Influences of High School Physical Learning Environments on Students' Anxiety in China.

BACKGROUND: High school students are at an increased risk of developing generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) due to significant pressure to achieve academic success. AIM: Although it is known that a school's physical learning environment can influence students' GAD, there is limited research examining this relationship. To fill this knowledge gap, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 230 students from two high schools in China. METHODS: A survey questionnaire captured students' GAD self-evaluations (dependent variables), perceptions/preferences of their school physical environment (independent variables), and social and personal conditions (confounding variables). Bivariate analysis showed that students' GAD scores were associated with multiple factors related to the learning environment, physical activities, and personal characteristics. The multivariate analysis examined the relationship between GAD scores and physical learning environment variables while controlling for confounding variables. RESULTS: The results indicated that adequate lighting (B = -0.154, p = .029) and perceived effectiveness of using self-service cafeterias in reducing anxiety (B = -0.138, p = .044) were significantly associated with GAD scores. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence for the importance of designing high schools with students' mental health in mind. Specifically, school administrators and designers should consider how to improve the physical learning environment by incorporating natural light, a self-service cafeteria, and spaces for physical activities to promote students' mental well-being.

Research on the psychologically restorative effects of campus common spaces from the perspective of health.

Contemporary college students are suffering from increasingly serious psychological health problems, such as attention fatigue, psychological stress and negative emotions. A growing body of evidence has revealed that restorative environment design is conducive to psychological health. As the main choice of venue for students' daily activities, campus common spaces are supposed to be restorative to some extent. Given the above, the author studied 22 common spaces in the South China University of Technology (SCUT) Wushan Campus from the perspective of college students' behavioral patterns based on theories pertaining to restorative environments, then constructed a structural equation model (SEM) analyzing the psychologically restorative effects exerted by the characteristics of campus common spaces upon college students through a scale design and questionnaire survey. With the analysis of 478 valid questionnaires, the research found that the characteristics of campus common spaces with psychologically restorative effects mainly comprise the architectural environment, landscape environment, rest facilities and activity facilities. Among them, the characteristics of activity facilities and the landscape environment have the greatest impact on psychologically restorative effects, accounting for 33 and 30% of the total effects, respectively; they are followed by those of the architectural environment, which accounts for 21% of the total effects; those of the rest facilities have the least impact, accounting for 16% of the total effects. The research also found that the characteristics of campus common spaces can both directly influence college students' psychological recovery and produce psychologically restorative effects mediated by college students' behavioral patterns. The mediation effect of college students' behavioral patterns accounts for approximately 41% of the total effect of psychological restoration, in which the psychologically restorative effect of dynamic exercise behaviors is 2.5 times that of static leisure behaviors. The research reveals how the characteristics of campus common spaces promote the psychological restoration of college students, and it provides inspiration for healthy environment design in campus common spaces.

Evaluation of Primary School Health Environment in Ido/Osi Local Government Area, Ekiti State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: School environment entails the sum total of the physical, biological, social, and emotional environment within which members of the school community operate. It is essential to make the school environment healthy to promote and protect the health of school pupils as well as their safety. This study aimed at finding the level of implementation of a Healthy School Environment (HSE) in Ido/Osi Local Government Area (LGA) of Ekiti State. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional descriptive study carried out among 48 private and 19 public primary schools using a standardised checklist and direct observation. RESULTS: The teacher-to-pupil ratio was 1:16 in public schools and 1:10 in private schools. The leading source of water in 47.8% of the schools was well water. Most, 97%, of the schools practiced open dumping of refuse. Private schools had more school buildings with strong walls and good roofs with doors and windows which provided adequate ventilation compared to the public schools (p- 0.001). No school was located close to an industrial area, however, none had a safety patrol team. Only 34.3% of schools had a fence and 31.3% had terrains prone to flooding. Only 3% of the schools, all private schools, attained the minimum acceptable score on the school environment. CONCLUSION: The status of school environment was poor in the study location and school ownership did not make any much impact as there was no difference in the situations of school environment between public and private schools.

