Environment and Public Health Research (EPHR) is a peer-reviewed, Open Access journal that publishes original research articles, review articles, and clinical studies covering all population-wide health issues. The journal serves the public health community, including epidemiologists, clinicians, toxicologists, governmental agencies, policy makers, and NGOs. The journal aims at promoting consistency in pursuing relevant scientific themes, and supporting finding dissemination and translation into practice.
Civic survey on obesity and morbid overweight: From the Italian “Feel Good” experience to the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan
Preventing obesity and its correlated risks in Italy? Difficult if still 29% of adults claim to be uninformed on the subject. A special sensitivity to the issue is particularly found in the younger segments of the population: 93.1% of students surveyed in Italy believe it is useful to talk about obesity and morbid overweight in schools, and 59.4% of students are interested in participating in ad hoc educational initiatives. These are some of the elements that emerged from the “Feel Good” information and awareness campaign, led by the Italian NGO Cittadinanzattiva in 2024 to delve into the implications of a condition – obesity – that holds strong social implications, and that impacts health, individual and collective costs not only at the national level but also at the European level. Students from 5 schools and 105 participating pharmacies of three different Italian regions took part in informational-training courses, health education interventions, and surveys. The ultimate aim was to help raise awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, educating on the prevention of obesity and morbid overweight. The results show that there is much to invest in health education and in healthcare institutions. As a follow-up to the campaign and to assist in addressing the issue, Cittadinanzattiva identified several civic recommendations to be implemented through a joint effort by the government, health authorities, scientific societies, and civic and patient associations. Linking the national dimension of the “Feel Good” initiative with a European one, there are high expectations about how the “European Cardiovascular Health Plan” will be structured to assist in the fight against obesity.
obesity; overweight; cardiovascular diseases (CVDs); prevention; access to care; European elections; civil society organizations (CSOs); Patients’ Advocacy Groups (PAGs); patients’ rights; Council of the European Union; European Parliament; European Commission; European Health Union; The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP); National Health Service (NHS)
Copyright (c) 2025 Author(s) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The role of medical social workers in promoting nutrition and health within multidisciplinary care teams
Medical social workers are key to promoting nutrition and health within multidisciplinary care teams. This paper focuses on their vital role in addressing the social determinants of health that significantly impact patient nutrition and overall well-being. Their role extends beyond traditional healthcare settings by tackling barriers such as food insecurity, socioeconomic status, and limited access to education, which can hinder patients’ nutritional outcomes. By collaborating with dietitians, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers, medical social workers help create holistic, patient-centered care plans that address medical and nutritional needs, ultimately improving overall health outcomes. In addition to providing direct support to patients, medical social workers advocate for equitable access to nutritious food and sustainable food practices, which align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to food security, reducing inequalities, and fostering sustainable systems. They engage in community education, encourage sustainable consumption, and push for systemic policy changes to ensure all populations, especially vulnerable groups, access affordable and nutritious food. Through these efforts, they contribute to reducing health disparities and promoting public health. Integrating medical social workers into healthcare teams is essential for addressing the complex and interrelated factors influencing health, including psychosocial and emotional factors. Their expertise in cultural competence, advocacy, and patient engagement positions them as invaluable members of multidisciplinary teams, ensuring that health equity is prioritized. As healthcare systems continue to evolve, the recognition and support of medical social workers will be crucial for improving health outcomes, fostering sustainable development, and building healthier, more resilient communities.
medical social workers; nutrition; health promotion; multidisciplinary care; sustainable development; health equity; food insecurity; public health
Sustainable developments goals in the Arab region
This paper is devoted to the sustainable development goals in the Arab region. The author explored the most recent data provided by the Sustainable Development Report 2024, using the SDG index score to track the achievement progress in each Arab country and for each of the 17 goals. The results show that the Arab region achieved an overall SDG index score of nearly 62, less than the world average SDG index score (66.3). The low performance of low-income countries is obviously explained by conflicts, drought, the Covid-19 pandemic, economic crises, and political instability. Unexpectedly, however, high-income countries also contribute to the low performance in terms of SDG’s achievement. Zero hunger (SDG2) is one of the most important SDGs that Arab countries can’t reach by 2030, but Arab countries are facing significant and major challenges in many other essential SDGs like no poverty (SDG1), good health and wellbeing (SDG3), quality education (SDG4), gender equality (SDG5), clean water and sanitation (SDG6), decent work and economic growth (SDG8), and peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG16).
