Demographic and Socioeconomic Factors Associated with Urinary Stone Disease Management in a Large Urban US Population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of socioeconomic parameters on urinary stone surgeries. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study analyzed patients undergoing urolithiasis surgery in our community network hospital in North Carolina from 2005-2018. RESULTS: Of 7731 patients, 2160 (28%), 5,174 (67%), and 397 (5%) underwent SWL, URS, and PCNL, respectively. A higher proportion of Whites underwent URS (67%) and SWL (74%) than PCNL (56%); whereas a larger percentage of Blacks underwent PCNL (24%) than URS (20%) and SWL (15%) groups (P <.001). Private insurance payers were greater in the SWL (95%) group than URS (80%) and PCNL (81%) (P <.001). The distribution of median income was significantly different amongst the 3 surgeries with higher income classes overutilizing SWL and underutilizing PCNL compared to lower income classes (P <.001). In linear regression modeling, the proportion of SWL in a postal code was positively associated with median income (R2=0.55, P <.001); URS and PCNL were negatively associated with median income (R2=0.40, P <.001 and R2=0.41, P <.001, respectively). On multivariate logistic regression modeling, Blacks were significantly more likely to undergo PCNL than Whites (aOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.01-1.74 P <.050). Private insurance payers were more likely to undergo SWL (aOR 11.0, 95% CI 7.26-16.8, P <.0001) than public insurance payers. Patients in higher median income brackets are significantly less likely to undergo PCNL than those in the <$40,000 income bracket (P <.0001). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that socioeconomic status impacts urolithiasis surgical management, underscoring disparity recognition importance in endourologic care and ensuring appropriate surgical care regardless of socioeconomic status.

Characteristics, source apportionment and health risks of ambient VOCs during high ozone period at an urban site in central plain, China.

On 3rd to May 24, 2018, volatile organic compound (VOC) samples were collected four times a day by using stainless steel canisters at an urban site in Zhengzhou, China. The concentrations, compositions, sources, ozone (O3) formation potential (OFP), and health risk assessment of VOCs were discussed based on the measurements of 103 VOC species. Results show that the average mixing ratio of VOCs was 29.11 ± 15.33 ppbv, and the dominant components comprised oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) and alkanes, followed by halocarbons, alkenes, aromatics, and a sulfide. Various groups of VOCs had typical diurnal variation characteristics. Alkenes, alkanes, and aromatics contributed most to the OFP. Five sources identified by the positive matrix factorization model revealed solvent utilization as the largest contributor, followed by industrial production, long-lived and secondary species, vehicular emission, and biogenic emission. Solvent utilization and vehicular emission were important sources to OFP. During O3 episode days, the mixing ratios of alkanes, alkenes, halocarbons, OVOCs, aromatics, and TVOCs decreased to varying degrees; the source contribution of solvent utilization decreased significantly while industrial production showed the opposite trend. VOC species and sources posed no non-carcinogenic risk while five species and all sources except for biogenic emission had carcinogenic risks to exposed population. Industrial emission was the largest contributor to both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. These results will help to provide some references for O3 pollution research and prevention and control of pollution sources.

Subscribers' perception of quality of services provided by Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme - what are the correlates?

BACKGROUND: Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has witnessed an upsurge in enrollment since its inception in 2003, with over 40% of the Ghanaian population actively enrolled in the scheme. While the scheme strives to achieve universal health coverage, this quest is derailed by negative perceptions of the quality of services rendered to NHIS subscribers. This paper presents an analysis on perceptions of service quality provided to subscribers of Ghana's NHIS with emphasis on rural and urban scheme policy holders, using a nationally representative data. METHODS: The study used data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Ordered logistic regressions were estimated to identify the correlates of perceived quality of care of services rendered by the NHIS. Also, chi-square statistics were performed to test for significant differences in the proportions of subscribers in the two subsamples (rural and urban). RESULTS: Rural subscribers of the NHIS were found to identify more with better perception of quality of services provided by the NHIS than urban subscribers. Results from the chi-square statistics further indicated that rural subscribers are significantly different from urban subscribers in terms of the selected socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. In the full sample; age, out-of-pocket payment for healthcare and region of residence proved significant in explaining perceived quality of services rendered by the NHIS. Age, out-of-pocket payment for healthcare, region of residence, wealth status, and access to media were found to be significant predictors of perceived quality of services provided to both rural and urban subscribers of the NHIS. The significance of these variables varied among men and women in rural and urban areas. CONCLUSION: Different factors affect the perception of quality of services provided to rural and urban subscribers of Ghana's NHIS. Health financing policies geared toward improving the NHIS-related services in rural and urban areas should be varied.

