Background: Few studies in South Africa have investigated the exposure of asthmatic learners to i... more Background: Few studies in South Africa have investigated the exposure of asthmatic learners to indoor and outdoor air pollution at schools. This study compared outdoor PM 10 and SO 2 exposure levels in exposed (1–2 km from gold mine dumps) and unexposed schools (5 km or more from gold mine dumps). It also examined exposure of asthmatic children to indoor respirable dust at exposed and unexposed schools.
The definition of globalisation is varied. However, one certainty is that in a globalised world t... more The definition of globalisation is varied. However, one certainty is that in a globalised world the borders are porous in many aspects; people movement, goods exchange, knowledge sharing and redistribution of labour. The concept of globalisation, its impact on society, and its direction leads to a two-sided argument. Could this be the effect of globalisation on ethics and social responsibility, as it is perceived? This paper endeavours to further our understanding of the dynamic relationship of globalisation, ethics and social responsibility in occupational health. The multidisciplinary activity approach to occupational health was used. The globalisation, ethical and social responsibility relationship of the activities in occupational health was analysed using a schematic map of the direct and indirect influences. The analysis revealed areas that can be clustered to address the interaction between driving forces in occupational health ethics and social responsibility for a healthy w...
The ultimate aim of this review was to summarise the epidemiological evidence on the association ... more The ultimate aim of this review was to summarise the epidemiological evidence on the association between municipal solid waste management operations and health risks to populations residing near landfills and incinerators, waste workers and recyclers. To accomplish this, the sub-aims of this review article were to (1) examine the health risks posed by municipal solid waste management activities, (2) determine the strengths and gaps of available literature on health risks from municipal waste management operations and (3) suggest possible research needs for future studies. The article reviewed epidemiological literature on public health concerns of municipal solid waste handling published in the period 1995-2014. The PubMed and MEDLINE computerised literature searches were employed to identify the relevant papers using the keywords solid waste, waste management, health risks, recycling, landfills and incinerators. Additionally, all references of potential papers were examined to determine more articles that met the inclusion criteria. A total of 379 papers were identified, but after intensive screening only 72 met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Of these studies, 33 were on adverse health effects in communities living near waste dumpsites or incinerators, 24 on municipal solid waste workers and 15 on informal waste recyclers. Reviewed studies were unable to demonstrate a causal or non-causal relationship due to various limitations. In light of the above findings, our review concludes that overall epidemiological evidence in reviewed articles is inadequate mainly due to methodological limitations and future research needs to develop tools capable of demonstrating causal or non-causal relationships between specific waste management operations and adverse health endpoints.
This cross-sectional study examined respiratory health outcomes and associated risk factors in ch... more This cross-sectional study examined respiratory health outcomes and associated risk factors in children living in a part of South Africa characterised by high levels of air pollution. A questionnaire was used to collect self-reported respiratory health and risk factor data from the parents/guardians of children between the ages of 9 and 11 years attending primary schools in the study area. Six government schools were selected based on their location, class size and willingness to participate. Univariate and bivariate analyses as well as logistic regression analysis were performed on the data, using a p-value of 0.25 and biological plausibility. The overall prevalence of respiratory ill-health symptoms was 34.1%. The prevalence of respiratory ill-health conditions was significantly elevated among children from households using non-electrical fuels v. electricity for cooking (43.9% v. 31.6%; adjusted p-value 0.005). The same was noted among those using non-electrical fuels for heating (37.8% v. 29.0%). The elevated prevalence of some respiratory health outcomes among schoolchildren, especially in conjunction with domestic fossil fuel burning, is of concern. The data collected in this study may be used to complement or form a basis for future policy regarding indoor or ambient air quality in the area.
AfriHealth aims to increase public health capacity in and for Africa through generating an eviden... more AfriHealth aims to increase public health capacity in and for Africa through generating an evidence-based and well-resourced network of institutions and individuals with sufficient scientific and political credibility to enable it to contribute substantially to the improvement of public health in Africa in a sustainable manner, and to stimulate continental health action in which priorities for Africa will, in the first instance, be determined by Africa itself. AfriHealth secretariat is based at the School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa. SHSPH supports the Public Health Education Taskforce and its activities in Africa. SHSPH facilitates validation and testing of the institutional self assessment tool for public health education institutions in Africa.
