1
|
Collier-Oxandale A, Papapostolou V, Feenstra B, Der Boghossian B, Polidori A. Towards the Development of a Sensor Educational Toolkit to Support Community and Citizen Science. Sensors (Basel) 2022; 22:2543. [PMID: 35408158 DOI: 10.3390/s22072543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
As air quality sensors increasingly become commercially available, a deeper consideration of their usability and usefulness is needed to ensure effective application by the public. Much of the research related to sensors has focused on data quality and potential applications. While this information is important, a greater understanding of users’ experience with sensors would provide complementary information. Under a U.S. EPA-funded Science to Achieve Results grant awarded to the South Coast Air Quality Management District in California, titled “Engage, Educate, and Empower California Communities on the Use and Applications of Low-Cost Air Monitoring Sensors”, approximately 400 air quality sensors were deployed with 14 California communities. These communities received sensors and training, and they participated in workshops. Widely varying levels of sensor installation and engagement were observed across the 14 communities. However, despite differences between communities (in terms of participation, demographics, and socioeconomic factors), many participants offered similar feedback on the barriers to sensor use and strategies leading to successful sensor use. Here, we assess sensor use and participant feedback, as well as discuss the development of an educational toolkit titled “Community in Action: A Comprehensive Toolkit on Air Quality Sensors”. This toolkit can be leveraged by future community and citizen science projects to develop networks designed to collect air quality information that can help reduce exposure to and the emissions of pollutants, leading to improved environmental and public health.
Collapse
|
2
|
Pétré B, Paridans M, Gillain N, Husson E, Donneau AF, Dardenne N, Breuer C, Michel F, Dandoy M, Bureau F, Gillet L, Leclercq D, Guillaume M. Acceptability of Community Saliva Testing in Controlling the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned from Two Case Studies in Nursing Homes and Schools. Patient Prefer Adherence 2022; 16:625-631. [PMID: 35283625 PMCID: PMC8904939 DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s349742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Current public health debate centers on COVID-19 testing methods and strategies. In some communities, high transmission risk may justify routine testing, and this requires test methods that are safe and efficient for both patients and the administrative or health-care workers administering them. Saliva testing appears to satisfy those criteria. There is, however, little documentation on the acceptability of this method among beneficiaries. This article presents the lessons learned from a pilot study on the use of saliva testing for routine screening of nursing home and secondary school personnel in Wallonia (the French-speaking part of Belgium), conducted in December 2020 to April 2021, respectively. Administrators at the facilities in question seemed to think highly of saliva testing and wished to continue it after the pilot study was over. This result reinforces the criteria (the noninvasive aspect, in particular) supporting a key role for saliva testing in monitoring community spread of the virus. Nevertheless, wider-scale deployment of this particular method will only be possible if the testing strategy as a whole takes a health promotion approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Pétré
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
- Correspondence: Benoit Pétré, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Liège University, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 13 (B23), Liège, 4000, Belgium, Tel +32 4 366 2505, Email
| | - Marine Paridans
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Gillain
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Eddy Husson
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Anne-Françoise Donneau
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
- Risk Assessment Group COVID-19, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
- University and Hospital Biostatistics Center (B-STAT), Faculty of Medicine, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nadia Dardenne
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
- University and Hospital Biostatistics Center (B-STAT), Faculty of Medicine, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Christophe Breuer
- Governance Support Unit, Rectorate, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Fabienne Michel
- Risk Assessment Group COVID-19, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
- Collection and Analysis of Data and Information of Strategic Utility (RADIUS), Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Fabrice Bureau
- Covid-19 Platform, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, GIGA Institute, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Laurent Gillet
- Covid-19 Platform, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
- Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal and Health (FARAH) Center, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
- Laboratory of Immunology-Vaccinology, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Dieudonné Leclercq
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Michèle Guillaume
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
- Risk Assessment Group COVID-19, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Slough T, Kopas J, Urpelainen J. Satellite-based deforestation alerts with training and incentives for patrolling facilitate community monitoring in the Peruvian Amazon. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2015171118. [PMID: 34253599 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2015171118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite substantial investments in high-frequency, remote-sensed forest monitoring in the Amazon, early deforestation alerts generated by these systems rarely reach the most directly affected populations in time to deter deforestation. We study a community monitoring program that facilitated transfer of early deforestation alerts from the Global Forest Watch network to indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon and trained and incentivized community members to patrol forests in response to those alerts. The program was randomly assigned to 39 of 76 communities. The results from our analysis suggest that the program reduced tree cover loss, but the estimated effects from the experiment are imprecise: We estimate a reduction of 8.4 ha per community in the first year (95% CI [-19.4, 2.6]) and 3.3 ha in the second year (95% CI: [-13.6, 7.0]) of monitoring. The estimated reductions were largest in communities facing the largest threats. Data from monitoring records and community surveys provide evidence about how the program may affect forest outcomes. Community members perceived that the program's monitors were new authorities with influence over forest management and that the monitors' incentivized patrols were substitutes for traditional, unincentivized citizen patrols that suffer from free riding and inhibit timely community detection of and responses to deforestation. Should our findings be replicated elsewhere, they imply that externally facilitated community-based monitoring protocols that combine remote-sensed early deforestation alerts with training and incentives for monitors could contribute to sustainable forest management.
