Drinking water distribution systems (WDSs) hold a particularly critical and strategic position in preserving public health and industrial growth. Despite the ubiquity of this infrastructure, its importance for public health, and increased risk of terrorism, several aspects of emergency management for WDSs remain at an undeveloped stage. A set of methods is developed to analyze the risk and consequences of WDS contamination events and develop emergency response support tools. Monte Carlo and optimization schemes are developed to evaluate contamination risk of WDSs for generation of critical contamination scenarios. A multicriteria optimization approach is proposed that treats likelihood and consequences as independent risk measures to find an ensemble of uniformly-distributed critical scenarios. This approach provides insight into system risk and potential mitigation options not available under maximum risk or maximum consequences analyses. Static multiobjective simulation-optimization schemes are developed for generation of optimal response mechanisms for contamination incidents with twoconflicting objectives of minimization of health consequences and impacts on non-consumptive water uses. Performance of contaminant flushing and containment are investigated. Pressure-driven hydraulic analysis is performed to simulate the complicated system hydraulics under pressure-deficit conditions. Performance of a novel preventive response action ? injection of food-grade dye directly into drinking water ? for mitigation of health impacts as a contamination threat unfolds is explored. The emergency response is formulated as a multiobjective optimization problem for the minimization of risks to life with minimum false warning and cost. A multiobjective optimization scheme is used for the management of contamination events for diverse contaminant agents without interruption of firefighting. A dynamic modeling scheme is developed that accounts for the time-varying behavior of the system during an emergency. Effects of actions taken by the managers and consumers as well as the changing perceived contaminant source attributes are included in the simulation model to provide a realistic picture of the dynamic environment. A dynamic optimization scheme is coupled with the simulation model to identify and update the optimal response recommendations during the emergency. Machine learning approaches are employed for real-time characterization of contaminant sources and identification of effective response strategies for a timely and effective response to contamination incidents and threats. In contrast to traditional approaches that perform whole analysis after a contamination event occurs, proposed machine learning methods gain system knowledge in advance and use this extracted information to identify contamination attributes after an incident occurs.

One of the primary modes for pollutants to reach the human body is through their release into the atmosphere and dispersion in the nearby areas. This makes air emissions one of the important components of an environmental assessment. They are frequently of interest to the people living in the vicinity of the site. The analysis carried out in this research provides a framework for atmospheric dispersion modeling of air pollutants using AERMOD, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) approved regulatory model, for modeling port related emissions. There are various sources of emissions from the ports, however for this study, emissions from roadways, small equipment, and marine related sources are considered. AERMOD was used to estimate ambient pollutant concentrations of selective criteria pollutants such as NOx, SO2, CO and PM10 from a hypothetical port.

The thesis is focused on measurement and assessment of absorbed doses of radiation in caves of the Czech Republic, out of which some exhibit high activity concentration of radon in air. This thesis presents an analysis and recommendations based on measurement results obtained in the underground caves over the past 10 years. The focus is on defining the sources of irradiation within the cave environment (and in areas used for speleotherapy), considering their potential health effect, including the variable dependence of external and internal irradiation influences. All of the measurements had as an objective to verify, and where possible improve, the existing methodology for assessing and calculating the dose from radon in underground spaces. The main issue that had to be resolved was whether a numerically specified cave factor value is applicable to all underground areas. The research measurements were carried out in all available show caves and in several underground areas, and were based on the initial results from an aerosol measurement campaign. Two caves (the Bozkov Dolomite Caves and the Zbrašov Aragonite Caves) were selected for advanced long-term measurements. A large number of long-term and short-term studies were carried out. The most important results for cave environments were: the...

As the global demand for oil increases, human health implications related to its discovery and transport remain a serious concern. The Niger Delta has been the site of severe environmental degradation since the oil boom of the 1970s. While some researchers have examined the environmental effects of oil procurement, few have explored human health implications in this region. This phenomenological study investigated the human physical and mental health consequences of oil-related environmental degradation through the perceptions and lived experiences of villagers in Koluama, Nigeria. The conceptual framework for the study was based on research conducted by Morello-Frosch, Zuk, Jerrett, Shamasunder and Kyle (2011) on the public health consequences of environmental pollution to which marginalized populations are vulnerable. Participants included a random sample of 33 residents of Koluama. Data were collected via individual semistructured interviews and 3 focus groups and analyzed using: interpretative phenomenological analysis. Themes that emerged from analysis included children's health issues, including asthma and other breathing problems; and death rates among the elderly in the area. The villagers, aware of the increase in mortality and illness in the area, also suffered from anxiety and depression. The research findings demonstrated the perception of the participants that the oil companies appeared not to be concerned about the lack of health care in the area; although illness increased in the area of the oil fields. This study might be beneficial in eliciting positive social change at the individual and organizational levels by illuminating oil-related health problems and may lead to better health care access for the population.

