Scientific interest in the clinical implications, public health importance, and risk factors of anxiety disorders has grown substantially in the past two decades. Despite this, the evidence base on anxiety is insufficient to inform health care planning and policy-making. Further research on the outcomes and risk factors associated with anxiety disorders, and ways of mitigating these risks is needed. One of the aims of this thesis was to provide an overview of the existing literature on the prevalence of anxiety in adults living in countries across the globe, and to describe the prevalence in the context of various health states and life stages. Because generalised anxiety disorder is one of the most common psychiatric conditions in the population, the remainder of the thesis focused on this disorder and aimed to explore its links with health service use and mortality. Risk for this condition was also explored and area deprivation was studied as a possible determinant. Since depression is commonly studied alongside anxiety, the relationship between the residential environment and major depressive disorder was also assessed. Finally, to provide insight into the mitigation of risks of generalised anxiety disorder, a study of coping mechanisms was undertaken. Primary study findings from this thesis are based on the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer in Norfolk, a large, population study of British people over the age of 40. Results from the systematic review showed that anxiety is common in population sub-groups around the world, with women, younger people, and those suffering from chronic physical conditions, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease being particularly affected. Results from the primary studies of the thesis showed that generalised anxiety disorder is associated with increased risk for deaths, though it is not significantly associated with non-psychiatric hospital admissions. Results from the risk factor analyses showed that living in a deprived area is associated with generalised anxiety disorder in women and major depressive disorder in men. The risk mitigation analysis indicated that sense of coherence is an important coping mechanism that can protect against generalised anxiety disorder among women living in disadvantaged circumstances. My work has shown novel associations and attempted to provide a more complete picture of one of the most common psychiatric conditions in the population by focusing on several angles: health outcomes, risk factors, and ways of mitigating risks.

Magistro darbe atskleista ekologinių produktų samprata, esmė ir poreikis, identifikuotos ekologinių produktų rinkos funkcijos bei dalyviai, išanalizuotas ekologinių produktų rinkos vertinimo metodinis potencialas. Parengus tyrimo metodiką bei pateikus bendrąją Lietuvos ekologinių produktų rinkos charakteristiką, empirinių tyrimų pagalba įvertintas vartotojų bei gamintojų požiūris į ekologinius produktus. Atlikti tyrimai leido identifikuoti pagrindines Lietuvos ekologinių produktų rinkos problemas bei suformuluoti šių problemų sprendimo kryptis. Pirmoji tyrimo hipotezė buvo patvirtinta: pagrindinis veiksnys, lemiantis lietuvius rinktis ekologinius produktus – susirūpinimas savo sveikata. Antroji tyrimo hipotezė taip pat buvo patvirtinta, tačiau be ekologinių ir ekonominių motyvų Lietuvos ekologinių produktų gamintojus imtis tokios veiklos paskatino ir socialiniai motyvai. / This master’s final paper reveals the concept, essence and demand of ecologic products, identifies primary functions and actors of ecologic products market, also, the methodic potential of ecologic products market evaluation is analyzed. After the methodic of survey is formed and the common characteristic of Lithuanian ecologic products market is rendered, the point of view of customers and manufacturers is evaluated. The accomplished surveys let author to identify primary problems of ecologic products market in Lithuania and to formulate suggestions for solving these problems. The first hypothesis was confirmed: primary factor, determining the selection of ecologic products is the concern about health. The second hypothesis was confirmed, though in spite of ecologic and economic motives, social motives are also relevant in stimulating manufacturing of ecologic products.

