Environmental noise and cardiovascular disease in adults: research in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and Newly Independent States.

The adverse effects of noise on health have been intensely explored in the past 50 years. However, the scope of research conducted in the Central and Eastern Europe, South-East Europe, and Newly Independent States is not well-known. The aim of this review was to present studies on cardiovascular effects of environmental noise in adults published since 1965 and to point out the most important issues that need to be addressed in the future. More than 100 papers on noise and health and about 20 papers on cardiovascular effects of environmental noise in adults were identified by literature search. The authors reviewed scientific international and local journals, conference proceedings, and local reports published in national languages. The major endpoints were high blood pressure, ischemic heart disease, and myocardial infarction. The target populations were adults. Experimental and exposure-assessment studies, field, empirical studies, social surveys, and epidemiological studies are presented. The major sources of environmental noise were road and air traffic. The results were presented in tables and the most relevant articles were briefly discussed. The importance of this review is that it refers to some countries that no longer exist in the same political and governmental systems. The strength of this paper is that it includes publications that were not evaluated in earlier systematic reviews. Strategies for future noise-related research on national and global level are proposed.

Household exposure to secondhand smoke is associated with decreased physical and mental health of mothers in the USA.

Secondhand smoke is one of the most common toxic environmental exposures to children, and maternal health problems also have substantial negative effects on children. We are unaware of any studies examining the association of living with smokers and maternal health. To investigate whether non-smoking mothers who live with smokers have worse physical and mental health than non-smoking mothers who live in homes without smokers. Nationally representative data from the 2000-2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were used. The health of non-smoking mothers with children <18 years (n = 18,810) was assessed, comparing those living with one or more smokers (n = 3,344) to those living in households with no adult smokers (n = 14,836). Associations between maternal health, household smoking, and maternal age, race/ethnicity, and marital, educational, poverty and employment status were examined in bivariable and multivariable analyses using SUDAAN software to adjust for the complex sampling design. Scores on the Medical Outcomes Short Form-12 (SF-12) Physical Component Scale (PCS) and Mental Component Scale (MCS) were used to assess maternal health. About 79.2% of mothers in the USA are non-smokers and 17.4% of them live with ≥1 adult smokers: 14.2% with 1 and 3.2% with ≥2 smokers. Among non-smoking mothers, the mean MCS score is 50.5 and mean PCS is 52.9. The presence of an adult smoker and increasing number of smokers in the home are both negatively associated with MCS and PCS scores in bivariable analyses (P < 0.001 for each). Non-smoking mothers with at least one smoker in the household had an 11% (95% CI = 0.80-0.99) lower odds of scoring at or above the mean MCS score and a 19% (95% CI = 0.73-0.90) lower odds of scoring at or above the mean PCS score compared to non-smoking mothers with no smokers in the household. There is an evidence of a dose response relationship with increasing number of smokers in the household for PCS (P < 0.001). These findings demonstrate a previously unrecognized child health risk: living with smokers is independently associated with worse physical and mental health among non-smoking mothers.

Community noise annoyance assessment in an urban agglomeration.

In urban areas community noise is one of the important factors in producing deterioration of both well-being and the quality of life. The aim of the study was to compare two noise annoyance surveys and two noise annoyance scales in the period of 15 years in selected areas of Slovak capital Bratislava, to calculate risks of community noise annoyance and disturbance in the observed samples. Noise annoyance risks were calculated by bivariate and stratified analysis in the form of odds ratio and Mantel-Haenszel weighted odds ratio from 2x2 and 2xn tables. The use of validated five-grade scale of noise annoyance assessment gives higher possibilities for more detailed analysis, allows to calculate the indicator--percentage of highly annoyed subjects (% HA), the rate of highly annoyed individuals. The percentage of highly annoyed subjects was 18% in the year 2004, which is comparable with recently published studies. The percentage of respondents that were not at all annoyed by road traffic noise has been decreased during the 15 year period by 10% (42% vs 32%). The increase of subjective community noise annoyance risks has been observed after 15 years as well. The sample from the year 2004 has been more annoyed by road traffic noise, neighbourhood noise, noise from entertainment facilities, noise from industry and railway noise. The highest risk increase has been observed in the entertainment facilities noise annoyance (OR(MH) =1.51; 95% CI = 0.90-2.52 vs OR(MH) = 4.47; 95% CI = 2.75-7.33). Using of standard five-grade noise annoyance questionnaire gives higher possibilities for data analysis in the studies investigating the influence of environmental noise annoyance on selected population groups (Tab. 3, Ref. 7).

Positive and negative trends in university students' food intake.

In the time period 1992-2004 the food intake data (24 hour recall, frequency questionnaire) in 3 417 students of Medical Faculty Comenius University in Bratislava (1257 men and 2160 women, the mean age 22.38 +/- 1.34) were obtained. The aim of this study was to evaluate the food intake and its trends in university students. Students' food consumption has not been in agreement with recommended dietary allowances (RDAs). The meat consumption was structurally unbalanced, though quantitatively sufficient (99% RDA); milk intake (75% RDA) was insufficient, fruit (65% RDA) and vegetable intake (62% RDA) even critical. On contrary, cereal products intake was excessive (130% RDA). Men eat more meat (p < 0.001), milk (p < 0.001), eggs (p < 0.01), cereals (p < 0.001) and fat (p < 0.001) than women. Women eat more fruit, vegetable and sugar than men. In the time period 1992-2004, students' meat consumption has decreased about 18%, milk and eggs about 23%, fruit about 42% and cereals intake has decreased about 45%. The fruit and vegetable intake structure has substantially improved (higher content of fresh fruit, fewer preserved products). In spite of a higher health awareness in students and tendency towards proper diet, their food intake has been negatively influenced by decreasing purchasing power in Slovak population (Tab. 2, Fig. 1, Ref. 15).

