En ökning av forskningsbelägg kring naturens hälsoeffekter har bland annat medfört nya riktlinjer av vardagsnära natur från både WHO och Folkhälsomyndigheten. Samtidigt har Green prescriptions börjat införas i allt fler länder. Grundteorierna bakom ämnet belyser vikten av människans biologiska behov av naturen för att främja hälsoeffekter som reducering av stress, återhämtning, förbättrad psykisk hälsa och kognition. Till följd av exempelvis urbanisering har dock majoriteten av världsbefolkningen inte tillgång till vardagsnära natur. Detta tillgänglighetsproblem skapar i sin tur behov av alternativa lösningar som tar naturens hälsoeffekter till befolkningsgrupper som inte kan ta sig till naturen. Tidigare forskning har undersökt huruvida det går att uppnå liknande hälsoeffekter som verklig natur i en artificiell naturmiljö, vilket indikerat på synergieffekter när två sinnen inkluderas. Ett antal studier har sedan tagit den ökade inkluderingen av sinnen vidare genom att undersöka hälsoeffekterna av minst tre artificiella naturintryck och därmed skapat en multisensorisk upplevelse. Baserat på det ökade forskningsunderlaget kring artificiella multisensoriska naturmiljöer (AMN) finns det anledning att undersöka nuvarande forskningsläge. Syftet med litteraturstudien var att undersöka och beskriva den hälsomässiga upplevelsen av artificiella multisensoriska naturmiljöer hos friska individer. Studien har utformats likt en litteraturstudie, där data samlats in från primärkällor i form av vetenskapliga artiklar. Åtta artiklar valdes ut genom systematisk sökstrategi som sedan kvalitétgranskades och analyserades med hjälp av kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet visade att en ökad inkludering av sinnen, i form av multisensation, med mindre uppmärksamhetskrävande naturintryck främjade hälsa mest gynnsamt. En behaglig naturdoft och trivsam upplevelse av miljön hade även en stor betydelse för att åstadkomma god hälsopåverkan. Sammanfattningsvis indikerade resultatet på god potential för en framtida implementering av AMN inom exempelvis vård- och omsorg, på arbetsplatser, i storstäder och som alternativ behandlingsmetod vid Green prescriptions där naturen inte finns tillgänglig. / An increase in research evidence regarding the health effects of nature has, among otherthings, led to new guidelines of a nature exposure in everyday life from both the WHO and The public health authority in Sweden. At the same time, Green prescriptions have started to be introduced in more countries. The basic theories behind the subject illustrate the importance of humans' biological need for nature to promote health effects such as stress reduction, recovery, improved mental health and cognition. As a result of, for example urbanization, the majority of the world's population does not have access to nature exposure in everyday life. This accessibility problem, in turn, creates a need for alternative solutions that bring nature's health effects to population groups that cannot get to nature. Previous research has investigated whether it is possible to achieve similar health effects as real nature in an artificial natural environment, which indicates synergistic effects when two senses are included. A number of studies have taken the search of senses further by investigating the health effects of at least three artificial natural stimuli and thus created a multisensory experience. Based on the increased research base around artificial multisensory natural environments (AMN), there is a reason to examine the current state of research. The aim of the literature study was to investigate and describe the health-related experience of artificial multisensory natural environments in healthy individuals. The study has been designed like a literature study, where data has been collected from primary sources in the form of scientific articles. Eight articles were selected through a systematic search strategy, which were quality audited and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The result showed that an increased inclusion of the senses, in the form of multi-sensation, with less attention-demanding natural stimuli, promoted health most favorably. A pleasant natural scent and experience of the environment were also of great importance in achieving a good health impact. In summary, the results indicated good potential for a future implementation of AMN in, for example, healthcare, workplaces, big cities and as an alternative treatment method for Green Prescriptions where nature is not available.