There is a great deal of diet-specific processed foods on the market today. With so many options it can become difficult for consumers to decide what products to purchase. This situation is further intensified by the plethora of contradictory messages found in food advertising, especially in weight loss and dieting food advertising, but also seen in government nutrition campaigns and all over the internet on platforms like social media, blogs, and so forth. These messages can be confusing and frustrating for consumers as they try to decipher which foods they should eat to reach their health or weight loss goals. The purpose of this study was to determine if these contradictory messages extend to the advertising claims found on diet-specific food product packaging. A content analysis was performed on 400 keto and vegan products to uncover the most commonly used advertising claims and verify their accuracy based on the information provided on the nutrition label and ingredients list. An analysis of the health impacts of nutrient content and food additives based on FDA guidelines was also conducted. Results indicated that contradictory messages do extend to the advertising claims on keto and vegan food product packaging and the lack of healthy food options among these products should be a concern for consumers. This study highlights the importance of shoppers approaching food product advertising claims with skepticism until they can be verified.

Background Air quality in Africa has remained a relatively under-researched field. Most of the African population is dependent on biomass for cooking and heating, with most of the combustion happening in low efficiency stoves in unvented kitchens. The resulting high emissions are compounded by ingress from poor outdoor air in a context of poor emissions controls. The situation is dire in slum households where homes are crowded and space is limited, pushing households to cook in the same room that is used for sleeping. This study assessed the levels of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter £ 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in slum households and people's perceptions of and attitudes towards air pollution and health risks of exposure in two slum areas, Viwandani and Korogocho, in the Nairobi city. Methods The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. For the quantitative study, we used structured questionnaires to collect data about the source of air pollution among adults aged 18 years and above and pregnant women residing in the two study communities. We used the DustTrak™ air samplers to monitor the indoor PM2.5 levels in selected households. We also collected data on community perceptions on air pollution, annoyance and associated health risks. We presented hotspot maps to portray the spatial distribution of perceptions on air pollution in the study areas. For the qualitative study, we conducted focus group discussions with adult community members. Groups were disaggregated by age to account for different languages used to communicate with the younger and older people. We analysed the qualitative data using thematic analysis. Results Household levels of PM2.5 varied widely across households and ranged from 1 to 12,369μg/m3 (SD=287.11). The household levels of PM2.5 levels were likely to exceed the WHO guidelines given the high levels observed in less than 24 hours of monitoring periods (on average 10.4 hours in Viwandani and 11.8 hours in Korogocho). Most of the respondents did not use ventilation use in the evening which coincided with the use of cookstove and lamp, mostly burning kerosene. The levels of PM2.5 varied by the type of fuels, with the highest emissions in households using kerosene for cooking and lighting. The PM2.5 levels spiked in the evenings and during periods of cooking using charcoal/wood. Despite these high levels, residents perceived indoor air to be less polluted compared with the outdoor air, possibly due to the presence of large sources of emissions near the communities such as dumpsites and industries. The community had mixed perceptions on the health impacts of air pollution, with respiratory illnesses perceived as the main consequence while vector or sanitation related diseases such as diarrhoea was also perceived to be related to air pollution. Conclusions With poor housing and reliance on dirty fuels, households in slums face potentially high levels of exposure to PM2.5 with dire implications on health. To address the poor perception on air pollution and knowledge gaps on the health effects of air pollution, education programs need to be developed and tailored. These programs should aim to provide residents with information on air quality and its impact on the health; what they can do as communities as well as empower them to reach out to government/stakeholders for action on outdoor sources of pollution such as emissions from dumpsites or industries. The government has a larger role in addressing some of the key pollution sources through policy formulation and strong implementation/enforcement.