Submitted by Maria Creuza Silva (mariakreuza@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-10-03T19:59:41Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO FABIO CORREIA. 2014.pdf: 1514089 bytes, checksum: 1364161da6981cb1761c887c48a5db45 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Creuza Silva (mariakreuza@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-10-07T14:09:04Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO FABIO CORREIA. 2014.pdf: 1514089 bytes, checksum: 1364161da6981cb1761c887c48a5db45 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-07T14:09:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO FABIO CORREIA. 2014.pdf: 1514089 bytes, checksum: 1364161da6981cb1761c887c48a5db45 (MD5) / O homicídio constitui um problema relevante para a Saúde e Segurança Pública em diversos países do mundo. Distribui-se de forma desigual no espaço urbano e há evidências que esteja relacionado com uso de álcool. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito do álcool na mortalidade por homicídio no espaço intraurbano soteropolitano, considerando as inter-relações e influências recíprocas das desigualdades de renda. Realizou-se um estudo ecológico de agregados espaciais em Salvador (BA), 2009, a partir da base de dados do Instituto Médico Legal, tendo o bairro como unidade de análise. Foram construídos mapas temáticos para identificação de padrões da distribuição espacial das taxas de homicídio e de níveis de alcoolemia. A associação entre estas variáveis e indicadores socioeconômicos e demográficos foi avaliada por Regressão Binomial Negativa. Aproximadamente 40% das vítimas apresentaram alcoolemia positiva. Areia Branca apresentou a maior taxa suavizada (173,9/100.000) e não houve homicídios em vinte e um bairros. A taxa de homicídio suavizada aumentou no sentido Sul-Norte e decresceu levemente no sentido Oeste-Leste da cidade. Houve associação positiva estatisticamente significante entre a média de alcoolemia por bairros e mortalidade por homicídio, com maior razão na categoria acima de 0,30 a 0,50G/L (RTM=2,04; IC95% = 1,52 – 2,73). Mesmo considerando as desigualdades de renda, absoluta e relativa, o álcool permaneceu entre os determinantes da vitimização por homicídio no espaço intra-urbano analisados na capital baiana. Assim, para o enfrentamento do homicídio, devem ser prioritárias as políticas públicas de controle do álcool e seu papel na redução deste e de outros agravos.

<p> Using maps, correlation and multiple regression, an ecologic analysis was performed to examine the geographic distribution of cancer incidence in ontario with respect to selected ethnic, socio-economic and environmental characteristics for the 10 year period, 1976-1985. Two of the most common causes of cancer deaths, stomach and lung, were studied for each sex separately. The unit of analysis consisted of census divisions. The information used for the cancer were standardized incidence rates from the Ontario cancer Registry. The data for the ecologic variables was obtained from the 1981 Census of Canada. Two of the ecologic variables, education and income (low and median) were used to account for the effects of smoking. </p> <p> Correlation co-efficients were significant for both sites of cancer for males and females for % urban and population density revealing the possibility of a positive relationship with cancer incidence and environmental characteristics. Ethnicity was strongly related to male and female stomach cancer. </p> <p> Significant regression models were obtained for each of the cancer sites using a stepwise procedure with backward elimination. For each of the "best fit" equations, median income and education were included to control for smoking effects. Population density was significant in all equations at the 0.05 level. The percentage urban was significant for all except female stomach cancer. Manufacturing had a negative significant relationship for all cancer sites (male and female). </p> <p> Also included in the study were descriptive statistics and cancer maps to determine the strongest cancer distributions in Ontario. For each site, northern Ontario contained the highest rates. In southern Ontario, urban areas such as Hamilton-Wentworth, and Toronto-York had high rates for all cancers (except Hamilton-Wentworth for male lung cancer). </p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The care for the environment has been a hot topic during the last fifteen years. Ecological and Fairtrade products made from sustainable materials and methods can be found in almost every store. It seems like awareness regarding our environmental impact has increased and therefore changed our purchase behavior. The awareness has also created pressure on the companies to behave in an ethical manner, if the consumers feel that their ethical needs are not acknowledged, they will tend to stop purchasing products from that company. In this new aware society there is a new player that in a few years will make up the new buying force. Generation Z is individuals born after 1995 and is expected to bring new demands to the market. The purpose of this thesis is to study if ethical products and ethical consumption have an effect on the buying behavior of Generation Z. To better understand if the ethical awareness affect the purchase behavior of Generation Z and if they are willing to boycott companies that misbehaves, theory within the fields of CSR, consumer behavior and ethical consumption has been collected to form questions for a survey. The findings show that the ethical awareness do not affect the purchase behavior of Generation Z, however there is discovered attributes such as ethical profile that affect the frequency of purchases. The findings also show that Generation Z will actively boycott a company if that company misbehaves.