Environmental health knowledge and competences in Basque health workers. A comparison of different professional profiles.

Environmental exposures are responsible for a quarter of morbidity and mortality rates globally. Primary care professionals work in a privileged position to detect and intervene on environmental health matters. Nevertheless, due to lack of specific training, international literature shows that primary care health professionals have limited skills to deal with those. The objectives of this study were to assess the levels of environmental health (EH) knowledge and competence of a sample of 446 health professionals and students in the Basque Country and explore the presence that EH has on their daily practice. Only a very small proportion of participants had received training and took environmental clinical history regularly. Participants were confident to deal, and actually dealt, with tobacco, pollen and sun exposures but less able to address topics like biomarkers, pesticides and endocrine disruptors. Finally, and in accordance to previous works, we found moderate levels of EH knowledge and skills in our sample, and observed that nurses and nursing students reported higher EH skills than other professional profiles but scored lower in knowledge. Despite the manifold impacts of environmental exposures on health, interventions to strengthen health professionals' EH competence are required.

Revisión de los cuestionarios utilizados para la detección del consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y la Hoja Verde / Review of the questionnaires used to detect alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the Green Page

El consumo de alcohol en el embarazo es la causa del trastorno del espectro alcohólico fetal (TEAF). La información aportada por las mujeres en edad fértil o embarazadas es el estándar para la detección temprana del consumo de alcohol. La Hoja Verde (HV) es una herramienta de cribado de salud medioambiental que incluye el registro de la ingesta de alcohol durante el embarazo y/o lactancia. El objetivo del presente trabajo es revisar las características de los distintos cuestionarios de detección del consumo de alcohol durante la gestación y de la HV, así como hacer una comparación entre ellos. Revisión de la literatura científica publicada en los últimos 10 años de los artículos indexados en Medline. Estrategia de búsqueda combinada con los descriptores MeSH: ‘pregnancy, alcohol drinking, surveys and/or questionnaires’. AUDIT, AUDIT-C y SUPR-P se realizan mayoritariamente autoadministrados y no requieren entrenamiento. SUPR-P y 4P´s Plus están validados en embarazadas. Otros detectan cantidad y frecuencia, requieren entrenamiento previo y se realizan cara a cara: TLFB, RD, ACOG antepartum record y la HV. ACOG antepartum record y la HV son específicos para embarazadas. La HV detecta el consumo de alcohol al inicio del embarazo tanto en la gestante como en su pareja con un enfoque holístico y global de la salud medioambiental. Un cuidadoso registro de la ingesta de alcohol de forma presencial, con profesionales entrenados y con un enfoque holístico y global de la salud medioambiental durante el embarazo ayudaría a mejorar la prevención y cribado de embarazos en riesgo de TEAF. (AU)

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is a leading cause of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Maternal reporting in childbearing women or pregnant women is the standard for the early detection of alcohol consumption. The Green Page (GP) is a screening questionnaire of environmental health which includes the alcohol intake record during pregnancy and/or lactation period. The aim of this paper is to review the features of the different questionnaires for the detection of alcohol consumption during the gestation period and the GP, as well as to make a comparison between them. Review of the scientific literature published over the last 10 years of indexed articles in Medline. Combined searching strategy with MeSH descriptors: ‘pregnancy, alcohol drinking, surveys and/or questionnaires. AUDIT, AUDIT-C and SURP-P are mainly self-administered and do not require training. SURP-P and 4P´s are validated in pregnant women. Others detect quantity and frequency of exposure, need specific training and are administered face to face: TLFB, RD, ACOG antepartum record and the GP. ACOG antepartum record and GP are specific for pregnant population. GP detects alcohol consumption at the beginning of pregnancy in both women and their partner on a holistic and global environmental health approach. A careful face-to-face recording of alcohol exposure with trained staff, with an integrative and global environmental health focus throughout pregnancy, may help improve prevention and screening of pregnancy at risk for FASD. (AU)

Review of the questionnaries used to detect alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the Green Page. / Revisión de los cuestionarios utilizados para la detección del consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y la Hoja Verde.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is a leading cause of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Maternal reporting in childbearing women or pregnant women is the standard for the early detection of alcohol consumption. The Green Page (GP) is a screening questionnaire of environmental health which includes the alcohol intake record during pregnancy and/or lactation period. The aim of this paper is to review the features of the different questionnaires for the detection of alcohol consumption during the gestation period and the GP, as well as to make a comparison between them. Review of the scientific literature published over the last 10 years of indexed articles in Medline. Combined searching strategy with MeSH descriptors: 'pregnancy, alcohol drinking, surveys and/or questionnaires. AUDIT, AUDIT-C and SURP-P are mainly self-administered and do not require training. SURP-P and 4P´s are validated in pregnant women. Others detect quantity and frequency of exposure, need specific training and are administered face to face: TLFB, RD, ACOG antepartum record and the GP. ACOG antepartum record and GP are specific for pregnant population. GP detects alcohol consumption at the beginning of pregnancy in both women and their partner on a holistic and global environmental health approach. A careful face-to-face recording of alcohol exposure with trained staff, with an integrative and global environmental health focus throughout pregnancy, may help improve prevention and screening of pregnancy at risk for FASD.