Schools, institutes and faculties of public health have been in existence for nearly a century. C... more Schools, institutes and faculties of public health have been in existence for nearly a century. Continued development of public health, as a profession and as a discipline, is critical to improving population health and requires improved access to public health expertise and better training in key public health skills. Recently, a debate is being promoted about the relevance and direction of public health institutions in the 21st century. Are the existing models of public health schools preparing graduates for today’s world? Are they able to make significant contributions to improving the health of the population, particularly the poor and other marginalized groups? Do they support policy makers? Are they linked with Ministries of Health and of Education in the development of national health plans, including health systems and specifically, health workforce development? Schools of public health attracts now a broad diversity of students, from young physicians, nurses, Ministry of He...
This is the fifth study that applied the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood... more This is the fifth study that applied the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) methodology in the Southern African Development Community (SADC region). However, it is the first ISAAC study that focused on 6- to 7-year-old children living in South Africa and that also investigated the association between potential risk factors and asthma symptoms. Objective To assess the 12-month prevalence of wheeze and severe wheeze along with their potential risk factors. Setting Within a 60-km radius from the Polokwane city centre, Limpopo Province. The survey was conducted during August 2004 and February 2005. Parents/guardians of 6- to 7-year-old children completed the questionnaires in English, Afrikaans or North-Sotho. However, the statistical analyses were restricted to the North-Sotho group (n = 2,437). The 12-month prevalence rates of wheeze and severe wheeze were 11.2% and 5.7%, respectively. The 12-month prevalence rates of eczema symptoms and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms were 8.0% and 7.3%, respectively. Living in a rural area significantly decreased the likelihood of wheeze by 31%. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke at home and the presence of eczema symptoms and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms increased the likelihood of wheeze by 77%, 104% and 226%, respectively. Only the presence of rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms increased the likelihood of severe wheeze by 107%. Wheeze appears to be an emerging public health problem in the Polokwane area. Hopefully, detailed analytical intervention studies will further explicate these results in the near future.
Background: Few studies in South Africa have investigated the exposure of asthmatic learners to i... more Background: Few studies in South Africa have investigated the exposure of asthmatic learners to indoor and outdoor air pollution at schools. This study compared outdoor PM 10 and SO 2 exposure levels in exposed (1–2 km from gold mine dumps) and unexposed schools (5 km or more from gold mine dumps). It also examined exposure of asthmatic children to indoor respirable dust at exposed and unexposed schools.
The definition of globalisation is varied. However, one certainty is that in a globalised world t... more The definition of globalisation is varied. However, one certainty is that in a globalised world the borders are porous in many aspects; people movement, goods exchange, knowledge sharing and redistribution of labour. The concept of globalisation, its impact on society, and its direction leads to a two-sided argument. Could this be the effect of globalisation on ethics and social responsibility, as it is perceived? This paper endeavours to further our understanding of the dynamic relationship of globalisation, ethics and social responsibility in occupational health. The multidisciplinary activity approach to occupational health was used. The globalisation, ethical and social responsibility relationship of the activities in occupational health was analysed using a schematic map of the direct and indirect influences. The analysis revealed areas that can be clustered to address the interaction between driving forces in occupational health ethics and social responsibility for a healthy w...
The ultimate aim of this review was to summarise the epidemiological evidence on the association ... more The ultimate aim of this review was to summarise the epidemiological evidence on the association between municipal solid waste management operations and health risks to populations residing near landfills and incinerators, waste workers and recyclers. To accomplish this, the sub-aims of this review article were to (1) examine the health risks posed by municipal solid waste management activities, (2) determine the strengths and gaps of available literature on health risks from municipal waste management operations and (3) suggest possible research needs for future studies. The article reviewed epidemiological literature on public health concerns of municipal solid waste handling published in the period 1995-2014. The PubMed and MEDLINE computerised literature searches were employed to identify the relevant papers using the keywords solid waste, waste management, health risks, recycling, landfills and incinerators. Additionally, all references of potential papers were examined to determine more articles that met the inclusion criteria. A total of 379 papers were identified, but after intensive screening only 72 met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Of these studies, 33 were on adverse health effects in communities living near waste dumpsites or incinerators, 24 on municipal solid waste workers and 15 on informal waste recyclers. Reviewed studies were unable to demonstrate a causal or non-causal relationship due to various limitations. In light of the above findings, our review concludes that overall epidemiological evidence in reviewed articles is inadequate mainly due to methodological limitations and future research needs to develop tools capable of demonstrating causal or non-causal relationships between specific waste management operations and adverse health endpoints.
