ABSTRACT
Litter is a common pollution in the urban environment and public places such as beaches, which has serious health and economic consequences. Several indexes are used to interpret the pollution status caused by litter, which have different limitations and strengths. In this review, the efficiency and characteristics of different indexes were compared. For this purpose, related articles were searched in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Knowledge, and after screening, 21 articles were selected. The main questions of this study included factors affecting the interpretation of pollution in different indexes and the criteria considered in each index. The results showed that the existing indexes based on the type of litter include two categories of comprehensive indexes such as Clean Environment Index and specific indexes such as Cigarette Butt Pollution Index. Also, the index can be divided into two categories in terms of spatial application, including general indexes such as Environmental Status and specific indexes such as Clean Coast Index. An important difference in the indexes is the importance of the impact of the pollution potential of different litter in the assessment of the status in indexes such as Clean Environment Index and Environmental Status, while indexes such as Clean Coast Index evaluate the status based only on the density of litter. According to the capabilities of each of the indexes, it is necessary to pay attention to the local needs as well as the characteristics of each index in using in urban management plans.
ABSTRACT
Background: Unmeasured confounding is the primary obstacle to causal inference in observational research. We aimed to illuminate the association between exposure to influenza vaccination (IV) within six months before contracting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and COVID-19 hospitalization in relation to unmeasured confounding using the E-value method. Materials and Methods: Information about 367 patients, 103 of whom (28.07 %) had received IV, and confounders included sex, age, occupation, cigarette smoking, opium, and comorbidities were collected. We estimated the interest association using the inverse probability weighted (IPW) method. There was no information on some potential unmeasured confounders, such as socioeconomic status. Therefore, we computed E-value as a sensitivity analysis, which is the minimum strength of unmeasured confounding to explain away an exposure-outcome association beyond the measured confounders completely. Results: IPW denoted 1.12 (95% CI: 0.71 to 1.29) times greater risk of COVID-19 hospitalization in patients exposed to IV than in unexposed individuals. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that an E-value (95% CI) of 1.49 (1.90 to 2.15) is required to shift the RR and the corresponding confidence Interval (CI) lower and upper limits toward the null. Moreover, if they had been omitted, the most computed E-values for measured confounders were relatively larger than for unmeasured confounders. Conclusion: According to the context of the measured confounders, if they had been omitted, an E-value of 1.16 to 1.76, a weaker confounding could fully explain away the reported association, suggesting that no relationship exists between IV and COVID-19 hospitalization.
ABSTRACT
Folic Acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects. This study was aimed to investigate the consumption of folic acid to prevent deficiency anaemia based on the theory of planned behaviour on pregnant women in Neyshabur, Iran. This study included 180 pregnant women, who were gathered from 12 healthcare centres in the city of Neyshabur, Iran in 2018. Using a questionnaire and blood lab exam (folat) were measured and analysed. The average rates of knowledge, attitude, perceived behavioural control, intention, behaviour in the education group were meaningfully increased (p value < .05); however, these changes were not meaningful in the control group (p value > .05). Also, no statistically meaningful difference was obtained in subjective norm between the groups after the intervention (p = .924). It is suggested that folic acid supplementation promotion workshops should be held in health centres with the aim of preventing folic acid deficiency anaemia.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? The results of this study showed that by using education based on the theory of planned behaviour that emphasises the important psychological factors of behaviour or change, folic acid can be consumed in pregnant women. That women receive adequate and proper knowledge, along with a positive attitude toward taking folic acid, and feel that taking folic acid is at their discretion in terms of environmental factors (facilities and barriers), increases intent to use folic acid.What do the results of this study add? The results of this study also showed that the amount of folic acid intake during pregnancy increased by pregnant women and anaemia decreased.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The study showed the importance of the role of education based on theory of planned behaviour in consumption promoting folic acid.