sustainable development goal; target; Arab region; index; score; achievements
Copyright (c) 2024 Author(s) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Public and private healthcare administration priorities in new electronic age
The work defines the such priorities of healthcare administration as creation of free-tax medical town-campuses and reduction of costs for accessibility of medical services, increase in service speed and improvement in the quality, constant process of improving the qualification, wide-regional network management, combination of public and private insurance, essential increase in healthcare costs of GDP, striving for the highest standards of technical level, ensuring the non-profitability of medical organizations, combining various stages of medical services, electronic transparency and direct communication of financial reporting with some needful maintaining of commercial secrets and bank accounts, usage of wide outsourcing practices.
healthcare management; economic priorities; new electronic age
First field and laboratory trial of VectorBac® WG around the airport zone of the capital city of Libreville, Gabon
Context/Purpose: The urban ecosystem of Akanda behind the airport of the capital city of Libreville in Gabon, harbors diverse and dense mosquito larval habitats and hotspots for malaria and arboviruses transmission. To effectively conduct vector control, it is imperative to adopt an integrated approach by adding biolarvicides to the toolbox. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a biolarvicide under laboratory and field conditions. Methods: In Gabon, this current pilot and preliminary study sought to test the efficacy of the biolarvicide VectorBac® Water dispersable Granule (WG) (VBG) during the rainy season period (March to May 2024) under field and laboratory conditions following the 2005 World Health Organisation protocol. Results: For the bioassay of VBG, in the laboratory, the required dose to kill 88% and 100% of the larvae in rearing cups was 0.001 g/mL and 0.01 g/mL respectively. Under field conditions, the percentage larval density reduction irrespective of the microhabitat type ranged from 90 to 100% and the mosquito larval density reduction between test and control groups in the field differed statistically (X2=34; p = 0.026). Conclusion: The larvae from Akanda tested under field and laboratory conditions were very sensitive to the standard dose recommended by the manufacturer after 24 hrs post-treatment with VBG. This pilot study provides baseline information that is required to conduct a longitudinal study to evaluate the residual effect of VBG in different ecological settings in Gabon.
Aedes; Anopheles; Culex; larva; VectorBac®; Akanda
Study of the concept and dimensions of gender-based violence and its connection to adolescence and its link to education
Gender-based violence is a global issue that, in addition to claiming thousands of lives worldwide each year, has serious physical, psychological, and social consequences for the victims. The synergy between gender-based violence and adolescence is a concerning phenomenon, as adolescents are vulnerable to abusive behaviors that they may normalize within romantic relationships. During this stage, ideas about love and relationships are still being formed, which may lead young people to not recognize certain behaviors as gender-based violence. This article provides a literature review on the different types of gender-based violence, focusing on adolescence. Additionally, the main risk factors and the consequences for the victims are analyzed. Finally, preventive lines of work in various areas are proposed, with particular emphasis on coeducation and highlighting the importance of early identification of violence indicators in adolescent relationships, such as control, jealousy, emotional manipulation, and cyberbullying.
gender-based violence; adolescence; gender; equality; coeducation
Better birth outcomes: The investment that saves lives
This study utilizes CDC data to analyze birth outcomes for at-risk mothers involved in the Pathways HUB Community Action (PHCA) in Summit County, Ohio. The purpose is to understand the cost savings of providing interventions that will result in positive birth outcomes. The data, compared to the Ohio Public Health Data Warehouse and March of Dimes statistics, shows similar rates of singleton births. The study adjusts for inflation using the Producer Price Index from the St. Louis Federal Reserve. Results indicate that reducing prematurity rates among HUB clients could lead to significant cost savings, totaling approximately $1.2 million between 2017 and 2022, with the greatest cost savings for Black at-risk mothers and infants. This manuscript aims to achieve two objectives: first, to highlight the benefits of addressing health disparities affecting at-risk pregnant women; and second, to demonstrate the methodology for calculating cost savings using available birth outcome data.
