Comparison of cooking emissions mitigation between automated and manually operated air quality interventions in one-bedroom apartments.

We implemented a crossover study design exposing 15 participants to two indoor air quality conditions in the Well Living Lab. The first condition, the Standard Control Condition, resembled the ventilation and air supply of a typical home in the USA with a manually operated stove hood. The second condition, Advanced Control, had an automated: (i) stove hood, (ii) two portable air cleaners (PAC), and (iii) bathroom exhaust. The PM2.5 sensors were placed in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. Once the sensor detected a PM2.5 level of 15 µg/m3 or higher, an air quality intervention (stove hood, PAC or bathroom exhaust) in that space was activated and turned off when the corresponding PM2.5 sensor had three consecutive readings below 6 µg/m3. Advanced Control in the overall apartment reduced PM2.5 concentration by 40% compared to the Standard Control. The PM2.5 concentration difference between Advanced and Standard Control was ~ 20% in the kitchen. This can be attributed to using the stove hood manually in 66.5% of cooking PM2.5 emission events for 323.6 h compared to 88 h stove hood used in automated mode alongside 61.9 h and 33.7 h of PAC use in living room and bedroom, respectively.

Stability of Patient Social Determinants of Health With a Focus on Food Insecurity.

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: Many health systems screen patients for social determinants of health and refer patients with social needs to community service organizations for assistance. However, few studies have examined how social determinants of health change over time in the same individuals. METHODS: We examined patients screened by The MetroHealth System in Cleveland, Ohio for 11 social determinants of health, including food insecurity, financial strain, transportation, housing stability, utilities affordability, other housing problems, intimate partner violence, social connection, physical activity, daily stress, and digital connectivity. We determined changes in these social determinants among patients screened at baseline and again after 6 to 18 months of follow-up. We further examined correlates of changes in food insecurity, because it is a common need among our patients and leads to numerous referrals to community organizations for assistance. RESULTS: A substantial majority of patients had no change in each social determinant. For example, among 18 038 patients screened twice for food insecurity, 13 913 (77.1%) did not screen positive for food insecurity at baseline and follow-up and 1726 (9.6%) screened positive for food insecurity at both times. A total of 1080 (6.0%) did not screen positive for food insecurity at baseline but screened positive at follow-up while 1319 (7.3%) screened positive for food insecurity at baseline but not at follow-up. Among patients screening positive for food insecurity at baseline, screening negative at follow-up was independently associated with being age ≥60 years (odds ratio [OR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02-2.10), not screening positive for financial strain (OR = 1.64, CI = 1.27-2.13), not screening positive for housing problems (OR = 1.65, CI = 1.28-2.13), and not screening positive for intimate partner violence (OR = 1.45, OR = 1.02-2.08). A longer duration between baseline and follow-up screening was also independently associated with not screening positive for food insecurity at follow-up. Being referred for food assistance was not associated with absence of food insecurity at follow-up (OR = 0.71, CI = 0.47-1.08). CONCLUSIONS: Most patients report no change in specific social determinants of health over 6 to 18 months. Examining changes may identify subgroups at greatest risk for persistence of adverse determinants and help to evaluate the impact of assistance efforts.