Collapse
|
4
|
Slough T, Rubenson D, Levy R, Alpizar Rodriguez F, Bernedo Del Carpio M, Buntaine MT, Christensen D, Cooperman A, Eisenbarth S, Ferraro PJ, Graham L, Hartman AC, Kopas J, McLarty S, Rigterink AS, Samii C, Seim B, Urpelainen J, Zhang B. Adoption of community monitoring improves common pool resource management across contexts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2015367118. [PMID: 34253604 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2015367118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pervasive overuse and degradation of common pool resources (CPRs) is a global concern. To sustainably manage CPRs, effective governance institutions are essential. A large literature has developed to describe the institutional design features employed by communities that successfully manage their CPRs. Yet, these designs remain far from universally adopted. We focus on one prominent institutional design feature, community monitoring, and ask whether nongovernmental organizations or governments can facilitate its adoption and whether adoption of monitoring affects CPR use. To answer these questions, we implemented randomized controlled trials in six countries. The harmonized trials randomly assigned the introduction of community monitoring to 400 communities, with data collection in an additional 347 control communities. Most of the 400 communities adopted regular monitoring practices over the course of a year. In a meta-analysis of the experimental results from the six sites, we find that the community monitoring reduced CPR use and increased user satisfaction and knowledge by modest amounts. Our findings demonstrate that community monitoring can improve CPR management in disparate contexts, even when monitoring is externally initiated rather than homegrown. These findings provide guidance for the design of future programs and policies intended to develop monitoring capabilities in communities. Furthermore, our harmonized, multisite trial provides sustainability science with a new way to study the complexity of socioecological systems and builds generalizable insights about how to improve CPR management.
Collapse
|
5
|
Eisenbarth S, Graham L, Rigterink AS. Can community monitoring save the commons? Evidence on forest use and displacement. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2015172118. [PMID: 34253600 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2015172118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid deforestation is a major driver of greenhouse-gas emissions (1). One proposed policy tool to halt deforestation is community forest management. Even though communities manage an increasing proportion of the world's forests, we lack good evidence of successful approaches to community forest management. Prior studies suggest that successful approaches require a number of "design conditions" to be met. However, causal evidence on the effectiveness of individual design conditions is scarce. This study isolates one design condition, community-led monitoring of the forest, and provides causal evidence on its potential to reduce forest use. The study employs a randomized controlled trial to investigate the impact of community monitoring on forest use in 110 villages in Uganda. We explore the impact of community monitoring in both monitored and unmonitored areas of the forest, using exceptionally detailed data from on-the-ground measurements and satellite imagery. Estimates indicate that community monitoring does not affect our main outcome of interest, a forest-use index. However, treatment villages see a relative increase in forest loss outside of monitored forest areas compared to control villages. This increase is seen both in nonmonitored areas adjacent to treatment villages and in nonmonitored areas adjacent to neighboring villages not included in the study. We tentatively conclude that at least part of the increase in forest loss in nonmonitored areas is due to displacement of forest use by members of treatment villages due to fear of sanctions. Interventions to reduce deforestation should take this potentially substantial effect into consideration.