premature births; at-risk mothers; pathways HUB community action
Mortality in neonate bats infested by ectoparasite bugs in India; humans are at risk too
Human bed-bugs are well known and are found almost all over the world. Many types of bugs that infest various species of bats (Chiroptera: Mammalia) are found in different geographical areas or ecosystems, feeding on their blood. These small bugs, which are external parasitic insects, belong to the family Cimicidae of the order Hemiptera of the class Insecta of the phylum Arthropoda of the animal kingdom. Their bites can cause negative health effects in humans such as skin reactions, anemia, insomnia, anxiety, and panic attacks. Although their bites and bloodsucking do not kill any host. In general, bat-bugs infest adult and old bats. But, recently in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, six neonates or neonate bats of small Asiatic yellow bats (Scotophilus kuhlii) were also found infested with bat-bugs ectoparasites belonging to the genus Cimex Linnaeus, 1758 (Cimex pattoni). Such a rare and unique instance has never been observed and reported earlier from any geographical area in the world. Interestingly, out of these, three were also found dead (66.6%), two were in a dying state, and one was in a critical condition or struggling for survival. Due to our limitation, the exact cause of death in these infested bat neonates with bug parasites has not been investigated. In the present communication, details of this case have been focused on and also focus on how much people are at risk of infestation from these external parasitic bat-bugs.
Asian yellow bats (Scotophilus kuhlii); neonate bats; bat-bugs; ectoparasite; health; humans; infestation; insects; India
Long-term exposure to ambient ozone and respiratory health: Ozone-induced incidences of respiratory diseases
Ground-level ozone is a very strong oxidizing agent. Its concentration has been progressively increasing in recent decades. However, there is no information about its impact on public health in the Black Sea region of southern Russia. In order to identify ozone-induced complications in the state of the respiratory system, at the initial stage of investigation, a correlation analysis of the number of emergency medical calls due to respiratory dysfunctions and the ground-level ozone concentration (GLOC) was carried out. The data of the Unified Crimean Republican Territorial Emergency Care Center and the data on the registration of GLOC at the background environmental monitoring station of the Karadagsky State Nature Reserve for the period 2018–2022 were used. An analysis revealed a weak (0.27 < rs < 0.50) but highly statistically significant (p < 0.000) effect of ozone on respiratory health if its average annual concentration was above 60 µg/m3, which means that possible pronounced negative effects of ozone on vulnerable groups of the population., With a lower annual average GLOC, there was no effect of ozone on the frequency of emergencies. The study of short-term (within a month) effects of ozone demonstrates ambiguous correlations that need other approaches to the analysis of short-term ozone-induced effects. However, the statement of the established fact of ozone-induced effects and its high average annual values indicate that such a problem is relevant in this region and serves as a sufficient basis for the development of regional research and the creation of an effective system for preventive risk management of negative ozone exposure in the context of climate change.
ground-level ozone; respiratory diseases; emergency conditions
Bridging health and environment: Clean fuel access and tuberculosis in India
Air pollution, both outdoor and indoor, is a major health risk, contributing to diseases like respiratory infections, cardiovascular conditions, and cancer, particularly affecting vulnerable groups like children, women, and the elderly. Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) due to cooking, heating, and inadequate ventilation is a significant concern, especially in low-income countries where solid fuels like biomass and coal worsen pollution. Long-term exposure leads to chronic conditions such as Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), while immediate effects include respiratory infections and headaches. IAQ also affects the spread of tuberculosis (TB), particularly in areas with poor healthcare. This study examines the link between access to clean cooking fuels and TB incidence in India, using data from 2000 to 2022. It explores whether improved access to clean fuels reduces TB rates, considering factors like health expenditure and community health workers. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression, and time series analysis were employed. The data reveals a steady increase in access to clean cooking fuels, from 22.6% in 2000 to 74.5% in 2022, with the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana likely contributing. TB incidence declined from 322 cases per 100,000 people in 2000 to 199 cases per 100,000 in 2022. Regression analysis shows a strong inverse relationship, explaining 94.1% of TB variance. However, socio-economic issues like poverty and illiteracy remain barriers, hindering TB control. India aims to eliminate TB by 2025, targeting an 80% reduction in incidence. While progress has been made, improving IAQ with clean cooking technologies like Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is crucial. Policies should focus on subsidies, alternative energy solutions, and rural infrastructure to achieve TB elimination and sustainable development goals.