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Tim Keane / Climate change and declining ecological health of urban environments are global issues of growing concern. In order to mitigate these issues we must reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and increase green infrastructure solutions. One way of doing this is through improving public transportation and decreasing parking areas. In this study, Manhattan, Kansas was used to illustrate how improvements to public transportation can reduce parking demand and to show how excess parking can be transformed into green space to improve the ecological health of the city. First a review of literature and case studies related to increasing ridership of public transportation, reducing parking demand, and calculating ecologic and economic benefits was done. Then ArcGIS was used to analyze the existing public transportation in Manhattan, Kansas. Improvements to the existing transit system were developed and potential increase in ridership was calculated. ArcGIS was then used to analyze existing parking in Manhattan, Kansas. Excess Parking was determined based on current parking demand and predicted transit ridership. A suitability study was then done in ArcGIS to determine which parking areas should be converted into green space. The suitability map assisted in choosing four specific parking areas to redesign in detail to incorporate additional green space and tree cover. It was estimated that improving Manhattan’s bus system could double its ridership. It was also estimated that with improved public transit and parking planning, 30% of Manhattan’s parking could be eliminated. Converting 30% of Manhattan’s parking into green space would decrease runoff and pollutants from parking lots. Ecological valuation methods were used to calculate the benefits of converting parking into green space. It was found that integrating green space into parking lots would decrease stormwater runoff, mitigate the heat island effect, store carbon, improve air quality and may have social benefits as well.

Dentre as ameaças causadas pealas mudanças climáticas, é esperado um aumento na frequência e na magnitude de eventos climáticos extremos. Portanto, é de vital importância identificar características da comunidade que confiram estabilidade aos processos ecossistêmicos. Por meio de três experimentos buscamos explorar essas intrincadas relações entre alguns aspectos da biodiversidade e a estabilidade ecológica. No primeiro estudo, comparamos a produtividade primária antes e depois de uma inundação em comunidades sintéticas com diferentes valores de riqueza de espécies, diversidade e composição funcional. No segundo experimento, investigamos como alterações na intensidade de chuvas (simuladas por meio de interceptadores) afetaram os atributos funcionais, diversidade e processos ecossistêmicos de um campo nativo sob diferentes frequências de desfolhação. O terceiro estudo, consistiu em um experimento com manipulação da riqueza de espécies por meio de remoções, onde analisamos o efeito da diversidade de espécies na estabilidade nos níveis de organização de comunidade (colonizações e extinções) e ecossistema (variação na produtividade primária). Atributos funcionais e outras características da comunidade (riqueza e composição) afetaram e foram afetadas pelos distúrbios. A relação diversidade-estabilidade apresentou diferentes tendências dependendo da natureza e intensidade do distúrbio. O aumento dos recursos após a inundação favoreceu comunidades mais ricas e aquelas contendo atributos relacionados à aquisição de recursos. Além disso, a frequência de desfolhação não afetou a resposta da vegetação à manipulação de chuva. Estabilidade apresentou tendências opostas dependendo do nível de organização ecológica considerado. Maior substituição 63 de espécies em comunidades mais ricas correspondeu a uma maior estabilidade em 64 processos ecossistêmicos. / Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events. It is therefore of major importance to identify the community attributes that confer stability in ecosystem processes facing such events. By means of three experiment-based studies, we aimed to explore how plant community aspects affect ecological stability. In the first study, we compared data on biomass productivity before and after a major flood in synthetic plant communities with different values of species richness, functional diversity and community weighted means of functional traits on different measures of stability. In the second experiment, we investigate how changes in rainfall (simulated by rainout-shelters) alter functional traits and diversity and ecosystem processes of a natural grassland under different defoliation frequencies. The third study consisted on a biodiversity experiment in which we manipulated species richness by removals for studying the effects of species diversity on the stability at the community (colonization and extinction) and ecosystem levels (variation in primary productivity). Functional traits and other community features (richness, composition) affected and were affected by the disturbances. Diversity-stability relationships presented different trends depending on the disturbance nature and intensity. Resource inputs following the flood favoured rich communities and the ones characterized by traits related to resource acquisition. Also, defoliation frequency did not affect the way vegetation responded to rainfall manipulation. Stability showed opposite trends when evaluated at different levels of ecological organization. Higher turnover in rich communities corresponded to increased stability in ecosystem processes.