Association of housing status and cancer diagnosis, care coordination and outcomes in a public hospital: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Cancer is a leading cause of death in unhoused adults. We sought to examine the association between housing status, stage at diagnosis and all-cause survival following cancer diagnosis at a public hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study examining new cancer diagnoses between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2021. SETTING: A public hospital in San Francisco. EXPOSURE: Housing status (housed, formerly unhoused, unhoused) was ascertained via a county-wide integrated dataset that tracks both observed and reported homelessness. METHODS: We reported univariate analyses to investigate differences in demographic and clinical characteristics by housing group. We then constructed Kaplan-Meier curves stratified by housing group to examine unadjusted all-cause mortality. Finally, we used multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to compare the hazard rate of mortality for each housing status group, adjusting for demographic and clinical factors. RESULTS: Our cohort included 5123 patients with new cancer diagnoses, with 4062 (79%) in housed patients, 623 (12%) in formerly unhoused patients and 438 (9%) in unhoused patients. Unhoused and formerly unhoused patients were more commonly diagnosed with stage 4 disease (28% and 27% of the time, respectively, vs 22% of housed patients). After adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics, unhoused patients with stage 0-3 disease had a 50% increased hazard of death (adjusted HR (aHR) 1.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.9; p<0.004) as did formerly unhoused patients (aHR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.9; p=0.001) compared with housed individuals 3 months after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Unhoused and formerly unhoused patients diagnosed with non-metastatic cancer had substantially increased hazards of death compared with housed patients cared for in a public hospital setting. Current or former lack of housing could contribute to poor outcomes following cancer diagnoses via multiple mechanisms.

Rental Housing Deposits and Health Care Use.

Importance: Housing deposits and tenancy supports have become new Medicaid benefits in multiple states; however, evidence on impacts from these specific housing interventions is limited. Objective: To evaluate the association of rental housing deposits and health care use among Medicaid beneficiaries receiving social needs case management as part of a Whole-Person Care (Medicaid 1115 waiver) pilot program in California. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study compared changes in health care use among a group of adults who received a housing deposit between October 2018 and December 2021 along with case management vs a matched comparison group who received case management only in Contra Costa County, California, a large county in the San Francisco Bay Area. All participants were enrolled in health and social needs case management based on elevated risk of acute care use. Data analysis took place from March 2023 to June 2024. Exposure: Rental housing deposit funds that covered 1-time moving transition costs. Funds averaged $1750 per recipient. Main Outcomes and Measures: Changes in hospitalizations, emergency department visits, primary care visits, specialty care visits, behavioral health visits, psychiatric emergency services, or detention intakes during the 6 months before vs 6 months after deposit receipt. Changes 12 months before and after deposit receipt were examined as a sensitivity analysis. Results: Of 1690 case management participants, 845 received a housing deposit (362 [42.8%] <40 years old; 422 [49.9%] male) and 845 received case management only (367 [43.4%] <40 years old; 426 [50.4%] male). In adjusted analyses, deposit recipients had no statistically significant differential changes in health care use for any measure compared to participants who received case management alone. Twelve-month sensitivity analyses yielded consistent results. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, compared to case management only, housing deposits with case management were not associated with short-term changes in health care use. There may be other unmeasured health benefits or downstream benefits from greater case management engagement. States considering housing deposits as an expanded Medicaid benefit may need to temper expectations about short-term health care use impacts.

Housing instability patterns among low-income, urban Black young adults in California and associations with mental health outcomes: baseline data from a randomized waitlist-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Deep-rooted racial residential segregation and housing discrimination have given rise to housing disparities among low-income Black young adults in the US. Most studies have focused on single dimensions of housing instability, and thus provide a partial view of how Black young adults experience multiple, and perhaps overlapping, experiences of housing instability including homelessness, frequent moves, unaffordability, or evictions. We aimed to illuminate the multiple forms of housing instability that Black young adults contend with and examine relationships between housing instability and mental health outcomes. METHODS: Using baseline data from the Black Economic Equity Movement (BEEM) guaranteed income trial with 300 urban low-income Black young adults (aged 18-24), we conducted a three-stage latent class analysis using nine housing instability indicators. We identified distinct patterns by using fit indices and theory to determine the optimal number of latent classes. We then used multinomial logistic regression to identify subpopulations disproportionately represented within unstable housing patterns. Finally, we estimated associations between housing experience patterns and mental health outcomes: depression, anxiety, and hope. RESULTS: We found high prevalence of housing instability with 27.3% of participants reporting experiences of homelessness in the prior year and 39.0% of participants reporting multiple measures of housing instability. We found the 4-class solution to be the best fitting model for the data based on fit indices and theory. Latent classes were characterized as four housing experience patterns: 1) more stably housed, 2) unaffordable and overcrowded housing, 3) mainly unhoused, and 4) multiple dimensions of housing instability. Those experiencing unaffordable and overcrowded housing and being mainly unhoused were more than four times as likely to have symptoms of depression (Unaffordable: aOR = 4.57, 95% CI: 1.64, 12.72; Unhoused: aOR = 4.67, 95% CI:1.18, 18.48) and more than twice as likely to report anxiety (Unaffordable: aOR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.03, 5.04; Unhoused: aOR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.12, 10.05) compared to the more stably housed pattern. We found that hope scores were similarly high across patterns. CONCLUSIONS: High prevalence of housing instability and mental health challenges among low-income Black young adults demands tailored interventions to reduce instability, given widening racial disparities and implications for future well-being into adulthood.