clean cooking fuels; air pollution; indoor air quality (IAQ); health outcomes tuberculosis (TB); Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana; socio-economic factors
Rich people have better health than the poor: Health equity in an unequal world
Many accept as inevitable that the rich have better health than the poor; at the same time, many would view this as contravening social justice. This topic was discussed between experts from diverse disciplines at a colloquium on 15th November 2024 in Hong Kong, jointly organized by the Institutes of Health Equity of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and University College London. To address health equity, there need to be indicator(s) that consist of health data, disaggregated by age groups, gender, and measures of deprivation, that are regularly collected. Social determinants of health that give rise to health inequalities need to be documented, to enable measures to be developed to counter such inequalities in the presence of wealth disparities. Such measures include government policies covering health, social, and other areas such as housing, transport, urban planning etc. Civil society also has an important role in mitigating health inequalities, particularly in societies with a steep gradient in wealth, such as Hong Kong.
health inequality; life expectancy; social determinants; philanthropy; ageism; intrinsic capacity
Evaluating the implementation of an integrated work health intervention among cleaners in Denmark: Challenges and lessons learned
Work-related diseases and injuries represent a rising global health challenge, with 2.9 million deaths attributed to work-related causes in 2019. Work-related risk factors and diseases are unequally distributed across occupational groups, with cleaners identified as a vulnerable occupational group. Integrated approaches combining the prevention of disease and promotion of health in work health interventions have been developed. This process evaluation aims to assess the implementation of the Integrated Approach to Health, Wellbeing, and Productivity at Work (ITASPA) intervention. Methods: The ITASPA intervention was implemented at two workplaces among cleaners in Denmark. At each workplace, a committee of employees and line managers was formed to develop initiatives to prevent work-related injuries and diseases and promote workers’ health, safety, and well-being. Using the British Medical Research Council’s framework, this process evaluation assessed the implementation through reach, dose, fidelity, adaptations, mechanisms of impact, and contextual factors. Data from focus group interviews and field notes were utilized to evaluate the implementation. Results: A total of 91 cleaners provided data, and three workshops were held at each workplace. Lack of information about the intervention and motivation challenged the implementation. Furthermore, unwanted power dynamics were unintended consequences of the intervention. Contextual factors, such as many replacements, time pressure, and the absence of managers, challenged the implementation and fidelity. Conclusion: Integrated approaches to work health interventions among employees with short or no education can positively impact employees’ health, well-being, and safety if comprehensively implemented. However, attention should be given to unintended power dynamics arising from participatory approaches and the importance of management during implementation. Future interventions may benefit from increased attention to such factors to enhance long-term sustainability as well as realist evaluation approaches for more comprehensive evaluations of contextual factors. Trial registration: ITASPA was retrospectively registered at Clinicaltrials.gov on the 19 May 2023 (NCT05866978).
complex intervention; health promotion; integrated approach; prevention of work-related disease; process evaluation; work-related diseases; work environment; workplace intervention
Comparisons of cost-utility analyses for major diseases: A focus in the Australian context
This article delves into the nuances of cost-utility analyses applied to prevalent health conditions, examining the distinctive approaches for lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, and depressive disorders in Australia. The study explores the impact of utility-based units such as Disability-Adjusted Life Years, Quality-Adjusted Life Years, and Potential Years of Life Lost in economic evaluations. Notably, variations in disability weights and their implications on comparability are scrutinized, providing insights into the economic burden and cost-effectiveness of interventions. Findings reveal nuanced evaluation techniques’ critical importance and contextual relevance in health economic assessments.
cost-utility analysis; disability-adjusted life years; quality-adjusted life years; potential years of life lost; health economics; disease burden
Occupational diseases: The prototype of all syndemics?
