scholarly journals Natural Building Materials for Interior Fitting and Refurbishment—What about Indoor Emissions?

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 234
Author(s):  
Matthias Richter ◽  
Wolfgang Horn ◽  
Elevtheria Juritsch ◽  
Andrea Klinge ◽  
Leon Radeljic ◽  
...  

Indoor air quality can be adversely affected by emissions from building materials, consequently having a negative impact on human health and well-being. In this study, more than 30 natural building materials (earth dry boards and plasters, bio-based insulation materials, and boards made of wood, flax, reed, straw, etc.) used for interior works were investigated as to their emissions of (semi-)volatile organic compounds ((S)VOC), formaldehyde, and radon. The study focused on the emissions from complete wall build-ups as they can be used for internal partition walls and the internal insulation of external walls. Test chambers were designed, allowing the compounds to release only from the surface of the material facing indoors under testing parameters that were chosen to simulate model room conditions. The emission test results were evaluated using the AgBB evaluation scheme, a procedure for the health-related evaluation of construction products and currently applied for the approval of specific groups of building materials in Germany. Seventeen out of 19 sample build-ups tested in this study would have passed this scheme since they generally proved to be low-emitting and although the combined emissions of multiple materials were tested, 50% of the measurements could be terminated before half of the total testing time.

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 801
Author(s):  
Jasminka Talapko ◽  
Ivan Perić ◽  
Patricia Vulić ◽  
Emina Pustijanac ◽  
Melita Jukić ◽  
...  

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to increased negative emotional states among students. Physical activity is known to have positive impacts on mental health and well-being. However, due to the closure of gyms and other recreational facilities as a restrictive measure, students’ physical activity levels may decrease. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms and physical activity among health-related students during the second partial COVID-19 lockdown. The study included 823 students from the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health of the University of Osijek in Croatia. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Godin-Shephard Leisure Time Questionnaire for Physical Activity (GSLTPAQ) questionnaires were used to assess the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms as well as physical activity. Two-thirds (59.2%) of students in health-related fields were insufficiently active, while the prevalence of depression (50.8%), anxiety (50.9%), and stress (49.9%) symptoms were high. Also, female respondents had significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress than their male counterparts. Graduate students had higher levels of all three negative emotional states, but only anxiety levels were significant. This study shows that students in health-related fields had reduced physical activity and a high prevalence of negative emotional conditions (depression, anxiety, and stress) during the second partial lockdown. The resulting symptoms were mostly of mild intensity; however, we consider this a significant mental health issue during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, it is crucial to control and support students’ mental health, especially in more affected female individuals, in order to reduce the pandemic’s negative impact.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-150
Author(s):  
Garima Kaur ◽  
Sarama Saha ◽  
Anindya Das ◽  
Manisha Naithani

Background: Internet usage has increased exponentially in recent years. This growing use of internet has become worrisome as to whether to consider this excessive use as an addiction and if it negatively impacts one’s physical, mental and social health Aim: To investigate the prevalence of internet addiction and its association with health related factors in Medical students. Methods and Materials: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample size of 250. The students were asked to self-administer a semi-structured proforma regarding internet usage, Young’s IAT and Duke’s Health Profile. Young’s IAT was used to measure the addition level. Duke’s Health Profile was used to assess the physical, mental and social status. Result: 250 students participated in the study, 62% male and 38% female. 86% were found to be average online user and 1.2% had scores of category of Internet addiction. There was a significantly positive association between monthly expenditure and Young Score Grade. Those falling in category of Internet Addiction had low physical, mental and general health score and high Anxiety and Depression Score. Conclusion: From this study it can be concluded that internet addiction may have negative impact on physical, mental and social well-being of Medical students.