This cross-sectional study examined respiratory health outcomes and associated risk factors in ch... more This cross-sectional study examined respiratory health outcomes and associated risk factors in children living in a part of South Africa characterised by high levels of air pollution. A questionnaire was used to collect self-reported respiratory health and risk factor data from the parents/guardians of children between the ages of 9 and 11 years attending primary schools in the study area. Six government schools were selected based on their location, class size and willingness to participate. Univariate and bivariate analyses as well as logistic regression analysis were performed on the data, using a p-value of 0.25 and biological plausibility. The overall prevalence of respiratory ill-health symptoms was 34.1%. The prevalence of respiratory ill-health conditions was significantly elevated among children from households using non-electrical fuels v. electricity for cooking (43.9% v. 31.6%; adjusted p-value 0.005). The same was noted among those using non-electrical fuels for heating (37.8% v. 29.0%). The elevated prevalence of some respiratory health outcomes among schoolchildren, especially in conjunction with domestic fossil fuel burning, is of concern. The data collected in this study may be used to complement or form a basis for future policy regarding indoor or ambient air quality in the area.
AfriHealth aims to increase public health capacity in and for Africa through generating an eviden... more AfriHealth aims to increase public health capacity in and for Africa through generating an evidence-based and well-resourced network of institutions and individuals with sufficient scientific and political credibility to enable it to contribute substantially to the improvement of public health in Africa in a sustainable manner, and to stimulate continental health action in which priorities for Africa will, in the first instance, be determined by Africa itself. AfriHealth secretariat is based at the School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa. SHSPH supports the Public Health Education Taskforce and its activities in Africa. SHSPH facilitates validation and testing of the institutional self assessment tool for public health education institutions in Africa.
Schools, institutes and faculties of public health have been in existence for nearly a century. C... more Schools, institutes and faculties of public health have been in existence for nearly a century. Continued development of public health, as a profession and as a discipline, is critical to improving population health and requires improved access to public health expertise and better training in key public health skills. Recently, a debate is being promoted about the relevance and direction of public health institutions in the 21st century. Are the existing models of public health schools preparing graduates for today’s world? Are they able to make significant contributions to improving the health of the population, particularly the poor and other marginalized groups? Do they support policy makers? Are they linked with Ministries of Health and of Education in the development of national health plans, including health systems and specifically, health workforce development? Schools of public health attracts now a broad diversity of students, from young physicians, nurses, Ministry of He...
This is the fifth study that applied the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood... more This is the fifth study that applied the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) methodology in the Southern African Development Community (SADC region). However, it is the first ISAAC study that focused on 6- to 7-year-old children living in South Africa and that also investigated the association between potential risk factors and asthma symptoms. Objective To assess the 12-month prevalence of wheeze and severe wheeze along with their potential risk factors. Setting Within a 60-km radius from the Polokwane city centre, Limpopo Province. The survey was conducted during August 2004 and February 2005. Parents/guardians of 6- to 7-year-old children completed the questionnaires in English, Afrikaans or North-Sotho. However, the statistical analyses were restricted to the North-Sotho group (n = 2,437). The 12-month prevalence rates of wheeze and severe wheeze were 11.2% and 5.7%, respectively. The 12-month prevalence rates of eczema symptoms and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms were 8.0% and 7.3%, respectively. Living in a rural area significantly decreased the likelihood of wheeze by 31%. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke at home and the presence of eczema symptoms and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms increased the likelihood of wheeze by 77%, 104% and 226%, respectively. Only the presence of rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms increased the likelihood of severe wheeze by 107%. Wheeze appears to be an emerging public health problem in the Polokwane area. Hopefully, detailed analytical intervention studies will further explicate these results in the near future.
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