O ICMS Ecológico é uma política estadual que surgiu como forma de compensar os municípios pela existência de áreas protegidas dentro de seus limites, mas também se mostrou como uma possibilidade de remunerá-los pela execução de políticas ambientais, entre as quais a conservação da biodiversidade e dos serviços ecossistêmicos. Este trabalho buscou investigar qual dos dois caminhos está sendo trilhado pelos municípios tocantinenses que possuem áreas protegidas dentro de seus limites, em especial os 14 que possuem terras indígenas, através do levantamento bibliográfico e análise descritiva da evolução na criação de áreas protegidas, do desempenho municipal nos Questionários de Avaliação Qualitativa de Unidades de Conservação e Terras Indígenas, a arrecadação do ICMS Ecológico gerada pelas áreas protegidas, bem como as despesas e o desenvolvimento institucional na área ambiental. Dessa análise, conclui-se que a política do ICMS Ecológico foi assimilada, ao menos em termos de arrecadação, por todos os municípios tocantinenses, melhorando radicalmente a arrecadação de ICMS dos municípios que possuem mais de 30% do território ocupado por terras indígenas. Porém, ainda há uma grande concentração no repasse do ICMS Ecológico, sobretudo dentro do critério analisado de Unidades de Conservação e Terras Indígenas, sendo necessários ajustes na legislação e no aporte institucional do NATURATINS e prefeituras municipais, atualmente insuficiente, que incentivem e possibilitem o protagonismo municipal na criação de políticas conservacionistas e novas áreas protegidas, cujo desempenho registrado foi muito baixo, com apenas 5 RPPNs e 7 UCs municipais criadas no âmbito de 139 municípios, em 14 anos de implementação da política, bem como a criação de mecanismo de constante avaliação da sua eficiência, com a participação da sociedade civil e instituições da área ambiental, que devem ser incluídas em todas as etapas da execução da política do ICMS Ecológico, a exemplo da incipiente participação da FUNAI e associações indígenas. / The Ecologic ICMS is a state politics that emerged as a way to compensate the municipal districts for the existence of protected areas within their limits, but also showed itself as a possibility to remunerate them for the execution of environmental politics, including the biodiversity and ecosystem services conservation. This work investigated which of these two paths is being followed by the municipal districts of Tocantins State which have protected areas within their limits, especially the 14 ones in which there are indigenous lands, through documental research and descriptive analysis on the evolution of protected areas creation, the municipal performance in the Questionnaires of Qualitative Evaluation of Conservation Units and Indigenous Lands, the collection of Ecologic ICMS generated by the protected areas, as well as the expenses and the institutional development in the environmental area. From this study, we concluded that the Ecologic ICMS politics has been assimilated, at least in terms of collection, by all the municipal districts of Tocantins State, radically improving the ICMS collection in the municipal districts that have more than 30% of their territory corresponding to indigenous lands. However, the transference of the Ecologic ICMS still much concentrated, mainly inside the analyzed criterion of this study Conservation Units and Indigenous Lands. Some adjustments in the legislation are necessary, as well as the improvement on institutional investment of NATURATINS and municipal structure, since they are actually insufficient to motivate and enable the municipal protagonism on the creation and conservation of protected areas. The registered performance in the creation of new protected areas was very weak. Only 5 RPPNs and 7 municipal UCs were created in the scope of 139 municipal districts in the 14 years of the politics implementation. Finally, we conclude that a mechanism of constant evaluation of the politics efficiency is fundamental, with the participation of society and environmental institutions, which must be included in every steps of the Ecologic ICMS politics execution, like the example of the incipient participation of FUNAI and indigenous associations.

