scholarly journals The impact of home energy efficiency interventions and winter fuel payments on winter- and cold-related mortality and morbidity in England: a natural equipment mixed-methods study

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 1-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Armstrong ◽  
Oliver Bonnington ◽  
Zaid Chalabi ◽  
Michael Davies ◽  
Yvonne Doyle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Fuel Costs ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Related Mortality

Background England, and the UK more generally, has a large burden of winter- and cold-related mortality/morbidity in comparison with nearby countries in continental Europe. Improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock may help to reduce this, as well as being important for climate change and energy security objectives. Objectives To evaluate the impact of home energy efficiency (HEE) interventions on winter- and cold-related mortality/morbidity, including assessing the impact of winter fuel payments (WFPs) and fuel costs. Design A mixed-methods study – an epidemiological time-series analysis, an analysis of data on HEE interventions, the development and application of modelling methods including a multicriteria decision analysis and an in-depth interview study of householders. Setting England, UK. Participants The population of England. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 households (2–4 participants each) and 41 individuals in three geographical regions. Interventions HEE interventions. Main outcome measures Mortality, morbidity and intervention-related changes to the home indoor environment. Data sources The Homes Energy Efficiency Database, mortality and hospital admissions data and weather (temperature) data. Results There has been a progressive decline in cold-related deaths since the mid-1970s. Since the introduction of WFPs, the gradient of association between winter cold and mortality [2.00%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.74% to 2.28%] per degree Celsius fall in temperature is somewhat weaker (i.e. that the population is less vulnerable to cold) than in earlier years (2.37%, 95% CI 0.22% to 2.53%). There is also evidence that years with above-average fuel costs were associated with higher vulnerability to outdoor cold. HEE measures installed in England in 2002–10 have had a relatively modest impact in improving the indoor environment. The gains in winter temperatures (around +0.09 °C on a day with maximum outdoor temperature of 5 °C) are associated with an estimated annual reduction of ≈280 cold-related deaths in England (an eventual maximum annual impact of 4000 life-years gained), but these impacts may be appreciably smaller than those of changes in indoor air quality. Modelling studies indicate the potential importance of the medium- and longer-term impacts that HEE measures have on health, which are not observable in short-term studies. They also suggest that HEE improvements of similar annualised cost to current WFPs would achieve greater improvements in health while reducing (rather than increasing) carbon dioxide emissions. In-depth interviews suggest four distinct householder framings of HEE measures (as home improvement, home maintenance, subsidised public goods and contributions to sustainability), which do not dovetail with current ‘consumerist’ national policy and may have implications for the uptake of HEE measures. Limitations The quantification of intervention impacts in this national study is reliant on various indirect/model-based assessments. Conclusions Larger-scale changes are required to the housing stock in England if the full potential benefits for improving health and for reaching increasingly important climate change mitigation targets are to be realised. Future work Studies based on data linkage at individual dwelling level to examine health impacts. There is a need for empirical assessment of HEE interventions on indoor air quality. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme and will be published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 6, No. 11. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

scholarly journals Understanding “Atmosome”, the Personal Atmospheric Exposome: Comprehensive Approach

10.2196/28920 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. e28920
Author(s):  
Hari Bhimaraju ◽  
Nitish Nag ◽  
Vaibhav Pandey ◽  
Ramesh Jain
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
The Impact

Background Modern environmental health research extensively focuses on outdoor air pollutants and their effects on public health. However, research on monitoring and enhancing individual indoor air quality is lacking. The field of exposomics encompasses the totality of human environmental exposures and its effects on health. A subset of this exposome deals with atmospheric exposure, termed the “atmosome.” The atmosome plays a pivotal role in health and has significant effects on DNA, metabolism, skin integrity, and lung health. Objective The aim of this work is to develop a low-cost, comprehensive measurement system for collecting and analyzing atmosomic factors. The research explores the significance of the atmosome in personalized and preventive care for public health. Methods An internet of things microcontroller-based system is introduced and demonstrated. The system collects real-time indoor air quality data and posts it to the cloud for immediate access. Results The experimental results yield air quality measurements with an accuracy of 90% when compared with precalibrated commercial devices and demonstrate a direct correlation between lifestyle and air quality. Conclusions Quantifying the individual atmosome is a monumental step in advancing personalized health, medical research, and epidemiological research. The 2 main goals in this work are to present the atmosome as a measurable concept and to demonstrate how to implement it using low-cost electronics. By enabling atmosome measurements at a communal scale, this work also opens up potential new directions for public health research. Researchers will now have the data to model the impact of indoor air pollutants on the health of individuals, communities, and specific demographics, leading to novel approaches for predicting and preventing diseases.