Farliga kemikalier kan migrera från leksaker eller andra varor och utgöra en hälsorisk. Eftersom barn är särskilt känsliga för exponering av farliga kemikalier bör de skyddas ytterligare, vilket görs med gällande lagstiftning för leksaker. Kemikalieinspektionens tillsyn visar dock på brister och att kemikalielagstiftningen inte är tillräcklig. Syftet med denna uppsats är därför att undersöka riskuppfattningen och kännedomen kring farliga kemikalier i barns leksaker hos föräldrar med barn i åldern 0-3 år. För att undersöka detta används en kvantitativ metod i form av webbenkät och datamaterialet presenteras med beskrivande statistik.  Resultat ställs i relation med vald teori om riskperception och visar bland annat att en lägre kännedom och tillit till lagstiftning bidrar till en lägre riskuppfattning. Oro, media och historiska händelser där farliga kemikalier visat sig ha en hormonstörande effekt bidrar till en högre riskuppfattning. Vissa skillnader i riskuppfattningen mellan kvinnor och män kan även utläsas. Resultat visar också att det inte finns någon skillnad mellan låg- och höginkomsttagare vad gäller betalningsviljan för en leksak försedd med innehållsförteckning. Det verkar därför inte vara ekonomiska förutsättningar som styr om åtgärder vidtas, utan snarare föräldrars oro för att deras barn exponeras för farliga kemikalier i leksaker.  Slutligen konstateras det i uppsatsen att en åtgärd för att minska barns exponering för farliga kemikalier och därmed även hälsorisker är en minskad konsumtion. / Hazardous chemicals can migrate from toys and other goods and pose a health risk. As children are particularly sensitive to exposure to hazardous chemicals, they should be further protected, as is the case with current toy legislation. However, the Swedish Chemicals Agency's supervision shows shortcomings and that the chemical legislation is not sufficient. The purpose of this essay is therefore to investigate the perception of risk and knowledge about dangerous chemicals in children's toys, for parents with children aged 0-3 years.  Results are set in relation to the chosen theory of risk perception and show, among other things, that a lower knowledge and trust in legislation contributes to a lower perception of risk. Concerns, media and historical events where dangerous chemicals have been shown to have an endocrine disrupting effect contribute to a higher risk perception. There are some differences in the perception of risk between women and men. The result also shows that there is no difference between low- and high-income earners in terms of willingness to pay for a toy provided with a table of content. Therefore it does not seem to be economic conditions that govern whether measures are taken, but rather parents' concerns that their children are exposed to dangerous chemicals in toys.  Finally, the essay states that a measure to reduce children's exposure to hazardous chemicals and thus also health risks is a reduced consumption.

Ambient and indoor air pollution is a major cause of premature mortality, and has been associated with more than three million preventative deaths per year worldwide. Most of these health impacts are from the effects from fine particulate matter. It is suspected that PM2.5 health effects vary by composition, which depends on the mixture of pollutants emitted by sources. This has led to efforts to estimate relationships between sources of PM2.5 and health effects. The health effects of PM2.5 may be preferentially dependent on specific species; however, recent work has suggested that health impacts may actually be caused by the net effect of the mixture of pollutants which make up PM2.5. Recently, there have been efforts to use source impacts from source apportionment (SA) studies as a proxy for these multipollutant effects. Source impacts can be quantified using both receptor and chemical transport models (RMs and CTMs), and have both advantages and limitations for their use in health studies. In this work, a technique is developed that reconciles differences between source apportionment (SA) models by ensemble-averaging source impacts results from several SA models. This method uses a two-step process to calculate the ensemble average. An initial ensemble average is used calculate new estimates of uncertainties for the individual SA methods that are used in the ensemble. Next, an updated ensemble average is calculated using the SA method uncertainties as