Environmental Public Health Commons^™

Lead Content Of Lip Balms: A Cross Sectional Convenience Sample With Exposure Assessment Estimating An Average Daily Intake For Young Children, Julie Grunklee

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Lead remains one of the largest environmental toxins affecting children today (Costa, et al., 2004). It is associated with lower IQ, learning difficulties, decreased economic potential and other negative health effects and social behaviors (Kordas et al., 2006). In the United States (U.S.), high amounts of lead remain in and immediately around housing built before 1978 (Tarragó, 2015) as well as a variety of other sources, including cosmetics such as lip balms, that are marketed to the most lead-vulnerable population: young children. Lip balm was found to be the source a lead poisoned child in Minnesota (Minnesota resident, 28 years …

Comparison Of Allergens Collected From Furnace Filters And Vacuum Floor Dust., Ryan Allenbrand, Charles S. Barnes, Mubeen Mohammed, Luke Gard, Freddy Pacheco, Kevin Kennedy, Anita Didonna, Jay M. Portnoy, Chitra Dinakar

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

International Consensus (Icon) On: Clinical Consequences Of Mite Hypersensitivity, A Global Problem., Mario Sánchez-Borges, Enrique Fernandez-Caldas, Wayne R. Thomas, Martin D. Chapman, Bee Wah Lee, Luis Caraballo, Nathalie Acevedo, Fook Tim Chew, Ignacio J. Ansotegui, Leili Behrooz, Wanda Phipatanakul, Roy Gerth Van Wijk, Demoly Pascal, Nelson Rosario, Motohiro Ebisawa, Mario Geller, Santiago Quirce, Susanne Vrtala, Rudolf Valenta, Markus Ollert, Giorgio Walter Canonica, Moises A. Calderón, Charles S. Barnes, Adnan Custovic, Suwat Benjaponpitak, Arnaldo Capriles-Hulett

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Since mite allergens are the most relevant inducers of allergic diseases worldwide, resulting in significant morbidity and increased burden on health services, the International Collaboration in Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (iCAALL), formed by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), and the World Allergy Organization (WAO), has proposed to issue an International Consensus (ICON) on the clinical consequences of mite hypersensitivity. The objectives of this document are to highlight aspects of mite biology that are clinically relevant, to update the …

Prenatal Methylmercury Exposure In A South Carolina Coastal Cohort, Alexis Donohue

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that has the ability to cross the placenta and adversely affect the developing fetus. Our primary objective was to investigate whether prenatal methylmercury exposure varied longitudinally, and whether differences were associated with maternal characteristics.

Methods: Pregnant mothers were recruited in Charleston, South Carolina (8-17 weeks gestation) (n=78). Blood samples were collected during both early (11.8 ± 1.7 weeks) and late (35.3 ± 2.0 weeks) gestation. Blood total mercury and methylmercury concentrations were analyzed. Upon enrollment in the study, mothers filled out a sociodemographic questionnaire that included questions regarding maternal age, race/ethnicity, and education level. Additionally, …

Over-Provision Of Discretionary Foods At Childcare Dilutes The Nutritional Quality Of Diets For Children, Ruth M. Wallace, Leesa N. Costello, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The childcare setting can significantly influence the lifelong eating habits and health outcomes of children.It is ideal for health-promoting interventions that optimise the provision of nutritious food and nutrition education. Unfortunately, these interventions are neither offered nor promoted in many childcare settings. Recent studies have indicated an increased risk of overweight/obesity with childcare attendance, which if present in early life is associated with increased risk of chronic disease and reduced psychological wellbeing.

Palynological Investigation Of Mummified Human Remains, Karl Reinhard, Marina Milanello Do Amaral, Nicole Wall

Karl Reinhard Publications

Pollen analysis was applied to a mummified homicide victim in Nebraska, U.S.A., to determine the location of death. A control sample showed the normal ambient pollen in the garage crime scene. Ambient windborne types, common in the air of the region, dominated the control. Internal samples were analyzed from the sacrum, intestine, and diaphragm. Microfossils were recovered from the rehydrated intestine lumen. The intestinal sample was dominated by Brassica (broccoli). The sacrum sample was high in dietary types but with a showing of ambient types. The pollen from the diaphragm was dominated by ambient pollen similar to the control samples. …

Pseudoscorpions Of The Family Cheiridiidae (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) Recovered From Burial Sediments At Pachacamac (500–1,500ce), Peru, Johnica J. Morrow, Livia Taylor, Lauren Peck, Christian Elowsky, Lawrence Stewart Owens, Peter Eeckout, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Fragmented remains of pseudoscorpions belonging to the family Cheiridiidae (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones) were recovered from Ychsma polity (c. AD 1000–1475) burial sediments from Pachacamac, Peru. Sediments from 21 burials were examined following rehydration in 0.5% trisodium phosphate for 48 h and subsequent screening through a 250 lm mesh. Materials larger than 250 lm were surveyed for the presence of arthropods. A total of two samples contained pseudoscorpion fragments, which were collected and quantified to determine the minimal number of pseudoscorpions present per gram of each sample. Following quantification, pseudoscorpion specimens were imaged utilizing confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to assist with …

Socio-Cognitive Factors And Perceived Consequences Associated With Alternative Forms Of Alcohol Use, Abbly L. Braitman, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Amy L. Stamates, Cathy Lau-Barraco

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Popular media have highly publicized alternative forms of alcohol use (eg, eyeballing, inhaling alcohol vapor) among college students as a growing concern, possibly associated with severe health risks. Formative research indicates rarity of use.