scholarly journals Understanding “Atmosome”, the Personal Atmospheric Exposome: Comprehensive Approach (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hari Bhimaraju ◽  
Nitish Nag ◽  
Vaibhav Pandey ◽  
Ramesh Jain
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Modern environmental health research extensively focuses on outdoor air pollutants and their effects on public health. However, research on monitoring and enhancing individual indoor air quality is lacking. The field of exposomics encompasses the totality of human environmental exposures and its effects on health. A subset of this exposome deals with atmospheric exposure, termed the “atmosome.” The atmosome plays a pivotal role in health and has significant effects on DNA, metabolism, skin integrity, and lung health. OBJECTIVE The aim of this work is to develop a low-cost, comprehensive measurement system for collecting and analyzing atmosomic factors. The research explores the significance of the atmosome in personalized and preventive care for public health. METHODS An internet of things microcontroller-based system is introduced and demonstrated. The system collects real-time indoor air quality data and posts it to the cloud for immediate access. RESULTS The experimental results yield air quality measurements with an accuracy of 90% when compared with precalibrated commercial devices and demonstrate a direct correlation between lifestyle and air quality. CONCLUSIONS Quantifying the individual atmosome is a monumental step in advancing personalized health, medical research, and epidemiological research. The 2 main goals in this work are to present the atmosome as a measurable concept and to demonstrate how to implement it using low-cost electronics. By enabling atmosome measurements at a communal scale, this work also opens up potential new directions for public health research. Researchers will now have the data to model the impact of indoor air pollutants on the health of individuals, communities, and specific demographics, leading to novel approaches for predicting and preventing diseases.

scholarly journals Impact of tobacco tax increases and industry pricing on smoking behaviours and inequalities: a mixed-methods study

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-140
Author(s):  
Timea R Partos ◽  
Rosemary Hiscock ◽  
Anna B Gilmore ◽  
J Robert Branston ◽  
Sara Hitchman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Control Policy ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
Pricing Strategies ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Tax Changes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Evaluation Project

Background Increasing tobacco prices through taxation is very effective for reducing smoking prevalence and inequalities. For optimum effect, understanding how the tobacco industry and smokers respond is essential. Tobacco taxation changes occurred in the UK over the study period, including annual increases, a shift in structure from ad valorem to specific taxation and relatively higher increases on roll-your-own tobacco than on factory-made cigarettes. Objectives Understanding tobacco industry pricing strategies in response to tax changes and the impact of tax on smokers’ behaviour, including tax evasion and avoidance, as well as the effect on smoking inequalities. Synthesising findings to inform how taxation can be improved as a public health intervention. Design Qualitative analysis and evidence synthesis (commercial and Nielsen data) and longitudinal and aggregate cross-sectional analyses (International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project data). Setting The UK, from 2002 to 2016. Data sources and participants Data were from the tobacco industry commercial literature and retail tobacco sales data (Nielsen, New York, NY, USA). Participants were a longitudinal cohort (with replenishment) of smokers and ex-smokers from 10 surveys of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (around 1500 participants per survey). Main outcome measures (1) Tobacco industry pricing strategies, (2) sales volumes and prices by segments over time and (3) smokers’ behaviours, including products purchased, sources, brands, consumption, quit attempts, success and sociodemographic differences. Review methods Tobacco industry commercial literature was searched for mentions of tobacco products and price segments, with 517 articles extracted. Results The tobacco industry increased prices on top of tax increases (overshifting), particularly on premium products, and, recently, the tobacco industry overshifted more on cheap roll-your-own tobacco than on factory-made cigarettes. Increasingly, price rises were from industry revenue generation rather than tax. The tobacco industry raised prices gradually to soften impact; this was less possible with larger tax increases. Budget measures to reduce cheap product availability failed due to new cheap factory-made products, price marking and small packs. In 2014, smokers could buy factory-made (roll-your-own tobacco) cigarettes at real prices similar to 2002. Exclusive roll-your-own tobacco and mixed factory-made cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco use increased, whereas exclusive factory-made cigarette use decreased, alongside increased cheap product use, rather than quitting. Quitting behaviours were associated with higher taxes. Smokers consumed fewer factory-made cigarettes and reduced roll-your-own tobacco weight over time. Apparent illicit purchasing did not increase. Disadvantaged and dependent smokers struggled with tobacco affordability and were more likely to smoke cheaper products, but disadvantage did not affect quit success. Limitations Different for each data set; triangulation increased confidence. Conclusions The tobacco industry overshifted taxes and increased revenues, even when tax increases were high. Therefore, tobacco taxes can be further increased to reduce price differentials and recoup public health costs. Government strategies on illicit tobacco appear effective. Large, sudden tax increases would reduce the industry’s ability to manipulate prices, decrease affordability and increase quitting behaviours. More disadvantaged, and dependent, smokers need more help with quitting. Future work Assessing the impact of tax changes made since 2014; changing how tax changes are introduced (e.g. sudden intermittent or smaller continuous); and tax changes on tobacco initiation. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme and will be published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 8, No. 6. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

scholarly journals Considering the Qualitative Impacts of Safe-Stove Programs: Lessons from the Western Highlands of Guatemala