Collapse
|
6
|
Francetic I, Fink G, Tediosi F. Impact of social accountability monitoring on health facility performance: Evidence from Tanzania. Health Econ 2021; 30:766-785. [PMID: 33458910 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Social accountability programs are increasingly used to improve the performance of public service providers in low-income settings. Despite their growing popularity, evidence on the effectiveness of social accountability programs remains mixed. In this manuscript, we assess the impact of a social accountability intervention on health facility management exploring quasiexperimental variation in program exposure in Tanzania. We find that the social accountability intervention resulted in a 1.8 SD reduction in drug stockouts relative to the control group, but did not improve facility infrastructure maintenance. The results of this study suggest that social accountability programs may be effective in areas of health service provision that are responsive to changes in provider behavior but may not work in settings where improvements in outcomes are conditional on larger health systems features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Igor Francetic
- Health Organization, Policy and Economics (HOPE) Group, Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Manno, Switzerland
| | - Günther Fink
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fabrizio Tediosi
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Pétré B, Kirkove D, de Andrade V, Crozet C, Toro-Arrocet D, Margat A, Gagnayre R. Learnings from Health Behavioural Survey Practices in France and Belgium During the First COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Order. Patient Prefer Adherence 2021; 15:807-809. [PMID: 33897257 PMCID: PMC8058330 DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s298401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled public authorities to establish preventive measures involving individual behaviour modification strategies (mask-wearing, social distancing, etc.) with a view to community protection. In this context, documenting people's behaviour changes, the impact of public health measures, and individuals' knowledge, motivations, and beliefs - even their perception of how the crisis is being managed - is essential for understanding the experience of the population and adapting the management approach accordingly. This article presents findings and lessons on how to monitor a population's behaviour during a crisis, obtained by reviewing forty-five surveys conducted in Belgium and France during the first Covid-19 stay-at-home order, from April to May 2020. The central message is to argue that the citizens' role in this type of survey - and in managing the crisis, more generally - should be reconsidered by thinking of them as true health partners and members of a community that could be mobilised to help.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Pétré
- Department of Public Health, University of Liege, Liège, Belgium
- Correspondence: Benoit Pétré Department of Public Health, University of Liège, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 13 (B23), Liège, 4000, BelgiumTel +32 4 366 2505 Email
| | - Delphine Kirkove
- Department of Public Health, University of Liege, Liège, Belgium
| | - Vincent de Andrade
- Education and Health Practices Laboratory, UR 3412, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Sorbonne Paris-Nord University, Bobigny, France
| | - Cyril Crozet
- Education and Health Practices Laboratory, UR 3412, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Sorbonne Paris-Nord University, Bobigny, France
| | - Daniela Toro-Arrocet
- Education and Health Practices Laboratory, UR 3412, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Sorbonne Paris-Nord University, Bobigny, France
| | - Aurore Margat
- Education and Health Practices Laboratory, UR 3412, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Sorbonne Paris-Nord University, Bobigny, France
| | - Rémi Gagnayre
- Education and Health Practices Laboratory, UR 3412, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Sorbonne Paris-Nord University, Bobigny, France
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Steyn PS, Boydell V, Cordero JP, McMullen H, Habib N, Nguyen TMH, Nai D, Shamba D, Kiarie J. Rationale and design of a complex intervention measuring the impact and processes of social accountability applied to contraceptive programming: CaPSAI Project. Gates Open Res 2020; 4:26. [PMID: 33134856 PMCID: PMC7541905 DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.13075.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: There are numerous barriers leading to a high unmet need for family planning and contraceptives (FP/C). These include limited knowledge and information, poor access to quality services, structural inefficiencies in service provision and inadequately trained and supervised health professionals. Recently, social accountability programs have shown promising results in addressing barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services. As a highly complex participatory process with multiple and interrelated components, steps and actors, studying social accountability poses methodological challenges. The Community and Provider driven Social Accountability Intervention (CaPSAI) Project study protocol was developed to measure the impact of a social accountability intervention on contraceptive uptake and use and to understand the mechanisms and contextual factors that influence and generate these effects (with emphasis on health services actors and community members). Methods: CaPSAI Project is implementing a social accountability intervention where service users and providers assess the quality of local FP/C services and jointly identify ways to improve the delivery and quality of such services. In the project, a quasi-experimental study utilizing an interrupted time series design with a control group is conducted in eight intervention and eight control facilities in each study country, which are Ghana and Tanzania. A cross-sectional survey of service users and health care providers is used to measure social accountability outcomes, and a cohort of women who are new users of FP/C is followed up after the completion of the intervention to measure contraceptive use and continuation. The process evaluation utilizes a range of methods and data sources to enable a fuller description of how the findings were produced. Conclusion: This complex study design could provide researchers and implementers with the means to better measure and understand the mechanisms and contextual factors that influence social accountability processes in reproductive health, adding important findings to the evidence base.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Petrus S Steyn