Salud ocupacional en dos centros de clasificación y acopio de materiales reciclables en el Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2015 / Occupational health in two centers for the sorting and collection of recycled materials in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, Argentina, 2015

RESUMEN ¿Cómo estimar los riesgos para la salud de las y los trabajadores que manipulan residuos sólidos urbanos separando y clasificando materiales reciclables? Para responder esta pregunta, durante 2015, se realizó una investigación en terreno con una perspectiva ecoepidemiológica en dos centros de clasificación y acopio (uno urbano y otro en un descampado periurbano) ubicados en la zona sur del Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Con el propósito de describir el proceso de trabajo, se utilizaron técnicas etnográficas (entrevistas, observación participante), proyectivas y de trabajo corporal, para caracterizar las condiciones y medio ambiente según riesgos y exigencias de la Organización Internacional de Trabajo para este trabajo no clásico. Las exigencias tenderían a concentrarse en el ingreso y salida de materiales, los riesgos del objeto de trabajo resultarían de la separación y, los riesgos biológicos, del ambiente de trabajo. Se encontró diversidad y poca planificación en el proceso de trabajo. Por ello, la caracterización de las condiciones y el medio ambiente de trabajo fue también una instancia de reflexividad entre trabajadores e investigadores sobre la creación-organización del ambiente de trabajo y la corporización de los padecimientos.

ABSTRACT How can the health risks be estimated of workers who handle urban solid waste sorting recyclable materials? To answer this question, during 2015, field research was carried out with an ecoepidemiological perspective in two classification and collection centers (one urban and another peri-urban) located in the southern area of the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires, Argentina. In order to describe the work process, ethnographic techniques (interviews, participant observation), as well as other projective and body work techniques were utilized to characterize the conditions and environment of this nonclassical type of work using the framework of risks and demands recommended by the International Labor Organization. The demands tend to concentrate on the entry and exit of materials, the risks of the work object on the sorting of the materials, and the biological risks on the work environment. Within the work process, diversity and little planning were found. Therefore, the characterization of working conditions and environment was also an opportunity for reflexivity among workers and researchers regarding the creation and organization of the work environment and the embodiment of illness.

[Hygienic assessment of living conditions and morbidity of the population in the port cities of the Sakhalin region].

The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive hygienic assessment of environmental conditions in the port cities of the Sakhalin region to identify priority risk factors affecting on population health and management decisions for the optimization of living conditions. As a result of the assessment of risk and damages for public health from the effects of air pollution on the dose-response, effects were found to excess of impact on the target organs by 10 times. The main ecotoxicant was determined to be manganese oxide, which is associated with a priority manganese content in soil samples ofport cities. The positive dynamics of the gain in the accumulation of soil heavy metals according to the total index indicates to the existence of problems for soil contamination. Analysis of demographic variables shows that the population of the Sakhalin region in general and the port cities in particular relates to a regressive type. The main causes of the population decline are mortality and migration outflow of able-bodied population in other regions of Russia. However, in the port cities there is an increase in the number of work places, contributing to an increase in the labor force. The primary and general morbidity of the population ofport cities is characterized by higher levels compared with the average for the Sakhalin Region and the Far Eastern Federal District. Among all the classes of diseases as priority ones there are marked "neoplasm", "diseases of the nervous system", "respiratory diseases", "diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue". Port cities occupy the top ranking places on the incidence of malignant tumors among the cities of the Sakhalin region.

A Implantação do Programa Vila Viva em áreas de Belo Horizonte: uma análise documental / The Implementation of the Vila Viva Program in areas of Belo Horizonte: A documentary analysis

O Programa Vila Viva, implantado em Belo Horizonte (BH), em 2005, caracteriza-se como uma política de inclusão social, a partir de intervenções integradas de urbanização,desenvolvimento social e de regularização de áreas destinadas à moradia de grupos de baixa renda, com objetivo de transformar essas áreas, integrando-as à cidade formal. O Vila Viva tem suas ações planejadas por meio do Plano Global Específico (PGE), que é estruturado em três grandes setores – urbanístico-ambiental; socioeconômico e jurídico-legal. A integração desses três setores permite o diagnóstico detalhado das características de uma determinada localidade, além de apresentar propostas de intervenção para os problemas e necessidades levantados pelos diferentes atores envolvidos. Essa pesquisa teve o objetivo de analisar o PGE das seguintes Zonas Especiais de Interesse Social (ZEIS) de BH do Programa Vila Viva:Aglomerados Barragem Santa Lúcia, Morro das Pedras, Serra e Vila São Tomás, tendo como marco teórico o conceito de Saúde Urbana...