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 31-46
Author(s):  
Mary Gramiak
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Developing Regions ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Depth Interviews

In 2016, 2.6 million people died prematurely from indoor air pollution as a result of the inefficient burning of biomass fuels for cooking and energy in the global south. The health and environmental impacts of indoor air pollution have been well documented throughout decades of literature, and governments and non-governmental organizations alike have taken steps to implement “safe stove” programs to upgrade cookstoves in developing regions and begin to address these issues. While largely effective in reducing indoor air pollution and improving energy efficiency, the qualitative impacts of implementing safe stove programs have not yet been explored. This article aims to fill a gap in this literature by investigating why safe stoves are important to the women who participate in the projects, and what the qualitative impacts of combatting indoor air pollution are for communities as a whole. The research draws on in-depth interviews with women from the rural highlands of Guatemala in the Quetzaltenango region, and addresses topics such as dignity and self-esteem within these populations. Not intended to be a binding pieced of literature, this research serves as a good reminder that the focus of development initiatives should always be on improving the overall wellbeing of the participants who purportedly benefit from these projects.

scholarly journals From deliberative dialogue to impact: envisioning kmowledge translation

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
O Hobden ◽  
R A J Borst ◽  
A Al-Metleq ◽  
M O Kok
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Research Impact ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Research Knowledge ◽  
Deliberative Dialogue ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Scenario Approach

Abstract Background The previous decades of research have contributed tremendously to the improvement of health. Nonetheless, problems remain regarding the use and relevance of public health research. Knowledge translation methods, such as deliberative dialogues, are believed to increase the use and relevance of such research. However, little is known about how they increase the impact of public health research. This study sought to trace the impact of deliberative dialogues through an actor-scenario approach. Actor-scenario mapping asks key actors to describe how and by whom research findings may potentially be used. This allows for constructing more concrete action plans. Methods This study used a qualitative case-study design with semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and a survey. The study focused on a Jordanian deliberative dialogue organised in April 2019. Interviews were conducted with 15 key stakeholders before and after the dialogue. Observations and surveys were collected during the dialogue. An abductive approach to thematic analysis was used to arrive at key themes for the report. Results The results show that dialogue participants found it difficult to propose concrete scenarios for action. They described that the sensitive nature of some research topics impairs action. Additionally, participants proposed that research funding should be earmarked for concrete actions. Overall, their scenarios proposed that high-level decision makers maintain involved in the knowledge to action process. Some participants mentioned that the articulation of scenarios for action contributes to research impact, since researchers usually do not engage with potential users. Conclusions Actor-scenario mapping is an innovative way of understanding how deliberative dialogues increase the impact of public health research. This scenario approach can inform the organisation of deliberative dialogues by actors such as EVIPNet. Key messages Actor-scenario mapping can trace the impact of deliberative dialogues. The scenario approach can better align the dialogues with policy and practice.

scholarly journals Social Media as a Tool to Increase the Impact of Public Health Research

2017 ◽  
Vol 107 (12) ◽  
pp. 1890-1891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Y. Breland ◽  
Lisa M. Quintiliani ◽  
Kristin L. Schneider ◽  
Christine N. May ◽  
Sherry Pagoto
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Workshop: Cohorts: coordinated tools for decision support

