Development of Spatio-Temporal Land Use Regression Models for Fine Particulate Matter and Wood-Burning Tracers in Temuco, Chile.

Biomass burning is common in much of the world, and in some areas, residential wood-burning has increased. However, air pollution resulting from biomass burning is an important public health problem. A sampling campaign was carried out between May 2017 and July 2018 in over 64 sites in four sessions, to develop a spatio-temporal land use regression (LUR) model for fine particulate matter (PM) and wood-burning tracers levoglucosan and soluble potassium (Ksol) in a city heavily impacted by wood-burning. The mean (sd) was 46.5 (37.4) µg m-3 for PM2.5, 0.607 (0.538) µg m-3 for levoglucosan, and 0.635 (0.489) µg m-3 for Ksol. LUR models for PM2.5, levoglucosan, and Ksol had a satisfactory performance (LOSOCV R2), explaining 88.8%, 87.4%, and 87.3% of the total variance, respectively. All models included sociodemographic predictors consistent with the pattern of use of wood-burning in homes. The models were applied to predict concentrations surfaces and to estimate exposures for an epidemiological study.

Bioethical considerations about water fluoridation: a critical review / Consideraciones bioéticas de la fluoración del agua: una revisión crítica

Dental caries is one of the oral pathologies with greater burden of disease in the Chilean population. Fluoridation of drinking water has been used as a caries prevention strategy. However, its application as a public policy has been questioned since its implementation. The aim of this article is to analyze whether fluoridation of drinking water is a justified measure in reducing the incidence and prevalence of caries from the perspective of bioethics, taking into account the current evidence on its effectiveness. The arguments reviewed are based on the belief that water fluoridation is effective and, in general terms, ethically acceptable. A recent systematic review concludes that there is not enough evidence to support fluoridation as a public policy. There is a gap of knowledge that ought to be closed so that public health authorities can assess the significance of the intervention and make a democratic decision on its continuation or suspension based on scientific evidence. This decision should be informed and disseminated within the community.

La caries dental constituye una de las patologías orales con mayor carga de enfermedad en población chilena. Una estrategia empleada para prevención de caries ha sido la fluoración del agua potable, cuya aplicación como política pública ha sido cuestionada desde su implementación. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar si la fluoración del agua potable resulta una medida justificada para reducir la incidencia y prevalencia de caries desde la perspectiva de la bioética, teniendo en cuenta la evidencia actual sobre su efectividad. Los argumentos revisados se basan en la convicción de la efectividad de la fluoración del agua, considerando la intervención en términos generales como éticamente aceptable. A la luz de la revisión sistemática publicada recientemente, no existiría evidencia suficiente que avale esta política pública. Actualmente existe una brecha de conocimiento que debiese ser cerrada con la finalidad de que las autoridades de salud pública puedan evaluar la trascendencia de la intervención y tomar una decisión democrática acerca de la continuidad o suspensión de la estrategia preventiva con base científica, informada y socializada con la comunidad.