2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 613-623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Delgado Prieto ◽  
Juan Francisco Díaz-Morales ◽  
Cristina Escribano Barreno ◽  
Mª José Collado Mateo ◽  
Christoph Randler

Accumulating evidence suggests that evening-type adolescents are exposed to a number of determinants that might have a negative impact on their health condition. Given that few studies have investigated the association between chronotype and quality of life measures in large samples of adolescents, the aim of this study was to assess the relationship between morningness-eveningness and health-related quality of life among 1600 adolescents (aged 12-16 years). Adolescents completed the Veçú et Santé Perçue de L'adolescent (VSP-A) and the Morningness-Eveningness Scale for Children (MESC). Girls and older adolescents reported worse health indicators and were more evening oriented. Evening-type adolescents obtained lower scores on vitality, physical and psychological well-being, body image, relations with parents, relations with teachers, school work and global health scale.


PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12062
Author(s):  
Alvaro García Pérez ◽  
Álvaro Edgar González-Aragón Pineda ◽  
Hilda Gonzalez Olivares

Objective To determinate the association among socioeconomic status subject’s mother’s level of educational attainment, dental visits, and malocclusion in mixed dentition with on the OHRQoL of eight-to-ten-year-old children. Methods A cross-sectional study conducted, in 2019, on Mexican children from households of different socioeconomic status (SES). The prevalence of malocclusion was evaluated using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI), while the SES of the participants’ households was evaluated using the three categories (corresponding to a high, middle, or low-income household) stipulated by the Consejo Nacional de Población (CONAPO or National Population Council). Oral Health-related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) was evaluated using the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ8-10). Poisson regression models were performed for the analysis of the data obtained. Results A total of 79.4% of the subjects presented some type of malocclusion in mixed dentition, which was, by severity, as follows: definite (31.3%); severe (25.6%); and, very severe (22.5%). The Poisson regression model revealed a greater negative impact on the following four CPQ8-10domains for children with severe/very severe malocclusion [RR]: oral symptoms [2.78]; functional limitations [2.72]; emotional well-being [2.59]; and, social well-being [3.99]. A greater impact on the four CPQ8-10domains was found for children from a low-income household than for children from a high-income (p < 0.001) household. Furthermore, poor oral hygiene, lack of dental visits, and the mother’s level of educational attainment (<9 years) were found to have a negative impact on OHRQoL. Conclusion The findings of the present study demonstrated that the severity of malocclusion was associated with a greater negative impact on the OHRQoL of children, while those children who face greater health inequalities are likely to report a greater negative impact on their OHRQoL.


Author(s):  
Kristina Schröpfer ◽  
Nicole Schmidt ◽  
Sandra Kus ◽  
Clemens Koob ◽  
Michaela Coenen

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging period of upheaval for higher education students. This study aims to assess the factors associated with psychological stress during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of students in health-related fields at Munich universities in Germany. Students (n = 623) from KSH Munich and LMU Munich completed an online cross-sectional survey. Information on demographics and academic and everyday difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as data on physical and mental health were collected. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the outcome. The prevalence for higher psychological stress was 44% among the study population. Factors associated with higher psychological stress were: lower overall life satisfaction (p < 0.0001), worsened health situation (p < 0.0001), lack of social support (p = 0.0301) and social interaction (p = 0.0115), worries about financial difficulties due to loss of income (p = 0.0134), stressful thoughts about a second wave (p < 0.0001), feeling unable to positively influence the situation (p = 0.0262) and study-related effects, such as perceived study burden (p = 0.0003) and likely delay in studies (p = 0.0178)). The COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant negative impact on the mental health of students in health-related fields. Proactive efforts to support the mental health and well-being of students are needed.


Author(s):  
Amy Hasselkus

The need for improved communication about health-related topics is evident in statistics about the health literacy of adults living in the United States. The negative impact of poor health communication is huge, resulting in poor health outcomes, health disparities, and high health care costs. The importance of good health communication is relevant to all patient populations, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Efforts are underway at all levels, from individual professionals to the federal government, to improve the information patients receive so that they can make appropriate health care decisions. This article describes these efforts and discusses how speech-language pathologists and audiologists may be impacted.