Os PGE foram tratados pela Análise Documental em três etapas: classificação de acordo com ano e fonte de publicação; análise preliminar considerando: contexto, autores, autenticidade, natureza, conceitos chave e lógica interna do texto; análise de conteúdo norteada pelas dimensões teóricas, ambiente físico e social,moradia, equipamentos comunitários e públicos.Observamos que os PGE foram elaborados entre 2000 e 2004, por empresas contratadas pela Companhia Urbanizadora e de Habitação de Belo Horizonte – URBEL. Todos seguiram o mesmo padrão, com levantamento de dados urbanístico-ambientais, socioeconômicos e jurídico-legais; diagnóstico; propostas e hierarquização das intervenções. O principal conceito-chave identificado foi o de participação comunitária. As demandas da população, nas quatro ZEIS, relacionaram-se ao saneamento básico, saúde, ações sanitárias, sistema viário,segurança, educação, obras de infraestrutura e de regularização fundiária. O PGE representa um instrumento de caráter singular que, ao propor um diagnóstico integrado, considera o local de moradia não apenas como um espaço físico, mas como um espaço geográfico ou socialmente organizado, a partir de componentes históricos, sociais e culturais. Os resultados apontaram a adequação e efetiva contribuição do PGE como instrumento norteador de intervenções nas ZEIS do município...

A Implantação do Programa Vila Viva em áreas de Belo Horizonte: uma análise documental

O Programa Vila Viva, implantado em Belo Horizonte (BH), em 2005, caracteriza-se como uma política de inclusão social, a partir de intervenções integradas de urbanização,desenvolvimento social e de regularização de áreas destinadas à moradia de grupos de baixa renda, com objetivo de transformar essas áreas, integrando-as à cidade formal. O Vila Viva tem suas ações planejadas por meio do Plano Global Específico (PGE), que é estruturado em três grandes setores – urbanístico-ambiental; socioeconômico e jurídico-legal. A integração desses três setores permite o diagnóstico detalhado das características de uma determinada localidade, além de apresentar propostas de intervenção para os problemas e necessidades levantados pelos diferentes atores envolvidos. Essa pesquisa teve o objetivo de analisar o PGE das seguintes Zonas Especiais de Interesse Social (ZEIS) de BH do Programa Vila Viva:Aglomerados Barragem Santa Lúcia, Morro das Pedras, Serra e Vila São Tomás, tendo como marco teórico o conceito de Saúde Urbana.

Os PGE foram tratados pela Análise Documental em três etapas: classificação de acordo com ano e fonte de publicação; análise preliminar considerando: contexto, autores, autenticidade, natureza, conceitos chave e lógica interna do texto; análise de conteúdo norteada pelas dimensões teóricas, ambiente físico e social,moradia, equipamentos comunitários e públicos.Observamos que os PGE foram elaborados entre 2000 e 2004, por empresas contratadas pela Companhia Urbanizadora e de Habitação de Belo Horizonte – URBEL. Todos seguiram o mesmo padrão, com levantamento de dados urbanístico-ambientais, socioeconômicos e jurídico-legais; diagnóstico; propostas e hierarquização das intervenções. O principal conceito-chave identificado foi o de participação comunitária. As demandas da população, nas quatro ZEIS, relacionaram-se ao saneamento básico, saúde, ações sanitárias, sistema viário,segurança, educação, obras de infraestrutura e de regularização fundiária. O PGE representa um instrumento de caráter singular que, ao propor um diagnóstico integrado, considera o local de moradia não apenas como um espaço físico, mas como um espaço geográfico ou socialmente organizado, a partir de componentes históricos, sociais e culturais. Os resultados apontaram a adequação e efetiva contribuição do PGE como instrumento norteador de intervenções nas ZEIS do município.

[Reducing inequality by improving preventing measures]. / Ridurre le disuglianze migliorando l'offerta preventiva.