Labour laws play critical roles in people’s lives but rarely are they associated with health risk factors or outcomes. Yet, labour represents, directly and indirectly, the key driver of our health, as dramatically confirmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This viewpoint discusses how syndemic thinking can explain a link between labour laws and occupational health. Syndemics are synergistic factors among epidemics, which provide a structured way to think about what conditions emerge epidemiologically, interact in the body, and are driven by shared social, structural, political, or ecological factors. Thinking syndemically about these conditions can explain the ways in which legal determinants, such as safety, work hours, wages, and leave, may be associated with poor health, particularly among those lower in social hierarchies. Workplaces can be a critical space for social and financial mobility as well as an opportunity to intervene in the major risk factors that promote poor health.
syndemics; occupational health; public health; occupational diseases; socioeconomic factors; social sciences
Carrot or stick? The impact of reinforcement and government trust on persuading vaccine-hesitant parents during the pandemic
This study examined the effectiveness of different vaccination promotional strategies among parents of unvaccinated children aged 12–17 years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a 2 (reinforcement: positive vs. negative) × 2 (trust in government: high vs. low) between-subjects experimental design with 286 participants, we investigated how reinforcement strategies interact with government trust to influence parental attitudes and intentions toward child vaccination. Results revealed no significant main effect of reinforcement type on vaccination attitudes or intentions. However, trust in government emerged as a powerful predictor of both outcomes, with high-trust parents demonstrating substantially more positive attitudes and stronger intentions to vaccinate their children compared to low-trust parents. Importantly, significant interaction effects were observed—parents with low government trust responded more favorably to positive reinforcement (incentives) than negative reinforcement (restrictions), while parents with high government trust showed similar responses to both approaches. These findings highlight the critical role of trust in vaccine communication and suggest that tailored reinforcement strategies based on pre-existing trust levels may improve communication effectiveness. As declining vaccination rates for routine childhood immunizations create new public health vulnerabilities, these insights offer practical guidance for developing targeted vaccination campaigns that can effectively reach diverse populations, particularly those most resistant to standard public health messaging.
vaccine hesitancy; COVID-19; parental decision-making; government trust; reinforcement theory; health communication; childhood vaccination; public health messaging; pandemic response
Reconciling patent rights and the human right to access to essential medicines: A critical review
Over 80% of the world’s population lives in developing nations, with limited access to medicines like AIDS and malaria. Competition between patented and generic medications can improve access and lower prices, but counterfeit medicines should be avoided. The Doha Declaration, released at the World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in 2001, aims to support nations’ rights to safeguard public health and encourage access to medicines. It aims to influence the interpretation and application of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) in a manner that is health-friendly, considering the responsibility of nations to uphold health rights under international law. The Declaration calls for developed nations to encourage practical solutions for poor people in developing countries, emphasizing that trade agreements should be secondary to defending human rights and achieving the best quality of health for all. International human rights treaties protect the universal human right to health, but rigid trade agreements on patents can hinder affordable medication for low-income populations in developing nations. TRIPS, a treaty that protects intellectual property rights and promotes technological innovation, aims to provide inexpensive medications for HIV/AIDS patients through exclusions from patent admissibility, exceptions, parallel importing, and compulsory licensing.
essential medicines; access; right to health; patent rights; human right
Report on the South Eastern New South Wales Primary Health Network
In response to the evolving healthcare challenges in South Eastern New South Wales, this report outlines a strategic framework for enhancing the region’s health services. Established under Australia’s Primary Health Networks, the South Eastern New South Wales Primary Health Networks aims to address significant health concerns and issues identified including high rates of potentially preventable hospitalisations, increasing chronic conditions, mental health crises, rising substance abuse, and inadequate culturally tailored health services. This report proposes four evidence-based recommendations: shifting chronic condition management to pre-hospital settings, enhancing emergency departments with 24-h mental health coverage, implementing a universal substance use screening tool, and redesigning culturally appropriate services. These recommendations are evaluated based on Duckett and Willcox’s criteria for an ideal health system, aiming to improve service efficiency, equity, quality, and acceptability.
