• Title/Summary/Keyword: Health impacts

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Life cycle analysis of concrete and asphalt used in road pavements

  • lvel, Jocelyn;Watson, Rachel;Abbassi, Bassim;Abu-Hamatteh, Ziad Salem
    • Environmental Engineering Research
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.52-61
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    • 2020
  • The article examines the impact differences between producing concrete and asphalt. Both materials are widely used in the construction industry. Construction activities account for a large portion of greenhouse gases. Therefore, it is important to consider the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to reduce environmental impacts. In this study, the material processes were inputted into an LCA program called SimaPro. The database used for the study was Ecoinvent as it is one of the major databases within SimaPro. The materials were compared against impacts per kg of material produced as the functional unit. Each process was created using the materials, energy and transportation required to produce the materials. Waste streams were also included in the process to determine the impacts after the product was done with its useful life. Using the ReCiPe method, an LCA was conducted. Midpoint and endpoint categories were examined for both the productions. The processes had similar results for the human health and ecosystems categories; however asphalt was marginally higher for both. Asphalt had exceeded concrete in the resource impact category by 100 mPt. The results indicate that concrete is the more sustainable building material. Determination of various impacts of the materials is important for material selection.

Estimation of greenhouse gas emissions: An alternative approach to waste management for reducing the environmental impacts in Myanmar

  • Tun, Maw Maw;Juchelkova, Dagmar
    • Environmental Engineering Research
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.618-629
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    • 2019
  • Along with growing population and economic development, increasing waste generation rates in developing countries have become a major issue related to the negative impacts of waste management on the environment. Currently, the business-as-usual waste management practices in Myanmar are largely affecting the environment and public health. Therefore, this study developed an alternative approach to waste management for reducing the environmental impacts in Myanmar by highlighting the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from business-as-usual practices and three proposed scenarios during 2018-2025. The calculation methods of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Institute for Global Environmental Strategies were used for estimating the GHG emissions from waste management. It was estimated that the current waste management sector generated approximately 2,000 gigagrams of CO2-eq per year in 2018, trending around 3,350 Gg of CO2-eq per year in 2025. It was also observed that out of the proposed scenarios, Scenario-2 significantly minimized the environmental impacts, with the lowest GHG emissions and highest waste resource recovery. Moreover, the GHG emissions from business-as-usual practices could be reduced by 50% by this scenario during 2018-2025. The target of the similar scenario could be achieved if the local government could efficiently implement waste management in the future.

Spatial Impacts of Brownfield Redevelopments on Neighborhood Housing Turnover and Stability - Case Study of Cuyahoga County, Ohio in the US - (브라운필드 재개발이 주변 지역 주택소유회전 및 주거 안정성에 미치는 공간적 파급효과 - 미국 오하이오주 쿠야호가 카운티를 중심으로 -)

  • Woo, Ayoung
    • Journal of KIBIM
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    • v.10 no.3
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    • pp.54-62
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    • 2020
  • There is growing consensus among planners and policymakers that brownfield remediation has positive impacts on neighborhoods in terms of housing prices, public health, and environmental quality. However, there is a limited understanding of how brownfield redevelopments spatially affect neighborhood housing turnover and stability. This paper addresses the spatial impacts of brownfield redevelopments on neighboring housing turnover in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. This study examines housing turnover before and after the remediation of brownfield sites countywide and in housing submarkets stratified by household income. Based on housing sales data between 1996 and 2007, the extended Cox Hazard model with the difference-in-difference approach is employed to clarify the causal relationships between brownfield redevelopments and neighboring housing turnover. Additionally, along with the results of the previous study examining impacts of brownfield remediation on nearby housing prices, this paper estimates the change of neighborhood stability due to brownfield redevelopments based on both attributes of housing prices and turnovers.

Impacts of the Establishments' Safety Behavior, Safety and Health Delivery and Communication on Occupational Safety and Health Policy Satisfaction