Terms of inequalities issue in health service are defined and the consolidated scientific acquisitions are recalled. Three prioritary areas of action are defined and described, that Prevention Departments are suggested to activate through focused programs in order to reduce specific inequalities. First area of action: includes three types of vital interventions: vaccinations, contrasting of tuberculosis infection and oncological screening that have to be granted to specific disadvantaged groups of population as Rom communities, immigrant women, prisoners e psychiatric patients. Second area of action: actions on focused urban planning aiming to improve conditions of social housing (with a special focus on thermal insulation, minimal distances to be kept towards streets of havy traffic), increase of increase of urban green spaces enjoyed by the population and contrasting degradation of housing (with particular attention to poisoning by carbon monoxide). Third area of action: actions contrasting cardiovascular diseases, that is the leading cause of death and inequalities in health for the working class population. A coordinated intervention directly in the workplace is proposed, where a particularly high percentage of individuals exposed to specific risk factors is present.

[Assessment of the effect of environmental chemicals on the working population in mono-cities].

There was made the characterization of the health risk for workers' of pulp and paper industry, under the simultaneous effects of chemicals in the residential and working area. The main adverse effect of chemicals that pollute the air and work environment is related with the impact on the respiratory system. Under the successive exposure (ambient air--air in the workplace) in the adult population working at the Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill, the risk of occurrence of respiratory diseases (HI = 18.5) and individual carcinogenic risk (CR = 9.7 x 10(-3)) have been rated as high and constitute 86-99% of the total risk.

Validation of the Los Angeles pre-hospital stroke screen (LAPSS) in a Chinese urban emergency medical service population.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Early and accurate diagnosis of stroke by emergency medical service (EMS) paramedics is critical for reducing pre-hospital delays. The Los Angeles pre-hospital stroke screen (LAPSS) has been widely used as a validated screening tool for early identifying stroke patients by EMS paramedics. However, validation of LAPSS has never been performed in Chinese stroke population. This study is aimed to verify the LAPSS for early identifying stroke patients in a Chinese urban EMS. METHODS: 76 paramedics of five urban first aid stations attached to Beijing 120 EMS were involved. The paramedics were trained by professionals to quickly screen patients based on LAPSS. Potential "target stroke" individuals who met the base LAPSS screen criteria were identified. Sensitivity and specificity analyses of the LAPSS were calculated. RESULTS: From June 10, 2009 to June 10, 2010, paramedics transported a total of 50,220 patients. 1550 patients who met the baseline screen criteria were identified as the potential "target stroke" population. 1130 patients had the completed LAPSS information datasheet and 997 patients were clinically diagnosed with stroke. The average time of completing the LAPSS was 4.3±3.0 minutes (median, 5 minutes). The sensitivity and specificity of the LAPSS in this study was 78.44% and 90.22%, respectively. After adjusting for age factor by excluding patients of >45 years old, the sensitivity was significantly increased to 82.95% with specificity unchanged. CONCLUSION: The paramedics of Beijing 120 EMS could efficiently use LAPSS as a screening tool for early identifying stroke patients. While the sensitivity of LAPSS in Chinese urban patient population was lower than those reported in previous LAPSS validation studies, the specificity was consistent with these studies. After excluded the item of "Age>45 years", the sensitivity was improved.

[A new system of specialized gastroenterological care to patients with inflammatory bowel diseases in St. Petersburg].

AIM: To substantiate the effectiveness of the set-up center in the early detection of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and in its organization and implementation of current therapeutic programs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The therapeutic activity of the specialized medical care system set up in St. Petersburg for patients with IBD (ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD)), which is based on a multifunctional inflammatory bowel disease center at City Clinical Hospital Thirty-One, was analyzed. RESULTS: The effective work of the center could reduce time for verification of the diagnosis of UC from 6.4 +/- 1.4 to 3.6 +/- 0.8 months and CD from 28.6 +/- 6.7 to 15.3 +/- 4.2 months, respectively; decline the annual number of patients with moderate and severe UC from 73.4 to 53.6 and CD from 66.7 to 47%, and also set up a centralized system for all required types of current therapeutic and diagnostic care for these patients. CONCLUSION: The establishment of the St. Petersburg Center for the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases could develop and realize in practice a new closed-loop urban system for the early detection and notification of IBD patients, the organization and rendering of individual effective therapeutic-and-prophylactic care.

Greenhouse gas emissions from waste management--assessment of quantification methods.