El consumo de alcohol en el embarazo es la causa del trastorno del espectro alcohólico fetal (TEAF). La información aportada por las mujeres en edad fértil o embarazadas es el estándar para la detección temprana del consumo de alcohol. La Hoja Verde (HV) es una herramienta de cribado de salud medioambiental que incluye el registro de la ingesta de alcohol durante el embarazo y/o lactancia. El objetivo del presente trabajo es revisar las características de los distintos cuestionarios de detección del consumo de alcohol durante la gestación y de la HV, así como hacer una comparación entre ellos. Revisión de la literatura científica publicada en los últimos 10 años de los artículos indexados en Medline. Estrategia de búsqueda combinada con los descriptores MeSH: 'pregnancy, alcohol drinking, surveys and/or questionnaires'. AUDIT, AUDIT-C y SUPR-P se realizan mayoritariamente autoadministrados y no requieren entrenamiento. SUPR-P y 4P´s Plus están validados en embarazadas. Otros detectan cantidad y frecuencia, requieren entrenamiento previo y se realizan cara a cara: TLFB, RD, ACOG antepartum record y la HV. ACOG antepartum record y la HV son específicos para embarazadas. La HV detecta el consumo de alcohol al inicio del embarazo tanto en la gestante como en su pareja con un enfoque holístico y global de la salud medioambiental. Un cuidadoso registro de la ingesta de alcohol de forma presencial, con profesionales entrenados y con un enfoque holístico y global de la salud medioambiental durante el embarazo ayudaría a mejorar la prevención y cribado de embarazos en riesgo de TEAF.

Es la hora de la pediatría planetaria / It is time for planetary pediatrics

No disponible

Community Risk Factors in the COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality in Catalonia (Spain). A Population-Based Study.

The heterogenous distribution of both COVID-19 incidence and mortality in Catalonia (Spain) during the firsts moths of the pandemic suggests that differences in baseline risk factors across regions might play a relevant role in modulating the outcome of the pandemic. This paper investigates the associations between both COVID-19 incidence and mortality and air pollutant concentration levels, and screens the potential effect of the type of agri-food industry and the overall land use and cover (LULC) at area level. We used a main model with demographic, socioeconomic and comorbidity covariates highlighted in previous research as important predictors. This allowed us to take a glimpse of the independent effect of the explanatory variables when controlled for the main model covariates. Our findings are aligned with previous research showing that the baseline features of the regions in terms of general health status, pollutant concentration levels (here NO2 and PM10), type of agri-food industry, and type of land use and land cover have modulated the impact of COVID-19 at a regional scale. This study is among the first to explore the associations between COVID-19 and the type of agri-food industry and LULC data using a population-based approach. The results of this paper might serve as the basis to develop new research hypotheses using a more comprehensive approach, highlighting the inequalities of regions in terms of risk factors and their response to COVID-19, as well as fostering public policies towards more resilient and safer environments.

[Occupational exposures, diet and storing: Recommendations to reduce environmental pollutants in breastfeeding]. / Exposiciones laborales, dieta y envasado: recomendaciones para reducir los contaminantes medioambientales en la lactancia materna.

The pollution of the planet also reaches the breastfeeding ecosystem, one of the most intimate and inviolable that links us as an animal species to the rest of mammals. Nursing mothers may be concerned about whether the quality of their milk will be adequate for their baby and whether environmental pollutants through work, diet, and storing may adversely affect their child. Breast milk is a source of exposure to environmental pollutants, and at the same time it counteracts much of the effects of these exposures. An approach based on the principles of reality and precaution of environmental health to avoid, reduce or eliminate the production and use of harmful chemicals during pregnancy and lactation would improve the human and planetary health for the offspring.

Nen de 2 anys amb febre exantemàtica després d'un viatge / No disponible

No disponible

Social distancing at health care centers early in the pandemic helps to protect population from COVID-19.

The impact of COVID-19 outbreak has been unequal across Spanish regions. The epidemic wave has been smoother in the Region of Murcia (RM) (6 deaths/100,000 residents). Physical distance from health centers from day 0 is an additional social distancing measure that confers an advantageous starting position in the fight against COVID-19. Late healthcare distancing measures are not as powerful as the early ones.

How Should Forests Be Characterized in Regard to Human Health? Evidence from Existing Literature.

The potential of forests as a source of health has been addressed by the scientific community and is now being considered in national forest strategies, management plans and policies. Studies identifying the mechanisms by which forest characteristics may induce these effects on human health are nevertheless scarce. This systematic review of literature on forests and human health with real-life human exposure was conducted to assess the extent to which forests have been studied and described in detail and the extent to which relationships between forest variables and health effects have been reported. The analysis underlines the lack of forest descriptions in 19.35% of the 62 studies selected for review as well as the high heterogeneity of forest variables' description. Patterns among the articles could not be identified correlating the broader forest variable (forest type) and the most studied health variables identified (blood pressure, pulse rate or/and cortisol levels). These findings, together with previous ex situ researches, suggest the need to ameliorate and incorporate more accurate descriptions of forest variables within human health studies to provide data for forest management and the potential use of these habitats for preventive medicine and clinical practice guidelines.

Salut mediambiental pediàtrica a Catalunya: un camí d'oportunitats / No disponible

No disponible

Síndrome de fatiga crónica en adolescentes / Chronic fatigue syndrome in adolescents

No disponible