Primary Health Networks; South Eastern New South Wales; chronic conditions; mental health; substance abuse; culturally appropriate services
The individual and combined effectiveness of virtual reality and interval Nordic walking on the cardiorespiratory hemodynamic and central adiposity among internet addiction adolescents
Physical Inactivity caused by internet addiction (IA) in adolescents is one of the world’s most serious health issues and technology-based intervention and exercise training methods are being developed to control it. This study sought to examine the potential influences of 2- and 4-week-virtual-reality (VR) training program with/without interval Nordic walking (INW) on hemodynamical-cardiorespiratory and central adiposity indices among internet-addicted adolescents. A randomized controlled trial design was conducted among 150 individuals randomly assigned to VR, INW, VR + INW, and control groups regarding sexes. In every specific group, participants performed one of three exercise protocols (i.e., VR, INW, and VR + INW) of three 60-minute sessions/week for 2 and/or 4 weeks, except for control group. The measurements were conducted at different phases (i.e., the baseline, 2- and 4-week-protocol interventions). Following VR and INW training protocols, a significant increase and decrease were detected in VO2max and MVO2 respectively, especially among girls (p < 0.001). BAI values showed significant improvements (p < 0.01), especially in the VR-boy group following 4 weeks of intervention (p < 0.001). The VR with INW training protocols has potential benefits for health status and could be considered an important non-pharmacologic strategy to prevent sedentary and maintain wellness in adolescents.
interval exercise; virtual reality technology; cardiorespiratory fitness; abdominal obesity; Nordic walking
Swings and slippery slopes: Reflecting on processes of higher education curriculum in the space of globalization and a pandemic
The Asia-Pacific is the most expansive region for social services and health care, ranging from New Zealand in the south to the border of the Russian Federation in the north. Professional education in human services, social work, and allied health is rapidly expanding in this region and globally as the power and influence around these professions ‘swings’ between different countries in the region. The globalization of social and health care issues is challenging professional higher education and accreditation processes to adjust to producing education graduates who are global professionals, multi-lingual, culturally responsive, and able to work in diverse community contexts and within the ‘slippery slopes’ of social and economic change. This article explores the development of a new social work curriculum and course for an international higher education provider that was implemented in 2022 and aims to meet the challenges of intercultural learning and skills development in the new plural-lingual and fragmented global contexts. The ethnographic study reveals that education organizations and educators can advocate for and develop globalized, internationalized social work and social care curricula in this unsteady context when supported to do so by regulatory authorities.
social work; globalization; plural lingual; ethnography; social care; higher education
Joking relationships and humor among the Yorùbá of southwestern Nigeria in the twenty-first century
I argue that compromises are reached, and interpersonal relationships are negotiated and maintained among the Yorùbá people through joking relationships. I raise questions on how and when joking relationships can lead to interpersonal, interethnic or intra-ethnic conflict, inclusion or exclusion and the socio-cultural and legal consequences that these could generate. I use the hermeneutic and phenomenological methods to determine the impact of joking relationships on the violent crises that have characterized the twenty-first century Nigerian society. I conclude that whereas joking relationships are still socially acceptable Yoruba patterns of behaviour which have served the people well, the freedom that this practice enjoyed in the ancient times may now be coming under social and legal pressure in the socially and religiously sensitive modern Yorùbá and pan-Nigerian societies. However, the vacuum that may be created if joking relationship were to disappear may be filled by socially dysfunctional outcomes including depression and suicide.
joking relationship; Yorùbá, southwestern; Nigeria; twenty-first century; social behaviour
Perception about malaria and understanding of malaria prevention information in selected rural communities of Nigeria
Studies have shown that social and cultural factors affect how people perceive diseases. Thus; the area of perception about malaria has been the focus of several scholarly interventions. However there has been limited investigation of the perception of people and their understanding of malaria prevention information in Nigeria. This study; anchored on the Health Belief Model; investigated the perception of selected rural dwellers in Oyo and Osun states; Nigeria; about malaria and their understanding of available malaria prevention information provided by Roll Back Malaria (RBM) in the two states. The study used Survey; Focus Group Discussion and analysis of secondary data. There were 2120 survey respondents selected through multi-stage sampling across 10 local government areas of Oyo and Osun states and 96 participants in 16 focus groups involving men; women and expectant mothers. The results show that while the symptoms of malaria are well understood; the etiology is incorrectly believed. The respondents’ recollection of the malaria prevention messages was low due to their limited exposure to the available information. Pearson Chi-Square test indicated significant relationship between perception of the rural dwellers and their utilisation of malaria prevention information. It is important to understand the perception dynamics that drive attitude towards malaria prevention as part of efforts towards achieving the SDG Goal3. Government should encourage broadcast stations to air malaria prevention jingles regularly; not based on programme funding; but as a part of social service among other efforts at devoting more resources to communication activities on the disease.
