1.  Title: Traffic-related air pollution and perinatal mortality: a case-control study. Author: de Medeiros AP; Gouveia N; Machado RP; de Souza MR; Alencar GP; Novaes HM; de Almeida MF Source: Environmental Health Perspectives. 2009 Jan;117(1):127-32. Abstract: BACKGROUND: Ambient levels of air pollution may affect the health of children, as indicated by studies of infant and perinatal mortality. Scientific evidence has also correlated low birth weight and preterm birth, which are important determinants of perinatal death, with air pollution. However, most of these studies used ambient concentrations measured at monitoring sites, which may not consider differential exposure to pollutants found at elevated concentrations near heavy-traffic roadways. OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to examine the association between traffic-related pollution and perinatal mortality. METHODS: We used the information collected for a case-control study conducted in 14 districts in the City of Sao Paulo, Brazil, regarding risk factors for perinatal deaths. We geocoded the residential addresses of cases (fetal and early neonatal deaths) and controls (children who survived the 28th day of life) and calculated a distance-weighted traffic density (DWTD) measure considering all roads contained in a buffer surrounding these homes. RESULTS: Logistic regression revealed a gradient of increasing risk of early neonatal death with higher exposure to traffic-related air pollution. Mothers exposed to the highest quartile of the DWTD compared with those less exposed exhibited approximately 50% increased risk (adjusted odds ratio = 1.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.67-3.19). Associations for fetal mortality were less consistent. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that motor vehicle exhaust exposures may be a risk factor for perinatal mortality. Language: English Keywords: BRAZIL | RESEARCH REPORT | STATISTICAL REGRESSION | PERINATAL MORTALITY | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | TRANSPORTATION | RISK FACTORS | POPULATION PRESSURE | Developing Countries | South America, Eastern | South America | Latin America | Americas | Data Analysis | Research Methodology | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Economic Factors | Biology | Carrying Capacity | Natural Resources Document Number: 330469 |
| 2. Title: Micronutrient deficiencies in maternity and child health: a review of environmental and social context and implications for Malawi. Author: Dickinson N; Macpherson G; Hursthouse AS; Atkinson J Source: Environmental Geochemistry and Health. 2009 Apr;31(2):253-72. Abstract: It is well documented that micronutrient malnutrition is of increasing concern in the developing world, resulting in poor health and high rates of mortality and morbidity. During pregnancy, deficiency of iron and zinc can produce cognitive and growth impairment of the foetus, which may continue into infancy. Iron and zinc are essential micronutrients for both plant growth and human nutrition. Despite significant work in the areas of soil fertility, crop biofortification and dietary interventions, the problems of micronutrient deficiencies persist in Africa. There is a need to examine why communities have not embraced intervention strategies which may offer health benefits. Bottom-up, interdisciplinary approaches are required to effectively study the relationships between local communities and their environment, and to assess the impact their behaviour has on the cycling of micronutrients within the soil-plant-human system. From a detailed consideration of diverse influencing factors, a methodological model is suggested for studying the barriers to improving micronutrient uptake within rural communities. It combines environmental understanding with health and social factors, emphasising the need for and potential benefits of understanding and coherence in true interdisciplinary working. Language: English Keywords: MALAWI | CRITIQUE | RESEARCH PROPOSAL | METHODOLOGICAL STUDIES | INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES | STUDY DESIGN | RURAL POPULATION | PREGNANT WOMEN | WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT | INFANT | VITAMINS AND MINERALS | MATERNAL NUTRITION | INFANT NUTRITION | MALNUTRITION | SOIL DEGRADATION | Africa, Southern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Studies | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Economic Development | Economic Factors | Youth | Age Factors | Physiology | Biology | Nutrition | Health | Nutrition Disorders | Diseases | Environmental Degradation | Environment Document Number: 341174 |
| 3. Peer Reviewed Title: Relationship between intestinal parasitic infection in children and soil contamination in an urban slum. Author: Korkes F; Kumagai FU; Belfort RN; Szejnfeld D; Abud TG; Kleinman A; Florez GM; Szejnfeld T; Chieffi PP Source: Journal of Tropical Pediatrics. 2009 Feb;55(1):42-5. Abstract: PURPOSE: Urban slums are well known for their high infant mortality and morbidity rates, and parasitic infections seem to be a common problem among these children. The aim of the present study was to determine protozoa and nematodes prevalence among children of a selected community located in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and access the relation between soil and children infection. METHODS: Soil contamination samples from 15 strategic locations in the slum area as well as stool samples (examined for protozoa and nematodes through five different methods) from 120 children aged 2-14 years (49% M: 51% F, mean +/- SD = 7.9 +/- 3.8 years) were assessed in a cross-sectional study. Children's domicile locations were determined, and a comparative analysis was undertaken to correlate children and soil infection. RESULTS: Overall infection rate was 30.8% (n = 37), without difference between genders. The most frequent intestinal protozoa were Endolimax nana (20.8%), Entamoeba coli (15.8%) and Giardia lamblia (16.7%). Frequencies of Ascaris lumbricoides and Enterobius vermicularis in stool samples were 2.5 and 1.7%, respectively. No cases of hookworms, Schistosoma mansoni or Tricuris trichiura were identified. Polyparasitism occurred in 10.8% of the children, while 69.2% were free of parasitic infections. Out of the 15 soil samples analyzed, Ascaris sp. eggs were found in 20% and hookworm eggs in 6.7%. CONCLUSION: Helminth infection is not as prevalent as previously reported in urban slums in Sao Paulo, neither as clinical disease nor in soil samples. Protozoa intestinal infection, however, is still frequent in some marginalized populations in Sao Paulo. Improvement in living standards, mostly sanitation might decrease the prevalence of these diseases. Language: English Keywords: BRAZIL | RESEARCH REPORT | EPIDEMIOLOGIC METHODS | CLINICAL RESEARCH | CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYSIS | CHILDREN | SLUMS | PREVALENCE | SOIL QUALITY | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | PARASITIC DISEASES | GASTROINTESTINAL EFFECTS | SCHISTOSOMIASIS | Developing Countries | South America, Eastern | South America | Latin America | Americas | Research Methodology | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Urbanization | Urban Population Distribution | Population Distribution | Geographic Factors | Measurement | Environment | Environmental Degradation | Diseases | Physiology | Biology Document Number: 330412 |
