Trends in photochemical smog in the Cape Peninsula and the implications for health

There has been growing public concern over reports of increasing air pollution in the Cape Peninsula. Attention has been focused on the 'brown haze' and on photochemical smog. Because of deficiencies in the monitoring equipment, information on trends in photochemical smog levels over the past decade is limited. Trends in oxides of nitrogen, one of the main precursors of photochemical smog, and therefore an indicator of the potential for its formation, were examined for the period 1984 - 1993. Meaningful data for determining trends were available from only a single site. Increases in mean monthly levels, peak hourly levels and the number of times guidelines were exceeded were demonstrated. Given the dynamics of formation of photochemical smog and the particular role of motor vehicles, it is argued that the trends measured at this site are probably an underestimate of the trends in other parts of the Cape Town metropolitan area. Some of the precursors of photochemical smog, notably nitrogen dioxide, and some of its components, notably ozone, have been shown to be detrimental to respiratory health at levels close to, or below, current recommended guidelines. A continuing increase in these pollutants will therefore result in more respiratory illness, particularly among susceptible groups. This calls for an upgrading ofmonitoring of air pollution in Cape Town and for appropriate steps to prevent its further increase

Socioeconomic disparities in physical health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Western Australia

Objective. Few empirical studies have specifically examined the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and health in Indigenous populations of Australia. We sought to provide insights into the nature of this relationship by examining socio-economic disparities in physical health outcomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Western Australia. Design. We used a diverse set of health and SES indicators from a representative survey conducted in 20002002 on the health and development of 5289 Indigenous children aged 017 years in Western Australia. Analysis was conducted using multivariate logistic regression within a multilevel framework. Results. After controlling for age and sex, we found statistically significant socio- economic disparities in health in almost half of the associations that were investigated, although the direction, shape and magnitude of associations differed. For ear infections, recurring chest infections and sensory function problems, the patterns were generally consistent with a positive socio-economic gradient where better health was associated with higher SES. The reverse pattern was found for asthma, accidents and injuries, and oral health problems, although this was primarily observed for area-level SES indicators. Conclusion. Conventional notions of social position and class have some influence on the physical health of Indigenous children, although the diversity of results implies that there are other ways of conceptualising and measuring SES that are important for Indigenous populations. We need to consider factors that relate specifically to Indigenous circumstances and culture in the past and present day, and give more thought to how we measure social position in the Indigenous community, to gain a better understanding of the pathways from SES to Indigenous child health

Belonging and inclusivity make a resilient future for all: A cross-sectional analysis of post-flood social capital in a diverse australian rural community

In 2017, marginalised groups were disproportionately impacted by extensive flooding in a rural community in Northern New South Wales, Australia, with greater risk of home inundation, displacement and poor mental health. While social capital has been linked with good health and wellbeing, there has been limited investigation into its potential benefits in post-disaster contexts, particularly for marginalised groups. Six months post-flood, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to quantify associations between flood impact, individual social capital and psychological distress (including probable post-traumatic stress disorder). We adopted a community-academic partnership approach and purposive recruitment to increase participation from socio-economically marginalised groups (Aboriginal people and people in financial hardship). These groups reported lower levels of social capital (informal social connectedness, feelings of belonging, trust and optimism) compared to general community participants. Despite this, informal social connectedness and belonging were important factors for all participant groups, associated with reduced risk of psychological distress. In this flood-prone, rural community, there is a pressing need to build social capital collectively through co-designed strategies that simultaneously address the social, cultural and economic needs of marginalised groups. Multiple benefits will ensue for the whole community: Reduced inequities; strengthened resilience; improved preparedness and lessened risk of long-term distress from disaster events

Emotional Intelligence and Transformational and Transactional Leadership: A Meta-Analysis

The purpose of this study is to evaluate claims that emotional intelligence is significantly related to transformational and other leadership behaviors. Results (based on 62 independent samples) indicated a validity estimate of .59 when ratings of both emotional intelligence and leadership behaviors were provided by the same source (self, subordinates, peers, or superiors). However, when ratings of the constructs were derived from different sources, the validity estimate was .12. Lower validity estimates were found for transactional and laissez-faire leadership behaviors. Separate analyses were performed for each measure of emotional intelligence. Trait measures of emotional intelligence tended to show higher validities than ability-based measures of emotional intelligence. Agreement across ratings sources for the same construct was low for both transformational leadership (.14) and emotional intelligence (.16)

Multi-level support for physical activity and healthy eating

Aim. This paper reports a study evaluating the relationship between social and community level supports and physical activity and dietary behaviours among a low-income Latino population with multiple chronic conditions