malaria; perception; prevention; information; Nigeria; Roll Back Malaria
Mystery, chaos and anxiety in the era of COVID-19 pandemic virus in Nigeria
This paper argues that the modern world is living in a period of chaos, anxiety, and tremor, which could be regarded as an era of pandemonium tremendum, a term that fits appropriately to describe the deadly, omnipresent, and omnipotent virus that has continued to wreak havoc from the global north to the global south. This paper uses socio-ethical and content analytical methods of inquiry to identify the immediate cause and incidence of COVID-19 since its eruption in December 2019; examine the adverse effects of this deadly virus on the private and public, sacred and secular spheres; analyze all manners of both sacred and secular responses and efforts geared towards the containment of the deadly virus by the different nations of the world and Nigeria in particular since its upsurge; and evaluate the success rates so far recorded by the Nigerian government.
COVID-19; pandemonium tremendum; disease; omnipresent virus; Nigeria
Copyright (c) 2023 Author(s) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The cost of doing nothing: Preventable premature births for at-risk women
Background: The effects of poverty in the United States are growing, and the impacts are most severe for the already vulnerable populations. This analysis looks at the cost of doing nothing for at-risk pregnant women in one county in NE Ohio. Most of these women are living at or below the poverty level, lack safe, affordable, and stable housing, and often do not receive the recommended levels of prenatal care. This examination uses data from Mahoning County, Ohio, where one program has provided wrap-around support for any at-risk pregnant mother since 2016. Objective: Examine the cost/savings of providing wrap-around support services to at-risk pregnant women. Methods: Data was provided by the Mahoning County Pathway HUB (MCPH) regarding all births since its 2016 inception. Data was extracted from the Ohio Department of Health, the CDC, and other sources regarding the cost of births, specifically premature births. These sources of data were analyzed using causal-comparative methods in order to understand the frequency of premature births with and without the support services provided by the MCPH. Conclusion: The results of these causal-comparative analyses suggest that the cost of doing nothing for at-risk pregnant women is substantial for all stakeholders. The results demonstrate a savings of 2.45 million dollars for the five years included in the analysis. Because most of the services provided by the MCPH are billable to public health insurance, this model of supporting pregnant mothers who are at risk is important. The cost of doing nothing can lead to a lifetime of avoidable suffering and financial hardship for women and infants who are born premature. The results from the MCPH suggest that this model of support and service delivery is making a difference, based on the lower-than-expected pre-term births over their tenure of operation.
infant mortality; Pathway HUB; poverty; cost benefit; prevention
Examining perceptions of Kwande residents on traditional songs aired on Ashiwaves radio station for curbing the COVID-19 pandemic in Benue State
Traditional songs are useful in mobilising natives for genuine causes that promote the wellbeing of society, especially when the issue is life-threatening. This research was carried out to ascertain how traditional songs were used on Ashiwaves FM to curb the COVID-19 pandemic among Kwande residents in Benue State. The research adopted a survey method that relied on a questionnaire that was administered to 400 respondents using the Taro Yamane statistical formula. The theories used to anchor the research were Uses and Gratification and Agenda Setting, which explained how Kwande residents satisfied their need for deriving information and education on how to avoid contracting COVID-19 and how Ashiwaves Radio station repeatedly played traditional songs specifically meant for sensitising the public on the coronavirus, prompting people to think about it. Findings of the study revealed that Ashiwaves Radio station played traditional songs on their station (100%), which was useful in sensitizing Kwande residents to curb the spread of the pandemic. It was also discovered from the findings that the song by Rapizo (98%) was the most instrumental in educating Kwande residents to stay at home and avoid crowded areas (40%), wash their hands (24%), and maintain social distance (14%). The research concluded that traditional songs are essential to every ethnic group in carrying out sensitisation on health issues. Therefore, it is recommended that other ethnic groups in Nigeria also encourage their indigenous artists to compose songs that can be used for educating their locals in the wake of future health challenges to avert casualties.
