scholarly journals The Heat Health Warning System in Germany—Application and Warnings for 2005 to 2019

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Matzarakis ◽  
Gudrun Laschewski ◽  
Stefan Muthers
Keyword(s):  
Warning System ◽  
Weather Forecast ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Health Warning ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
The People ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Perceived Temperature ◽  
Numerical Weather Forecast ◽  
Short Time

During intense heat episodes, the human population suffers from an increased morbidity and mortality. In order to minimize such negative health impacts, the general public and the public health authorities are informed and warned by means of an advanced procedure known as a “heat health warning system” (HHWS). It is aimed at triggering interventions and at taking preventive measures. The HHWS in Germany has been in operation since 2005. The present work is aimed at showing the updated structure of an advanced HHWS that has been developed further several times during its 15 years of operation. This is to impart knowledge to practitioners about the concept of the system. In Germany, dangerous heat episodes are predicted on the basis of the numerical weather forecast. The perceived temperature as an appropriate thermal index is calculated and used to assess the levels of heat stress. The thermo-physiologically based procedure contains variable thresholds taking into account the short time acclimatization of the people. The forecast system further comprises the nocturnal indoor conditions, the specific characteristics of the elderly population, and the elevation of a region. The heat warnings are automatically generated, but they are published with possible adjustments and a compulsory confirmation by the biometeorology forecaster. Preliminary studies indicate a reduction in the heat related outcomes. In addition, the extensive duration of the strongest heat wave in summer 2018, which lasted three weeks, highlights the necessity of the HHWS to protect human health and life.

scholarly journals Norwegians approve of the health authorities’ strategy to communicate worst case pandemic scenarios

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
G Wøien ◽  
K I Tonsberg
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
H1n1 Virus ◽  
Pandemic Preparedness ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
The People ◽  
Influenza A H1n1 ◽  
National Public Health ◽  
Public Health Authorities

According to the Norwegian pandemic preparedness plans, health authorities shall assess their communication activities before and during an outbreak of infectious diseases. A survey was conducted on 29 April 2009 on acceptance of communications by the national public health authorities concerning the emerging threat from the new influenza A(H1N1) virus. The survey was similar to other surveys in 2005-6 about the avian flu. The results were not very different – the overall majority of the people interviewed were not worried and the health authorities were regarded as trustworthy.

scholarly journals Trends in the nontuberculous mycobacterial disease mortality rate in Japan: A nationwide observational study, 1997-2016

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ko Harada ◽  
Hideharu Hagiya ◽  
Tomoko Funahashi ◽  
Toshihiro Koyama ◽  
Mitsunobu R Kano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rate ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Vital Statistics ◽  
Female Population ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Disease Mortality ◽  
Crude Mortality ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Nationwide Observational Study

Abstract Background The incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections has been increasing worldwide, becoming a significant healthcare burden especially among elderly people. This study aimed to evaluate the trends in NTM-associated mortality in Japan. Methods This study used vital statistics data and data on all NTM-associated deaths (N=18,814) among individuals aged ≥40 years in Japan from 1997 to 2016. We calculated the crude and age-adjusted mortality rates by age and sex and used joinpoint regression to analyze trends and estimate the average annual percentage change (AAPC). We compared crude NTM- and tuberculosis (TB)-associated mortality rates by sex. Results The overall crude annual mortality rate increased from 0.63/100,000/year in 1997 to 1.93/100,000/year in 2016 and was the highest among individuals aged 80–84 years. The AAPC of the crude mortality rates among males of all ages and females aged 40–59 years were stable but increased among females aged 60–79 years (3.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.8–4.3%) and ≥80 years (4.3%, 95% CI: 3.7–4.9%). Among males, the age-adjusted mortality rates did not show a significant trend, while among females, the rates increased over the study period (AAPC: 4.6%, 95% CI: 2.7–6.6%). In females, the crude NTM-associated mortality rate exceeded the TB mortality rate in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Conclusions  NTM mortality increased in Japan between 1997 and 2016, especially among the elderly female population. Given the increasing NTM-associated mortality and susceptible aging population, public health authorities in Japan should pay greater attention to NTM infections.

Tobacco Control Legislation: Tools for Public Health Improvement

2004 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 516-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
James G. Hodge ◽  
Gabriel B. Eber
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Tobacco Control ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Control Laws ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
The People ◽  
The Us ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Health Laws

Government’s responsibility to safeguard the public’s health through law has been part of the social contract since ancient times. Cicero declared salus populi suprema lex esto - “the safety of the people is the supreme law”. Disraeli proclaimed that protecting the public’s health is the first duty of the statesman. Of the ten most important public health achievements of the 20th century in the US., seven are directly related to legal interventions, including legislative interventions. As new and existing risks to health risks emerge internationally, governments have consistently used the law as a tool to define the goals of public health, direct public health authorities to accomplish these goals, and equip them with the power and resources to do so.Tobacco control represents a salient example of how law can be used to ensure health. Like other public health laws, tobacco control laws have historic grounds. Government and other policymakers have enacted laws to control tobacco use for hundreds of years. The Russian church forbade tobacco use as an “abomination.”