A qualitative study of healthy ageing and co-production.

Europe's ageing population increases the demand for housing solutions targeting older citizens' needs and preferences. Establishing age-friendly communities fostering social participation is essential for healthy ageing and various housing options with shared facilities prioritizing social contact have emerged. While involving older people in public service delivery is emphasized, studies on co-production with older people in building age-friendly communities remain limited. This study explores a co-production initiative between older citizens, a municipality and a real estate company in a newly established senior village focusing on organizational settings and physical facilities. A qualitative study inspired by the BIKVA methodology was conducted using focus group interviews with citizens, frontline staff, and management. Through reflexive thematic analysis, the physical environment, organizational setting and other factors influencing the co-production process were analysed. Citizens expressed satisfaction with the unique physical environment, the different activities and being involved in the co-production process on development and building up the senior village. However, the co-production initiative was influenced by the lack of frontline staff involvement, how the physical facilities were organized for building inclusive communities as well as the level of information provided to align expectations among stakeholders. Involving older citizens in the co-production of age-friendly community initiatives has the potential to take the identified challenges into account. To understand what constitutes an optimal environment for healthy ageing further research in collaboration with older citizens is needed.

Research on the economic effects of housing support expenditures under the perspective of consumption heterogeneity: Evidence from China.

What kind of impact does the government's housing support expenditure have on residents' consumption? This is a topic that deserves in-depth study and is of practical significance. This study constructs provincial equilibrium panel data based on China's guaranteed housing construction and financial expenditures on housing support data from 1999-2009 and 2000-2021. It applies the systematic GMM method to estimate the impact of government housing support expenditures on residents' consumption. The study found that whatever form of expenditure on housing support contributed to the total consumption of urban residents, while the impact on the consumption structure had different results. Based on the divisions of consumption structure, the results of the increase in government housing support expenditure on the consumption structure of urban residents are different. An examination of different forms of housing support reveals that the predominantly secure form of housing construction has a positive effect on all consumption structure divisions. Whereas the predominantly monetary subsidy form has a significant positive relationship with housing, necessity, and durability consumption expenditures, it has a weak or even negative relationship with non-housing, non-necessity, and non-durability consumption expenditures. The research in this paper makes up for the lack of current literature examining the economic effects of housing support from the perspective of consumption structure and provides a theoretical basis and policy reference for constructing a multi-level gradient housing support system.

