Integrating Epidemiology, Education, and Organizing for Environmental Justice: Community Health Effects of Industrial Hog Operations

The environmental justice movement has stimulated community-driven research about the living and working conditions of people of color and low-income communities. We describe an epidemiological study designed to link research with community education and organizing for social justice. In eastern North Carolina, high-density industrial swine production occurs in communities of low-income people and people of color. We investigated relationships between the resulting pollution and the health and quality of life of the hog operations’ neighbors. A repeat-measures longitudinal design, community involvement in data collection, and integration of qualitative and quantitative research methods helped promote data quality while providing opportunities for community education and organizing. Research could affect policy through its findings and its mobilization of communities

Land Application of Treated Sewage Sludge: Community Health and Environmental Justice

Background: In the United States, most of the treated sewage sludge (biosolids) is applied to farmland as a soil amendment. Critics suggest that rules regulating sewage sludge treatment and land application may be insufficient to protect public health and the environment. Neighbors of land application sites report illness following land application events

Serum Prolactin as an Early Biomarker for Detection of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus-An Experience at CMH Quetta

Objective: To determine the association between elevated serum prolactin and the development of gestational diabetes mellitus in the first trimester. Study Design: Prospective longitudinal study. Place and Duration of Study: Pathology Department, Combined Military Hospital, Quetta Pakistan, from Apr 2021 to Mar 2022. Methodology: One hundred and twenty-one patients had a measurement of serum prolactin in the first trimester, along with an oral glucose tolerance test in the second and third trimester, at the Pathology Department Combined Military Hospital Quetta Pakistan. Results: In the study group, serum prolactin levels were raised in 51(42.1%) patients in the first trimester. A total of 44(36.3%) patients with raised serum prolactin had impaired oral glucose tolerance tests. A significant association was found between raised serum prolactin and subsequent development of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant females. Conclusion: Serum prolactin can be an important biomarker for early diagnosis and monitoring of gestational diabetes mellitus

Photovoice Reveals Residents’ Concerns for Air and Water Quality in Industry-Impacted Rural Community

Rural communities of color in the southeastern U.S. experience a high burden of environmental hazards from concentrated industry placement. Community-engaged research and qualitative methods can improve our understanding of meaning-making in a community impacted by polluting facilities. This study applies the photovoice method to assess how a predominantly African American community in rural North Carolina, impacted by a landfill and confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), perceives their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Two research questions were developed with community-based partners: (a) How do environmental health concerns in this community influence residents’ perceptions of their HRQoL? and (b) How do community and county factors facilitate or inhibit community organizing around these concerns? Three photo assignment sessions were held to engage participants in discussions related to the research questions. Researchers analyzed discussion audio recordings and identified themes related to concerns about the following issues: health and quality of life, the landfill industry’s influence on community cohesion and self-determination, and actions to address environmental injustice in Sampson County. Photovoice benefits community-engaged researchers by providing a process for assessing the research interests of a community. Photovoice also serves community organizers by providing residents with a structured way to discuss their lived experiences and strategize ways to reduce hazard exposure

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Children's conduct and self-esteem: A predicting role of parent’s smartphone addiction

The use of smartphones has become a potentially addictive practice. Parental smartphone addiction is likely to have far-reaching implications for children's conduct. This article investigates the intricacies and challenges of smartphone addiction, with a special emphasis on children behavior problems and their self-esteem. Moreover, the study investigated mean differences in study variables across demographic variables. This survey study was conducted on the sample of 500 parents (250 mothers&amp; 250 fathers) of children with&nbsp;the age range of 6-13 years&nbsp;by using convenient sampling techniques from different schools located in Rawalpindi and Wah Cantt.&nbsp; Out of 500 parents, 300 parents (192mothers &amp; 108 fathers) were identified as having problem of smartphone addiction by using the cutoff scores (31=males&amp;33=females) on SAS-short version&nbsp; (Kwon, Kim, Cho &amp; Yang, 2013).After this a sample of 300 children (Boys =152, Girls= 148) of identified group of parents were given a set of questionnaires (The Pediatric Symptom Checklist , Murphy et al. 1996, &amp;&nbsp;Rosenberg self-esteem scale ,Rosenberg, 1965).&nbsp;The findings of study revealed the significant positive association between parental smartphone addictions with child behavioral problems. Furthermore, significant negative links between parental smartphone addiction with child self-esteem &amp; child behavioral problems with child self-esteem

Analysis of patient characteristics and clinical outcome in wound grades of diabetic foot ulcer in Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Introduction: Diabetic foot is utmost severe factor of diabetes which has negative consequences on the sufferance’s life. Among diabetes serious and life threatening complications, diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is very serious problem. Macro and micro vascular complications, time period of diabetes mellitus and bordering neuropathy govern the chance of foot ulcer. Staphylococcus aureus (a Bacterium) is the main cause of diabetic foot ulcer it has antibiotic resistance genes which makes it resistant to antibiotics. Diabetic fool ulcer is spread by harmful and lytic way on the host cell.&nbsp; Objective: To analyze the patient characteristics and clinical outcome in wound grades of diabetic foot ulcer.&nbsp; Material and Method: First sample is collected from 150 patients suffering from DFU. Bacterial colonies were obtained from culture. Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method was used to check the antibiotic susceptibility. DNA was extracted and PCR was run to amplify Pantone Valentine Leukocidin gene using primers. Results were analyzed through SPSS version. Results:&nbsp; Total patients were 150. More than 50yrs was the mean age. 51.3% were female and on the other hand, 48.7% were male.&nbsp

Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on routine vaccination in Pakistan: a hospital-based study

The effect of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on routine vaccination in low- and middle-income countries are scarce. The current pandemic has disrupted routine immunization globally. We aimed to analyze the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on routine immunizations practice in Pakistan. A retrospective study was conducted. The data were extracted from the immunization registry in order to assess the disruption in routine immunization coverage during 5 months of the lockdown period. We compared 5 months post lockdown against the baseline period of 5 months preceding lockdown. To broaden the horizon of our research we also collected data of vaccination from rural areas within the country. The results of the current study showed that on average, there was a disruption in routine immunization by 36% during lockdown when compared with the prepandemic period. The largest decline was observed for measles vaccination with a decline of 48%. In rural areas there was a lower decline in vaccination coverage with the highest decline noted for rotavirus vaccination of 15%. This monthly decrease in routine vaccination continued to be at a decline for several months during lockdown; however, it slightly increased post lockdown. In conclusion, on average, there was more than 30% declined in routine vaccination during the lockdown period, while somewhat improved post lockdown, i.e. 12%. Thus, this ongoing pandemic is a reminder for the national immunization programs to consider to tackle the disruption in routine immunization, otherwise, this continued disruption may lead to secondary outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases amongst the public