"Inhaling hazards, exhaling insights: a systematic review unveiling the silent health impacts of secondhand smoke pollution on children and adolescents

The health risks of smoking are widely known, but the impact of secondhand smoke on children and adolescents is often underestimated. Despite efforts to reduce smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke remains a significant public health concern, especially for young individuals. This systematic review aims to explore the health impacts of secondhand smoking on children and adolescents. Following PRISMA guidelines, 18 eligible studies from 8 countries published between 2015 and 2023 were identified through PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases. Findings revealed that passive smoking is associated with respiratory issues like asthma and respiratory infections in children and adolescents aged 4 months to 18 years. Significant correlations were found between asthma severity and cotinine levels, a marker of passive smoking. Additionally, metabolic issues, cardiovascular effects, and ophthalmological changes, and alterations in neurocognitive functions, were noted. Urgent public health interventions are needed to reduce smoking prevalence and protect this vulnerable demographic.

Pro-environmental practice among young population: A scoping review

INTRO

There is an inequality between pro-environmental knowledge acquisition and behavior. A change in behavior is required to solve both current and future environmental challenges since human behavior has an influence on pro-environmental practices.

OBJECTIVE

Of the study was to carry out a critical analysis of current literature on Pro-environmental practices among the Young population.

METHOD

The research question formulation on PICO served as the foundation for the search approach. Keywords were searched in different combinations from the popular databases SCOPUS, PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, EMBASE, Google and Cochrane library Boolean operators (AND and OR) and keywords were employed in the search to avoid oversaturating the data. Fifteen full-text articles were selected for the study.

RESULT

Review studies confirmed that youth engagement is highly valued, with evidence from increasing usage of information and communication technologies (education and environmental consciousness among young people. Analysis of pro-environmental practices and environmental behavior has to be given greater attention considering to the adverse impacts of the existing lifestyle on the environment. This made it possible to incorporate and simultaneously explore a variety of variables and effects on environmental practices, furthering the understanding of how these are interpreted.

CONCLUSION

This study pointed up and made contributions to the expanding field of environmental practices barriers. The challenges found should be taken into account in its entirety and utilized to directly inform policies and procedures in order to promote adoption for practices reduction and remove the obstacles inhibiting change.

Effectiveness of Resiliency and Recovery Program on Compassion Fatigue among Nursing Officers working in selected Hospitals in India

Objective

The study objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of Resiliency and Recovery Program on Compassion Fatigue level of Nursing Officer from selected hospitals of Pune City (India).

Methods

The study used a quasi-experimental approach involving single group pre-test and post-test design. 100 nursing officers, working in selected hospitals of Pune city, who were willing to participate were selected using non probability convenience sampling. The data was collected using The Professional Quality of Life Scale: Compassion Satisfaction and Fatigue (ProQoL) Version 5 of Stamm. The study included pre-test, resiliency and recovery program and post-test. Resiliency and Recovery Program is an intervention aiming to develop five resiliency skills or antibodies including (a) self-regulation, (b) perceptual maturation, (c) intentionality, (d) self-care and (e) connection and support.

Results

Statistically significant difference was revealed between the pre-test and post-test score means: Compassion Satisfaction (pre-test = 28.50 to post-test = 31.0; t-18.6671, p<0.001), Burn-out (pre-test = 35.2 to post-test = 31.7; t-15.00, p<0.001), and Secondary Traumatic Stress (pre-test = 37.4 to post-test = 33.07; t-14.8996, p<0.001).

Conclusion

Resiliency and Recovery Program had a significant impact on Compassion Fatigue, leading to an increase in Compassion Satisfaction, and a reduction in Burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress. Inculcating Resiliency skills in nursing officers can help them in reducing compassion fatigue and thus aids in health promotion.

Effect of Digital applications on maternal as well as neonatal outcomes in Young pregnant girls: A Scope Review

Objective

To understand the effect of digital applications on maternal and neonatal outcomes in young pregnant girls.

Methods

A PubMed, CINAHL and Medline online database search was conducted, and related studies were included the databases were searched in order to carry out a more in detailed search of the available literature utilizing keywords like "digital technology"; "adolescent mothers"; and "infant, newborn", as well as Boolean operators to generate papers pertinent which were correlating with the objective of the study.

Results

The findings revealed that the PPPs employed produced both positive and negative effects on mothers and newborns. Some were effective, especially in aspects related to improved mental health, while others did not necessarily support the adolescents in preparing for pregnancy and childbirth, but rather raised their anxiety levels. Similarly, the use of these apps decreased the use of emergency neonatal services by the adolescent mothers and the infants were lower in likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding. Participants appreciated the social media-based instruction, but this exposure did not translate into considerable change in routines and behaviors.

Conclusion

Digital and web-based solutions had the ability to influence adolescent pregnancy outcomes, but further research is needed to assess the extent to which these support services are useful in this Population Group.

Breakthrough of toluene vapours in granular activated carbon filled packed bed reactor

The objective of this research was to determine the toluene removal efficiency and breakthrough time using commercially available coconut shell-based granular activated carbon in packed bed reactor. To study the effect of toluene removal and break point time of the granular activated carbon (GAC), the parameters studied were bed lengths (2, 3, and 4 cm), concentrations (5, 10, and 15 mg l(-1)) and flow rates (20, 40, and 60 ml/min). The maximum percentage removal of 90% was achieved and the maximum carbon capacity for 5 mg l(-1) of toluene, 60 ml/min flow rate and 3 cm bed length shows 607.14 mg/g. The results of dynamic adsorption in a packed bed were consistent with those of equilibrium adsorption by gravimetric method. The breakthrough time and quantity shows that GAC with appropriate surface area can be utilized for air cleaning filters. The result shows that the physisorption plays main role in toluene removal.