Exploring the impact of housing insecurity on the health and wellbeing of children and young people in the United Kingdom: a qualitative systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Housing insecurity can be understood as experiencing or being at risk of multiple house moves that are not through choice and related to poverty. Many aspects of housing have all been shown to impact children/young people's health and wellbeing. However, the pathways linking housing and childhood health and wellbeing are complex and poorly understood. METHODS: We undertook a systematic review synthesising qualitative data on the perspectives of children/young people and those close to them, from the United Kingdom (UK). We searched databases, reference lists, and UK grey literature. We extracted and tabulated key data from the included papers, and appraised study quality. We used best fit framework synthesis combined with thematic synthesis, and generated diagrams to illustrate hypothesised causal pathways. RESULTS: We included 59 studies and identified four populations: those experiencing housing insecurity in general (40 papers); associated with domestic violence (nine papers); associated with migration status (13 papers); and due to demolition-related forced relocation (two papers). Housing insecurity took many forms and resulted from several interrelated situations, including eviction or a forced move, temporary accommodation, exposure to problematic behaviour, overcrowded/poor-condition/unsuitable property, and making multiple moves. Impacts included school-related, psychological, financial and family wellbeing impacts, daily long-distance travel, and poor living conditions, all of which could further exacerbate housing insecurity. People perceived that these experiences led to mental and physical health problems, tiredness and delayed development. The impact of housing insecurity was lessened by friendship and support, staying at the same school, having hope for the future, and parenting practices. The negative impacts of housing insecurity on child/adolescent health and wellbeing may be compounded by specific life circumstances, such as escaping domestic violence, migration status, or demolition-related relocation. CONCLUSION: Housing insecurity has a profound impact on children and young people. Policies should focus on reducing housing insecurity among families, particularly in relation to reducing eviction; improving, and reducing the need for, temporary accommodation; minimum requirements for property condition; and support to reduce multiple and long-distance moves. Those working with children/young people and families experiencing housing insecurity should prioritise giving them optimal choice and control over situations that affect them.

Study concerning the design and functionality of individual emergency shelters.

The divide between the rich and poor in the European housing market is fast rising. Latest research indicates that Europe is dealing with an increasing number of homeless people. Every city in Europe has them-homeless people compelled to live on street corners, frequently hiding themselves with cardboard. Rain, snow, and temperatures below zero pose a threat to their lives on a daily basis. There are many varied kinds of services that have been discovered, but it is difficult to keep track of everyone and guarantee that they have a warm night's sleep in the winter. The current article suggests accommodation as a workaround until they can receive high-intensity support, a way to keep a single person warm and safe during the winter. The focus is on devising a strategy that not only ensures the warmth and safety of individuals during the harsh winter months but also seeks to industrialize the construction of shelters, ensuring affordability below the cost of winter hospitalization for a homeless person. Crucially, the article introduces an additional layer to this initiative by highlighting the dual purpose of these individual shelters. Beyond being a means to provide respite for the homeless during severe weather, these shelters are envisioned as immediate response units in the event of emergencies such as earthquakes in urban areas. The article explores the potential impact of this multi-layered approach on transforming urban landscapes and fostering resilient communities.

Irrigation, migration and infestation: a case study of Chagas disease vectors and bed bugs in El Pedregal, Peru.

BACKGROUND: The city of El Pedregal grew out of a desert, following an agricultural irrigation project in southern Peru. OBJECTIVES: To describe infestation patterns by triatomines and bed bugs and their relationship to migration and urbanization. METHODS: We conducted door-to-door entomological surveys for triatomines and bed bugs. We assessed spatial clustering of infestations and compared the year of construction of infested to un-infested households. To gain a better understanding of the context surrounding triatomine infestations, we conducted in-depth interviews with residents to explore their migration histories, including previous experiences with infestation. FINDINGS: We inspected 5,164 households for Triatoma infestans (known locally as the Chirimacha); 21 (0.41%) were infested. These were extremely spatially clustered (Ripley's K p-value < 0.001 at various spatial scales). Infested houses were older than controls (Wilcoxon rank-sum: W = 33; p = 0.02). We conducted bed bug specific inspections in 34 households; 23 of these were infested. These were spatially dispersed across El Pedregal, and no difference was observed in construction age between bed bug infested houses and control houses (W = 6.5, p = 0.07). MAIN CONCLUSIONS: The establishment of agribusiness companies in a desert area demanded a permanent work force, leading to the emergence of a new city. Migrant farmers, seeking work opportunities or escaping from adverse climatic events, arrived with few resources, and constructed their houses with precarious materials. T. infestans, a Chagas disease vector, was introduced to the city and colonized houses, but its dispersal was constrained by presence of vacant houses. We discuss how changes in the socioeconomic and agricultural landscape can increase vulnerability to vector-borne illnesses.