weights. Finally, uncertainties of the ensemble average are calculated using propagation of errors that includes covariance terms. The ensemble technique is extended to include a Bayesian formulation of weights used in ensemble-averaging source impacts. In a Bayesian approach, probabilistic distributions of the parameters of interest are estimated using prior distributions, along with information from observed data. Ensemble averaging results in updated estimates of source impacts with lower uncertainties than individual SA methods. Overall uncertainties for ensemble-averaged source impacts were ~45 - 74%. The Bayesian approach also captures the expected seasonal variation of biomass burning and secondary impacts. Sensitivity analysis found that using non-informative prior weighting performed better than using weighting based on method-derived uncertainties. The Bayesian-based source impacts for biomass burning correlate better with observed levoglucosan (R2=0.66) and water soluble potassium (R2=0.63) than source impacts estimated using more traditional methods, and more closely agreed with observed total mass. Power spectra of the time series of biomass burning source impacts suggest that profiles/factors associated with this source have the greatest variability across methods and locations. A secondary focus of this work is to examine the impacts of biomass burning. First a field campaign was undertaken to measure emissions from prescribed fires. An emissions factor of 14±17 g PM2.5/kg fuel burned was determined. Water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) was highly correlated with potassium (K) (R2=.93) and levoglucosan (R2=0.98). Results using a biomass burning source profile derived from this work further indicate that source apportionment is sensitive to levels of potassium in biomass burning source profiles, underscoring the importance of quantifying local biomass burning source profiles. Second, the sensitivity of ambient PM2.5 to various fire and meteorological parameters in was examined using the method of principle components regression (PCR) to estimate sensitivity of PM2.5 to fire data and, observed and forecast meteorological parameters. PM2.5 showed significant sensitivity to PB, with a unit-based sensitivity of 3.2±1 µg m-3 PM2.5 per 1000 acres burned. PM2.5 had a negative sensitivity to dispersive parameters such as wind speed.

Syftet med arbetet var att samla in mätdata för att kontrollera luftkvalitén ombord på två svenska fartyg, för att sedan jämföra resultaten med Arbetsmiljöverkets hygieniska gränsvärden och den svenska normalbefolkningens exponering för olika ämnen. Resultatet från studien var också tänkt att vara till hjälp för att utforma nya råd och rekommendationer för att minimera exponeringen och även till att bidra med material för fler framtida studier. Under cirka en vecka ombord på fartygen samlades data in med hjälp av passiva provtagare för att registrera halter av bensen, kvävedioxid och polycykliska aromatiska kolväten. Resultaten visade att luftkvalitén ombord på de två fartygen generellt sett är god. Samtliga uppmätta halter låg långt under Arbetsmiljöverkets gränsvärden och det skiljde sig inte mycket varken mellan fartyg eller jämfört med den svenska normalbefolkningens exponering. Därför är inte svensk sjömän ombord på svenskflaggade fartyg i större fara för toxiska luftföroreningar ombord jämfört med när de är hemma. / The main purpose of this study was to measure and evaluate the air quality onboard two Swedish ships, and compare the results with the exposure limits laid out by the Swedish Work Environment Authority (Arbetsmiljöverket) and the Swedish population’s exposure to various substances. The results of this study were also meant to be helpful to form new advice and recommendations to minimize exposure and also to provide material for future studies. During approximately one week onboard the two ships data were collected using passive samplers to register levels of benzene, nitrogen dioxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The results indicated that the air quality onboard the two ships were generally good. All measured concentrations were well below safety applications and it did not differ very much neither between ships nor compared with the Swedish population’s exposure. In conclusion, Swedish sailors onboard Swedish ships are not in greater danger of toxic air pollutants onboard compared to when they are at home.