The Role of Community, State, Territorial, and Tribal Public Health in Obesity Prevention

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (S2) ◽  
pp. 35-39
Author(s):  
Janice K. Sommers ◽  
Claire Heiser
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Obesity Prevention ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Institute Of Medicine ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
The People ◽  
Tribal Governments ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity

Across the nation, local, state, territorial, and tribal governments are engaged in successful efforts to protect and promote the health of their citizens by supporting healthy eating and active living initiatives. The ten essential services define a role for public health at multiple levels of influence (see Table 1). These functions provide a framework for obesity prevention that is consistent with the systems approach presented by the Institute of Medicine in “Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention.”Governmental public health authorities can contribute to public health efforts to address obesity by monitoring prevalence of obesity and association risk factors, investigating the contributing factors, informing the public, and work with the citizens in their jurisdiction to develop solutions that fit the needs and sensibilities of the people.

scholarly journals Augmenting Surveillance to Minimize the Burden of Norovirus-Like Illness in Ontario: Using TeleHealth Ontario Data to Detect the Onset of Community Activity

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie L. Hughes ◽  
Andrew Papadopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning System ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Lost Productivity ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
The Common

Norovirus is the leading cause of gastroenteritis worldwide, resulting in millions of infections annually. In comparison to other viral illnesses, the total number of norovirus cases per year is second only to the common cold. While infection is relatively short-lived, the illness causes a high economic impact due to lost productivity and healthcare expenditures, thus requiring action to reduce the burden. In Ontario, surveillance is predominantly laboratory-based, leaving much room for improvement. This project will utilize syndromic surveillance to create an early warning system for early norovirus detection; TeleHealth Ontario call data will be analyzed to identify the beginning of the winter vomiting season in conjunction with laboratory data to confirm the season. From this, public health authorities can notify hospitals, long-term care homes, and other vulnerable populations of impending outbreaks.

Economic Value of Pavement for the Elderly: Case Study of Bangkok, Thailand

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 927-937
Author(s):  
Somskaow Bejranonda ◽  
◽  
Aekkapat Laksanacom ◽  
Waranan Tantiwat ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contingent Valuation Method ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Pavement Management ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Public Facility ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Valuation Method ◽  
The People ◽  
The City

Based on the concept of a livable and global age-friendly city, pavements are a public facility that the city should provide to the people. Appropriate pavements will be beneficial for the people, particularly for good quality of life for the elderly to move around in the city. This study explored the behaviour of the elderly in the use of pavements and the problems confronted. The study also evaluated the value of the pavement walking area as it reflected the benefits of pavements to the elderly by applying the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). During March-May 2017, data were collected using interviews with 601 elderly living in Bangkok. The study indicated that the main problem for senior citizens regarding their use of pavements was from being disturbed by motorbikes riding on the pavements. The average value of pavement for the elderly was about THB 160 (USD 5.30) per person per year. Thus, the benefits of pavements to the elderly in Bangkok was approximately THB 158 million (USD 5.2 million) per year. Thus, policy makers should make proper budget allocations for elderly-friendly pavement management and seriously address the problems confronting the elderly in using pavements, to maximize the usefulness of pavements not only for the elderly but also for the public and to support a sustainable urban development.

scholarly journals Users’ Beliefs Toward Physical Distancing in Facebook Pages of Public Health Authorities During COVID-19 Pandemic in Early 2020

2021 ◽  
pp. 109019812110144
Author(s):  
Soon Guan Tan ◽  
Aravind Sesagiri Raamkumar ◽  
Hwee Lin Wee
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Belief Model ◽  
United States Public Health ◽  
Health Belief ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Belief Model ◽  
The Health Belief Model

This study aims to describe Facebook users’ beliefs toward physical distancing measures implemented during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic using the key constructs of the health belief model. A combination of rule-based filtering and manual classification methods was used to classify user comments on COVID-19 Facebook posts of three public health authorities: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States, Public Health England, and Ministry of Health, Singapore. A total of 104,304 comments were analyzed for posts published between 1 January, 2020, and 31 March, 2020, along with COVID-19 cases and deaths count data from the three countries. Findings indicate that the perceived benefits of physical distancing measures ( n = 3,463; 3.3%) was three times higher than perceived barriers ( n = 1,062; 1.0%). Perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 ( n = 2,934; 2.8%) was higher compared with perceived severity ( n = 2,081; 2.0%). Although susceptibility aspects of physical distancing were discussed more often at the start of the year, mentions on the benefits of intervention emerged stronger toward the end of the analysis period, highlighting the shift in beliefs. The health belief model is useful for understanding Facebook users’ beliefs at a basic level, and it provides a scope for further improvement.

scholarly journals AnkFall—Falls, Falling Risks and Daily-Life Activities Dataset with an Ankle-Placed Accelerometer and Training Using Recurrent Neural Networks

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1889
Author(s):  
Francisco Luna-Perejón ◽  
Luis Muñoz-Saavedra ◽  
Javier Civit-Masot ◽  
Anton Civit ◽  
Manuel Domínguez-Morales
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Person ◽  
Fall Detection ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Daily Life Activities ◽  
Learning Classifier ◽  
The People ◽  
Activity Types ◽  
Remote Monitoring Systems ◽  
Secondary Study

Falls are one of the leading causes of permanent injury and/or disability among the elderly. When these people live alone, it is convenient that a caregiver or family member visits them periodically. However, these visits do not prevent falls when the elderly person is alone. Furthermore, in exceptional circumstances, such as a pandemic, we must avoid unnecessary mobility. This is why remote monitoring systems are currently on the rise, and several commercial solutions can be found. However, current solutions use devices attached to the waist or wrist, causing discomfort in the people who wear them. The users also tend to forget to wear the devices carried in these positions. Therefore, in order to prevent these problems, the main objective of this work is designing and recollecting a new dataset about falls, falling risks and activities of daily living using an ankle-placed device obtaining a good balance between the different activity types. This dataset will be a useful tool for researchers who want to integrate the fall detector in the footwear. Thus, in this work we design the fall-detection device, study the suitable activities to be collected, collect the dataset from 21 users performing the studied activities and evaluate the quality of the collected dataset. As an additional and secondary study, we implement a simple Deep Learning classifier based on this data to prove the system’s feasibility.

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