Flying to the moon: Impactful accounts of triatomines invasion from the 2nd to the 13th floor of an urban residential building in the municipality of Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Vectorial transmission through hematophagous triatomine insects remains the primary mode of Chagas Disease contagion. These insects have become increasingly common in urban environments. Therefore, this study aimed to report an encounter of triatomines with trypanosomatid infection in a vertical residential condominium in Rio Branco, the capital of the state of Acre, in the western Brazilian Amazon. METHODS: Triatomines were collected from residents and sent to the municipality's Entomological Surveillance sector. Trypanosomatid positivity was evaluated using optical microscopy, followed by species and genotype identification using molecular biology techniques. RESULTS: Twenty-five adult triatomine specimens were collected from two of three condominium buildings invading apartments from the 2nd to 13th floors. Six specimens were identified as Rhodnius sp. and 19 as R. montenegrensis. Among these, molecular tests were conducted on seven specimens, with five testing positive for Trypanosoma cruzi, all belonging to genotype TcI. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the need for further studies to better understand the invasive capacity of these insects in these environments and the mechanisms involved in this process.

Tightening policy and housing price bubbles: Examining an episode in the Chinese housing market.

Housing markets are often characterized by price bubbles, and governments have instituted policies to stabilize them. Under this circumstance, this study addresses the following questions. (1) Does policy tightening change expectations in housing prices, revealing a regime change? (2) If so, what determines the housing market's reaction to policy tightening? To answer these questions, we examine the effects of policy tightening that occurred in 2016 on the Chinese housing market where a price boom persisted in the post-2000 period. Using a log-periodic power law model and employing a modified multi-population genetic algorithm for parameter estimation, we find that tightening policy in China did not cause a market crash; instead, shifting the Chinese housing market from faster-than-exponential growth to a soft landing. We attribute this regime shift to low sensitivity in the Chinese housing market to global perturbations. Our findings suggest that government policies can help stabilize housing prices and improve market conditions when implemented expediently. Moreover, policymakers should consider preparedness for the possibility of an economic crisis and other social needs (e.g., housing affordability) for overall social welfare when managing housing price bubbles.

Accuracy of ICD-10 Diagnostic Codes for Identifying Housing Instability.

This cohort study assesses the performance of International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) Z59 codes for identifying housing instability during health care encounters.

Using the Knowledge to Action framework to improve housing and support for people with Multiple Sclerosis.

Background People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have unique housing and support needs that are essential for maintaining independence at home; however, there is limited research to guide the design of community living options for this population. The aim of this study was to examine housing and support needs and preferences of people with MS with the intention to inform the planning of a co-designed intervention based on the study's findings. Methods Using the Knowledge to Action (KTA) framework, quantitative (n =79) and qualitative (n =6) data from people with MS were extracted and integrated from projects completed by the research team that explored the housing and support needs and preferences of people with disability. Results were synthesised and presented to a reference group for validation, contextualisation, and adaptation to the Australian context. Results High physical support needs were common across participants. People most commonly required home modifications to improve accessibility, such as ramps, equipment such as heating and cooling, and assistive technology. Many people required more than 8 hours per day of paid support. Moving into individualised housing facilitated independence and community reintegration. People reported gaps between what they wanted from support workers and what they received, citing individual and systemic barriers. Conclusion People with MS have support needs that require proactive and responsive funding arrangements, housing design and support provision. In line with KTA principles, findings will inform the planning of a co-designed intervention that involves people with lived experience of MS and other stakeholders to influence policy and improve home and living outcomes for this population.

Age, gender and household infrastructural inequality in COVID-19: Contextual analysis of Mamelodi.