published_or_final_version / Mechanical Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

Det har forskats mycket om fysisk aktivitets positiva effekter på människokroppen rent fysiskt. Tidigare har det inte varit en naturlig del av behandlingen inom psykiatrin vilket gjorde författarna nyfikna på hur det kan lyftas fram i vården av personer med psykiska funktionsnedsättningar. Syfte: Syftet med litteraturstudien var att beskriva hälsoeffekterna av fysisk aktivitet för personer med psykiska funktionsnedsättningar och sjuksköterskans stöd genom handledning. Metod: Litteraturstudie. Resultat: Under sammanställningen av resultatet framkom att sjuksköterskor kan ge stöd genom Motiverande samtal (MI) som var av central betydelse. Då patienten själv hörsammas och bygger upp sina mål som ska vara mätbara tillsammans med utbildad vårdpersonal, men även genom stöd i patienternas egen utbildning och kunskap av den fysiska aktivitetens positiva inverkan på psykisk ohälsa. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskans metod att stödja och motivera personer med psykiska funktionsnedsättningar till att utöva fysisk aktivitet visade sig vara flera. Då det var viktigt med personcentrarad metod, var viktigt att de behärskade och kände till olika vägar att kunna motivera personer med psykiska funktionsnedsättningar. Andra betydelsefulla tillvägagångssätt var god vårdrelation, individualiserade träningsprogram, samt stöd och utbildning i de positiva hälsoeffekterna som fysisk aktivitet gav. / It has been researched a lot of physical activity beneficial effects on the human body physically. Previously, there has been a natural part of treatment in psychiatry, which made the authors curious about how it can be highlighted in the care of people with mental disabilities. Aim: The purpose of this study was to describe the health benefits of physical activity for people with mental disabilities and nurse support through tutoring. Methodology: During the compilation of the results revealed that nurses can provide support through the Motivational Interviewing (MI) was of central importance. When the patient heard and build up their goals to be measurable with trained medical staff, but also through support of patient self-education and knowledge of the physical activity's positive impact on mental health. Conclusion: The nurse's approach to support and motivate people with mental disabilities to exercise physical activity was found to be several. Then it was important to the ruled and knew the different ways to motivate people with mental disabilities. Other important approaches were good care relationship, individualized exercise programs, and support and training in the health benefits that physical activity gave.

Transport of wastewater in sewer networks causes potential problems associated with gases which include ammonia, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and methane, in regard to odor nuisance, irritation, toxicity, and microbially induced corrosion. The extent of these problems depends on the emission rates of gases in the sewer atmosphere. To limit these kinds of problems an estimate of the gases emitted from the sewer network is to be known. In consideration to the above mentioned problems, a research has been taken up to estimate the two gases, namely, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from sewer wet wells. In this method, using Landtec GEM-2000 plus a multi-gas analyzer, the sample gases were collected from the wet well of pump stations for five days. Using the collected samples the emission rates of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide are estimated.

Lead is a toxic heavy metal that has been extensively used in modern society, causing widespread environmental contamination, even in isolated parts of the world. There is now overwhelming evidence associating lead exposure with wideranging health effects, including reductions in intelligence scores, hyperactivity, shortened concentration spans, poor school performance, violent/aggressive behaviour, hearing loss, delayed onset of puberty, anaemia, and in severe cases, coma and death. In recent years consensus has been reached in respect of the absence of a threshold of safety for key health effects associated with lead exposure, and the permanent and irreversible nature of many of the health and social consequences of exposure to lead. The public health problem of environmental lead exposure has been widely investigated in developed countries such as the United States of America where, since the 1970s, policies and interventions have been followed by significant reductions in blood lead levels amongst children. In developing countries, and in African countries in particular, there is a relative dearth of information on the sources, mechanisms of exposure and blood lead distributions in children, and little action has been taken to protect children against lead poisoning. This study was undertaken to determine the current distribution of blood lead concentrations, and associated risk factors, amongst selected groups of first grade school children in the South African urban settings of Cape Town, Johannesburg 7 and Kimberley, a lead mining town (Aggeneys) and two rural towns in the Northern Cape province. A further objective of the study was to compare blood lead distributions determined in the current study with the findings of similar studies undertaken prior to the introduction in 1996 of unleaded petrol in South Africa. The results show that over the past decade, blood lead concentrations amongst first grade school children have declined considerably, but that large proportions of children, especially those living or attending school in impoverished areas, continue to have intolerably high blood lead concentrations, within a range that puts them at risk of detrimental health and social outcomes. The major sources of exposure to lead in the samples studied were leaded petrol, lead-based paint used to decorate homes and schools, lead solder used in “cottage industries” and other home-based lead-related activities, as well as the transfer of lead particles from lead-related work settings into homes. Recommendations for policy and relevant interventions for the South African context are discussed.