Bakgrund: Covid-19-pandemin har haft stor påverkan på både samhälle och hälsovård specifikt. Vid utbrottet av pandemin var kunskapen om sjukdomen och hur den skulle behandlas otillräcklig, både nationellt och internationellt. Vårdpersonal bör via flexibla angreppsätt anpassa sig till den nya situationen utan att veta exakt hur denna sjukdom ska behandlas. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva sjuksköterskors upplevelser av att vårda patienter med Covid-19 på vårdavdelning. Metod: Metoden är en litteraturöversikt av kvalitativa vetenskapliga artiklar där sjuksköterskors upplevelser av att vara vårdgivare till patienter med Covid- 19 studerats. Data analyserades utifrån Fribergs beskrivning av kvalitativ analys i fem steg. Resultat: Resultaten visade att sjuksköterskorna upplevde svårigheter vid anpassning till förändrad arbetsmiljö. Det gällde framförallt användning av skyddsutrustning och försämrade samt förändrade arbetsförhållanden. Inom ramen för de iakttagelserna av patientens lidande uppfattade sjuksköterskor maktlöshet, hjälplöshet, oro och avsaknad av kunskap samt brist på erfarenhet av sjukdomen. Hälsopåverkan i form av stress, rädsla och ångest präglade arbetssituationen men de fick stort stöd av sina familjer, vänner och kollegor. Slutsats: Studien visade att Covid-19 pandemin hade stor påverkan på sjuksköterskors arbetssituation. Pandemin resulterade också i negativa individuella upplevelser men det stora stödet från sjuksköterskornas närmaste familjemedlemmar och vänner var betydelsefullt för att orka med sin arbetssituation. Även samarbetet med kollegor var avgörande för att kunna genomföra sina arbetsuppgifter. / Background: The covid-19 pandemic hugely influenced society as well as the global Health care system. As the pandemic broke out, it became clear that the lack of knowledge about the disease would greatly affect the way treatment was conducted, nationally as well as internationally. Health care professionals had to adapt to the situation without knowing exactly how to treat each symptom as well as to adhere to this specific disease. Aim: This study investigates how nurses experienced their working conditions and treatment of patients with covid-19 disease. Method: This is a qualitative study based on analyses of scientific articles that had studied nurses’ experiences of working with covid-19 patients. The analysis was conducted using the available Fribergs qualitative five step method. Results: The results show that the investigated nurses experienced difficulties in adapting to a continuously changing work environment, especially when it came to the use of protective equipment in combination with the perceived worsening working condition. The investigated nurses had to adhere to a new normal situation categorized with feelings of powerless, and helplessness. However, the investigated nurses received the appropriate support from their close families, friends and colleagues which made their work acceptable despite the ongoing pandemic. Conclusion: The study showed that the Covid-19 pandemic had a major impact on nurses' work situation. The pandemic resulted in negative individual experiences, the great support from the nurses' closest family members in combination with colleagues and friends became the key factor in coping with the new normal working conditions.

This project seeks to assess the impact of the sachet water industry on the health, socio-economic and the environmental situation of the inhabitants of Accra, the capital city of Ghana. In addressing the situation, the driving forces which have fuelled the shift of consum-er taste from the normal tap water and the traditional hand-tied-ice water products to the plastic sachet water (commonly known in as "Pure Water") are identified. Lack of access to continuous flow of improved water and the perceived poor quality of the urban water supply system as results of poor management structure are identified as some of the factors for the shift in consumers’ taste for plastic sachet and bottled drinking water. The quality of the plastic sachet is also assessed through the review of previous research results. These are confirmed by laboratory analysis of about six brands of plastic sachet water and two brands bottled drinking water. The laboratory analysis carried out assessed the microbial, physical and chemical quality of the various samples. To assess the health impacts of the products, the results from the analysis are compared with WHO guideline values and other international guideline values. Questionnaires are also administered to ascertain the socio-economic impacts of the products on the life of the young men and women as well sachet water manufacturers. From this, some measures are suggested as to how to mitigate the activities of the sachet water business to reduce its negative effects on the health, the environment and the socio-economic status of the inhabitants of the city.

Most co-benefits studies have been conducted on local or national scales. However, we find that for a coordinated international GHG reduction, much of the air quality and health benefits come from GHG reductions in foreign nations. This is particularly true for ozone, which has a longer atmospheric lifetime than PM2.5, and which is affected by methane reductions. Together these findings show that co-benefits for air quality and health are greater when GHG reductions are coordinated with other nations. These results also show that previous co-benefits studies on local or national scale may significantly underestimate the total co-benefits by omitting i.) the benefits of domestic pollutant reductions for regions outside of the domain considered, and ii.) the benefits of foreign GHG reductions if the domestic reduction is coordinated with international action.

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