CONTEXTE: L'environnement scolaire est l'ensemble des conditions physiques, biologiques, sociales et émotionnelles dans lesquelles évoluent les membres de la communauté scolaire. Il est essentiel de rendre l'environnement scolaire sain afin de promouvoir et de protéger la santé des élèves ainsi que leur sécurité. Cette étude visait à déterminer le niveau de mise en œuvre de l'environnement scolaire sain (HSE) dans la zone de gouvernement local (LGA) d'Ido/Osi de l'État d'Ekiti. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Une étude descriptive transversale a été menée dans 48 écoles primaires privées et 19 écoles primaires publiques à l'aide d'une liste de contrôle standardisée et d'une observation directe. RÉSULTATS: Le ratio enseignant/élèves était de 1:16 dans les écoles publiques et de 1:10 dans les écoles privées. La principale source d'eau dans 47,8 % des écoles était l'eau de puits. La plupart des écoles (97%) pratiquaient le dépôt d'ordures à l'air libre. Les écoles privées avaient plus de bâtiments scolaires avec des murs solides et de bons toits avec des portes et des fenêtres qui fournissaient une ventilation adéquate par rapport aux écoles publiques (p- 0.001). Aucune école n'était située à proximité d'une zone industrielle, mais aucune ne disposait d'une équipe de patrouille de sécurité. Seules 34,3 % des écoles disposaient d'une clôture et 31,3 % étaient situées sur des terrains inondables. Seules 3 % des écoles, toutes privées, ont atteint le score minimum acceptable en matière d'environnement scolaire. CONCLUSION: L'état de l'environnement scolaire était médiocre dans la région étudiée et la propriété de l'école n'avait pas beaucoup d'impact car il n'y avait pas de différence dans la situation de l'environnement scolaire entre les écoles publiques et les écoles privées. Mots-clés: État d'Ekiti, Environnement sain, Gouvernement Local, Nigeria, École Primaire, Environnement Scolaire.

Classification of Regional Healthy Environment and Public Health in China.

Environmental pollution has become a hot topic of concern for the government, academia and the public. The evaluation of environmental health should not only relate to environmental quality and exposure channels but also the level of economic development, social environmental protection responsibility and public awareness. We put forward the concept of the "healthy environment" and introduced 27 environmental indicators to evaluate and classify the healthy environment of 31 provinces and cities in China. Seven common factors were extracted and divided into economic, medical, ecological and humanistic environment factors. Based on the four environmental factors, we classify the healthy environment into five categories-economic leading healthy environment, robust healthy environment, developmental healthy environment, economic and medical disadvantageous healthy environment and completely disadvantageous healthy environment. The population health differences among the five healthy environment categories show that economic environment plays a major role in population health. Public health in regions with sound economic environment is significantly better than that in other areas. Our classification result of healthy environment can provide scientific support for optimizing environmental countermeasures and realizing environmental protection.

Healthy Environments: Understanding Perceptions of Underrepresented Communities in the United Kingdom.

A healthy environment has been defined by global health organisations as one that is safe, supportive of healthy lifestyles, and free of hazards. Such definitions disregard the complexity of what it means for an environment to be perceived as 'healthy'-such as the mental, not just physical, health effects on citizens. This study aimed to understand the attributes that underrepresented groups of the United Kingdom (UK) public assign to healthy environments-an important step for directing public policy and actions to create environments that are inclusive of all citizens. This co-created study involved 95 participants from underrepresented communities in 10 separate focus groups, each facilitated by a community member. Thematic analyses highlighted five key attributes of a healthy environment: sounds and sights, accessibility, safety, familiarity and mental health and wellbeing. This study draws a picture of key attributes underrepresented groups of the UK public assign to healthy environments that is richer than that drawn by existing definitions. These findings illustrate the importance of hearing diverse voices when directing research, policy, and actions that attempt to develop healthy environments for all.

Local Disproportions of Quality of Life and Their Influence on the Process of Green Economy Development in Polish Voivodships in 2010-2020.