  • Choi, Seo-Yeon;Jung, Han-Suk;Ham, Joo-Hyun
    • Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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    • v.24 no.8
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    • pp.151-158
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    • 2019
  • In this paper, we conducted a study to understand the impacts of safety behavior, safety and health delivery and communication, which should be managed for the establishments' safety and health control on occupational safety and health policy satisfaction to utilize that as a material for preparing policy support and preventive measures. For this purpose, we conducted a statistic analysis with 2,970 establishments, utilizing the material, "2015 Occupational Safety and Health Company Survey". As a result, in the manufacturing industry, it turned out in the establishments with more than 300 workers, safety behavior, safety and health delivery and communication of the cooperative firm of the prime contractor were high. In addition, it turned out that safety behaviors had the biggest impact on occupational safety and health policy satisfaction in the manufacturing industry and safety and health delivery and communication had the biggest impact on occupational safety and health policy satisfaction in the construction industry and other industries. As for the relationship between companies, it turned out that safety behaviors had the biggest impact on that between the parent company and a cooperative firm of a prime contractor while safety and health delivery and communication on that between the prime contractor and the subcontractor. Through the results of this study, it is necessary to build up safety and health behavior and safety and health delivery and communication systems for the characteristics of the company, and it is expected that the effect of the safety and health control will increase when policy support is made accordingly.

Factors Related to Aerobic Physical Activity, Oral Health and Oral Health Behavior in Adult : Use of the 8th national health and nutrition survey (성인의 유산소 신체활동과 구강건강 및 구강건강행태와의 관련요인 : 제8기 국민건강영양조사 이용)

  • Ho-Jin Jeong;Kyung-Min Kim
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.187-195
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    • 2024
  • Purpose : Many studies have confirmed the relationship between physical exercise, chronic diseases, and quality of life, but few of those studies were limited to aerobic exercise. Above all, no research has confirmed the relationship between aerobic exercise and the oral health. This study is significant because it is the first study to confirm the relationship between aerobic exercise, which is practiced more frequently than other exercises, and oral health in adults. Through this study, we hoped to confirm the complex impacts of aerobic exercise on health-related quality of life, oral health-related behavior, and oral health status in adults and to use these impacts as basic data on the importance of aerobic exercise. Methods : In this study, the following analysis was conducted based on a complex sample design that applied stratification variables, cluster variables, and weights using SPSS version 21.0. Complex sample cross-analysis was conducted to identify general characteristics according to aerobic physical activity practice, and oral health-related characteristics according to the aerobic physical activity practice rate. Then, complex sample logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the effect of aerobic physical activity practice on oral health-related characteristics. During the statistical analysis, missing values were treated as valid values, and the statistical significance level was set at .05. Results : Aerobic physical activity practice was 1.39 times higher among the respondents who brushed their teeth after lunch (p<.001), 1.43 times higher among those who used dental floss (p<.001), 1.24 times higher among those who used mouthwash (p=.040), and 1.37 times higher was among those who had not experienced dental treatment (p=.040), which were statistically significant differences. Conclusion : This study found that when an individual's health status is maintained, positive oral health behavior can be achieved by paying attention to oral health, and this appears to contribute to improving oral health.

The Impacts of a Community Health Practitioner's Ego State, and Interpersonal Attitude on Depression (보건진료원의 자아상태 및 대인태도가 우울에 미치는 영향)

  • Lee Sook
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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    • v.36 no.3
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    • pp.457-467
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    • 2006
  • Purpose: Community health practitioners (CHP) in Korea have a responsibility for delivering primary health care to remote or isolated communities. The aim of this paper is to analyze CHPs' level of depression and impacts of their Ego state and interpersonal attitude in transactional analysis on depression. This paper gives fundamental data for developing a the program for mental health promotion of CHPs. Method: The subjects Of this Study consisted of 459 Korean CHP who were conveniently selected from the target population. The data was collected through interviews using self-administered questionnaires, including the Korean Ego gram and life position inventory and depression scale. Results: The CHP's Ego gram showed the N type with the top point of NP. The type of interpersonal attitude was I'M OK - YOU'RE OK (I+U++). The level of depression was 35.4, normal range. There was a significant difference in depression according to the duration of the career. There was a significant negative correlation among NP, A, FC ego states, interpersonal OK and depression, and a significant positive correlation between interpersonal Not-OK and depression. The NP, A, FC ego states and interpersonal Not-OK were significant predictors (47.1%) of depression. Conclusion: This study showed that a program for CHPs to should include increasing the function of ego states and positive interpersonal attitude.

