Associations between the built environment and physical activity in public housing residents

Background  

Environmental factors may influence the particularly low rates of physical activity in African American and low-income adults. This cross-sectional study investigated how measured environmental factors were related to self-reported walking and vigorous physical activity for residents of low-income public housing developments.     

Early detection and counselling intervention of asthma symptoms in preschool children: study design of a cluster randomised controlled trial

Background  

Prevention of childhood asthma is an important public health objective. This study evaluates the effectiveness of early detection of preschool children with asthma symptoms, followed by a counselling intervention at preventive child health centres. Early detection and counselling is expected to reduce the prevalence of asthma symptoms and improve health-related quality of life at age 6 years.     

Peer Reviewed: Using Resident Health Advocates to Improve Public Health Screening and Follow-Up Among Public Housing Residents,Boston, 2007-2008

Introduction

Promoting screening for hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, and dental disease, particularly among residents of public housing, is a key strategy for achieving the objectives of Healthy People 2010. This community-based participatory research study tested a resident health advocate (RHA) intervention in public housing to increase use of mobile screening and to assess postscreening follow-up care for people with positive screening results.

Methods

During the summers of 2007 and 2008, a mobile health unit screened residents at 4 housing developments for hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes risk, and dental disease. In the first summer, at 2 intervention sites, RHAs used personal contacts and repeated flyers to recruit residents; 2 control sites received standard recruitment, which was to leave flyers with the development manager. In the second summer, the 2 control sites from the previous year became intervention sites. For both summers combined, we calculated the number of people at intervention and control sites who used the van and we examined rates of appointments made and kept for residents who had positive screening test results.

Results

Screening rates were higher in the intervention condition compared with the control condition (relative risk [RR], 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-2.15). Approximately 65% of participants screened positive for at least 1 condition. The proportion of participants with screen-positive findings who had follow-up appointments increased from 15% in 2007 to 55% in 2008.

Conclusion

The use of RHAs increased participation in health screening among public housing residents and rates of follow-up medical visits for people with positive screening results.     

Traffic exposure associated with allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis in adults. A cross-sectional study in southern Sweden

Background  

There is conflicting evidence that traffic-related air pollution is a risk factor for allergic conditions. Few studies have investigated this in adults. In adults, a high proportion of asthma, rhinitis and eczema is triggered by non-allergic factors. We investigated traffic as a risk factor for allergic versus non-allergic asthma and rhinitis, and eczema, in adults.     

Ethnic differences in the effect of environmental stressors on blood pressure and hypertension in the Netherlands

Background  

Evidence strongly suggests that the neighbourhood in which people live influences their health. Despite this, investigations of ethnic differences in cardiovascular risk factors have focused mainly on individual-level characteristics. The main purpose of this study was to investigate associations between neighbourhood-level environmental stressors (crime, housing density, nuisance from alcohol and drug misuse, quality of green space and social participation), and blood pressure (BP) and hypertension among different ethnic groups.     

Evaluation design for a complex intervention program targeting loneliness in non-institutionalized elderly Dutch people

Background  

The aim of this paper is to provide the rationale for an evaluation design for a complex intervention program targeting loneliness among non-institutionalized elderly people in a Dutch community. Complex public health interventions characteristically use the combined approach of intervening on the individual and on the environmental level. It is assumed that the components of a complex intervention interact with and reinforce each other. Furthermore, implementation is highly context-specific and its impact is influenced by external factors. Although the entire community is exposed to the intervention components, each individual is exposed to different components with a different intensity.     

Antibiotic use,resistance development and environmental factors: a qualitative study among healthcare professionals in Orissa,India

Background  

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health problem affecting both current and future generations. The influence of environmental factors on antibiotic use and resistance development in bacteria is largely unknown. This study explored the perceptions of healthcare providers on antibiotic use and resistance development in relation to environmental factors i.e. physical, natural, social and behavioural factors.     

Comparative effectiveness of lifestyle interventions on cardiovascular risk factors among a Dutch overweight working population: A randomized controlled trial

Background  

Overweight (Body Mass Index [BMI] ≥ 25 kg/m²) and obesity (BMI≥ 30 kg/m²) are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, posing a considerable burden to public health. The main aim of this study was to investigate lifestyle intervention effects on cardiovascular risk factors in healthy overweight employees.     

Prevalence,awareness, treatment,control and risk factors for hypertension in a rural population in South India

Objectives  

Hypertension is a major public health problem with prevalence ranging 22–30% in urban India. There are few data on hypertension epidemiology in rural India. We conducted a survey to estimate prevalence, awareness, treatment, control and risk factors for hypertension in a rural population in south India.     

Communication about environmental health risks: A systematic review

Background  

Using the most effective methods and techniques for communicating risk to the public is critical. Understanding the impact that different types of risk communication have played in real and perceived public health risks can provide information about how messages, policies and programs can and should be communicated in order to be most effective. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the effectiveness of communication strategies and factors that impact communication uptake related to environmental health risks.     

Childhood asthma and indoor allergens in Native Americans in New York

Background  

The objective of this study was to assess the correlation between childhood asthma and potential risk factors, especially exposure to indoor allergens, in a Native American population.     