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Decision Support ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
Care Patient ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Healthcare Intervention ◽  
Health Events ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Longitudinal cohorts, by allowing to follow over the time a group of persons with common characteristics to identify the occurrence of health events, have proven to be very valuable instruments in medical and public health research. For instance, it is possible to investigate links between exposures (demographic, biological, behavioral, environmental, or genetic) and the occurrence of observed health events. And indeed the applications of the cohorts are multiple: besides public health research (links between risk factors or exposures and disease, health effects of unusual or still unknown exposures), it is possible, for example, to investigate the impact of a therapeutic strategy or complex healthcare intervention on the population status. Therefore, observations resulting from cohort studies are now often at the heart of public policy decision-making. In addition, health-data collections are increasingly broad in our societies (data from research, care, patient communities, or using personal initiatives such as smartphone applications and connected objects) and heterogeneous (genomic, physiological, biological, clinical, social and environmental). However, the efficiency of these epidemiological studies is limited by many factors, while resources required to develop them are very important. The lack of knowledge of the European landscape, the lack of harmonization of practices or governance or the lack of communication between various stakeholders, have an impact on the strategy to adopt. It would be essential to consider procedures to optimize resources, harmonize methodologies and coordination between structures, in such a context where epidemiological expertise is sometimes scarce and under-resourced. Furthermore, possibilities of international cross-cohorts linkages and collaborations could allow for unique and fruitful research opportunities, impossible to achieve in the setting of a stand-alone cohort. During this workshop, we propose to present different European initiatives and coordination models, but also to highlight collaborations between these cohorts. This brainstorming would allow us 1) to expose methodologies and best practices, which are developed by the various stakeholders; 2) to identify common or transposable procedures in order to participate in sustainable European strategy and at last, to address the challenges of developing future cohorts and using personal health data. For this purpose, four speakers will present the French landscape developed over the past ten years and three models of cohort coordination and data mining in Europe: the French cohort Constances, the Swedish consortium Cohorts.se and the German National Cohort. Each participant will speak for 15 minutes. Then the chairperson will lead the workshop’s joint discussion with the four speakers and the audience. Key messages cohorts are one of the reference instruments for epidemiological and public health research, and represent a significant advantage in decision support. efforts are need to improve the coordination of these cohorts, both nationally and internationally, to sustain these expensive instruments and foster the development of international collaborations.

scholarly journals ENERGY EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENT OF THE HOUSING STOCK IN BELARUSIAN REGIONS

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 108-112
Author(s):  
Volha Kameka ◽  
Izmailovich Svetlana ◽  
Alena Lisichonak
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
High Volume ◽  
High Heat ◽  
Environmental Indicators ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Housing Sector ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
The Impact

The need to ensure energy efficiency of the Belarusian economy at the present stage is justified. Indicators characterizing the level of fuel energy consumption and the impact of fuel consumption on the environment for the Belarusian regions are calculated. The authors found that Vitebsk region is characterized by high heat capacity Gross regional product. Also, Vitebsk region is characterized by a high volume of pollutant emissions into the air. We are talking about the emissions generated from fuel combustion for the production of heat and electricity. It has been substantiated that the main directions of regional development should be to reduce the consumption of fuel resources and the volume of emissions. The authors analyzed the structure of final consumption of fuel and energy resources by sectors of consumption, which showed that the main consumers of fuel and energy resources in Belarus are industry and housing sector.In this article the highest priority has been given by authors to energy efficiency in housing sector. It is noted that improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock can reduce the energy load on the region. It is proposed to use a system of indicators to assess the level of energy efficiency. The scientific novelty is in the application of a systematic approach to assessing energy efficiency. Previous studies were limited to considering individual energy efficiency indicators, rather than their systems. It is proposed to include the following groups of indicators in the system: technical, financial and economic, environmental. In contrast to the previously proposed groups of indicators, the system developed by the authors includes environmental indicators. The relevance of their study is due to regional characteristics, which is especially important for the Vitebsk region.The proposed system of indicators is able to give a holistic view of the level of energy efficiency of the housing stock. Thus, it becomes possible to identify reserves for the growth of energy efficiency in the housing sector in Belarus.  

scholarly journals 1032A Critical Assessment of Typologies of Conflict and their Relevance to Public Health Research

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghada Saad ◽  
Yara Damaj ◽  
Malak Tabaja ◽  
Jocelyn DeJong
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Political Violence ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Armed Conflict ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
Development Indicators ◽  
Systematic Assessment ◽  
Data Program ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Performing multi-country comparisons of the impact of armed conflict on health is not straightforward given the absence of an agreed definition of armed conflict and the multitude of categorizations/typologies identifying conflict-affected settings. Our analysis provides a critical review of available typologies to assess their usefulness for public health research. Methods Through a two-step comprehensive literature review, we identified available conflict-related typologies and performed a further multiple-database literature review to identify literature critiquing these typologies. Based on this information and our critical systematic assessment, we recommended optimal typologies for use in public health research. Results We identified 28 conflict-related typologies that we evaluated systematically to arrive at four typologies that are most suited for public health researchers examining for example, the effects of conflict on maternal and child health. These are the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, Heidelberg Institute of International Conflict Research (HIIK)-Conflict Barometer, Major Episodes of Political Violence and the Global Peace Index. These typologies are global in scope, address all types of violence, are regularly updated and do not include health/development indicators within their definitions. Conclusion All retrieved typologies have limitations, there are critiques of how conflicts and their intensity rankings are defined. Nevertheless, the four selected typologies provide useful tools for researchers aiming to make multi-country comparisons of the impact of armed conflict on health. Key messages There is no single agreed typology that provides a comprehensive picture of armed conflict across diverse settings. The most suitable typologies need to be complemented by in-country qualitative situation assessments.

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