Introdução: A queima da cana de açúcar para a colheita ocorre para facilitar o trabalho de corte, reduzir o volume de resíduos, controlar pragas, evaporar e concentrar o açúcar na haste e eliminar animais perigosos do canavial. A queima da cana de açúcar e seus efeitos à saúde humana são o objeto de diversas pesquisas na área da saúde pública brasileira e mundial. Objetivos: Estudar, por diferentes métodos, a relação entre as queimadas de cana de açúcar e a incidência de doenças respiratórias na mesorregião de Presidente Prudente. Verificar a evolução das queimadas e da produção de cana de açúcar na região, no período de 2008 a 2011. Metodologia: Revisão bibliográfica. Composição de banco de dados geográficos com as variáveis em estudo. Análise dos dados. Elaboração de mapas temáticos e gráficos das variáveis. Cálculo do índice de Moran local das variáveis de estudo. Análise de estatística espacial com os dados de focos de queimadas, hectares de cana de açúcar colhidos com queima prévia e internações. Elaboração de mapas temáticos para comparação e análise. Descrição dos resultados. Resultados: A revisão bibliográfica, entre outras coisas, mostrou diferentes impactos à saúde devido a queima de cana de açúcar. A produção de cana de açúcar aumentou na região de estudo nos últimos anos, consequentemente aumentando a quantidade de queimadas em oposição ao previsto na legislação. Os aglomerados espaciais onde há a colheita com queima prévia coincidiram com os de maior incidência para doenças respiratórias. Identificou se uma área, na porção norte do território estudado de maior vulnerabilidade à poluição atmosférica e, consequentemente, com maior incidência de internações. Conclusões: No período de 2008 a 2011 ocorreu aumento no número de hectares colhidos com queima prévia, associado ao aumento da produção de cana de açúcar. Este efeito não se repetiu nas internações por doenças respiratórias para as faixas etárias selecionadas. Novas pesquisas são necessárias para uma melhor correlação entre o aumento da utilização da queima como método de colheita e as internações respiratórias na região. / Introduction: The burning of sugarcane for harvest occurs to facilitate the cutting work, reduce the volume of waste, control pests, evaporate and concentrate the sugar in the stem and remove dangerous animals from a sugarcane field. The burning of sugar cane and its effects on human health are the subject of several studies in the area of the brazilian and global public health. Objectives: To study, by different methods, the relationship between the burning of sugarcane and the incidence of respiratory illnesses in the middle region of Presidente Prudente. Checking the progress of fires and sugar cane production in the region, from 2008 to 2011. Methods: Literature review. Geographic database composition with the study variables. Data analysis. Preparation of thematic maps and charts of the variables. Calculation of the local Moran index of the study variables. Spatial statistics analysis with data from outbreaks of fires, hectares of sugar cane harvested with previous burning and hospitalizations. Preparation of thematic maps for comparison and analysis. Description of the results. Results: The literature review, among other things, showed different health impacts due to burning of sugar cane. The production of sugar cane increased in the study region in 9 recent years, thus increasing the amount of fires in opposition to the law. The clusters where there is the harvest with previous burning coincided with the highest incidence of respiratory diseases. Identified if an area in the northern portion of the territory studied most vulnerable to air pollution and consequently a higher incidence of hospitalizations. Conclusions: In the period 2008-2011 there was an increase in the number of acres harvested with previous burning, associated with increased production of sugar cane. This effect was not repeated in admissions for respiratory diseases for selected age groups. Further research is needed to better correlation between the increased use of burning as harvesting method and respiratory hospitalizations in the region.