BACKGROUND:  Age, gender and household infrastructure are important social determinants affecting health inequalities. This study aims to assess the ways that age and gender of the household head and household infrastructure intersect to create relative advantage and disadvantage in COVID-19 vulnerability. METHODS:  Using household primary care survey data from Mamelodi, Gauteng, headed households were sorted into three risk categories for each of the relevant infrastructural determinants of COVID-19. Bivariate ordinal logistic regression was used to determine the odds of households falling into each risk category. The proportion of high-risk (HR) categories and dwelling types was also calculated. RESULTS:  Households headed by someone ≥ 65 years were less likely to be in all HR categories and more frequently had formal houses. Male-head households were more likely to be HR for water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and indoor pollution; however, female-headed households (FHHs) were at higher risk for crowding. In Mamelodi, households headed by ≥ 65 years olds were relatively infrastructurally protected, likely because of pro-equity housing policy, as were FHHs, except for crowding. The care load on FHHs results in their infrastructural protection benefiting more community members, while simultaneously incurring risk. CONCLUSION:  Infrastructural support based on the household head's age and gender could improve targeting and the effectiveness of health interventions. These results demonstrate the importance of a contextual understanding of gender and age inequalities and tailoring public health support based on this understanding.Contribution: This research describes patterns of health-related infrastructural inequality, identifies ways to improve health interventions, and demonstrates the importance of equity-focused policy in an African context.

The bacterial microbiome and resistome of house dust mites in Irish homes.

Dust samples were collected from Irish homes. House Dust Mite and storage mites were separated from the dust. The microbiome and resistome of mites and originating dust were assessed using a culture-independent approach. The bacterial microbiome of mites and dust were predominantly populated by Staphylococci. There was a highly significant (P = 0.005; Spearman's rank test) correlation between the bacterial microbiome of mites and the dust. One-hundred and eighteen antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) were associated with mites and 176 with dust. Both contained ARGs encoding resistance for multi drug resistances, macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B, mobile genetic elements, Beta-lactam, Tetracycline and Aminoglycosides. By contrast, 15 ARGs were found for a laboratory-grown strain of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. A significant difference (P = 0.03; t test) was found in means between the resistome of mites and the household dust from which they emanated. No significant correlations (P = 0.23 and P = 0.22; Mantel test) were observed between the microbiome and resistome of mite and dust samples. There was not a significant difference (P = 0.54; t-test) between the means of ARGs for homes with and without a history of antibiotic use.

Prevalence of indoor air pollutants from First Nation homes in North Central British Columbia, Canada.

Poor indoor air quality poses significant health risks. This study addresses the gap in knowledge regarding the prevalence of indoor air pollutants in remote and rural First Nation communities in north-central British Columbia, Canada. Dust samples from 75 homes were collected and analysed for house dust mites, pet allergens, mould antigens, and bacterial endotoxins. Indoor air quality parameters, including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, particulate matter, temperature, and humidity, were measured. A detailed questionnaire on household characteristics and potential pollutant sources was administered. Homes exhibited exposure to multiple pollutants, with wood stove smoke identified as a primary source. Felis domesticus (cat allergen) and Canis familiaris (dog allergen) were prevalent, with detectable levels in 64% and 60% of homes, respectively. Bacterial endotoxins were present in all households. One-third of homes exceeded recommended thresholds for 3 or more pollutants. This study provides critical insights into the prevalence and magnitude of indoor air pollutants, contributing to a broader initiative to characterise respiratory health in First Nations communities. While many homes in First Nations communities had acceptable air quality, one-third of homes exceeded thresholds for 3 or more pollutants. The results can guide ongoing community efforts to address housing concerns and advocate for increased federal funding.

Investigating neighbourhood environmental risk factors associated with childhood acute respiratory infection symptoms in Ethiopia mixed effect and multilevel logistic regression analysis based on EDHS 2016.