2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meinrad Perrez ◽  
Michael Reicherts ◽  
Yves Hänggi ◽  
Andrea B. Horn ◽  
Gisela Michel ◽  
...  

Abstract. Most research in health psychology is based on retrospective self reports, which are distorted by recall biases and have low ecological validity. To overcome such limitations we developed computer assisted diary approaches to assess health related behaviours in individuals’, couples’ and families’ daily life. The event- and time-sampling-based instruments serve to assess appraisals of the current situation, feelings of physical discomfort, current emotional states, conflict and emotion regulation in daily life. They have proved sufficient reliability and validity in the context of individual, couple and family research with respect to issues like emotion regulation and health. As examples: Regarding symptom reporting curvilinear pattern of frequencies over the day could be identified by parents and adolescents; or psychological well-being is associated with lower variability in basic affect dimensions. In addition, we report on preventive studies to improve parental skills and enhance their empathic competences towards their baby, and towards their partner.


Author(s):  
Maria S. Bryleva

Introduction. One of the priority socio-economic and medical-demographic problems in Russia is the high mortality. The study aim is to identify the most significant factors that determine the mortality on the example of two single-industry towns. Materials and methods. Mortality in two single-industry towns specializing in copper-nickel production, differenced in climate, environmental, and socio-economic indicators, was studied using age-standardized indicators averaged over 8 years (2010-2017). Results. In Monchegorsk, compared to Russia, with similar non-production characteristics, working-age mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) was higher by 49.0%, from malignant neoplasms (MN) by 34.7%, from diseases of the digestive system by 35.5%, which confirms the negative impact of occupational factors on the mortality of the population of a single-industry city. In Norilsk city, with the worst characteristics of the environment and climate, compared to Monchegorsk, mortality from CVD was lower in working age by 40.6%, in post-working age by 41.4%; from MN - in working age lower by 37.2% that shows the compensating influence of socio-economic factors on mortality. Conclusion. Risk factors for increased mortality rates in single-industry towns with copper-nickel enterprises are the influence of harmful occupational factors, as well as environmental pollution. Along with primary prevention, an effective mechanism for reducing mortality is to improve socio-economic well-being, and the quality of medical care.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahari Ishak ◽  
Suet Fin Low ◽  
Wan Abdul Hakim Wan Ibrahim ◽  
Abqariyah Yahya ◽  
Fuziah Md. Zain ◽  
...  

<p>Obesity has been shown to impact the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among children. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of MyBFF@school program on HRQOL among overweight and obese primary school children in Malaysia. KINDL<sup>R</sup> Questionnaire was used to collect data on their HRQOL before and after the program. ANCOVA was used to analyse the comparison between intervention and control group after 6 months. There are significant effect on family functioning, F(2,1103)=7.452, p<0.05 and school functioning, F(1,1117)=7.103, p<0.05 after the intervention. Effects can also be seen on physical well-being, emotional well-being and friends functioning. The program is effective in improving the HRQOL significantly in two dimensions namely the family and school functioning. In order to achieve greater overall success,social support should be an integral part of the program and stigma on obesity should be managed and reduced by including normal-weight children in the program.</p>


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Długosz ◽  
Yana

The article presents the results of research on psychosocial condition among Polish and Ukrainian students during the quarantine. The aim of the research was to verify the impact of the pandemic and its accompanying phenomena on the well-being of youth. In order to achieve this goal, the CAWI on-line survey method with double measurement was used. The first measurement carried out at the beginning of the quarantine resulted in 3659 filled out surveys in Poland and 739 in Ukraine. The second measurement conducted at the end of distance learning brought 1978 filled out surveys in Poland and 411 in Ukraine. The results of research indicate that the quarantine had a negative impact on the psychosocial condition of youth. The deterioration of emotional condition and the increase in mental disorders has been observed. Due to the pandemic and distance learning, the mental health of youth deteriorated significantly. Polish youth were negatively influenced by the pandemic to a greater extent than young Ukrainians.


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