Building back better: resilient environmental and occupational health systems for the next global crisis

@#Even after two years, the COVID-19 pandemic still disrupts public activities and services as it exposes vulnerabilities among the population and negatively impacts environmental conditions. The crisis also impeded global progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The Fourth Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH) Forum held virtually on November 25 to 26, 2021 provided a venue for learning about local and international COVID-19 responses to help prepare for the next global crisis. Through the systems thinking approach, the discussions prioritized analyses of leadership and governance, financing, human resource, technologies, information management, and service delivery. These analyses focused on community and/or workplace programs and services linked to air quality, waste management, psychosocial wellness, and COVID-19 vaccination. The forum amplified calls for climate actions and public health improvement and emphasized the significance of a collaborative, evidence-based, integrated public health response to a crisis underscoring the apparent interdependence of the SDGs.

Geographic information system-based spatial modelling of soil-transmitted Helminth Infections among preschool-aged children in Masbate, Philippines

Objectives@#Since the effectiveness of the Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) program as a scaling-up approach in lowering the rates of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections has not yet been locally explored, this study aimed to (1) describe the association between environmental determinants and STH cumulative prevalence, and (2) to predict the 2020 STH cumulative prevalence. @*Methods@#A generalized linear regression (GLR) model was used to determine the association of 2014–2015 environmental determinants and observed 2015 STH cumulative prevalence, while a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model was used to produce predicted 2020 STH cumulative prevalence. @*Results@#ArcGIS’ GLR tool with R2 of 63% found that statistically significant environmental determinants include distance near to water bodies, forest land use, access to sanitary toilet, level one water source, and ZOD status, while the ArcGIS’ GWR tool found that barangays, Cabangcalan, Matalangtalang, Talabaan, and Talib in Aroroy hypothetically met the national target below 30% for 2020 STH cumulative prevalence. @*Conclusion@#This study showed that barangays with a moderately low percentage of area with freshwater bodies, a moderately high percentage of households with sanitary toilet and level one water source, and a 100% status of ZOD have lower rates of STH cumulative prevalence in preschool-aged children in the selected municipalities in Masbate.

Environmental enteric dysfunction, soil transmitted helminthiasis and stunting among 36- to 59-month-old children in Quezon Province, Philippines

@#Introduction: Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is relevant in public health as it is a potential cause of child stunting. In the Philippines, stunting affects 33.4% of children in 2015. As of date, no local studies on EED exist. This study primarily aimed to determine the prevalence of EED, soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and stunting; and their relationships. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 children aged 36-59 months old in Quezon Province, Philippines. EED was assessed via glucose hydrogen breath test with a cut-off of >20 ppm over baseline by 90 minutes suggestive of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), a biomarker of EED. Kato Katz Technique was used to determine STH. Stunting was determined using the 2006 World Health Organization Child Growth Standards. Descriptive and correlation analyses of data were done at 10% level of significance. The study received approval from the National Ethics Committee of PCHRD-DOST, Philippines. Results: Data on expired hydrogen level of <20ppm were documented. The prevalence of STH among children were 38.1% for Ascaris lumbricodes, 15.3% for Trichuris trichiura, and 1.7% for hookworm infections. A high rate of stunting at 40.0% was observed. There was a significant positive association between stunting and the presence of Ascaris (p=0.01). Conclusion: There was no case of EED detected in the study. The severity of stunting was high at 40.0%. Among the STH, the prevalence of 38.1% children having Ascaris lumbricodes was alarming in terms of morbidity control. Nutrition interventions including WASH practices and the use of anthelminthic drugs need to be intensified to address stunting and STH.

A look at an urban tertiary hospital's indoor air pollutants using source apportionment of PM₂.₅

Background@#Ironically, the hospital which is believed to be a healthy and safe place can be dangerous to health. Pollutants such as particulate matter 2.5 microns (PM₂.₅) can be present in hospital indoor air and may adversely affect the health of the hospital occupants. @*Objective@#Possible sources of indoor PM₂.₅ in an urban tertiary care hospital in the Philippines are identified and apportioned in this study. @*Methods@#PM₂.₅ measurements were conducted in two naturally ventilated wards (NVWs), two mechanically ventilated wards (MVWs), and a roof deck near the hospital. Mass concentrations with analytical uncertainties of thirteen elements (Al, Na, S, Si, Cl, K, Ca, V, Fe, Zn, Br, Hg, Pb) from PM₂.₅ measurements were utilized with Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) receptor model to identify and apportion possible sources of indoor PM₂.₅. @*Results@#In NVWs and MVWs, four types of sources were identified including sodium and chlorine sources, crustal emissions, anthropogenic sulfur sources, and road dust. Cleaning agents used in the hospital were identified as an anthropogenic indoor source of sodium while the other factors mainly came from outdoor sources. @*Conclusion@#The contribution of anthropogenic outdoor pollutants such as road dust and sulfur sources to indoor PM₂.₅ are highlighted in the study. The types of both indoor and outdoor sources of indoor PM₂.₅ can be influenced by the type of ventilation.

Challenges and opportunities in environmental and occupational health: Highlights of the First National Environmental and Occupational Health Forum

@#<p>Environmental and occupational health are interconnected disciplines of public health that are concerned in maintaining a symbiotic relationship between the ecosystem and humans. This relationship is under threat by the continuous and alarming increase of the Earth's temperature causing climate change that impacts not just health but also the economy and the safety of the population. The First National Environmental and Occupational Health Forum was organized by the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila to address and discuss the complex issues that the Philippines is currently experiencing when it comes to environmental and occupational health by providing a space where stakeholders from different sectors can actively participate in mapping out challenges and opportunities. The organizer's long-term vision is to catalyze and build a network of collaboration that is geared towards the improvement of health and safety in the workplace that involves mitigating the effects of climate change. The discussions in the forum gave a comprehensive insight into the different challenges we face for being one of the most vulnerable countries to natural disasters: how this affects health, workplace, and environment. These challenges created new opportunities for the country to build resilience and formulate adaptive strategies to decrease the vulnerability of the population especially the workforce who are constantly exposed to different hazards that are exacerbated by changes in the environment.</p>