantage and child health affect estimates of each circumstance on children’s cognitive development?; 2) how do their respective effects vary with age?; and 3) do family SES and child health have differential effects on cognitive development across population subgroups? The results show that the negative effects of socioeconomic disadvantage and poor health are insensitive to their reciprocal relationships over time. We find divergent effects of socioeconomic disadvantage and poor health on children’s cognitive trajectories, with a widening pattern for family SES effects and a leveling-off pattern for child health effects. Finally, the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage are similar across all racial/ethnic groups, while the effects of child health are largely driven by white children. We discuss theoretical and policy implications of these findings for future research. PMID:28836169

Potent health effects of pomegranate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aida Zarfeshany

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Accumulating data clearly claimed that Punica granatum L. (pomegranate has several health benefits. Pomegranates can help prevent or treat various disease risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, oxidative stress, hyperglycemia, and inflammatory activities. It is demonstrated that certain components of pomegranate such as polyphenols have potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic effects. The antioxidant potential of pomegranate juice is more than that of red wine and green tea, which is induced through ellagitannins and hydrosable tannins. Pomegranate juice can reduce macrophage oxidative stress, free radicals, and lipid peroxidation. Moreover, pomegranate fruit extract prevents cell growth and induces apoptosis, which can lead to its anticarcinogenic effects. In addition, promoter inhibition of some inflammatory markers and their production are blocked via ellagitannins. In this article, we highlight different studies on the therapeutic effects of pomegranate and their suggested mechanisms of actions.

Evaluating the effect of integrated microfinance and health interventions: an updated review of the evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenzetti, Lara M J; Leatherman, Sheila; Flax, Valerie L

2017-06-01

Solutions delivered within firm sectoral boundaries are inadequate in achieving income security and better health for poor populations. Integrated microfinance and health interventions leverage networks of women to promote financial inclusion, build livelihoods, and safeguard against high cost illnesses. Our understanding of the effect of integrated interventions has been limited by variability in intervention, outcome, design, and methodological rigour. This systematic review synthesises the literature through 2015 to understand the effect of integrated microfinance and health programs. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, EconLit, and Global Health databases and sourced bibliographies, identifying 964 articles exclusive of duplicates. Title, abstract, and full text review yielded 35 articles. Articles evaluated the effect of intentionally integrated microfinance and health programs on client outcomes. We rated the quality of evidence for each article. Most interventions combined microfinance with health education, which demonstrated positive effects on health knowledge and behaviours, though not health status. Among programs that integrated microfinance with other health components ( i.e. health micro-insurance, linkages to health providers, and access to health products), results were generally positive but mixed due to the smaller number and quality of studies. Interventions combining multiple health components in a given study demonstrated positive effects, though it was unclear which component was driving the effect. Most articles (57%) were moderate in quality. Integrated microfinance and health education programs were effective, though longer intervention periods are necessary to measure more complex pathways to health status. The effect of microfinance combined with other health components was less clear. Stronger randomized research designs with multiple study arms are required to improve evidence and disentangle the effects of multiple component

Worksite health and safety climate: scale development and effects of a health promotion intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Basen-Engquist, K; Hudmon, K S; Tripp, M; Chamberlain, R

1998-01-01

Environmental influences on health and health behavior have an important place in research on worksite health promotion. We tested the validity and internal consistency of a new measure of organizational health and safety climate that was used in a large randomized trial of a worksite cancer prevention program (the Working Well Trial). The resulting scales then were applied to assess intervention effects. This study uses data from a subset of 40 worksites in the Working Well Trial. Employees at 20 natural gas pipeline worksite and 20 rural electrical cooperatives completed a cross-sectional questionnaire at baseline and 3-year follow-up. A factor analysis of this self-report instrument produced a two-factor solution. The resulting health and safety climate scales had good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.74 and 0.82, respectively) and concurrent validity. The health climate scale was correlated more highly with organizational measures that were indicative of a supportive health climate than those indicating supportive safety climate, while the reverse was true of the safety climate scale. Changes in health climate were associated with the number of smoking and smokeless tobacco programs offered at the worksites at the time of the 3-year follow-up (r = 0.46 and 0.42, respectively). The scales were not correlated with most employee health behaviors. The health climate scores increased at intervention worksites, compared with scores at control worksites (F[1,36] = 7.57, P = 0.009). The health and safety climate scales developed for this study provide useful instruments for measuring organizational change related to worksite health promotion activities. The Working Well Intervention resulted in a significant improvement in worksite health climate.