4.  Title: WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2008. The MPOWER package. Author: World Health Organization [WHO] Source: Geneva, Switzerland, WHO, 2008. 329 p. Abstract: Tobacco is the single most preventable cause of death in the world today. This year, tobacco will kill more than five million people - more than tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria combined. By 2030, the death toll will exceed eight million a year. Unless urgent action is taken tobacco could kill one billion people during this century. Tobacco is the only legal consumer product that can harm everyone exposed to it - and it kills up to half of those who use it as intended. Yet, tobacco use is common throughout the world due to low prices, aggressive and widespread marketing, lack of awareness about its dangers, and inconsistent public policies against its use. Most of tobacco's damage to health does not become evident until years or even decades after the onset of use. So, while tobacco use is rising globally, the epidemic of tobacco-related disease and death has just begun. But we can change the future. The tobacco epidemic is devastating - but preventable. The fight against tobacco must be engagedforcefully and quickly - with no less urgency than battles against life-threatening infectious diseases. We can halt the tobacco epidemic and move towards a tobacco-free world - but we must act now. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES | TEACHING MATERIALS | POPULATION AT RISK | TOBACCO USE | ECONOMIC FACTORS | HEALTH POLICY | INDOOR AIR POLLUTION | PREVENTION AND CONTROL | BEHAVIOR CHANGE COMMUNICATION | TAXATION | ADVERTISING | PROMOTION | Research Methodology | Behavior | Policy | Political Factors | Sociocultural Factors | Environmental Pollution | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Diseases | Behavior Change | Communication Programs | Communication | Financial Activities | Marketing Document Number: 324513 |
| 5. Title: Prevalence and potential link between E. coli O157:H7 isolated from drinking water, meat and vegetables and stools of diarrhoeic confirmed and non-confirmed HIV/AIDS patients in the Amathole District - South Africa. Author: Abong'o BO; Momba MN Source: Journal of Applied Microbiology. 2008 Aug;105(2):424-31. Abstract: AIM: The current study investigated the prevalence and molecular relatedness between Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolated from water, meat and meat products and vegetables and from stools of confirmed and non-confirmed Human Immune Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) patients with diarrhoea. METHODS AND RESULTS: Culture-based and polymerase chain reaction techniques were used to identify E. coli O157:H7. Thirty-five per cent of meat products, 25.5% of water, 21.7% of vegetables as well as 56.5% and 43.5% of stools of confirmed and non-confirmed HIV/AIDS patients, respectively, were presumptively positive with E. coli O157. Molecular results indicated that 10.3%, 8.6% and 7.8% of the vegetables, water and meat products examined carried E. coli O157:H7, which had homologous fliC(H7), rfbE(O157) and eaeA genetic loci to the genes of some E. coli O157:H7 isolated from 12.2% and 8.8% of the stools of confirmed and non-confirmed HIV/AIDS patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Water, meat and meat products and vegetables are potential sources of E. coli O157:H7 that are potentially capable of causing diarrhoea in humans especially HIV/AIDS patients. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Great care should be exercised to ensure that water and foods consumed by HIV/AIDS patients are safe, as contaminated water and foods can cause secondary infections in these patients. Language: English Keywords: SOUTH AFRICA | RESEARCH REPORT | EPIDEMIOLOGIC METHODS | CLINICAL RESEARCH | PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS | PREVALENCE | DIET | DIARRHEA | HIV INFECTIONS | COMPLICATIONS | BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL DISEASES | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | HYGIENE | Africa, Southern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Research Methodology | Persons Living With HIV/AIDS | Viral Diseases | Diseases | Measurement | Nutrition | Health | Infections | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Public Health Document Number: 329272 |
| 6. Peer Reviewed Title: Assessment of human health risk from organochlorine pesticide residues in Cidade dos Meninos, Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Author: Asmus CI; Alonzo HG; Palacios M; Silva AP; Filhote MI Source: Cadernos de Saude Publica. 2008 Apr;24(4):755-766. Abstract: This article presents the results of a heath risk assessment in Cidade dos Meninos, an area contaminated with organochlorine pesticide residues located in the county (municipality) of Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) risk assessment methodology was applied. The following organochlorine compounds exceeded the established limits and were considered target pollutants: HCH and its isomers (in eggs, milk, and soil); DDT and its metabolites; trichlorobenzenes; trichlorophenols; dioxins and furans (eggs and soil). For all the substances studied (with the exception of trichlorophenols), the estimated doses exceeded the minimum risk levels for chronically exposed children and adults. According to the ATSDR classification, the area was considered an "urgent public health hazard" because of its high and serious exposure to substances that are dangerous to human health. (author's) Language: English Keywords: BRAZIL | RESEARCH REPORT | POPULATION | PESTICIDES | EXPOSURE | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | RISK ASSESSMENT | HEALTH | TOXICITY | South America, Eastern | South America | Latin America | Americas | Developing Countries | Ingredients and Chemicals | Risk Factors | Biology | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Evaluation | Physiology Document Number: 326494 |
| 7. Peer Reviewed Title: Dioxin may promote inflammation-related development of endometriosis. Author: Bruner-Tran KL; Yeaman GR; Crispens MA; Igarashi TM; Osteen KG Source: Fertility and Sterility. 2008 May;89 Suppl 3:1287-1298. Abstract: Laboratory and population-based studies suggest that exposure to environmental toxicants may be one of several triggers for the development of endometriosis. We discuss evidence that modulation of the endometrial endocrine-immune interface could mechanistically link toxicant exposure to the development of this disease. (author's) Language: English Keywords: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | TENNESSEE | RESEARCH REPORT | WOMEN | ENDOMETRIOSIS | EXPOSURE | TOXICITY | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | PROGESTERONE | LEUKOCYTOSIS | Developed Countries | North America | Americas | Demographic Factors | Population | Diseases | Risk Factors | Biology | Physiology | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Progestational Hormones | Hormones | Endocrine System | Hematological Effects | Hemic System Document Number: 327229 |