Participants and Methods: College students (Study 1: n = 411; Study 2: n = 687) completed an online survey.

Results: Findings confirmed infrequent use of alternative methods of alcohol use and low likelihood of trying them in the future (Study 1). Participants indicated varied reasons for possibly trying each alternative form of alcohol use, but consistently perceived consequences for all forms (ie, health concerns), as …

Controlling Brochothrix Thermosphacta As A Spoilage Risk Using In Package Atmospheric Cold Plasma, Apurva Patange, Daniela Boehm, Carmen Bueno-Ferrer, Patrick J. Cullen, Paula Bourke

Articles

Brochothrix thermosphacta is a predominant spoilage microorganism in meat and its control in processing environments is important to maintain meat product quality. Atmospheric cold plasma is of interest for control of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in foods. This study ascertained the potential of dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DBD-ACP) for control of B. thermosphacta in response to key parameters such as treatment time, voltage level, interactions with media composition and post treatment storage conditions. Challenge populations were evaluated as suspensions in PBS, as biofilms in meat model medium and surface attached on raw lamb chops under MAP.

ACP treatment …

Exploring Knowledge, Beliefs And Practices Of Radon Gas Exposure Among Public Health Workers, Paschal Nwako

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Radon gas exposure is the highest cause of lung cancer among people that never smoked in the United States. People exposed to elevated levels of radon had a higher risk of developing lung cancer. Achieving the long term goal of the Indoor Radon Abatement Act (IRAA) of 1988 require a combined efforts of government agencies. Public health workers are change agents and their role in protecting and improving the health of their communities are well documented. This study created and utilized a multi question survey, the Public Health Workers Radon Assessment Instrument (PHWRAI) to explore knowledge, beliefs, personal and professional …

Tobacco Use, Cessation, And Locus Of Control Among College Students, Bernard Ambe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to (a) determine the locus of control among American college students (b) determine if tobacco use or cessation correlate with any demographic variables to better understand the efficacy of tobacco interventions and help design an intervention most effective in the prominent LOC of college students.

The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) was modified for the purposes of this study and used to determine demographic factors and tobacco usage status. The modified GATS survey also included the LOC questionnaire which yielded the data. Seventy-four responses were recorded. The mean locus of control scores were …

The Application Of The Literature Review Appraisal Toolkit On Environmental Health Systematic Reviews, Kristen M. Davis

Master's Projects and Capstones

Environmental health systematic reviews have long been of poor quality when comparing them to clinical health systematic reviews. The main reason for the poor quality of environmental health systematic reviews is the lack of a specific protocol. The University of California-San Francisco’s Program for Reproductive Health and the Environment has, because of the discrepancy, created a protocol specific to conducting environmental health systematic reviews. The protocols efforts would be futile without a nonbiased way to evaluate systematic reviews and therefore the protocol used. The Literature Review Appraisal Toolkit is a valuable tool created to navigate and evaluate the credibility of …

A Preliminary Examination Of Elevated Blood Lead Levels In A Rural Georgia County, R. Christopher Rustin, Yu Sun, Chris Calhoun, Christy Kuriatnyk

Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Rural areas are often viewed as lower risk for lead poisoning and toxic exposures seriously impacting development of the brain and central nervous system; this report examines the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels for children <6 years of age in rural Ben Hill County, GA.

Methods: Lead surveillance data from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) were analyzed using SAS®v-9.3 to calculate the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (≥5ug/dL) among those children in Ben Hill County who had been tested for lead; the results were compared to Georgia and national data.