Of the many sources of urban greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, solid waste is the only one for which management decisions are undertaken primarily by municipal governments themselves and is hence often the largest component of cities' corporate inventories. It is essential that decision-makers select an appropriate quantification methodology and have an appreciation of methodological strengths and shortcomings. This work compares four different waste emissions quantification methods, including Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1996 guidelines, IPCC 2006 guidelines, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Waste Reduction Model (WARM), and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities-Partners for Climate Protection (FCM-PCP) quantification tool. Waste disposal data for the greater Toronto area (GTA) in 2005 are used for all methodologies; treatment options (including landfill, incineration, compost, and anaerobic digestion) are examined where available in methodologies. Landfill was shown to be the greatest source of GHG emissions, contributing more than three-quarters of total emissions associated with waste management. Results from the different landfill gas (LFG) quantification approaches ranged from an emissions source of 557 kt carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) (FCM-PCP) to a carbon sink of -53 kt CO2e (EPA WARM). Similar values were obtained between IPCC approaches. The IPCC 2006 method was found to be more appropriate for inventorying applications because it uses a waste-in-place (WIP) approach, rather than a methane commitment (MC) approach, despite perceived onerous data requirements for WIP. MC approaches were found to be useful from a planning standpoint; however, uncertainty associated with their projections of future parameter values limits their applicability for GHG inventorying. MC and WIP methods provided similar results in this case study; however, this is case specific because of similarity in assumptions of present and future landfill parameters and quantities of annual waste deposited in recent years being relatively consistent.

[Population health risk from chemical air pollutants in a city with developed pulp and paper industry].

OBJECTIVE: to assess an effect of chemical contaminants contained in emissions of pulp and paper mill on prevalence respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in population of Novodvinsk. The average annual concentrations of chemicals of concern were calculated by modeling. A prevalence of population was studied by using of the primary medical documentation in sex among children from 0 to 17 and adults from 65 and older Hazard index (HIi) was used to assess the non-cancer health effects. Unit risk was used to calculate individual cancer risk (CR). Testing of null hypothesis was conducted by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and ?2. The hazard index for respiratory tract (HIi = 3,54; 95% CI: 3.34-3.70) and cardiovascular system (HIi = 0.78; 95% /DE: 0.74-0.82) in the district close to the Arkhangelsk pulp and paper mill (APPM) were higher than in remote districts. In this district the prevalence of bronchial asthma in boys (30.7+13.8%), women (47.0+9.8%) and men (127.4+45.2%) was the highest. Also in this district the prevalence of hypertension among women (139.1+14.4%) and men (311.5+56.1%), diseases of veins among women (48.2+10.8%) and diseases of upper respiratory tract among men (177.0+36.4%) was higher than in remote districts from the APPM. The level of CR in the district located close by the APPM was acceptable (1.0 (10-5; 95% CI: 9.0 (10-6-1, 18(10-5).

Asthma, allergy, and IgE levels in NYC head start children.

BACKGROUND: Among preschool-age children in New York City neighborhoods with high asthma hospitalization rates, we analyzed the associations of total immunoglobulin E (IgE), specific IgE to common indoor allergens, and allergy symptoms with asthma. METHODS: Parents of children in New York City Head Start programs were asked to complete a questionnaire covering demographic factors, health history (including respiratory conditions), lifestyle, and home environment. Children's serum samples were analyzed for total IgE and specific IgE antibodies to cockroach, dust mite, mouse, and cat allergens by immunoassay. Logistic regression was used to model the association between asthma and IgE, controlling for age, gender, ethnicity/national origin, BMI, parental asthma, smokers in the household, and allergy symptoms (e.g., runny nose, rash). RESULTS: Among 453 participating children (mean age 4.0+/-0.5 years), 150 (33%) met our criteria for asthma. In our multivariable logistic regression models, children with asthma were more likely than other children to be sensitized to each allergen, to be sensitized to any of the four allergens (OR=1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.6), or to be in the highest quartile of total IgE (OR=3.1, 95% CI 1.5-6.4). Allergy symptoms based on questionnaire responses were independently associated with asthma (OR=3.7, 95% CI 2.3-5.9). CONCLUSIONS: Among preschool-aged urban children, asthma was associated with total IgE and sensitization to cat, mouse, cockroach, and dust mite allergens. However, allergy symptoms were more prevalent and more strongly associated with asthma than was any allergen-specific IgE; such symptoms may precede elevated specific IgE or represent a different pathway to asthma.