| 8. Peer Reviewed Title: Distribution and chromosomal characterization of the Anopheles gambiae complex in Angola. Author: Calzetta M; Santolamazza F; Carrara GC; Cani PJ; Fortes F Source: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 2008;78(1):169-175. Abstract: Mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae complex (N = 1,336) were sampled (2001-2005) across Angola to identify taxa, study inversion polymorphisms, and detect the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium falciparum. Anopheles gambiae s.s. was found in all sites; it was characterized as M-form in localities of the tropical dry and semi-desertic belts, whereas the S-form was predominant in comparatively more humid and less anthropized sites. Both forms were characterized by low degrees of chromosomal polymorphism based solely on the 2La inversion, a pattern usually associated with An. gambiae populations from forested, humid, and derived savanna areas. Unexpectedly, this pattern was also observed in M-form populations collected in dry/pre-desertic areas, where this form largely predominates over An. arabiensis, which was also detected in central/inland sites. Anopheles melas was found in northern coastal sites. Three of 534 An. gambiae s.s. were positive for P. falciparum CS-protein, whereas none of the 105 An. melas were positive. (author's) Language: English Keywords: ANGOLA | RESEARCH REPORT | GENETIC TECHNIQUES | ANIMALS | CHROMOSOME ABNORMALITIES | INSECTS | PROTEINS | GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS | CLIMATE | DESERTIFICATION | Africa, Southern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Laboratory Examinations and Diagnoses | Examinations and Diagnoses | Medical Procedures | Medicine | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Natural Resources | Environment | Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities | Diseases | Disease Transmission Control | Prevention and Control | Physiology | Biology | Population | Environmental Degradation Document Number: 325614 |
| 9. Peer Reviewed Title: Association between exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and breastfeeding behaviour. Author: Chou SY; Hsu HH; Kuo HH; Kuo HW Source: Acta Paediatrica. 2008 Jan;97(1):76-80. Abstract: A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the association between breastfeeding behaviour and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Questionnaires were collected from 552 women. Blood and urine specimens were taken from part of the population at the time of delivery. The study population was classified into two groups: those exposed to ETS and those unexposed, based on self-reports from the subjects involved in the study. Cotinine levels in the urine and blood specimens were analysed by HPLC-UV under strict quality control procedures. There was a significant negative association between the exposure to ETS at home or in the workplace and the prevalence of breastfeeding in each of the 6 months following delivery using multiple logistic regression adjusted for other covariates. The cotinine levels in the urine and blood were dose-dependent, but not significantly so. However, women with lower cotinine levels had a higher probability of breastfeeding than those with higher levels. Women who are exposed to ETS have a low likelihood of breastfeeding. It is necessary for the government to regulate ETS in public areas and confined spaces in order to reduce the levels of ETS that women are exposed to. (author's) Language: English Keywords: TAIWAN | RESEARCH REPORT | CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYSIS | KAP SURVEYS | CLINICAL RESEARCH | CASE CONTROL STUDIES | MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS | WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT | MOTHERS | TOBACCO USE | INDOOR AIR POLLUTION | BREASTFEEDING | PREVALENCE | Asia, Eastern | Asia | Developed Countries | Research Methodology | Surveys | Sampling Studies | Studies | Data Analysis | Economic Development | Economic Factors | Parents | Family Relationships | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Behavior | Environmental Pollution | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Infant Nutrition | Nutrition | Health | Measurement Document Number: 324822 |
| 10. Peer Reviewed Title: Indoor air pollution from unprocessed solid fuel use and pneumonia risk in children aged under five years: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Author: Dherani M; Pope D; Mascarenhas M; Smith KR; Weber M Source: Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2008 May;86(5):390-398. Abstract: Reduction of indoor air pollution (IAP) exposure from solid fuel use is a potentially important intervention for childhood pneumonia prevention. This review updates a prior meta-analysis and investigates whether risk varies by etiological agent and pneumonia severity among children aged less than 5 years who are exposed to unprocessed solid fuels. Searches were made of electronic databases (including Africa, China and Latin America) without language restriction. Search terms covered all sources of IAP and wide-ranging descriptions of acute lower respiratory infections, including viral and bacterial agents. From 5317 studies in the main electronic databases (plus 307 African and Latin American, and 588 Chinese studies, in separate databases), 25 were included in the review and 24 were suitable for meta-analysis. Due to substantial statistical heterogeneity, random effects models were used. The overall pooled odds ratio was 1.78 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.45-2.18), almost unchanged at 1.79 (95%CI: 1.26-2.21) after exclusion of studies with low exposure prevalence (less than 15%) and one high outlier. There was evidence of publication bias, and the implications for the results are explored. Sensitivity subanalyses assessed the impact of control selection, adjustment for confounding, exposure and outcome assessment, and age, but no strong effects were identified. Evidence on respiratory syncytial virus was conflicting, while risk for severe or fatal pneumonia was similar to or higher than that for all pneumonia. Despite heterogeneity, this analysis demonstrated sufficient consistency to conclude that risk of pneumonia in young children is increased by exposure to unprocessed solid fuels by a factor of 1.8. Greater efforts are now required to implement effective interventions. (author's) Language: English Keywords: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES | LITERATURE REVIEW | CHILDREN | PNEUMONIA | RISK FACTORS | INDOOR AIR POLLUTION | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Pulmonary Effects | Physiology | Biology | Environmental Pollution | Environmental Degradation | Environment Document Number: 326559 |
| 11. Title: Population growth and its spatial distribution as factors in the deforestation of Nang Rong, Thailand. Author: Entwisle B; Rindfuss RR; Walsh SJ; Page PH Source: Geoforum. 2008 Mar;39(2):879-897. Abstract: Frontiers constitute a major source of global land cover change hot spots, with forests and grasslands being converted into agricultural uses. As such, frontiers provide an opportunity to see how people manipulate the land and their lives in the context of social, cultural and environmental constraints. This paper examines frontier settlement and land cover change in Nang Rong district, Northeast Thailand for the last half century. It uses a Cellular Automata (CA) model to explore the land cover consequences of alternative patterns of settlement in a setting where people establish dwelling units in nucleated villages and work agricultural plots that surround villages. Forested land around the center of a village is converted into agricultural uses in an inverse relationship to the distance from the village center, but frequently modified by biophysical conditions. Land at the center of the village may be reforested after the village is established as a source of shade as well as fruit and other products. Model variation in land cover change is more sensitive to the spatial reach of village households than their temporal reach, suggesting the important role that technology plays in how villagers travel to their Welds (walking versus motorized transit). (author's) Language: English Keywords: THAILAND | RESEARCH REPORT | THEORETICAL MODELS | LAND SUPPLY | LAND AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT | POPULATION DISTRIBUTION | POPULATION GROWTH | DEFORESTATION | AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT | FORESTS | SETTLEMENT AND RESETTLEMENT | Asia, Southeastern | Asia | Developing Countries | Research Methodology | Natural Resources | Environment | Rural Development | Economic Factors | Geographic Factors | Population | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Environmental Degradation | Migration Document Number: 325391 |