The Impacts of Postpartum Depression on the Temperament, Health and Development of 4-month-old Infants (산모의 우울이 생후 4개월 영아의 기질, 건강과 성장발달에 미치는 영향)

  • Bang, Kyung-Sook
    • Perspectives in Nursing Science
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.9-15
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    • 2012
  • Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the impacts of maternal depression on the temperament, health problems, and development of 4-month-old infants. Methods: For this longitudinal comparative study, data collected at one month postpartum and at the 4th month of follow-up were evaluated from sixty five pairs. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to assess the symptoms of depression. Results: Eighteen point 5 percent and15.4% of mothers were diagnosed with postpartum depression at one month post-partum and at the 4th month of follow-up, respectively. The temperament of the infants between the two groups was not different. However, the infants of the depressed mothers had more health problems after 4 months. Depressed mothers had a lower score for the acceptance of Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME), and the development score of their infants was lower than that of the non-depressed mothers. Conclusion: Maternal depression affects the health and development of infants. Women should be screened for potential risk factors and for symptoms of depression during postpartum periods so that appropriate interventions including emotional support can be initiated in a timely manner.

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Positive Factors for Return to Work After Accidents: Health Awareness, Consultation with Doctors, and Personal Characteristics of Workers

  • Kang, Dongsuk
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.13 no.1
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    • pp.32-39
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    • 2022
  • Background: Industrial accidents can determine the overall level and quality of the work environment in industries and companies that contribute to national economic development. Korea has transformed the country from an international aid recipient to a donor country, but it has ranked first among the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member countries in the number of fatal industrial accidents. Little has been known about the policy effects in terms of the workers' insurance for their industrial accidents and rehabilitation. This study raises two research questions about the influence of workers' personal characteristics and vocational rehabilitation services on their return to workplaces. Methods: The study implements weighted logistic regression analysis using propensity score matching. This research utilizes the relevant dataset (3,924 persons) of Korea's industrial accident and insurance. Results: The findings show that the level of workers' awareness of health recovery and their counseling for rehabilitation by physicians had positive effects on their return to work. Environmental factors such as workers' job stability at the time of industrial accidents and the temporal effects of industrial accidents (e.g., the level of disability, their age) had negative impacts on their return to work. Conclusions: These findings have policy implications that the concentration of rehabilitation services for patients who have been mildly affected by industrial accidents would be effective in the short and medium term. The findings also highlight the necessity of ongoing policies about workers' vocational recovery with concrete evidence about policy impacts.

Toxicological Evaluations of Rare Earths and Their Health Impacts to Workers: A Literature Review

  • Rim, Kyung Taek;Koo, Kwon Ho;Park, Jung Sun
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.4 no.1
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    • pp.12-26
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    • 2013
  • In concert with the development of new materials in the last decade, the need for toxicological studies of these materials has been increasing. These new materials include a group of rare earths (RE). The use of RE nanotechnology is being considered in some green applications, to increase their efficiency by using nano-sized RE compounds, and therefore hazard evaluation and risk assessment are highly recommended. This review was conducted through an extensive contemplation of the literatures in toxicology with in vitro and in vivo studies. Major aspects reviewed were the toxicological evaluations of these elements and metallic compounds at the molecular and cellular level, animal and human epidemiological studies and environmental and occupational health impacts on workers. We also discuss the future prospect of industries with appliances using RE together with the significance of preventive efforts for workers' health. To establish a safe and healthy working environment for RE industries, the use of biomarkers is increasing to provide sustainable measure, due to demand for information about the health risks from unfavorable exposures. Given the recent toxicological results on the exposure of cells, animals and workers to RE compounds, it is important to review the toxicological studies to improve the current understanding of the RE compounds in the field of occupational health. This will help to establish a sustainable, safe and healthy working environment for RE industries.

The Effects of a Medical Institution's Brand Equity on Price Premium (의료기관 브랜드 자산이 가격 프리미엄에 미치는 영향 - 신뢰와 브랜드 충성도를 매개변수로 -)

  • Oh, Chang-Seok
    • The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.23-33
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    • 2011
  • The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a medical institution's brand equity on the users' trust and brand loyalty and further on price premium with trust and brand loyalty as the parameters. For that purpose, a survey was taken among 448 people that used service at university hospitals, general hospitals, and hospital in Busan. The results show that such brand equity components as the associated image of the brand and perceived quality had significant influences on relationships with trust with the latter having the greatest influences. Brand recognition, associated image of the brand, and perceived quality all had significant impacts on brand loyalty. The associated image of the brand had the biggest impacts, being followed by perceived quality and brand recognition in the order. Trust had positive impacts on brand loyalty according to the survey results about the quality of relationships with consumers, which suggests that medical institutions can increase their users' brand loyalty and intention for re-use by promoting their trust in them. While brand loyalty turned out to have statistical significance on the users' price premium, trust did not.