Atenção básica e dinâmica urbana nos grandes municípios paulistas, Brasil / Primary health care and urban dynamics in large cities in São Paulo State, Brazil

Os Estudos de Linha de Base do Projeto de Expansão e Consolidação do Saúde da Família construíram indicadores e modelos de atenção básica para os 62 municípios paulistas com mais de 100 mil habitantes, e apontaram uma diversidade de comportamento destes indicadores e modelos em relação às diferentes dinâmicas urbanas do estado. Nesse sentido, houve a necessidade de realizar uma reflexão sobre saúde e uso urbano do território. O principal objetivo desta reflexão foi compreender melhor sobre como a dinâmica urbana tem influência no perfil, na organização e no funcionamento do sistema de saúde. A partir daí, foi possível extrair algumas hipóteses e discussões sobre como a urbanização paulista impõe desafios à expansão e consolidação da atenção básica e do Programa Saúde da Família nos municípios estudados.

The Baseline Studies on the Project for Expansion and Consolidation of the Family Health Strategy created primary health care indicators and models for the 62 municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants in São Paulo State, Brazil, and identified varying patterns for these indicators and models in relation to different urban dynamics in the State. The studies showed the need to reflect on health in relation to urban land use. The main objective was to gain a better understanding of how urban dynamics influence the health system's profile, organization, and operation, based on which it was possible to extract some hypotheses and discussions regarding how urbanization in São Paulo State creates challenges for the expansion and consolidation of primary health care and the Family Health Program in these municipalities.

Is it feasible to construct a community profile of exposure to industrial air pollution?

OBJECTIVE: An epidemiological investigation to assess the validity of residential proximity to industry as a measure of community exposure. METHODS: 19 Housing estates in Teesside (population 1991: 77 330) in north east England were grouped into zones: A=near; B=intermediate; C=further from industry. With residential proximity of socioeconomically matched populations as a starting point a historical land use survey, historical air quality reports, air quality monitoring, dispersion modelling data, and questionnaire data, were examined. RESULTS: The populations in zones A, B, and C were similar for socioeconomic indicators and smoking history. Areas currently closest to industry had also been closest for most of the 20th century. Historical reports highlighted the influence of industrial emissions to local air quality, but it was difficult to follow spatial pollution patterns over time. Whereas contemporary NO(x) and benzene concentrations showed no geographical variation, dispersion modelling of emissions (116 industrial stacks, traffic, and domestic sources) showed a gradient associated with industry. The presumed exposure gradient of areas by proximity to industry (A>B>C) was evident for all of zone A and most of zones B and C. CONCLUSIONS: It was feasible to assemble a picture of community exposure by integration of measurements from different sources. Proximity of residence was a reasonable surrogate for complex community exposure.

Building materials and risk of leukemia.

Using information data obtained from 958 patients with leukemia and the same number of healthy controls matched for sex, age and place of residence the relative risk of leukemia was calculated in relation to the character of the material from which the building was built where the patients and controls were living. The information on the type of the building materials was obtained by inquiry. Three types of buildings were isolated: buildings built from wood, bricks and concrete or prefabricated products. In the analysis the number of years during which the patients and controls were living in these buildings was considered. No statistically significant correlation was noted between the risk of leukaemia development and the character of the building material. No increase was noted in this probability in relation to the time of living in a building built from any of these building materials. Additional analysis demonstrated that in Poland no so called "leukemic houses" are found, that is houses where during 5 years three of more cases of leukemia occurred.

[Exposure to noise, vibration and radiation in Cracow]. / Zagrozenie halasem, wibracjami i promieniowaniem na terenie aglomeracji krakowskiej.

The problems are discussed connected with exposure to noise, vibration and ionizing radiation. In Cracow traffic and industrial noise is particularly troublesome. The greatest intensity of traffic noise is in the old part of the city and noise level caused by city transport is from 65 to 85 dB/A. Among the industrial sources of noise the highest intensity is in the Lenin Steel Plant, Leg Electrothermal Plant, and Solway Soda Works. Vibration and ionizing radiation resulting from the industrial activities are a considerable risk for human health in the Cracow area. The building materials in construction (including apartment houses) have sometimes a high radioactivity, e.g. dust-slag hollow bricks. The need is stressed for solving, if possible, the problem of noise, especially traffic noise, which is connected with considerable financial costs; the question of using materials of high radioactivity for building purposes should be also resolved.