| 12. Title: Environmental contaminants and human infertility: Hypothesis or cause for concern? Author: Foster WG; Neal MS; Han MS; Dominguez MM Source: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. 2008;11 Pt B:162-176. Abstract: Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the crude human birth rate (live births per 1000 population) declined, indicating reduced fertility and suggesting a potential decline in fecundity (the potential to conceive). Detection of environmental contaminants in human tissues, together with reports of a global decline in semen quality, further fueled speculation that human infertility rates are increasing and environmental toxicants are potentially important causal agents associated with this change. However, there is little compelling evidence to suggest that infertility rates amongst the general population have changed over time. Moreover, recent studies suggest a rise in the fertility rates. While several studies documented increased time to pregnancy (TTP) in exposed study populations, other investigators were not able to replicate these findings. Nevertheless, studies involving occupational exposure together with results from animal experiments lend support to the conclusion that environmental contaminants potentially adversely affect fertility. Consequently, the impact of exposure to environmental contaminants on human fertility remains controversial. To test the hypothesis that environmental contaminant exposure was associated with enhanced risk of infertility, data concerning trends in fertility and infertility rates were examined to assess the impact of exposure of developing gametes to environmental contaminants. The relationship between exposure and reproductive outcomes was then examined to illustrate the range of adverse effects for reproductive toxicants with data sets of divergent depth and reliability. Data showed that only a weak association between exposure to environmental contaminants and adverse effects on human fertility exists. However, it is postulated that evidence of chemical exposure and potential health consequences of these exposures highlight the need for further research in this area. (author's) Language: English Keywords: CANADA | LITERATURE REVIEW | INFERTILITY | RISK FACTORS | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | FERTILITY RATE | FECUNDITY | GERM CELLS | PESTICIDES | ORGANIC CHEMICALS | TOXICITY | TOBACCO USE | North America, Northern | Americas | Developed Countries | Reproduction | Biology | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Birth Rate | Fertility Measurements | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Genitalia | Urogenital System | Physiology | Ingredients and Chemicals | Behavior Document Number: 326262 |
| 13. Peer Reviewed Title: Demarcating forest, containing disease: Land and HIV / AIDS in southern Zambia. Author: Frank E; Unruh J Source: Population and Environment. 2008 May;29(3-5):108-132. Abstract: The ongoing HIV/AIDS pandemic in southern Africa continues to manifest itself in unexpected ways. While the consequences of the disease appear straightforward in some aspects -- e.g., medical, labor, cost -- in other respects the repercussions, while large, are nonetheless highly nuanced and can be counterintuitive. This paper reports on the intersection of HIV/AIDS, migration, livelihood adaptation, land tenure, and forest conservation, to outline how adaptation to the pandemic has reworked significant aspects of land tenure to result in increased forest conservation in southern Zambia in the near to medium-term. The research uses a combination of ethnography, case studies, household survey and spatial analyses and finds that HIV/AIDS is used in customary legal settings to enhance land access. We also draw links to practical and theoretical implications of the relationship between HIV/AIDS, land tenure, and deforestation in Sub-Saharan Africa. (Author's) Language: English Keywords: ZAMBIA | AFRICA, SOUTHERN | RESEARCH REPORT | CASE STUDIES | SURVEYS | HIV INFECTIONS | EPIDEMICS | MIGRATION | DEFORESTATION | LAND TENURE | LIVELIHOOD | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Studies | Research Methodology | Sampling Studies | Viral Diseases | Diseases | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Resources | Organization and Administration Document Number: 327912 |
| 14. Peer Reviewed Title: Science linking environmental contaminant exposures with fertility and reproductive health impacts in the adult male. Author: Hauser R; Sokol R Source: Fertility and Sterility. 2008 Feb;89(2 Suppl 1):e59-e65. Abstract: In the field of reproductive environmental health there remain many unanswered questions regarding the impact of the environment on male reproductive health. Suggested needs include studies that target populations with high exposure to chemicals, including phthalates and bisphenol A. We also need to identify susceptibility factors and critical exposure windows (life stages) that may increase a man's risk of infertility. Finally, we need to develop methods to better study mixtures of chemicals and develop methods to assess clinical reproductive outcomes of human exposure to the ever-growing list of chemicals. (author's) Language: English Keywords: GLOBAL | RESEARCH REPORT | LITERATURE REVIEW | MEN | REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH | INFERTILITY | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | TOXICITY | EXPOSURE | Demographic Factors | Population | Health | Reproduction | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Physiology | Biology | Risk Factors Document Number: 325033 |
| 15. Title: Health of people working / living in the vicinity of an oil-polluted beach near Karachi, Pakistan. Author: Khurshid R; Sheikh MA; Iqbal S Source: Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. 2008;14(1):179-182. Abstract: A short-term study was conducted after the oil spillage from the tanker Tasman Spirit to analyse seawater and sand samples taken from Karachi beach for hydrocarbon/organic contents. Blood samples were collected from people who were working or living in the vicinity of the beach. Lymphocyte and eosinophil levels were slightly increased. About 11 people had raised serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase, but this was not significant. Such steps are vital to ensure that there are no long-term hazardous effects of oil on human health. (author's) Language: English Keywords: PAKISTAN | RESEARCH REPORT | CLINICAL RESEARCH | POPULATION AT RISK | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT | HEALTH STATUS INDEXES | SOIL QUALITY | WATER QUALITY | LABORATORY EXAMINATIONS AND DIAGNOSES | Developing Countries | Asia, Southern | Asia | Research Methodology | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Health | Water | Natural Resources | Examinations and Diagnoses | Medical Procedures | Medicine | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care Document Number: 325103 |