traditional songs; COVID-19; information; education; Kwande
Dealing with extreme weather events in India—A vulnerability assessment study, current status and way forward
Introduction: Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of daily weather extremes. Extreme weather events (EWE) can result in damage to health. As climate-related events become more frequent and intense, the implications for healthcare systems and access to medical services become even more pronounced. The study aims to estimate the vulnerability of India and its states towards the EWE by calculating a vulnerability index by identifying the specific extreme weather conditions in India. It also explores ways to make the healthcare system resilient to climate change. Methodology: The study combines quantitative data analysis and qualitative content analysis to assess vulnerability, analyze the current healthcare system, and propose recommendations for managing the impact of EWE on healthcare. Secondary data on historical climate and weather from IMD was collected to identify patterns and trends in EWE in India. Healthcare data on healthcare infrastructure, admissions rates related to EWE, and disease outbreaks was collected from reports. Policy documents, reports, and research articles related to healthcare system preparedness for EWE were analyzed quantitatively to identify vulnerability indicators and previous disaster experiences. The vulnerability index was calculated by combining selected indicators using appropriate weighting and normalization techniques to quantify the vulnerability of the healthcare system to EWE. After the calculation of sensitivity, exposure, and adaptive capacity separately, the vulnerability index was calculated using the following formula: Vulnerability is equal to exposure plus sensitivity minus adaptive capacity. Results: The association between daily variation in meteorological conditions and mortality has been found to be significant, as reported from previous studies on a wide range of populations in India. The ten most vulnerable states to EWE due to climate change, according to the estimations on the vulnerability index, are Meghalaya at the topmost followed by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, Assam, Karnataka, Odisha, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh. Conclusion: The study shows that linkages between climate change and human health are complex and multi-layered, and predictions of future health impacts of climate change are still uncertain.
extreme weather events; vulnerability index; India; health; climate change
SARS-CoV-2: Mapping its features that made it as a unique virus
SARS-CoV-2 has attracted the attention of nearly the whole world during the last four years. It is a Corona virus that is responsible for the deaths of millions. It is responsible for economic corruption in many countries. As a response, excessive vaccination programs were installed everywhere. But many variants are elevated, and the virus proves its ability to escape from the immune system because of different mutations. The progress in different scientific domains—instrumentation, bioinformatics, and the like—makes fast vaccine development easier. As a response, new strategies were introduced, including new vaccine production and administration strategies, genomic surveillance, immunopeptidome, gene sequencing, and the like, to enable the vaccine to cover all the targeted populations at the correct time and to install an early alarm system against any elevated new variants. This review contains more information about some important stations in the history of vaccine development and the strategies invented by scientists to control different viruses and other microbes. Some important issues that might influence the type of vaccine used for SARS-CoV-2 are addressed. They include their symptoms, the virus evasion of the innate immune system, the response of adaptive immunity, and the like. Although the world still needs to better understand the SARS-CoV-2 behavior to win the war against it, previous historical successful vaccine productions, important examples, and stations during the human struggle against the viruses are described and discussed.
epitopes; control strategies; immunopeptidome; vaccine; variant; SARS-CoV-2
Health risks and health poverty alleviation practices in China: Review and prospects
Targeted poverty alleviation is an important means and strategic decision to eliminate poverty in China, and health poverty alleviation, as an important part of targeted poverty alleviation, has an irreplaceable role in poverty alleviation. Existing studies have found that health poverty is mainly triggered by the external environment and individual characteristics, and health risks such as natural risks, family risks, and social risks all affect the occurrence of poverty. This paper summarizes China’s health poverty alleviation policy evolution, practical effects and experiences, and thinking about future research trends in health poverty. It is important for academia to provide theoretical support and prospective analysis before policy formulation and has important reference significance for the accurate formulation and smooth implementation of policies in political circles. At the same time, it is also of great practical significance for the formulation of health poverty alleviation policies in the new era and for preventing the people who have been lifted out of poverty from falling back into poverty and consolidating the results of the poverty alleviation campaign.
health risk; health poverty alleviation; policy practice; prospect