Background: Acute respiratory infection is an infectious illness caused by acute viral or bacterial infection. According to a 2018 WHO report, exposures to indoor and ambient air environmental pollution were contributing factors to a higher risk of respiratory problems following 7 million deaths of children under five globally. Housing conditions such as wall material, roof type, kitchen location, sanitation condition, and cooking fuel type are household-level predictors of acute respiratory disease among children under five years of age. Method: This research used EDHS-2016 secondary data, which are nationally representative. The data collection period was from January 18, 2016, to June 27, 2016. Among the 16,650 total surveys, 10,006 households that had children below 5 years of age. The outcome variable for this study was acute respiratory infection symptoms. Analyses were performed using STATA Version 17.1. The data were weighted before performing analysis to reinstate the representativeness of the sample. In the bivariable analysis, a p value <0.2 was used to screen for multivariable. Multicollinearity was checked using the variance inflation factor. Then, a multilevel multivariable regression model was used in this study for the analysis of acute respiratory infection symptoms and possible predictor variables. Variables with a p value <0.05 in multivariable regression analysis were considered statistically significant predictors. Results: Most (95.00%) households commonly used solid fuel for cooking, and household main construction materials: 81.44 and 91.03% of floors and walls of households were constructed with unprocessed natural materials, respectively. The prevalence of acute respiratory infection symptoms among children under five years of age was 7.955% (7.397, 8.551%). The findings indicated that acute respiratory infection symptoms among children under five years of age were significantly linked with the age of the children, diarrhea status, residence, region, fuel type, stool disposal, wall material, and floor material. Conclusion: Interventions should target modifiable factors such as proper stool disposal of the youngest child, informing the health effects of poor housing conditions such as improving wall and floor construction material to reduce acute respiratory infection symptoms among children under five years of age.

Semi-field evaluation of electrocuting eave tubes for the control of endophagic mosquitoes in south-east Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Eave spaces are major entry points through which malaria vectors enter houses. Interventions that target mosquitoes at the eaves have recently been developed. However, most of these interventions are based on insecticides for which resistance has been reported. Here we evaluated the efficacy of mosquito electrocuting eave tubes (MEETs) against Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (An. gambiae s.s.) and Anopheles funestus s.s. under semi-field conditions. METHODS: Experiments were conducted in two semi-field chambers, each containing one experimental hut. Six electrocuting eave tubes were installed in each hut to assess their impact on laboratory-reared An. gambiae s.s. and An. funestus s.s.. Each species was assessed separately over 10 nights by releasing 200 unfed females per night into each chamber. One volunteer slept in each hut from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Mosquitoes were collected indoors and outdoors using mouth and Prokopack aspirators. RESULTS: The placement of MEETs significantly reduced the nightly An. gambiae s.s. indoor and outdoor biting, by 21.1% and 37.4%, respectively. Indoor-biting An. funestus s.s. were reduced by 87.5% while outdoor-biting numbers of An. funestus s.s. declined by 10.4%. CONCLUSIONS: MEETs represent a promising tool for controlling mosquitoes at the point of house entry. Further validation of their potential under natural field conditions is necessary. Several advantages over insecticide-based eave tubes are indicated and discussed in this article.

Deep Learning Models for Health-Driven Forecasting of Indoor Temperatures in Heat Waves in Canada: An Exploratory Study Using Smart Thermostats.

In Canada, extreme heat occurrences present significant risks to public health, particularly for vulnerable groups like older individuals and those with pre-existing health conditions. Accurately predicting indoor temperatures during these events is crucial for informing public health strategies and mitigating the adverse impacts of extreme heat. While current systems rely on outdoor temperature data, incorporating real-time indoor temperature estimations can significantly enhance decision-making and strengthen overall health system responses. Sensor-based technologies, such as ecobee smart thermostats installed in homes, enable effortless collection of indoor temperature and humidity data. This study evaluates the efficacy of deep learning models in predicting indoor temperatures during heat waves using smart thermostat data, to enhance public health responses. Utilizing ecobee smart thermostats, we analyzed indoor temperature trends and developed forecasting models. Our findings indicate the potential of integrating IoT and deep learning into health warning systems, enabling proactive interventions, and improving sustainable health care practices in extreme heat scenarios. This approach highlights the role of digital health innovations in creating the resilient and sustainable healthcare systems against climate-related health adversities.