The intergenerational effects of war on the health of children.

Science.gov (United States)

Devakumar, Delan; Birch, Marion; Osrin, David; Sondorp, Egbert; Wells, Jonathan C K

2014-04-02

The short- and medium-term effects of conflict on population health are reasonably well documented. Less considered are its consequences across generations and potential harms to the health of children yet to be born. Looking first at the nature and effects of exposures during conflict, and then at the potential routes through which harm may propagate within families, we consider the intergenerational effects of four features of conflict: violence, challenges to mental health, infection and malnutrition. Conflict-driven harms are transmitted through a complex permissive environment that includes biological, cultural and economic factors, and feedback loops between sources of harm and weaknesses in individual and societal resilience to them. We discuss the multiplicative effects of ongoing conflict when hostilities are prolonged. We summarize many instances in which the effects of war can propagate across generations. We hope that the evidence laid out in the article will stimulate research and--more importantly--contribute to the discussion of the costs of war; particularly in the longer-term in post-conflict situations in which interventions need to be sustained and adapted over many years.

A review of the literature related to potential health effects of aircraft noise.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

Previous reports have dealt with the health effects of noise in some capacity. Many of these have : considered various quality of life factors as the primary health effects. This is in line with the World Health : Organization (WHO, 1946) defin...

Older and Younger Workers: The Equalling Effects of Health

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Vanessa; Quinn, Martin

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to consider the statistical evidence on the effects that ill health has on labour market participation and opportunities for younger and older workers in the East Midlands (UK). Design/methodology/approach: A statistical analysis of Labour Force Survey data was undertaken to demonstrate that health issues…

Health effects and wind turbines: a review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Knopper, Loren D; Ollson, Christopher A

2011-09-14

Wind power has been harnessed as a source of power around the world. Debate is ongoing with respect to the relationship between reported health effects and wind turbines, specifically in terms of audible and inaudible noise. As a result, minimum setback distances have been established world-wide to reduce or avoid potential complaints from, or potential effects to, people living in proximity to wind turbines. People interested in this debate turn to two sources of information to make informed decisions: scientific peer-reviewed studies published in scientific journals and the popular literature and internet. The purpose of this paper is to review the peer-reviewed scientific literature, government agency reports, and the most prominent information found in the popular literature. Combinations of key words were entered into the Thomson Reuters Web of KnowledgeSM and the internet search engine Google. The review was conducted in the spirit of the evaluation process outlined in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Conclusions of the peer reviewed literature differ in some ways from those in the popular literature. In peer reviewed studies, wind turbine annoyance has been statistically associated with wind turbine noise, but found to be more strongly related to visual impact, attitude to wind turbines and sensitivity to noise. To date, no peer reviewed articles demonstrate a direct causal link between people living in proximity to modern wind turbines, the noise they emit and resulting physiological health effects. If anything, reported health effects are likely attributed to a number of environmental stressors that result in an annoyed/stressed state in a segment of the population. In the popular literature, self-reported health outcomes are related to distance from turbines and the claim is made that infrasound is the causative factor for the reported effects, even though sound pressure levels are not measured. What both types of studies

Health effects and wind turbines: A review of the literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ollson Christopher A

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Wind power has been harnessed as a source of power around the world. Debate is ongoing with respect to the relationship between reported health effects and wind turbines, specifically in terms of audible and inaudible noise. As a result, minimum setback distances have been established world-wide to reduce or avoid potential complaints from, or potential effects to, people living in proximity to wind turbines. People interested in this debate turn to two sources of information to make informed decisions: scientific peer-reviewed studies published in scientific journals and the popular literature and internet. Methods The purpose of this paper is to review the peer-reviewed scientific literature, government agency reports, and the most prominent information found in the popular literature. Combinations of key words were entered into the Thomson Reuters Web of KnowledgeSM and the internet search engine Google. The review was conducted in the spirit of the evaluation process outlined in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Results Conclusions of the peer reviewed literature differ in some ways from those in the popular literature. In peer reviewed studies, wind turbine annoyance has been statistically associated with wind turbine noise, but found to be more strongly related to visual impact, attitude to wind turbines and sensitivity to noise. To date, no peer reviewed articles demonstrate a direct causal link between people living in proximity to modern wind turbines, the noise they emit and resulting physiological health effects. If anything, reported health effects are likely attributed to a number of environmental stressors that result in an annoyed/stressed state in a segment of the population. In the popular literature, self-reported health outcomes are related to distance from turbines and the claim is made that infrasound is the causative factor for the reported effects, even though sound pressure

Calculation of the incidence of stochastic health effects in irradiated populations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clarke, R.H.; Smith, H.