| 16. Title: Knowledge of the effects of indoor air quality on health among women in Jordan. Author: Madanat H; Barnes MD; Cole EC Source: Health Education and Behavior. 2008 Feb;35(1):105-118. Abstract: The objective was to assess the extent of knowledge about symptoms relating to respiratory illnesses and home environments among a random sample of 200 urban Jordanian women. This customized, validated, cross-sectional questionnaire evaluated the knowledge of these women about the association between the indoor environment and health, the presence or absence of indoor discomforts, symptoms of respiratory illnesses, and behaviors related to the home environment such as cleaning practices. Results showed an alarming rate of smoking in the homes; the extent of knowledge was moderate but higher among those exhibiting symptoms and those with children. Cleaning practices associated with healthy home environments were reported at a high rate but seemed to be based on cultural influences. This type of information is crucial to the formation of health education programs and policy recommendations for pollutant source and exposure reductions in homes in the Middle East and other developing countries. (author's) Language: English Keywords: JORDAN | RESEARCH REPORT | CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYSIS | WOMEN | HOUSEHOLDS | INDOOR AIR POLLUTION | KNOWLEDGE | CULTURE | TOBACCO USE | RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS | ASTHMA | Developing Countries | Middle East | Research Methodology | Demographic Factors | Population | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Environmental Pollution | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Behavior | Infections | Diseases | Pulmonary Effects | Physiology | Biology Document Number: 324661 |
| 17. Peer Reviewed Title: Global environmental change and health: Impacts, inequalities, and the health sector. Author: McMichael AJ; Friel S; Nyong A; Corvalan C Source: BMJ. British Medical Journal. 2008 Jan 26;336(7637):191-194. Abstract: Human actions are changing many of the world's natural environmental systems, including the climate system. These systems are intrinsic to life processes and fundamental to human health, and their disruption and depletion make it more difficult to tackle health inequalities. Indeed, we will not achieve the UN millennium development health goals if environmental destruction continues. Health professionals have a vital contributory role in preventing and reducing the health effects of global environmental change. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: GLOBAL | SUMMARY REPORT | POPULATION PRESSURE | ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT | INEQUALITIES | HEALTH | HEALTH SERVICES | GLOBAL WARMING | POVERTY | DISEASES | MALNUTRITION | ILLITERACY | EXPOSURE | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | PREVENTION AND CONTROL | GOALS | Carrying Capacity | Natural Resources | Environment | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Delivery of Health Care | Climate | Nutrition Disorders | Educational Status | Socioeconomic Status | Risk Factors | Biology | Environmental Degradation | Planning | Organization and Administration Document Number: 324033 |
| 18. Peer Reviewed Title: Science linking environmental contaminant exposures with fertility and reproductive health impacts in the adult female. Author: Mendola P; Messer LC; Rappazzo K Source: Fertility and Sterility. 2008 Feb;89(2 Suppl 1):e81-e94. Abstract: The study objective was to broadly review the recent literature linking environmental factors and adult female reproductive health for the UCSF-CHE Summit on Environmental Challenges to Reproductive Health and Fertility. Reviewed articles indexed in PubMed from 1999-2007 addressing environment and puberty, menstrual and ovarian function, fertility, and menopause. The strongest evidence of environmental contaminant exposures interfering with healthy reproductive function in adult females is for heavy metals, particularly lead. Compounds that can influence hormone function, including pesticides and persistent pollutants, are also associated with risk. The pattern of effects for these endocrine-active compounds is often complex, with no clear dose response, but alterations in function and poor reproductive health outcomes are observed. From a clinical perspective, most modifiable risk appears to be associated with exposures in unique populations (contaminated fish consumers) or occupational groups (farmworkers). Many compounds have demonstrated increased risks for reproductive health impairment in women, but the literature is largely cross-sectional in nature and too sparse or inconclusive to support causal inference. Reproductive function in adult females is impaired by lead exposure. Pesticides and persistent pollutants can alter hormone function resulting in adverse reproductive health effects. Coordinated research is needed to address contaminant effects across the life span. (author's) Language: English Keywords: GLOBAL | RESEARCH REPORT | LITERATURE REVIEW | WOMEN | REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | TOXICITY | EXPOSURE | Demographic Factors | Population | Health | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Physiology | Biology | Risk Factors Document Number: 325032 |
| 19. Title: Promoting environmental justice through community-based participatory research: The role of community and partnership capacity. Author: Minkler M; Vasquez VB; Tajik M; Petersen D Source: Health Education and Behavior. 2008 Feb;35(1):119-137. Abstract: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) increasingly is being used to study and address environmental justice. This article presents the results of a cross-site case study of four CBPR partnerships in the United States that researched environmental health problems and worked to educate legislators and promote relevant public policy. The authors focus on community and partnership capacity within and across sites, using as a theoretical framework Goodman and his colleagues' dimensions of community capacity, as these were tailored to environmental health by Freudenberg, and as further modified to include partnership capacity within a systems perspective. The four CBPR partnerships examined were situated in NewYork, California, Oklahoma, and North Carolina and were part of a larger national study. Case study contexts and characteristics, policy-related outcomes, and findings related to community and partnership capacity are presented, with implications drawn for other CBPR partnerships with a policy focus. (author's) Language: English Keywords: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | NEW YORK | CALIFORNIA | OKLAHOMA | NORTH CAROLINA | RESEARCH REPORT | CASE STUDIES | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | INEQUALITIES | COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION | RESEARCH ACTIVITIES | PROGRAM EVALUATION | PUBLIC HEALTH | Developed Countries | North America | Americas | Studies | Research Methodology | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Organization and Administration | Programs | Health Document Number: 324662 |