A ocorrência de diversos tipos de desastres nas últimas décadas tem aumentado a concentração de estudos e pesquisas sobre a atuação profissional no gerenciamento de riscos e na gestão de emergências e desastres. O efeito de um desastre é proporcional à vulnerabilidade tanto do ambiente atingido (que compreende a parte física e humana), quanto da capacidade e recursos do local, dos afetados e das equipes de apoio. De acordo com a Política de Proteção e Defesa Civil, as ações são divididas em cinco etapas: prevenção, mitigação, preparação, resposta e reconstrução. A atuação da Psicologia, nestas situações, pode ser implementada em todas as fases e, embora constitua uma área relativamente recente dentro da Psicologia, a criação de órgãos e eventos no Brasil, bem como a busca por intervenções eficazes fizeram crescer o apelo para seu crescimento. Uma das demandas está ligada às possibilidades de violações de direitos de crianças e adolescentes, tais como violência sexual, negligência, trabalho infantil, práticas de ato infracional e uso de drogas. Existem documentos institucionais e referências científicas que abordam essa temática, ressaltando a importância da Atenção Psicossocial, a qual deve ser oferecida aos afetados, principalmente a populações vulneráveis, como crianças, adolescentes, pessoas com deficiência e idosos. O presente trabalho se constituiu em estudo exploratório, descritivo e explicativo, com uma metodologia etnográfica e qualitativa. O objetivo foi investigar as percepções e perspectivas de profissionais, crianças e responsáveis, sobre os cuidados oferecidos às crianças que vivem em áreas de risco para desastres, especialmente inundações, em um bairro na zona leste da cidade de São Paulo. Foram analisados documentos de referência e a literatura científica sobre crianças em situações de riscos e desastres. Por meio de entrevistas e grupos focais, foi verificada a percepção de crianças afetadas, responsáveis, e profissionais envolvidos no apoio a desastres. Destaca-se que o oferecimento da Atenção Psicossocial, somada aos cuidados em Saúde Mental e a proteção e garantia de Direitos Humanos, constitui cenário providencial para o bem-estar infantil e pleno desenvolvimento físico, cognitivo, social, espiritual e emocional de crianças no contexto de riscos e desastres / The occurrence of several types of disasters in the last decades has increased the concentration of studies and research about the professional performance in the management of risks as well as emergencies and disasters. The effect of a disaster is proportional to the vulnerability either of the affected environment (which includes the physical and human aspects) or the capacity and resources of the place, the affected individuals and the support teams. According to the Protection and Civil Defense Policy, the actions are divided into five stages: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response and reconstruction. The Psychology´s operation in these situations can be implemented in all phases, and although it constitutes a relatively recent area within this field, the creation of organs and events in Brazil and the search for effective interventions have increased the appeal for its growth. One of the demands is linked to the possibilities of children and adolescents´ rights violentions, such as sexual violence, neglect, child labor, practices of infraction and drugs use. There are institutional documents and scientific references that address this issue and raise the importance of the psychosocial support that should be offered to those affected, especially vulnerable populations such as children, adolescents, people with disabilities and the old-aged. The present work constitutes an exploratory, descriptive and explanatory study, with an ethnographic and qualitative methodology. The goal was to investigate the perceptions and perspectives of professionals, children and parents about the care offered to children living in areas at risk of disasters, especially floods, in a neighborhood in the east end of São Paulo city. Reference documents and the scientific literature on children in risks and disasters situation were analyzed. The perception about disasters support were investigated by means of interviews and focus groups. It is noteworthy that the provision of psychosocial support, with care of mental health, plus protection and guarantee of human rights, is a providential scenario for children\'s well-being and complete physical, cognitive, social, spiritual and emotional development of children in the context of risks and disasters