Voivodships are centres of economic, social, and cultural life-they gather economic and social activities. This research aimed to evaluate the spatial differentiation of the quality of life in voivodships in Poland with the use of a synthetic measure. To achieve the research objective, the research methods used were literature analysis, statistical analysis, and synthetic measure. The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution method was used to build synthetic measures. The choice of variables in 2010-2020 was largely conditioned by the availability of data collected in the regional system at the level of voivodships at the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office. As a result of the analysis of voivodships in Poland, based on the quality of life measure, four groups were distinguished (according to the value of quartiles). In the group of the best voivodeships there were: Pomerania, Masovia, Lower Silesia, and West Pomeranian in 2010, and Masovia, Pomerania, Greater Poland, Lower Silesia, and Lesser Poland in 2020, and in the IV, the weakest group: Lodz Province, Podlasie Province, Lubusz Province, and Holy Cross in 2010, and Lodz Province, Podlasie Province, Holy Cross, and Lublin Province in 2020. The synthetic quality of life ranged from 0.37 to 0.56 in 2010 and from 0.39 to 0.64 in 2020. Regional authorities, taking care to improve economic potential, cause increasing the attractiveness of the area and attracting new entrepreneurs, create new jobs, and improve the quality of life of the inhabitants. Quality of life is shaped by economic activity and working conditions, health, education, free time and social relations, economic and physical security, and the quality of the natural environment. The results of the research conducted allow local governments to make comparisons. The conclusions drawn may allow them to identify potential directions for developing policy optimization.

Rethinking urban density, vitality and healthy environment in the post-pandemic city: The case of Istanbul.

The present study aims to examine the relationship between urban vitality, healthy environment and density through the city of Istanbul, which is going through the Covid-19 outbreak. In this context, an online survey was conducted to measure the assessments of the residents living in districts with different density categories regarding the neighborhoods and the city they live in. The evaluations made by the citizens in the dimensions of vitality, mobility, safety, healthiness, cleanliness, orderliness were reduced to two main factors as "urban vitality" and "healthy environment" using Principal Components Analysis. Then, the evaluations regarding these six variables and two factors were subjected to cross-inquiries with the personal, residential and district characteristics. Urban residents were also asked to evaluate the city life before and after the Covid-19 outbreak. The main findings of the study reveal that there is a statistically significant difference between the density levels of the districts in terms of the perception of urban vitality and some sub-variables of healthy environment. Also, there is an observed change in the thoughts about urban life in Istanbul due to the outbreak.

Utilization of waste glycerol for the production of biocontrol agents nigericin and niphimycin by Streptomyces hygroscopicus: bioprocess development.

Search for more environment-friendly methods for controlling plant diseases that would contribute to the goal of sustainability in agriculture is in focus. In the present study, the potential of Streptomyces hygroscopicus isolated from soil sample in the production of biocontrol agents, nigericin and niphimycin, effective against Alternaria alternata storage apple pathogen was examined. Also, modelling and optimization of medium composition for biocontrol agent biosynthesis was performed. The results showed that the optimum amount of C3H8O3, (NH4)2SO4 and K2HPO4 in the medium for Streptomyces hygroscopicus biosynthesis is 20, 0.25 and 1.46 g/L, respectively. Scale-up and validation of the obtained results performed in the 3 L laboratory-scale bioreactor showed that on the optimized medium at an aeration rate of 0.7 vvm and an agitation speed of 200 rpm, produced nigericin and niphimycin, showed high activity. Under the same conditions, cultivation of S. hygroscopicus was performed in a 7 L laboratory bioreactor in a medium with waste glycerol instead of pure glycerol. Results showed that the methanol extract of S. hygroscopicus cultivation liquid, containing nigericin and niphimycin, was high effective against two Alternaria isolates. This was confirmed in vitro by obtaining large inhibition zone diameters on A. alternata KA10 (47 mm) and T1Jg3 (44.33 mm) isolates. After successful in vitro analysis, in planta testing was performed. It was found that necrosis diameters that were measured on artificially inoculated apple fruits with A. alternata compared to necrosis diameter measured on untreated, control fruits, were 4.47 and 3.56 times smaller.

Forest therapy and population health / 环境与职业医学

Prosperity for all is impossible without health for all. In recent years, following with the development of national land greening, forest resources have greatly increased in China. It is one of the effective ways to realize the Healthy China strategy to develop and perfect forest rehabilitation and forest therapy with forest resources. Forest therapy has gradually become a new interdisciplinary science and a focus of public attention. This paper reviewed the development of forest therapy in some countries in the world, summarized the health effects of forest therapy on cardiovascular, respiratory, immune, and mental system, pointed out the limitations of the research work at present on forest therapy and population health, and discussed the outlook of forest therapy and population health in China.