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training Human Reproduction, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
| | - Victoria Boydell
- Global Health Centre, Geneva Graduate Institute, Maison de la Paix, Chemin Eugène-Rigot 2A, Case Postale 1672, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland
| | - Joanna Paula Cordero
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training Human Reproduction, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
| | - Heather McMullen
- Centre for Global Public Health, Institute of Population Health Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, 58 Turner Street, London, E1 2AB, UK
| | - Ndema Habib
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training Human Reproduction, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
| | - Thi My Huong Nguyen
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training Human Reproduction, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
| | - Dela Nai
- Population Council, 204 Yiyiwa Drive, Abelemkpe, Accra, Ghana
| | - Donat Shamba
- Department of Health Systems, Impact Evaluation and Policy, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O.BOX 78373, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - James Kiarie
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training Human Reproduction, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
| | - CaPSAI Project
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training Human Reproduction, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
- Global Health Centre, Geneva Graduate Institute, Maison de la Paix, Chemin Eugène-Rigot 2A, Case Postale 1672, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland
- Centre for Global Public Health, Institute of Population Health Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, 58 Turner Street, London, E1 2AB, UK
- Population Council, 204 Yiyiwa Drive, Abelemkpe, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Health Systems, Impact Evaluation and Policy, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O.BOX 78373, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Steyn PS, Boydell V, Cordero JP, McMullen H, Habib N, Nguyen TMH, Nai D, Shamba D, Kiarie J. Rationale and design of a complex intervention measuring the impact and processes of social accountability applied to contraceptive programming: CaPSAI Project. Gates Open Res 2020; 4:26. [PMID: 33134856 PMCID: PMC7541905 DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.13075.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: There are numerous barriers leading to a high unmet need for family planning and contraceptives (FP/C). These include limited knowledge and information, poor access to quality services, structural inefficiencies in service provision and inadequately trained and supervised health professionals. Recently, social accountability programs have shown promising results in addressing barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services. As a highly complex participatory process with multiple and interrelated components, steps and actors, studying social accountability poses methodological challenges. The Community and Provider driven Social Accountability Intervention (CaPSAI) Project study protocol was developed to measure the impact of a social accountability intervention on contraceptive uptake and use and to understand the mechanisms and contextual factors that influence and generate these effects (with emphasis on health services actors and community members). Methods: CaPSAI Project is implementing a social accountability intervention where service users and providers assess the quality of local FP/C services and jointly identify ways to improve the delivery and quality of such services. In the project, a quasi-experimental study utilizing an interrupted time series design with a control group is conducted in eight intervention and eight control facilities in each study country, which are Ghana and Tanzania. A cross-sectional survey of service users and health care providers is used to measure social accountability outcomes, and a cohort of women who are new users of FP/C is followed up after the completion of the intervention to measure contraceptive use and continuation. The process evaluation utilizes a range of methods and data sources to enable a fuller description of how the findings were produced. Conclusion: This complex study design could provide researchers and implementers with the means to better measure and understand the mechanisms and contextual factors that influence social accountability processes in reproductive health, adding important findings to the evidence base.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Petrus S Steyn
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training Human Reproduction, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
| | - Victoria Boydell
- Global Health Centre, Geneva Graduate Institute, Maison de la Paix, Chemin Eugène-Rigot 2A, Case Postale 1672, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland
| | - Joanna Paula Cordero
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training Human Reproduction, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
| | - Heather McMullen
- Centre for Global Public Health, Institute of Population Health Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, 58 Turner Street, London, E1 2AB, UK
| | - Ndema Habib
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training Human Reproduction, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
| | - Thi My Huong Nguyen
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training Human Reproduction, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
| | - Dela Nai
- Population Council, 204 Yiyiwa Drive, Abelemkpe, Accra, Ghana
| | - Donat Shamba