| 20. Title: Lead poisoning associated with malaria in children of urban areas of Nigeria. Author: Nriagu J; Afeiche M; Linder A; Arowolo T; Ana G; Sridhar MK; Oloruntoba EO; Obi E; Ebenebe JC; Orisakwe OE; Adesina A Source: International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. 2008 Oct;211(5-6):591-605. Abstract: The principal objectives of this study are to (a) investigate the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs) in children of three major cities of Nigeria with different levels of industrial pollution; (b) identify the environmental, social and behavioral risk factors for the EBLLs in the children; and (c) explore the association between malaria (endemic in the study areas) and EBLLs in the pediatric population. The study involved 653 children aged 2-9 years (average, 3.7 years). The mean blood lead level (BLL) for the children was 8.9+/-4.8microg/dL, the median value was 7.8microg/dL, and the range was 1-52microg/dL. About 25% of the children had BLL greater than 10microg/dL. There were important differences in BLLs across the three cities, with the average value in Ibadan (9.9+/-5.2microg/dL) and Nnewi (8.3+/-3.5microg/dL) being higher than that in Port Harcourt (4.7+/-2.2micro/dL). Significant positive associations were found between BLL and a child's town of residence (p<0.001), age of the child (p=0.004), length of time the child played outside (p<0.001), presence of pets in a child's home (p=0.023), but negatively with educational level of caregiver (p<0.001). This study is one of the first to find a significant negative association between BLL and malaria in a pediatric population, and this association remained significant after controlling for confounding diseases and symptoms. The shared environmental and socio-demographic risks factors for lead exposure and Plasmodium (most common malaria parasites) infection in urban areas of Nigeria are discussed along with possible ways that lead exposure may influence the host response to infection with malarial parasites. Language: English Keywords: NIGERIA | RESEARCH REPORT | URBAN AREAS | CHILDREN | TOXICITY | MALARIA | BLOOD | PARASITES | AGRICULTURE | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | POISON | METALS | EXPOSURE | Africa, Western | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Geographic Factors | Population | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Physiology | Biology | Parasitic Diseases | Diseases | Hemic System | Macroeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Vitamins and Minerals | Risk Factors Document Number: 330222 |
| 21. Title: Solid-waste management in Jalandhar city and its impact on community health. Author: Puri A; Kumar M; Johal E Source: Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2008 Aug;12(2):76-81. Abstract: In this study, solid-waste management practices were evaluated in order to find out its link with occurrence of vector-borne disease. Strategies for solid-waste management were employed as practical model to solve the problems regarding pollution which is originated by solid-waste. Language: English Keywords: INDIA | RESEARCH REPORT | HEALTH SURVEYS | URBAN POPULATION | WASTE MANAGEMENT | VECTOR CONTROL | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | URBAN AREAS | STORAGE AND WAREHOUSES | TRANSPORTATION | RECYCLING | RISK FACTORS | Developing Countries | Asia, Southern | Asia | Health | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Environment | Disease Transmission Control | Prevention and Control | Diseases | Environmental Degradation | Geographic Factors | Organization and Administration | Economic Factors | Biology Document Number: 322520 |
| 22. Peer Reviewed Title: Epidemiology and etiology of childhood pneumonia. Author: Rudan I; Boschi-Pinto C; Biloglav Z; Mulholland K; Campbell H Source: Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2008 May;86(5):408-416. Abstract: Childhood pneumonia is the leading single cause of mortality in children aged less than 5 years. The incidence in this age group is estimated to be 0.29 episodes per child-year in developing and 0.05 episodes per child-year in developed countries. This translates into about 156 million new episodes each year worldwide, of which 151 million episodes are in the developing world. Most cases occur in India (43 million), China (21 million) and Pakistan (10 million), with additional high numbers in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nigeria (6 million each). Of all community cases, 7-13% are severe enough to be life-threatening and require hospitalization. Substantial evidence revealed that the leading risk factors contributing to pneumonia incidence are lack of exclusive breastfeeding, undernutrition, indoor air pollution, low birth weight, crowding and lack of measles immunization. Pneumonia is responsible for about 19% of all deaths in children aged less than 5 years, of which more than 70% take place in sub-Saharan Africa and south-east Asia. Although based on limited available evidence, recent studies have identified Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and respiratory syncytial virus as the main pathogens associated with childhood pneumonia. (author's) Language: English Keywords: GLOBAL | DEVELOPING COUNTRIES | LITERATURE REVIEW | CHILDREN | PNEUMONIA | INCIDENCE | RISK FACTORS | BREASTFEEDING, EXCLUSIVE | MALNUTRITION | INDOOR AIR POLLUTION | LOW BIRTH WEIGHT | IMMUNIZATION | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Pulmonary Effects | Physiology | Biology | Measurement | Research Methodology | Breastfeeding | Infant Nutrition | Nutrition | Health | Nutrition Disorders | Diseases | Environmental Pollution | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Birth Weight | Body Weight | Primary Health Care | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care Document Number: 326561 |
| 23. Title: Prenatal exposure to wood fuel smoke and low birth weight. Author: Siddiqui AR; Gold EB; Yang X; Lee K; Brown KH; Bhutta ZA Source: Environmental Health Perspectives. 2008 Apr;116(4):543-9. Abstract: BACKGROUND: Maternal exposure to wood fuel smoke may lead to impaired fetal growth due to hypoxia and or oxidative stress from smoke constituents such as carbon monoxide and particulate matter. OBJECTIVES: We studied the risk of low birth weight (LBW) and reduced mean birth weight in relation to reported use of wood for cooking during the prenatal period, compared with natural gas (NG). METHODS: We studied a historical cohort of women who had a singleton live birth in the years 2000-2002, from a semirural area of Pakistan. Infant's birth weight was obtained from records, and prenatal records had data for maternal body mass index and parity. Cooking habits, daytime sleep habits, and type of fuel used during the pregnancies in 2000-2002 were ascertained by a survey done in 2004-2005. We performed multiple linear and logistic regression modeling using propensity scores to adjust for confounding variables. RESULTS: Unadjusted mean (+/- SD) birth weight was 2.78 +/- 0.45 kg in wood users, and 2.84 +/- 0.43 kg (p < 0.06) in NG users. Infants born to wood users averaged 82 g lighter than infants born to NG users when weight was adjusted for confounders (p < 0.07). The rate of LBW (< 2,500 g) was 22.7% among wood users compared with 15.0% in NG users (p < 0.01), for an adjusted relative risk of 1.64 (95% confidence interval, 1.10-2.34). The population attributable risk for LBW explained by wood use was estimated to be 24%. CONCLUSION: Cooking with wood fuel during pregnancy, a potentially modifiable exposure, was associated with LBW and marginally lower mean birth weight compared with using NG. Language: English Keywords: PAKISTAN | RESEARCH REPORT | COHORT ANALYSIS | PREGNANT WOMEN | FETUS | LOW BIRTH WEIGHT | INDOOR AIR POLLUTION | EXPOSURE | RISK FACTORS | Developing Countries | Asia, Southern | Asia | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Pregnancy | Reproduction | Birth Weight | Body Weight | Physiology | Biology | Environmental Pollution | Environmental Degradation | Environment Document Number: 330223 |