Thoughts on building Health Hospital / 中华医院管理杂志

The construction of Health Hospital will become an important opportunity to promote the strategy of Healthy China. The authors analyzed the connotation of Health Hospital, and the feasibility of building Health Hospital from four aspects, including integrating health policy, building healthy environment, implementing health actions and optimizing health services. Then, six essential factors of building Health Hospital were put forward, namely, establishing a green environment, improving the operation mechanism, disseminating health culture, developing information technology, creating intelligent health care and strengthening top-level design.

Community-Engaged Research for the Promotion of Healthy Urban Environments: A Case Study of Community Garden Initiative in Shanghai, China.

The importance of community gardens in a healthy urban environment has been extensively documented, while the garden building involving communities has not been much explored in fast-developing cities. This study examines community engagement in garden building activities in a rapid urbanization context, aiming to explore the application of community-engaged research methods for the promotion of neighbourhood environments. The Community Garden Initiative consisting of an array of progressive actions is formulated by the research team, featuring a process of increasing involvement of community members and decreasing intensity of external interventions. These activities have been launched based on community-university partnerships in Shanghai since 2014, synchronising with a transformation of urban regeneration paradigm in China where people-oriented approaches are more emphasized. Five actions covering 70 community gardens are analysed through surveys on participants' attitudes and perceptions towards the activities. The results of the study presented people's rapid acceptance of participation in public affairs, reflected possible measures to promote public participation, and confirmed the positive impacts of the garden building on the neighbourhood environmental health as well as on the community-building. Taking into account that residents generally lack the consciousness and capacities required to implement actions at the initial stage of community engagement, we proposed in the conclusion to start with external interventions and capacity buildings carried out by professionals as a supplement to the 'community-driven' principle of CBPR methods.

Open public spaces and physical activity facilities: study of systematic observation of the environment / Espaços públicos de lazer e estruturas para atividade física: estudo de observação sistemática do ambiente

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the quantity and quality of open public spaces (OPS) and physical activity (PA) facilities in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina. A descriptive survey was carried out in 2015 on the quantity, type and quality of OPS and PA facilities. The quality of OPS and PA facilities were assessed by systematic observation. A quality index of OPS (score -3 to 6 points) was divided into three categories, poor (category ≤0), average (0.1 to 2.9) and good quality (category ≥3). For analysis, descriptive statistics were used. Of the 214 OPS, the highest proportion was squares/gardens (n = 128, 59.8%). Of the 214 OPS, 59.8% were squares/gardens. About 51.9% (n = 111) of OPS had good quality. A higher proportion of comfort items obtained good quality, such as lighting (54.7%), trash cans (45.8%) and garden benches (55.1%). In more than 60.0% of OPS, there were no incivilities. Of the 377 PA facilities identified, 53.6% presented good quality and 13.8% poor quality. Playgrounds (29.4%), outdoor gyms (15.9%) and soccer fields/courts (14.9%) were more frequent, only the latter less than half had good quality (28,6%). There were no PA facilities in 29.0% of OPS. A higher proportion of OPSs have good quality, but less than half require improvement, comfort, less incivility and greater diversity of PA facilities. This may promote greater visits to OPS and leisure opportunities, including the practice of PA.

Resumo Objetivou-se analisar a quantidade e a qualidade dos espaços públicos de lazer e estruturas para atividades físicas em Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. Realizou-se, no ano de 2015, um levantamento descritivo da quantidade, tipo e qualidade dos espaços públicos de lazer (EPL) e estruturas para atividade física (AF). A qualidade dos EPL e estruturas para AF foi avaliada por meio de observação sistemática. Um índice de qualidade dos EPL (escore -3 a 6 pontos) foi categorizado em três níveis, qualidade ruim (categoria ≤0), média (0,1 a 2,9) e boa (categoria ≥3). Para análise fez-se uso da estatística descritiva. Dos 214 EPL, maior proporção foi de praças/jardins (n=128; 59,8%). Em 51,9% (n=111) dos EPL tinham qualidade boa. Maior proporção de itens de conforto obteve qualidade boa como iluminação (54,7%), lixeiras (45,8%) e bancos (55,1%). Em mais de 60,0% dos EPL inexistiam incivilidades. Das 377 estruturas para AF identificadas, 53,6% apresentaram qualidade boa e 13,8% qualidade ruim. Os parquinhos infantis (29,4%), academias ao ar livre (15,9%) e campos/canchas de futebol (14,9%) foram mais frequentes, apenas este último menos da metade apresentou qualidade boa (28,6%). Em 29,0% dos EPL inexistiam estruturas para AF. Maior proporção dos EPL tem boa qualidade, mas ainda menos da metade necessitam de melhorias, em conforto, menores incivilidades e maior diversidade de estruturas para AF. Isso poderá promover maior visitação aos EPL e oportunidade de lazer, incluindo a prática de AF.