- Department of Health Systems, Impact Evaluation and Policy, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O.BOX 78373, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - James Kiarie
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training Human Reproduction, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Clark LP, Sreekanth V, Bekbulat B, Baum M, Yang S, Baylon P, Gould TR, Larson TV, Seto EYW, Space CD, Marshall JD. Developing a Low-Cost Passive Method for Long-Term Average Levels of Light-Absorbing Carbon Air Pollution in Polluted Indoor Environments. Sensors (Basel) 2020; 20:E3417. [PMID: 32560462 PMCID: PMC7348734 DOI: 10.3390/s20123417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
We propose a low-cost passive method for monitoring long-term average levels of light-absorbing carbon air pollution in polluted indoor environments. Building on prior work, the method here estimates the change in reflectance of a passively exposed surface through analysis of digital images. To determine reproducibility and limits of detection, we tested low-cost passive samplers with exposure to kerosene smoke in the laboratory and to environmental pollution in 20 indoor locations. Preliminary results suggest robust reproducibility (r = 0.99) and limits of detection appropriate for longer-term (~1-3 months) monitoring in households that use solid fuels. The results here suggest high precision; further testing involving "gold standard" measurements is needed to investigate accuracy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lara P. Clark
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
| | - V. Sreekanth
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
- Center for Study of Science, Technology & Policy, Bengaluru 560094, India
| | - Bujin Bekbulat
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
| | | | - Songlin Yang
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
- Astronaut Center of China, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Pao Baylon
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
| | - Timothy R. Gould
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
| | - Timothy V. Larson
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
| | - Edmund Y. W. Seto
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
| | - Chris D. Space
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
| | - Julian D. Marshall
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Abstract
Authors conducted a systematic literature review on early identification steps leading at-risk young children to connect with Part C services. Authors classified data collection settings as primary (settings for general population) or specialized (settings for children at risk of developmental delay) and according to the phases of early identification in the study: (a) original population of children aged 0 to 6 years who had received Part C services, (b) screening and/or referral and/or developmental assessment from 0 through age 2 years, and (c) were deemed eligible and/or received Part C services. Authors identified 43 articles including at least two phases of the early identification process. The literature about connecting children to Part C early intervention (EI) is sparse and fragmented; few studies document the full process from community monitoring to service receipt. Results indicate opportunities for development of systems to better track and improve the identification of young children in need of EI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rebecca Wolf
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hedrich S, Guézennec AG, Charron M, Schippers A, Joulian C. Quantitative Monitoring of Microbial Species during Bioleaching of a Copper Concentrate. Front Microbiol 2017; 7:2044. [PMID: 28066365 PMCID: PMC5167697 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.02044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Monitoring of the microbial community in bioleaching processes is essential in order to control process parameters and enhance the leaching efficiency. Suitable methods are, however, limited as they are usually not adapted to bioleaching samples and often no taxon-specific assays are available in the literature for these types of consortia. Therefore, our study focused on the development of novel quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assays for the quantification of Acidithiobacillus caldus, Leptospirillum ferriphilum, Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans, and Sulfobacillus benefaciens and comparison of the results with data from other common molecular monitoring methods in order to evaluate their accuracy and specificity. Stirred tank bioreactors for the leaching of copper concentrate, housing a consortium of acidophilic, moderately thermophilic bacteria, relevant in several bioleaching operations, served as a model system. The microbial community analysis via qPCR allowed a precise monitoring of the evolution of total biomass as well as abundance of specific species. Data achieved by the standard fingerprinting methods, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and capillary electrophoresis single strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) on the same samples followed the same trend as qPCR data. The main added value of qPCR was, however, to provide quantitative data for each species whereas only relative abundance could be deduced from T-RFLP and CE-SSCP profiles. Additional value was obtained by applying two further quantitative methods which do not require nucleic acid extraction, total cell counting after SYBR Green staining and metal sulfide oxidation activity measurements via microcalorimetry. Overall, these complementary methods allow for an efficient quantitative microbial community monitoring in various bioleaching operations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Hedrich
- Resource Geochemistry, Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Mickaël Charron
- Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières Orléans, France
| | - Axel Schippers