| 24. Title: The effects of 3 environmental risks on mortality disparities across Mexican communities. Author: Stevens GA; Dias RH; Ezzati M Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2008 Nov 4;105(44):16860-5. Abstract: The disparities in the burden of ill health caused by environmental risks should be an important consideration beyond their aggregate population effects. We used comparative risk assessment methods to calculate the mortality effects of unsafe water and sanitation, indoor air pollution from household solid fuel use, and ambient urban particulate matter pollution in Mexico. We also estimated the disparities in mortality caused by each risk factor, across municipios (counties) of residence and by municipio socioeconomic status (SES). Data sources for the analysis were the national census, population-representative health surveys, and air quality monitoring for risk factor exposure; systematic reviews and meta-analyses of epidemiological studies for risk factor effects; and vital statistics for disease-specific mortality. During 2001-2005, unsafe water and sanitation, household solid fuel use, and urban particulate matter pollution were responsible for 3,000, 3,600, and 7,600 annual deaths, respectively. Annual child mortality rates would decrease by 0.2, 0.1, and 0.1 per 1,000 children, and life expectancy would increase by 1.0, 1.2, and 2.4 months, respectively, in the absence of these environmental exposures. Together, these risk factors caused 10.6% of child deaths in the lowest-SES communities (0.9 deaths per 1,000 children), but only 4.0% in communities in the highest-SES ones (0.1 per 1,000). In the 50 most-affected municipios, these 3 exposures were responsible for 3.2 deaths per 1,000 children and a 10-month loss of life expectancy. The large disparities in the mortality effects of these 3 environmental risks should form the basis of interventions and environmental monitoring programs. Language: English Keywords: MEXICO | METHODOLOGICAL STUDIES | COMPARATIVE STUDIES | EPIDEMIOLOGIC METHODS | URBAN POPULATION | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | DEATH RATE | INEQUALITIES | RISK ASSESSMENT | WATER SUPPLY | SANITATION | INDOOR AIR POLLUTION | VITAL STATISTICS | CHILD MORTALITY | North America | Americas | Developing Countries | Studies | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Evaluation | Natural Resources | Public Health | Health | Population Statistics Document Number: 330044 |
| 25. Peer Reviewed Title: A community-based bacteriological study of quality of drinking-water and its feedback to a rural community in western Maharashtra, India. Author: Tambe PV; Daswani PG; Mistry NF; Ghadge AA; Antia NH Source: Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition. 2008 Jun;26(2):139-150. Abstract: A longitudinal study of the bacteriological quality of rural water supplies was undertaken for a movement towards self-help against diseases, such as diarrhoea, and improved water management through increased community participation. Three hundred and thirteen water samples from different sources, such as well, tank, community standpost, handpumps, percolation lakes, and streams, and from households were collected from six villages in Maharashtra, India, over a one-year period. Overall, 49.8% of the 313 samples were polluted, whereas 45.9% of the samples from piped water supply were polluted. The quality of groundwater was generally good compared to open wells. Irregular and/or inadequate treatment of water, lack of drainage systems, and domestic washing near the wells led to deterioration in the quality of water. No major diarrhoeal epidemics were recorded during the study, although a few sporadic cases were noted during the rainy season. As a result of a continuous feedback of bacteriological findings to the community, perceptions of the people changed with time. An increased awareness was observed through active participation of the people cutting across age-groups and different socioeconomic strata of the society in village activities. (author's) Language: English Keywords: INDIA | RESEARCH REPORT | LONGITUDINAL STUDIES | RURAL POPULATION | COMMUNITY | WATER SUPPLY | BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL DISEASES | FEEDBACK | COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION | COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | DIARRHEA | EPIDEMICS | PUBLIC OPINION | INTERVENTIONS | Developing Countries | Asia, Southern | Asia | Studies | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Residence Characteristics | Population Distribution | Geographic Factors | Natural Resources | Environment | Infections | Diseases | Evaluation Methodology | Evaluation | Organization and Administration | Primary Health Care | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Environmental Degradation | Attitudes | Psychological Factors | Behavior | Programs Document Number: 327781 |
| 26. Peer Reviewed Title: Proceedings of the Summit on Environmental Challenges to Reproductive Health and Fertility: Executive summary. Author: Woodruff TJ; Carlson A; Schwartz JM; Giudice LC Source: Fertility and Sterility. 2008 Feb;89(2):281-300. Abstract: The 2007 Summit on Environmental Challenges to Reproductive Health and Fertility convened scientists, health care professionals, community groups, political representatives, and the media to hear presentations on the impact of environmental contaminants on reproductive health and fertility, and to discuss opportunities to improve health through research, education, communication, and policy. Environmental reproductive health focuses on exposures to environmental contaminants, particularly during critical periods of development, and their potential effects on future reproductive health, including conception, fertility, pregnancy, adolescent development, and adult health. Approximately 87,000 chemical substances are registered for commercial use in the United States, with ubiquitous human exposures to environmental contaminants in air, water, food, and consumer products. Exposures during critical windows of susceptibility may result in adverse effects with lifelong and even intergenerational health impacts. Effects can include impaired development and function of the reproductive tract and permanently altered gene expression, leading to metabolic and hormonal disorders, reduced fertility and fecundity, and illnesses such as testicular, prostate, uterine, and cervical cancers later in life. This executive summary reviews effects of pre- and postnatal exposures on male and female reproductive health, and provides a series of recommendations for advancing the field in the areas of research, policy, health care, and community action. (author's) Language: English Keywords: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | CALIFORNIA | CONFERENCES AND CONGRESSES | RECOMMENDATIONS | REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | INGREDIENTS AND CHEMICALS | EXPOSURE | FERTILITY | PREGNANCY | ADOLESCENT HEALTH | HEALTH | CHILD DEVELOPMENT | Developed Countries | North America | Americas | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Risk Factors | Biology | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Reproduction Document Number: 324375 |