Results: A preliminary analysis of 2010-2015 screening data for Ben Hill County indicates that 8.73% …

An Assessment Of Data Related To Inspections Of Risk Factors For Public Swimming Pools, Shanita Shack, Maurice Redmond, R. Christopher Rustin

Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is mandated to ensure that public swimming pools are safe for those who use them. This mandate is carried out by the DPH and local environmental health professionals through regulations and inspections. In 2015, legislation was introduced proposing to reduce the authority of the DPH to inspect certain pool types (apartments, subdivision, condominiums) and thus reduce regulatory protections in place for swimmers. To ensure that the DPH had current information on the risks associated with pools, the EH team, with assistance from a graduate student, analyzed inspection data to evaluate risk factors …

Farm Work Injuries Among A Cohort Of Children In Kentucky, Usa, Steven R. Browning, Susan C. Westneat, Deborah B. Reed

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Children residing on farms with livestock may be at an increased risk for work-related injuries, compared to children who work on other commodity farms. This study characterizes children's work tasks on Kentucky farms and assesses whether children who work on beef cattle farms are at an increased risk for farm work injuries. The results of a cohort study of children aged 5-18 years (N=999 at baseline) working on family farms in Kentucky, followed for two consecutive years after an initial enumeration five years previously, found that 70% of the children were involved in animal-related chores. Across all age groups, children …

Perceptual Variations In Thermoregulation During Exercise In A Hot Environment, William C. Alger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Professionals are seeking to find ways to prevent exertional heat illness (EHI) in populations working in hot environments as well as populations that are physically active. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate individuals’ ability to accurately perceive core temperature ranges associated with homeothermic and EHI temperatures during exercise. Ten physically active males exercised on a treadmill at a self-selected rate until core temperature reached 39°C. Participants rated perceived core and skin temperature on 100 mm scales each time core temperature increased 0.25˚ C (37.5-39.0˚ C), along with thermal comfort and sweating sensation. During exercise core temperature …

Indoor Tobacco Legislation Is Associated With Fewer Emergency Department Visits For Asthma Exacerbation In Children., Christina E. Ciaccio, Tami Gurley-Calvez, Theresa I. Shireman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: During the past 3 decades, numerous cities and states have adopted laws that ban smoking in public indoor spaces. The rationale for these policies has been to protect nonsmokers from the adverse health effects of secondhand smoke.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the implementation of indoor smoking legislation is associated with a decrease in emergency department visits for asthma in children.

METHODS: This retrospective analysis used a natural experiment to estimate the impact of clean indoor air legislation on the rate of emergency department admissions for asthma exacerbation in children. Data were obtained from the Pediatric Health Information System. A …

Georgia’S Rapid Expansion Of Mosquito Surveillance In Response To Zika Virus, R. Christopher Rustin, Deonte Martin, Rosmarie Kelly

Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Presentations (2010-2017)

Objective: To describe the Georgia Department of Public Health’s (DPH) mosquito surveillance capacity before and after Zika virus was declared a public health emergency, review and compare mosquito surveillance results from 2015 to 2016, and evaluate the risk of autochthonous vector transmission of Zika virus based on 2016 surveillance data of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.

Introduction: Zika virus was declared an international public health emergency by the World Health Organization on February 1, 2016. With Georgia hosting the world’s busiest international airport and a sub-tropical climate that can support the primary Zika virus vector, Aedes aegypti, and secondary …

Social Determinant Of Health Of Adults Smoking Behavior: Differences Between Urban And Rural Areas In Indonesia, Fitri Kurnia Rahim, Thunwadee Suksaroj, Isareethika Jayasvasti

Kesmas

Indonesia memiliki prevalensi perilaku merokok tertinggi di antara negara-negara di Asia Tenggara. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui prediktor terhadap perilaku merokok antara wilayah pedesaan dan perkotaan. Data diambil dari Global Adult Tobacco Survey. Penelitian menggunakan studi analitik potong lintang dan analisis regresi logistik ganda. Sampel berjumlah 8.305 orang dewasa Indonesia berusia ≥ 15 tahun. Penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perokok di wilayah pedesaan lebih tinggi dibandingkan di wilayah perkotaan, masing-masing 36,8% dan 31,9%. Prediktor signifikan terhadap perilaku merokok di wilayah pedesaan dan perkotaan adalah usia, pekerjaan, jenis kelamin, tingkat pendidikan, status ekonomi serta aturan merokok di dalam rumah. Di wilayah perkotaan, usia …

Effectivity Of Foot Care Education Program In Improving Knowledge, Self-Efficacy And Foot Care Behavior Among Diabetes Mellitus Patients In Banjarbaru, Indonesia, Mahdalena Mahdalena, Endang Sri Purwanti Ningsih

Kesmas

Masalah kaki diabetik di Indonesia masih merupakan masalah besar dan masih memerlukan perhatian yang optimal. Edukasi perawatan kaki adalah salah satu upaya yang harus dilakukan dalam mencegah masalah kaki untuk pasien diabetes melitus. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis efektivitas program pendidikan perawatan kaki dalam meningkatkan pengetahuan, efikasi diri, dan perilaku perawatan kaki pasien diabetes di wilayah Banjarbaru. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah quasi experimental dengan prepost test, dilakukan di puskesmas wilayah Banjarbaru tahun 2013. Kelompok intervensi diberikan program pendidikan perawatan kaki. Sampel berjumlah 48 pasien (32 orang kelompok intervensi dan 16 orang kelompok kontrol) menggunakan teknik purposive sampling. Variabel yang …