Trata-se de um estudo ecológico exploratório tipo comparação de múltiplos grupos. Objetivo: descrever o padrão de mortalidade da população a partir de estratos homogêneos de vulnerabilidade social dos municípios no Estado de São Paulo de 2003 a 2005. Método: Construção de estratos homogêneos, através de indicador composto por variáveis socioeconômicas e demográficas e comparação dos padrões de mortalidade através de taxas padronizadas. Resultados: Construção de cinco estratos homogêneos de vulnerabilidade social (Muito Fraca, Fraca, Intermediária, Intensa e Muito Intensa). Estimativas de risco mais elevadas para mortes maternas (27,82 a 56,22 %000 nascidos vivos), mortes infantis (12,48 a 16,20%0 nascidos vivos) e acidentes de transporte (14,68 a 24,06%000 hab.) foram mostradas nos estratos de maior vulnerabilidade declinando para os de menor vulnerabilidade. Para as Neoplasias (80,85 a 104,96 %000 hab.) e D. Infecciosas e Parasitárias (23,21 a 27,52 a %000 hab.) as mais elevadas ocorreram nos estratos de menor vulnerabilidade, declinando para os de maior vulnerabilidade. Para Diabetes Mellitus (17,36 a 23,57%000 hab.), D. Circulatórias (174,03 a 206,87%000 hab.), Homicídios (11,50 a 21,24%000 hab.) e, D. Respiratórias (62,58 a 75,54 %000 hab.), as mais elevadas situaram-se no estrato de vulnerabilidade social intermediária, declinando para os de maior vulnerabilidade, à exceção da Diabetes Mellitus. Conclusões: Foram evidenciadas desigualdades de mortalidade, apontando para grupos humanos com maiores necessidades de saúde, estratificação do risco epidemiológico e identificação de áreas críticas que indicam para a necessidade do desenvolvimento de políticas de saúde mais equitativas. / This is an ecologic exploratory study employing multiple group comparison. Objective: to describe mortality patterns of the population from homogeneous social vulnerable strata of the cities in the State of São Paulo, from 2003 to 2005. Method: Construction of homogeneous strata employing an indicator composed of socioeconomic and demographic variables and comparison of mortality patters through standardized rates. Results: Construction of five homogeneous social vulnerability strata (Very Weak, Weak, Intermediate, Intense and Very Intense). Risk estimates higher for maternal deaths (27,82 to 56,22 %000 live births), children deaths (12,48 to 16,20%0 live births) and transportation accidents (14,68 to 24,06%000 inhabitants) were shown in the strata of higher vulnerability, declining for those in lower vulnerability. For Neoplasias (80,85 to 104,96 %000 inhabitants) and Infectious and Parasitic diseases (23,21 a 27,52 a %000 inhabitants) higher rates corresponded to lower vulnerability strata, declining for those in higher vulnerability. Diabetes Mellitus (17,36 a 23,57%000 inhabitants), Homicides (11,50 a 21,24%000 inhabitants) and Respiratory Diseases (62,58 a 75,54 %000 inhabitants) higher rates were found at the intermediate social vulnerability stratum, declining for those in higher vulnerability, except for Diabetes Mellitus. Conclusions: Mortality inequalities became evident, pointing to human groups in higher health needs, stratification of the epidemiologic risk and identification of critical areas that show the need to develop more equitable health policies.

O Zoneamento Ecológico Econômico do Litoral Norte de São Paulo é um dos principais instrumentos para orientação do planejamento ambiental territorial urbano, embora apresente divergências na concepção das diferentes Zonas que definem a aptidão de cada unidade territorial. Neste trabalho mostramos que as Zonas Z2T, Z4OD e Z4T, no município de São Sebastião, foram delimitadas em divergência com as reais características que compõem a paisagem. Nossos resultados indicam que as variáveis Uso e Ocupação da Terra, Cobertura Vegetal e Geomorfologia (Risco de Inundação) apresentam inadequações com as características e objetivos descritos para as Zonas estudadas, provocando inadequações no uso e ocupação da terra / The ecological economic zoning of the North coast of São Paulo is one of the main instruments for orientation of urban land environmental planning, although present differences in the design of different zones which define the capability of each territorial unit. In this work we show that the zones Z2T, Z4OD and Z4T, in the city of São Sebastião, were placed in divergence with the actual features that make up the landscape. Our results indicate that the use and occupation of Land, Vegetation and Geomorphology (Flood risk) feature incongruities with the characteristics and objectives described for the studied Areas, leading to conflicts on the use and occupation of land