Individual, social, environmental, and physical environmental correlates with physical activity among Canadians: a cross-sectional study

Background  

The identification of various individual, social and physical environmental factors affecting physical activity (PA) behavior in Canada can help in the development of more tailored intervention strategies for promoting higher PA levels in Canada. This study examined the influences of various individual, social and physical environmental factors on PA participation by gender, age and socioeconomic status, using data from the 2002 nationwide survey of the Physical Activity Monitor.     

Are passive smoking,air pollution and obesity a greater mortality risk than major radiation incidents?

Background  

Following a nuclear incident, the communication and perception of radiation risk becomes a (perhaps the) major public health issue. In response to such incidents it is therefore crucial to communicate radiation health risks in the context of other more common environmental and lifestyle risk factors. This study compares the risk of mortality from past radiation exposures (to people who survived the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs and those exposed after the Chernobyl accident) with risks arising from air pollution, obesity and passive and active smoking.     

Early incidence of occupational asthma among young bakers,pastry-makers and hairdressers: design of a retrospective cohort study

Background  

Occupational exposures are thought to be responsible for 10-15% of new-onset asthma cases in adults, with disparities across sectors. Because most of the data are derived from registries and cross-sectional studies, little is known about incidence of occupational asthma (OA) during the first years after inception of exposure. This paper describes the design of a study that focuses on this early asthma onset period among young workers in the bakery, pastry making and hairdressing sectors in order to assess early incidence of OA in these "at risk" occupations according to exposure duration, and to identify risk factors of OA incidence.     

Variability in childhood allergy and asthma across ethnicity, language, and residency duration in El Paso, Texas: a cross-sectional study

Background  

We evaluated the impact of migration to the USA-Mexico border city of El Paso, Texas (USA), parental language preference, and Hispanic ethnicity on childhood asthma to differentiate between its social and environmental determinants.     

Evaluating housing quality,health and safety using an Internet-based data collection and response system: a cross-sectional study

Background  

Typically housing and health surveys are not integrated together and therefore are not representative of population health or national housing stocks. In addition, the existing channels for distributing information about housing and health issues to the general public are limited. The aim of this study was to develop a data collection and response system that would allow us to assess the Finnish housing stock from the points of view of quality, health and safety, and also to provide a tool to distribute information about important housing health and safety issues.     

A population based time series analysis of asthma hospitalisations in Ontario, Canada: 1988 to 2000

Background  

Asthma is a common yet incompletely understood health problem associated with a high morbidity burden. A wide variety of seasonally variable environmental stimuli such as viruses and air pollution are believed to influence asthma morbidity. This study set out to examine the seasonal patterns of asthma hospitalisations in relation to age and gender for the province of Ontario over a period of 12 years.     

Exploring cross-sectional associations between common childhood illness,housing and social conditions in remote Australian Aboriginal communities

Background  

There is limited epidemiological research that provides insight into the complex web of causative and moderating factors that links housing conditions to a variety of poor health outcomes. This study explores the relationship between housing conditions (with a primary focus on the functional state of infrastructure) and common childhood illness in remote Australian Aboriginal communities for the purpose of informing development of housing interventions to improve child health.     

Poor housing,good health: a comparison of formal and informal housing in Johannesburg,South Africa

Objectives  

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between housing, demographic, socio-economic, social factors and health, in poor urban communities in Johannesburg, South Africa.     

Analysis of population-level determinants of legionellosis: spatial and geovisual methods for enhancing classification of high-risk areas

Background

Although the incidence of legionellosis throughout North America and Europe continues to increase, public health investigations have not been able to identify a common exposure in most cases. Over 80% of cases are sporadic with no known source. To better understand the role of the macro-environment in legionellosis risk, a retrospective ecological study assessed associations between population-level measures of demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors and high-risk areas.

Methods

Geographic variability and clustering of legionellosis was explored in our study setting using the following methods: unadjusted and standardized incidence rate and SaTScan? cluster detection methods using default scanning window of 1 and 50% as well as a reliability score methodology. Methods for classification of “high-risk” census tracts (areas roughly equivalent to a neighborhood with average population of 4000) for each of the spatial methods are presented. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to estimate associations with sociodemographic factors: population ≥ 65 years of age, non-white race, Hispanic ethnicity, poverty, less than or some high school education; housing factors: housing vacant, renter-occupied, and built pre-1950 and pre-1970; and whether drinking water is groundwater or surface water source.

Results

Census tracts with high percentages of poverty, Hispanic population, and non-white population were more likely to be classified as high-risk for legionellosis versus a low-risk census tract. Vacant housing, renter-occupied housing, and homes built pre-1970 were also important positively associated risk factors. Drinking water source was not found to be associated with legionellosis incidence.

Discussion

Census tract level demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental characteristics are important risk factors of legionellosis and add to our understanding of the macro-environment for legionellosis occurrence. Our findings can be used by public health professionals to target disease prevention communication to vulnerable populations. Future studies are needed to explore the exact mechanisms by which these risk factors may influence legionellosis clustering.