1980-06-01

A procedure for the estimation of the numbers of stochastic health effects in irradiated populations is described. Three broad categories of health effects have been defined, which are summarised as fatal cancers, non-fatal cancers, and serious hereditary defects. The paper quantifies the risk coefficients and the time distributions of those risks for each identified category. These data are needed for assessments of both accidental and routine releases of radioactive materials to the environment. No attempt is made to ascribe factors to the relative importance of the three categories of health effect although this is clearly of significance when applying the results for decision-making or other purposes. (U.K.)

Effective and Sustainable Health Research Partnerships : a ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

IDRC frequently supports collaborative Canada-South research on subjects of vital ... to structure and manage Canada-South research partnerships more effectively. ... Africa, Latin America and Canada leading to region-specific working papers on ... for the Joint Canada-Israel Health Research Program 2018 competition.

Effects of exercise intervention in breast cancer patients: is mobile health (mHealth) with pedometer more effective than conventional program using brochure?

Science.gov (United States)

Uhm, Kyeong Eun; Yoo, Ji Sung; Chung, Seung Hyun; Lee, Jong Doo; Lee, Ilkyun; Kim, Joong Il; Lee, Se Kyung; Nam, Seok Jin; Park, Yong Hyun; Lee, Ji Youl; Hwang, Ji Hye

2017-02-01

To investigate and compare the effects of mobile health (mHealth) and pedometer with conventional exercise program using a brochure on physical function and quality of life (QOL). The study was a prospective, quasi-randomized multicenter trial where 356 patients whose cancer treatment had been terminated were enrolled. All patients were instructed to perform a 12-week regimen of aerobic and resistance exercise. The mHealth group received a pedometer and a newly developed smartphone application to provide information and monitor the prescribed exercises. Those in the conventional group received an exercise brochure. Physical measurements were conducted at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Self-reported physical activity (international physical activity questionnaire-short form), general QOL (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30), and breast cancer-specific QOL (Quality of Life Questionnaire Breast Cancer Module 23) were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks. A user satisfaction survey was assessed in the mHealth group. Basic characteristics were not different between the two groups except for age and previous radiotherapy. Physical function, physical activity, and QOL scores were significantly improved regardless of the intervention method, and changes were not significantly different between the two groups. Additionally, the mean Likert scale response for overall satisfaction with the service was 4.27/5 in the mHealth group. Overall, both the mHealth coupled with pedometer and conventional exercise education using a brochure were effective in improving physical function, physical activity, and QOL. This study provides a basis of mHealth research in breast cancer patients for progressing further developing field, although superiority of the mHealth over the conventional program was not definitely evident.

The Effects of Climate Change on Cardiac Health.

Science.gov (United States)

De Blois, Jonathan; Kjellstrom, Tord; Agewall, Stefan; Ezekowitz, Justin A; Armstrong, Paul W; Atar, Dan

2015-01-01

The earth's climate is changing and increasing ambient heat levels are emerging in large areas of the world. An important cause of this change is the anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases. Climate changes have a variety of negative effects on health, including cardiac health. People with pre-existing medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease (including heart failure), people carrying out physically demanding work and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. This review evaluates the evidence base for the cardiac health consequences of climate conditions, with particular reference to increasing heat exposure, and it also explores the potential further implications. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Clinical Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy in Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ikiugu, Moses N; Nissen, Ranelle M; Bellar, Cali; Maassen, Alexya; Van Peursem, Katlin

The purpose of this study was to estimate the effectiveness of theory-based occupational therapy interventions in improving occupational performance and well-being among people with a mental health diagnosis. The meta-analysis included 11 randomized controlled trials with a total of 520 adult participants with a mental health diagnosis. Outcomes were occupational performance, well-being, or both. We conducted meta-analyses using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (Version 3.0) with occupational performance and well-being as the dependent variables. Results indicated a medium effect of intervention on improving occupational performance (mean Hedge's g = 0.50, Z = 4.05, p occupational therapy interventions may be effective in improving occupational performance and well-being among people with a mental health diagnosis and should be an integral part of rehabilitation services in mental health. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Electric Power Lines : Questions and Answers on Research into Health Effects.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration.

