published_or_final_version / Community Medicine / Master / Master of Public Health

Objectives : To investigate the impacts of traffic related air pollution (TRAP) on children’s respiratory health, and to investigate the policies and regulations implemented in other countries and the suggestions from the World Health Organization (WHO) to tackle this problem. Methods and Results: Using relevant keywords, 122 articles were acquired from PubMed and 15 were from MEDLINE via EBSCO host respectively. The articles were published between 1980 to 2013; all of which had examined the impacts of TRAP on children’s respiratory health. After assessing inclusion and exclusion criteria, 9 articles were finally included in this systematic review. Differences in demographic characteristics were studied and compared to determine the association between TRAP exposure and respiratory health impacts on children aged between 1 and 18. Four cross-section surveys and five cohort studies were selected in this review. The association between TRAP exposure and differences in children’s respiratory impacts were demonstrated in all studies. Multiple outcome measures were used to examine changes of children’s respiratory health such as the decline in lung function, incidences of asthma and inflammatory responses. There were 4 out of 9 articles suggesting the decline in lung function was related to TRAP exposure; 5 out of 9 articles showed the relationships between incidences of asthma and inflammatory responses and TRAP exposure and 2 articles mentioned other respiratory symptoms; notably, wheezing and sneezing, runny and stuffed nose. This review finally summarized the results of selected articles stressing that children who lived close to roadway within a 500 meter radius from home, with an early exposure to air pollution in the first year of age and a frequent exposure to heavy road traffic and outdoor air pollutants would experience greater impacts on respiratory health. Conclusion: The positive association between the impacts on children’s respiratory health and TRAP exposure has been determined through this systematic review. Stricter emission control strategies and updated guidelines are required to regulate traffic emission and improve air quality in order to reduce harm and provide a better living environment for our next generations. / published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

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The worsening humanitarian situation in Angola and the great lakes due to protracted wars, led to an influx of refugees in Namibia since 1992. The peak of the influx was between 1999-2002 when the camp population reached 25,000 people. Among the many challenges faced by these refugees was their health and nutrition. Malnutrition accounted for high levels of morbidity and mortality among the refugees. This study covered a review of health and nutritional situation of children less than five years of age in Osire refugee camp. It proposed that prevalence of malnutrition among this age group is a proxy for the nutritional status of the refugee population. It also considered the factors prevalent in the camp that affect the nutrition of the children.

Geohelminthiasis is a serious problem in city slums and despite being easily treatable in the short term, its elimination enjoys a low priority by parents, teachers and public health authorities. This is partly due to the greater emphasis given to the AIDS and TB programmes. This study of the prevalence, intensity, and reinfection rates of single and multiple geohelminth (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and Necator americanus) infections in young children living in slums (informal settlements) in the Durban Unicity is a first for an African city and one of few similar studies anywhere in the world. The geohelminth status was assessed by means of a baseline survey of ten different slums, followed by two further surveys, one after 4Y:z - 6 months and another after 12 months. Infections were measured by microscopic examination of faeces before and after chemotherapy, and risk factors within and between slums were identified by means of a quantifiable questionnaire. The study showed that: 1. The slums have a high endemicity and transmission rate of geohelminth infections. 2. The sub-tropical climate and environment ensured a high survival rate of infective stages. 3. A. lumbricoides had a high prevalence and intensity, followed by T. trichiura with a moderately high prevalence and light intensity. A small proportion of children had intensities of these helminths an order of magnitude higher than previously recorded from rural areas of South Africa. N americanus had a very low prevalence and a very light intensity. 4. Egg output from follow-up 1 to follow-up 2 increased 4.6 fold for A. lumbricoides and 9.4 fold for T. trichiura. 5. Albendazole proved to be a very effective drug against A. lumbricoides and N americanus but not as effective against T. trichiura. 6. The infection and reinfection rates of A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura proved to be influenced by different risk factors. 7. The most important risk factors included topographical position of the slum, quality of the dwelling, number of inhabitants, geophagy and source of fruit and vegetables. II Whereas the ideal solution to the geohelminth problem in the slums would be to upgrade the slum and its inhabitants, this is not an immediately viable option. The challenge of geohelminth control in these slums must be to determine the degree of environmental contamination by human faeces containing infective eggs, to ascertain the survival rate of the eggs and larvae and to implement a control programme together with suitable education of the inhabitants. The Parasite Control Programme should take into consideration that many slum-dwelling children do not go to school and need to be treated at home. A further factor that will have to be taken into account is that lack of influx control to urban areas will mean the continual reinfection of slum-dwellers by the movement from the rural areas. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

The purpose of this study was to analyze blood cholesterol readings of fourth grade students from Wells County obtained during the Caylor-Nickel Foundation sponsored Health Tour between 2001 and 2003 to determine the relationship between blood cholesterol levels and other health risk indicators.Nine hundred and thirteen fourth grade children participated in Health Tour. Anthropometric and biochemical variables were not available for every student. Serum cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose, BMI, and blood pressure were assessed. Fortythree percent of the children were either `at risk for overweight' or were `overweight.' Analysis of the anthropometric and biochemical data indicated a high mean total cholesterol levels and average HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides levels. Meaningful prediction equations to accurately predict total cholesterol values of the fourth grade children could not be formulated with more than 9.5% accuracy. Based on findings in this study, it appears that money would be better spent on the implementation and evaluation of wellness educational programs and physical activity classes for children rather than on costly blood cholesterol analysis. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

The worsening humanitarian situation in Angola and the great lakes due to protracted wars, led to an influx of refugees in Namibia since 1992. The peak of the influx was between 1999-2002 when the camp population reached 25,000 people. Among the many challenges faced by these refugees was their health and nutrition. Malnutrition accounted for high levels of morbidity and mortality among the refugees. This study covered a review of health and nutritional situation of children less than five years of age in Osire refugee camp. It proposed that prevalence of malnutrition among this age group is a proxy for the nutritional status of the refugee population. It also considered the factors prevalent in the camp that affect the nutrition of the children.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--Georgia State University, 2007. / Title from file title page. Russ Toal, committee chair; Michael Eriksen, Valerie Hepburn, committee members. Electronic text (102 p. : ill. (some col.)) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Mar. 26, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-73).

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, Nepean, 2000. / "A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, within the School of Social, Community and Organisational Studies, University of Western Sydnety, Nepean, March, 2000" Bibliography : p. 309-339.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 57-61). Also available on the World Wide Web.