- Resource Geochemistry, Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources Hannover, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Tripathy JP, Aggarwal AK, Patro BK, Verma H. Process evaluation of community monitoring under national health mission at Chandigarh, union territory: Methodology and challenges. J Family Med Prim Care 2015; 4:539-45. [PMID: 26985413 PMCID: PMC4776606 DOI: 10.4103/2249-4863.174282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Community monitoring was introduced on a pilot mode in 36 selected districts of India in a phased manner. In Chandigarh, it was introduced in the year 2009-2010. A preliminary evaluation of the program was undertaken with special emphasis on the inputs and the processes. METHODOLOGY Quantitative methods included verification against checklists and record reviews. Nonparticipant observation was used to evaluate the conduct of trainings, interviews, and group discussions. Health system had trained health system functionaries (nursing students and Village Health Sanitation Committee [VHSC] members) to generate village-based scorecards for assessing community needs. Community needs were assessed independently for two villages under the study area to validate the scores generated by the health system. RESULTS VHSCs were formed in all 22 villages but without a chairperson or convener. The involvement of VHSC members in the community monitoring process was minimal. The conduct of group discussions was below par due to poor moderation and unequal responses from the group. The community monitoring committees at the state level had limited representation from the non-health sector, lower committees, and the nongovernmental organizations/civil societies. Agreement between the report cards generated by the investigator and the health system in the selected villages was found to be to be fair (0.369) whereas weighted kappa (0.504) was moderate. CONCLUSION In spite of all these limitations and challenges, the government has taken a valiant step by trying to involve the community in the monitoring of health services. The dynamic nature of the community warrants incorporation of an evaluation framework into the planning of such programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jaya Prasad Tripathy
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh; International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, The Union South East Asia Office, New Delhi
| | - Arun Kumar Aggarwal
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh
| | - Binod Kumar Patro
- Department of Community Medicine and Family Medicine, AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
| | - Himbala Verma
- Public Health Consultant, National Health Mission, Chandigarh
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Macey GP, Breech R, Chernaik M, Cox C, Larson D, Thomas D, Carpenter DO. Air concentrations of volatile compounds near oil and gas production: a community-based exploratory study. Environ Health 2014; 13:82. [PMID: 25355625 PMCID: PMC4216869 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-13-82] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and other drilling and well stimulation technologies are now used widely in the United States and increasingly in other countries. They enable increases in oil and gas production, but there has been inadequate attention to human health impacts. Air quality near oil and gas operations is an underexplored human health concern for five reasons: (1) prior focus on threats to water quality; (2) an evolving understanding of contributions of certain oil and gas production processes to air quality; (3) limited state air quality monitoring networks; (4) significant variability in air emissions and concentrations; and (5) air quality research that misses impacts important to residents. Preliminary research suggests that volatile compounds, including hazardous air pollutants, are of potential concern. This study differs from prior research in its use of a community-based process to identify sampling locations. Through this approach, we determine concentrations of volatile compounds in air near operations that reflect community concerns and point to the need for more fine-grained and frequent monitoring at points along the production life cycle. METHODS Grab and passive air samples were collected by trained volunteers at locations identified through systematic observation of industrial operations and air impacts over the course of resident daily routines. A total of 75 volatile organics were measured using EPA Method TO-15 or TO-3 by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Formaldehyde levels were determined using UMEx 100 Passive Samplers. RESULTS Levels of eight volatile chemicals exceeded federal guidelines under several operational circumstances. Benzene, formaldehyde, and hydrogen sulfide were the most common compounds to exceed acute and other health-based risk levels. CONCLUSIONS Air concentrations of potentially dangerous compounds and chemical mixtures are frequently present near oil and gas production sites. Community-based research can provide an important supplement to state air quality monitoring programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregg P Macey
- />Center for Health, Science, and Public Policy, Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, New York USA
| | - Ruth Breech
- />Global Community Monitor, Richmond, California USA
| | - Mark Chernaik
- />Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, Eugene, Oregon USA
| | - Caroline Cox
- />Center for Environmental Health, Oakland, California USA
| | - Denny Larson
- />Global Community Monitor, Richmond, California USA
| | - Deb Thomas
- />Powder River Basin Resource Council, Clark, Wyoming USA
| | - David O Carpenter
- />Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Flynn A, Wells S. Community indicators: assessing the impact of alcohol use on communities. Alcohol Res 2013; 35:135-49. [PMID: 24881322 PMCID: PMC3908705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Community indicators are used to assess the impact of alcohol on communities. This article reviews the main data sources for community indicators, discusses their strengths and limitations, and discusses indicators used in reference to four main topics relating to alcohol use and problems at the community level: alcohol use, patterns, and problems; alcohol availability; alcohol-related health outcomes/trauma; and alcohol-related crime and enforcement. It also reviews the challenges associated with collecting community indicator data, along with important innovations in the field that have contributed to better knowledge of how to collect and analyze community-level data on the impact of alcohol.
Collapse
|