La promoción de salud para la creación de entornos saludables en América Latina y el Caribe / Health promotion for the creation of healthy environments in Latin America and the Caribbean

La promoción de estilos de vida saludables comprende la creación de ambientes favorables como una actividad clave en la salud pública, la reorientación de la atención sanitaria a la población para garantizar un desarrollo sostenible, la lucha contra las enfermedades infecciosas, la desnutrición y los factores ambientales desfavorables como la carencia de agua potable, saneamiento básico y seguridad alimentaria; la contaminación atmosférica por la industrialización, el calentamiento global y las conductas de riesgo como las adicciones, la obesidad y otras. En diversos países de América Latina y el Caribe se incumplen muchas de las acciones para lograr entornos saludables por no promoverse suficientemente la educación para la salud, de manera que se impone insistir una y otra vez sobre ello

The promotion of healthy lifestyles comprises the creation of favorable atmospheres as a key activity in the public health, reorientation of health care for the population to guarantee a sustainable development, fight against infectious diseases, malnutrition and unfavorable environmental factors as lack of drinkable water, basic cleaning up and alimentary security; pollution due to industrialization, global warming and risk behaviors as addictions, obesity and others. In several Latin American and Caribbean countries many of the actions to achieve healthy environments are not fulfilled because health education is not sufficiently promoted, so it is imperative to insist one time and another on this matter

Improving urban environment through public commitment toward the implementation of clean and healthy living behaviors.

BACKGROUND: Some parts of northern Surabaya are slum areas with dense populations, and the majority of the inhabitants are from low-income families. The condition of these areas is seemingly different from the fact that Surabaya city has won awards for its cleanliness, healthy environment preservation, and maintenance. AIM: This study aimed at turning the researched site into a clean and healthy environment. METHODS: The research was conducted using a quasi-experiment technique with a non-randomized design and pretest-posttest procedures. The research subjects were 121 inhabitants who actively participated in the public commitment and psychoeducation program initiated by the researchers to learn and practice clean and healthy living behaviors. RESULTS: The statistical data showed that there was a substantial increase in the aspects of public commitment (t-value = 4.008, p = 0.001) and psychoeducation (t-value = 4.038, p = 0.001) to begin and maintain a clean and healthy living behaviors. CONCLUSION: A public commitment in the form of a collective declaration to keep learning and practicing a clean and healthy living behaviors were achieved. This commitment followed by psychoeducation aimed at introducing and exercising such behaviors was found to have effectively increased the research subjects' awareness to actively participate in preserving environmental hygiene. Developing communal behaviors toward clean and healthy living in inhabitants residing in an unhealthy slum area was a difficult task. Therefore, public commitment and psychoeducation must be aligned with the formulation of continuous habits demonstrating a clean and healthy living behaviors. These habits include the cessation of littering while putting trash in its place, optimizing the usage of public toilets, planting and maintaining vegetation around the area, joining and contributing to the "garbage bank" program, and participating in the Green and Clean Surabaya competition.

Implementing a Community Empowerment Center to Build Capacity for Developing, Implementing, and Sustaining Interventions to Promote Community Health.

The Community Empowerment Center used a community-engaged approach to build capacity among residents to develop and implement interventions focused on creating a healthier environment. The Center partnered with residents living in a public housing community and adjacent low-income neighborhood and provided support through a mini-grant program. A six-session training program guided community members in mini grant development; 25 individuals attended at least one session. Six grant proposals were submitted; three were awarded $12,000 each for intervention implementation. Findings offer a model for engaging residents from low-resource settings in intervention development, implementation, and sustainability for community health promotion.