| 27. Peer Reviewed Title: DDT for malaria control: the issue of trade. Source: Lancet. 2007 Jan;369(9558):248. Abstract: In September, 2006, WHO recommended wider use of indoor spraying with dichlorodiphenyltrichloro ethane (DDT)--once banned because of its toxic effects on the environment--and other insecticides to control malaria. Since then, a number of African countries have made their old foe DDT their new friend. Malawi is the latest, announcing last week that it would be introducing indoor residual spraying with DDT in its fight against malaria. WHO cited many reasons for making DDT a main intervention in malaria control, alongside insecticide-treated bednets. DDT has the potential to substantially reduce malaria transmission. The chemical is better than other insecticides, as it lasts longer, thereby reducing the number of times that houses need to be sprayed, is cheaper, and can repel mosquitoes from indoor environments, as well as kill those that land on sprayed surfaces. But DDT is far from problem-free. WHO, and countries that decide to adopt indoor residual spraying with the insecticide, need to monitor any negative effects of the chemical on health. They also need to ensure that DDT does not contaminate crops. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES | CRITIQUE | EVALUATION | ANIMALS | PESTICIDES | MALARIA PREVENTION | VECTOR CONTROL | INDOOR AIR POLLUTION | WHO | TOXICITY | Natural Resources | Environment | Ingredients and Chemicals | Malaria | Parasitic Diseases | Diseases | Disease Transmission Control | Prevention and Control | Environmental Pollution | Environmental Degradation | UN | International Agencies | Organizations | Political Factors | Sociocultural Factors | Physiology | Biology Document Number: 312115 |
| 28. Title: Does prenatal exposure to arsenic affect infant development? Source: Health and Science Bulletin. 2007 Sep;5(3):1-21. Abstract: Arsenic is a widely distributed environmental pollutant. Many people are exposed to arsenic contaminated drinking water in different regions of the world due to elevated levels in ground water. It is a neurotoxicant and known to cause cancer, skin diseases and other chronic diseases. Recently a few cross sectional studies in school-aged children reported a negative association of arsenic exposure with children's development. Siripityakunkit and colleagues found a significant association between high arsenic levels in hair and impaired visual perception in 6-9 year old Thai children who were chronically exposed to arsenic contaminated drinking water. Calderon and Rosado reported co-exposure of arsenic and lead in primary school children from smelter areas in Mexico associated with lower verbal intelligence and long-term memory. Similarly, in Taiwan, long-term arsenic-exposure through drinking water was associated with lower scores in three out of four performance tests in a dose response manner. Two studies in Bangladesh reported an association between exposures to high well water arsenic and reduced intellectual function, even after adjusting for covariates. These studies indicate that children as young as 6 years old may suffer from subtle developmental deficits due to arsenic exposure. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: BANGLADESH | RESEARCH REPORT | LONGITUDINAL STUDIES | PREGNANT WOMEN | INFANT | WATER QUALITY | CHILD DEVELOPMENT | TESTING | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM EFFECTS | Developing Countries | Asia, Southern | Asia | Studies | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Youth | Age Factors | Water | Natural Resources | Environment | Biology | Measurement | Environmental Degradation | Central Nervous System | Physiology Document Number: 322625 |
| 29. Peer Reviewed Title: The environment's impact on health. Source: Lancet. 2007 Jun 23;369(9579):2052. Abstract: With its release of each country's profile of environmental factors and their impact on health last week, WHO has made a first, very important step towards facilitating more joined-up thinking by policymakers when planning interventions that have the greatest effect at a population level. The profiles make grim reading in some parts of the world and show stark inequalities. In Sierra Leone, one of the worst affected countries, an estimated 316 healthy years of life are lost per 1000 inhabitants due to preventable environmental factors compared with only 14 healthy years of life lost per 1000 in Iceland. Worldwide an estimated 13 million deaths could be prevented each year in a healthier environment. In 23 countries, more than 10% of these deaths are due to just two factors: lack of clean water and the effects of indoor air pollution caused by a high proportion of households that use solid fuel, such as wood, for cooking and heating. Many of these factors have the greatest effect on young children, and without tackling the most important environmental impacts on health, there is little hope of substantial progress towards Millennium Development Goal 4: reducing under-5 child mortality by two-thirds by 2015. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES | CRITIQUE | POLICYMAKERS | POPULATION AT RISK | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | WATER SUPPLY | INDOOR AIR POLLUTION | EXCESS MORTALITY | PUBLIC HEALTH | Administrative Personnel | Organization and Administration | Research Methodology | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Natural Resources | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Health Document Number: 318051 |
| 30. Peer Reviewed Title: Will China ever come clean? Source: Lancet. 2007 Jul 14;370(9582):104. Abstract: The international health community rolled its eyes in exasperation last week as reports emerged of another cover-up by the Chinese Government. The UK newspaper The Financial Times was the first to report that Chinese officials had censored a preliminary World Bank report on the cost of pollution in China. The authorities apparently insisted on the removal of estimates that 750 000 people each year die prematurely in China as a result of air and water pollution, because they feared that the statistics would cause social unrest. The World Bank acknowledged that this version of the report, released at a conference in March, did not "include all of the issues under discussion", but stressed that the final version is yet to be agreed. The Chinese Government deny the allegation of suppression. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: CHINA | CRITIQUE | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | WATER QUALITY | DISEASES | RISK FACTORS | IMPACT | Asia, Eastern | Asia | Developing Countries | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Biology | Communication Document Number: 318709 |
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