A comparison of self-reported hearing loss and audiometry in a cohort of New York farmers.

The New York State Farm Family Health and Hazard Surveillance was conducted to assess the health status and safety practices among year-round adult farmers and farm residents in New York State and included a telephone interview survey of 1,727 persons from 552 farms. To determine the extent to which self-reported hearing loss is in agreement with audiometry, a subset of 376 participants who completed a hearing loss interview and pure-tone audiometry was analyzed. Thirty-six percent of the participants had self-reported hearing loss, defined as at least some difficulty hearing in one or both ears. The prevalence of audiometric hearing impairment, defined as a threshold average greater than 25 dB hearing level, was 9% for the binaural low-frequency average (500, 1000, and 2000 Hz), 29% for the binaural mid-frequency average (1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz), and 47% for the binaural high-frequency average (3000, 4000, 6000, and 8000 Hz). Agreement between self-report and audiometry was highest for the binaural mid-frequency average (kappa statistic 55%, sensitivity 77%, and specificity 82%). Self-reported hearing loss was found to be a moderately good measure of hearing impairment. We conclude that a simple questionnaire focusing on hearing difficulty is a useful and valid tool for conducting epidemiologic studies of farmers. Whenever possible, a substudy using audiometry should be conducted.

Community noise annoyance risk in two surveys.

Two noise annoyance surveys were performed in Bratislava, the capital of the Slovak Republic, in a ten-year interval (1989-1999). This was a period of political and socioeconomic transformation as well as of changes in traffic management. Equivalent noise levels were assessed at the dormitory (exposed group) and in the residential areas (100 measuring stations) where another group of students (control group) lived. The mean dormitory and the mean control area equivalent noise levels increased significantly after ten years. In comparing current and previous risks of different noise exposures, the current risk was much higher for the group exposed to road traffic noise annoyance (OR = 6.01; 95% CI: 4.97-7.95 vs OR = 2.56; 95% CI: 1.93-3.42), entertainment facilities and neighborhood noise annoyance. Current road traffic noise interference with various activities (reading and mental work, personal communication, telephone communication, sleep) was also higher than previously. The students of the exposed group considered their health status in 1999 worse than ten years earlier (OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 0.99-1.83 vs OR = 0.82; 95% CI7 0.55-1.22) and they were generally taking more drugs. The comparison of two noise annoyance surveys showed that the load of community noise, especially road traffic noise as well as the subjective response to the noise, had increased in Bratislava.

Did the nutrition of Slovak medical students change? A comparison after 15 years.

OBJECTIVE: Authors aimed at positive and negative changes evaluation in nutrition and nutritional status of university-medical students comparing the situation in years 1984 and 1999. They were trying to determine, how was the nutrition of current medical students influenced by food consumption changes in the Slovak population and price liberalization of the food-stuffs as well. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seven day reports from the year 1984 (199 students) and from the year 1999 (228 students) were processed using Food Research Institute, Food Composition Database and Programme. The quantity and quality of consumed food-stuffs and beverages were evaluated as well as energy and biologic value of students nutrition. Nutritional status of students was assessed by BMI (body mass index--kg/m2). Men and women (years 1999 vs. 1984) were separately evaluated by standard statistical methods. RESULTS: Lower energy, fat, cholesterol, animal protein and salt intake were observed in students in the year 1999; on the contrary, carbohydrates, sucrose, fibre, magnesium, vitamins C and E intake increased in comparison with the year 1984. The differences were mostly significant in women. Big changes in food consumption (1999 vs. 1984) were observed. Current students eat less meat (less pork, beef, fish, but more poultry), eggs and potatoes and women also less milk and dairy products than in the year 1984. On the contrary, the consumption of vegetable, fruits, legumes and non-alcoholic beverages increased. Alcohol intake decreased significantly. Students eat the most on Sunday, the least on Friday; women eat more rationally. Nutritional status in man was not changed, the percentage of slim women increased (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The food of current students (1999) is more varied, with the balanced content of plant and animal sources and with lower energy density than in the year 1984. Negative consequences of price liberalization in medical student nutrition are lower in comparison with Slovak global nutritional trends and they reflect the higher health awareness, eventually better socio-economic family background.

Predictors of hearing loss in New York farmers.

BACKGROUND: Data from the telephone interview portion of the New York Farm Family Health and Hazard Surveillance were used to study self-reported hearing loss in New York farmers. METHODS: One thousand six hundred and twenty-two persons completed the hearing loss and noise exposure interview. Hearing loss was defined as at least some trouble hearing in one or both ears. Predictors of hearing loss were determined using logistic regression. RESULTS: Twenty-two percent of participants reported hearing loss. From the logistic regression, significant confounders are age (P = 0.0001), gender (P = 0.0001), being from a livestock farm (P = 0.012), and loss of consciousness due to head trauma (P = 0.04). Significant noise exposures are more hours of lifetime exposure to noisy farm equipment (P = 0.001) and having had a noisy non-farm job (with some hearing protection P = 0.002, without any hearing protection P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Farm noise exposure is a serious risk to the hearing of this population. Although use of hearing protection should be encouraged, replacing and modifying farm equipment to decrease noise at the source should be the first priority.