Tag: Health

Energy insecurity: a framework for understanding energy, the built environment, and health among vulnerable populations in the context of climate change

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Author: Hernandez, D Description: The recent occurrence of Hurricane Sandy and other climate change-related calamities prompt us to consider the significance of public health in the aftermath of disaster. However, the field of public health also has a role to play in the awareness, preparedness, and deterrence of environmental factors that affect vulnerable populations on a daily basis. The growing incidence of extreme weather events attributable to climate change and the parallel surge in energy prices trickle down to formidable health impacts that may prove especially detrimental to vulnerable populations….

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Health Benefits from Nature Experiences Depend on Dose

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Author: Shanahan, DF; Bush, R; Gaston, KJ; Lin, BB; Dean, J; Barber, E; Fuller, RA Description: Nature within cities will have a central role in helping address key global public health challenges associated with urbanization. However, there is almost no guidance on how much or how frequently people need to engage with nature, and what types or characteristics of nature need to be incorporated in cities for the best health outcomes. Here we use a nature dose framework to examine the associations between the duration, frequency and intensity of exposure…

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“Shift-and-Persist” Strategies: Why Low Socioeconomic Status Isn’t Always Bad for Health

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Author: Chen, E; Miller, GE Description: Some individuals, despite facing recurrent, severe adversities in life such as low socioeconomic status (SES), are nonetheless able to maintain good physical health. This article explores why these individuals deviate from the expected association of low SES and poor health and outlines a “shift-and-persist” model to explain the psychobiological mechanisms involved. This model proposes that, in the midst of adversity, some children find role models who teach them to trust others, better regulate their emotions, and focus on their futures. Over a lifetime, these…

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Nitrate and Brain/CNS Cancer Diagnoses in the First Year of Life

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Author: Sajid, Arshi; Semprini, Jason Description: Nitrates in drinking water, common in agricultural states like Iowa, pose health risks to young infants. This brief first reviews the plausible biological mechanisms linking nitrate exposure to brain and central nervous system (BCNS) cancers in the first year of life. We then linked historic water quality and cancer registry data at the county level to construct linear and quantile regression models estimating the association between a BCNS diagnosis and nitrate measures. We found significantly higher nitrate levels preceding pediatric zero-year-old BCNS cancer diagnoses….

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Trends in nitrate contamination: implications for communities reliant on groundwater for drinking

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Author: Jayasekera, D. Harshanee; Munde, Siddhi; Snow, Daniel D.; Rimšaitė, Renata Description: Nebraska’s vulnerability to nitrate contamination in water systems is highlighted by agrochemical inputs with leaching potential and the state’s reliance on groundwater for drinking. Nitrate is a regulated compound in drinking water due to its association with methemoglobinemia and other chronic health conditions. This study examines water quality in Nebraska’s groundwater over several decades, focusing on temporal and spatial variations in nitrate concentrations across different well types. The findings reveal increasing statewide trends in nitrate levels, with considerable…

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The association between increases in nitrate in drinking water and colorectal cancer incidence rates in California, USA

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Author: Cisneros, Ricardo; Amiri, Marzieh; Gharibi, Hamed Description: PURPOSE: The water resources in California are polluted with nitrate (NO3) due to the ever-increasing application of nitrogen-based fertilizers. Considering the potential connection between NO3 in drinking water and the incidence rate of colorectal cancer, this study aims to investigate the association between long-term exposure to NO3 via drinking water and the incidence of colorectal cancer from 2010 to 2015 in California. METHODS: A total of 56,631 diagnoses of colorectal cancer were recorded from 2010 to 2015. A generalized linear model was…

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Agricultural Compounds in Water and Birth Defects

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Author: Brender, Jean D.; Weyer, Peter J. Description: Agricultural compounds have been detected in drinking water, some of which are teratogens in animal models. The most commonly detected agricultural compounds in drinking water include nitrate, atrazine, and desethylatrazine. Arsenic can also be an agricultural contaminant, although arsenic often originates from geologic sources. Nitrate has been the most studied agricultural compound in relation to prenatal exposure and birth defects. In several case-control studies published since 2000, women giving birth to babies with neural tube defects, oral clefts, and limb deficiencies were…

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‘Cropaganda’: Mythology of Corn Belt agriculture

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Author: Hall, Anaya L. Description: Even as scholars have increasingly recognized the role of industrial agricultural practices in contributing to non-point source pollution, drinking water in the Corn Belt remains perilously contaminated with excess nitrates, which pose a significant risk to human health and the environment. A recent lawsuit filed by the city of Des Moines, Iowa against three upstream counties over chronic nitrate pollution sparked heated debate around the roles and responsibilities of agricultural production. Drawing on Barthes’ theory of mythology, this paper explores how three core myths influence…

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Disparities in potential nitrate exposures within Iowa public water systems

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Author: Mantey, Emmanuel Padmore; Liu, Lu; Rehmann, Chris R. Description: Nitrates (measured as nitrate-nitrogen) in drinking water exceeding the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg L-1 can cause significant health risks, such as methemoglobinemia. Even long-term exposure to concentrations below the MCL can also increase the risks of cancer. Iowa, a major agricultural producer, has grappled with decades-long nitrate pollution in its water systems due to intensive farming practices and animal feeding operations. To help in developing interventions and policies to protect public health, this study delves into long-term…

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Shared reading interventions to promote psychosocial well-being in older adults: a systematic review

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Author: Milani, Chiara; Biagi, Claudia; Palmieri, Ester; Rosi, Claudia; Buresta, Diletta; Iocca, Francesco; Wetzell Cabrera, Fiorenza; Zanobini, Patrizio; Lorini, Chiara; Bonaccorsi, Guglielmo Description: Participatory interventions, such as art therapy and group activities, have been shown to promote healthy aging. However, the effectiveness of shared reading among older adults requires further evidence. The aim of this systematic review was to explore the impact and effectiveness of shared reading groups in slowing cognitive impairment, improving social interaction, promoting psychosocial well-being, and enhancing functional aspects among older adults living in the community. The…

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