Environmental Public Health Commons^™

Obstructive And Restrictive Lung Disease And Markers Of Inflammation: Data From The Third National Health And Nutrition Examination, David M. Mannino, Earl S. Ford, Stephen C. Redd

David M. Mannino

Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and restrictive lung diseases are important causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States 1, 2 and 3, a large proportion of the morbidity and mortality is not pulmonary (4). This raises the possibility that lung disease may be an indicator of susceptibility to the development of other diseases or may be associated with systemic inflammation that leads to other diseases 5 and 6. Previous analyses of the relation between lung function and markers of inflammation 7 and 8 have not looked at restrictive lung disease separately.

We applied spirometric criteria to define …

Tobacco Smoke Exposure And Decreased Serum And Red Blood Cell Folate Levels: Data From The Third National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey, David M. Mannino, Joseph Mulinare, Earl S. Ford, Joel Schwartz

David M. Mannino

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the effects of smoke exposure on serum and red blood cell folate levels. Data collected as part of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Serum and red blood cell folate levels were measured in active smokers and nonsmokers with high, moderate, and low exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. After adjusting for dietary intake of folate and other covariates, we found that both smokers and nonsmokers with high smoke exposure had lower red blood cell folate levels than did nonsmokers with low smoke exposure (−86 nmol/l [95% confidence …

New Statistics On The Us Epidemic In "Copd Mortality: That Was Then - This Is Now!", David M. Mannino

David M. Mannino

No abstract provided.

The Epidemiology Of Sepsis In The United States From 1979 Through 2000, Greg S. Martin, David M. Mannino, Stephanie Eaton, Marc Moss

David M. Mannino

BACKGROUND

Sepsis represents a substantial health care burden, and there is limited epidemiologic information about the demography of sepsis or about the temporal changes in its incidence and outcome. We investigated the epidemiology of sepsis in the United States, with specific examination of race and sex, causative organisms, the disposition of patients, and the incidence and outcome.

METHODS

We analyzed the occurrence of sepsis from 1979 through 2000 using a nationally representative sample of all nonfederal acute care hospitals in the United States. Data on new cases were obtained from hospital discharge records coded according to the International Classification of …

Fatal Injuries In The United States Involving Respirators, 1984-1995, Anthony Suruda, William Milliken, Dale Stephenson, Richard Sesek

Dale J. Stephenson

There is little published information concerning the epidemiology of fatal injuries involving respiratory protection. We compiled a case series from U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation reports from 1984 through 1995. For the 12-year period there were 41 incidents resulting in 45 deaths due to asphyxiation or chemical poisoning while wearing a respirator. There were 23 deaths related to airline respirators, 17 deaths involving use of negative pressure (air purifying) respirators, and 5 deaths involving self-contained breathing apparatus. Among the 23 deaths involving airline respirators, 15 were associated with compatible connection couplings for breathable air and inert gases. Three …

The Observatory Of The Americas As A Network In Environmental And Worker Health In The Americas, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira, Fernando Martins Carvalho

C. Eduardo Siqueira

This article reviews the scope of several Observatories found by a search in the Internet through the Google search engine. After examining these observatories, it describes the aims and initial accomplishments of the Observatory of the Americas as a network of professionals and activists from different countries in the Americas. The article concludes with a discussion of the pattern identified among these observatories: they may be clearinghouses or networks, or both.

Environmental Health In Public Health, R. Konkel, Darryl Barnett, Joe Beck, Worley Johnson

Steve Konkel

A most intriguing question, and one that leads to many debates both inside and outside of the environmental health field, is a definition of environmental health. The answer given is often tempered by one's political slant (i.e., liberal, moderate, or conservative) and by one's professional training (e.g., public health sanitation, chemistry, nursing, ecology, planning, public administration, etc). Although agreement is needed to effectively address the challenges in the field, disagreement often centers on what constitutes environmental health and even on the name or nickname that should be applied to individuals whose primary focus is on one or many aspects of …

Environmental Planning, R. Steven Konkel

Steve Konkel

Our understanding of the importance of healthy ecosystems and the impact of people on the natural and the built environment continues to grow. The need for stewardship to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural environment and promote healthy populations is increasingly seen as a universal responsibility of environmental health and safety (EHS) professionals.