1994-05-01

Most people know that electric power lines, like the wiring in our homes, can cause serious electric shocks if we`re not careful. Many people also want to know whether the electric and magnetic fields (EMF) produced by power lines and other electrical devices cause health effects. The purpose of this booklet is to answer some common questions that the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) receives about the possible effects of power lines on health. First, some basic electrical terms are defined, and electric and magnetic fields are debed. Next, answers are given to several questions about recent scientific studies. Some important information about electrical safety follows. We then describe how BPA is addressing public concerns about potential health effects of power lines. The last section tells you how to obtain more detailed information about the health and safety issues summarized in this booklet.

Health literacy and its importance for effective communication. Part 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Veronica; Keogh, Deborah

2014-05-01

This is the second of two articles exploring the concept of health literacy, an often hidden barrier to effective healthcare communication. Part 1 was published in April ( Lambert and Keogh 2014 ). This article explains how to detect low levels of health literacy among parents and children, and outlines the challenges to assessing health literacy levels, including the stigma and discrimination some people experience. Some basic healthcare communication strategies for supporting health literacy in practice are suggested.

Effect of health education on oral health-related quality of life among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To evaluate the effect of health education on quality of life of persons living with HIV/AIDS. Design: Quasi-Experimental study. Setting: Comprehensive Care Centres (CCC), at Kenyatta National Hospital and Mbagathi District Hospital. Subject: One hundred and ninety five persons living with HIV/AIDS attending ...

Cost-effectiveness thresholds in health care: a bookshelf guide to their meaning and use.

Science.gov (United States)

Culyer, Anthony J

2016-10-01

There is misunderstanding about both the meaning and the role of cost-effectiveness thresholds in policy decision making. This article dissects the main issues by use of a bookshelf metaphor. Its main conclusions are as follows: it must be possible to compare interventions in terms of their impact on a common measure of health; mere effectiveness is not a persuasive case for inclusion in public insurance plans; public health advocates need to address issues of relative effectiveness; a 'first best' benchmark or threshold ratio of health gain to expenditure identifies the least effective intervention that should be included in a public insurance plan; the reciprocal of this ratio - the 'first best' cost-effectiveness threshold - will rise or fall as the health budget rises or falls (ceteris paribus); setting thresholds too high or too low costs lives; failure to set any cost-effectiveness threshold at all also involves avertable deaths and morbidity; the threshold cannot be set independently of the health budget; the threshold can be approached from either the demand side or the supply side - the two are equivalent only in a health-maximising equilibrium; the supply-side approach generates an estimate of a 'second best' cost-effectiveness threshold that is higher than the 'first best'; the second best threshold is the one generally to be preferred in decisions about adding or subtracting interventions in an established public insurance package; multiple thresholds are implied by systems having distinct and separable health budgets; disinvestment involves eliminating effective technologies from the insured bundle; differential weighting of beneficiaries' health gains may affect the threshold; anonymity and identity are factors that may affect the interpretation of the threshold; the true opportunity cost of health care in a community, where the effectiveness of interventions is determined by their impact on health, is not to be measured in money - but in health

The Effect of Toxic Cyanobacteria on Human and Animal Health

Science.gov (United States)

The study of environmental health typically focuses on human populations. However, companion animals, livestock and wildlife also experience adverse health effects from environmental pollutants. Animals may experience direct exposure to pollutants unlike people in most ambient ex...

Quantification of health effects of breastfeeding - Review of the literature and model simulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rossum CTM van; Buchner FL; Hoekstra J; CVG

2006-01-01

Breastfeeding has positive health effects, with the largest health gain realized through policy that focuses on encouraging all mothers to start breastfeeding. A literature review shows that breastfeeding has beneficial health effects in both the short and the longer term. There is convincing

Effectiveness Of Security Controls On Electronic Health Records

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Everleen Wanyonyi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Electronic Health Record EHR systems enhance efficiency and effectiveness in handling patients information in healthcare. This study focused on the EHR security by initially establishing the nature of threats affecting the system and reviewing the implemented security safeguards. The study was done at a referral hospital level 6 government facility in Kenya. Purposive sampling was used to select a sample of 196 out of 385 staff and a questionnaire designed for qualitative data collection. Data was analyzed using SPSS software. Correlations and binary logistic regression were obtained. Binary Logistic Regression BLR was used to establish the effect of the safeguards predictors on EHR security. It was established that physical security contributes more to the security of an information system than administrative controls and technical controls in that order. BLR helped in predicting effective safeguards to control EHR security threats in limited resourced public health facilities.