Mi-Ji Kim, Sung-Hyo Seo, Ae-Rim Seo, Bo-Kyoung Kim, Gyeong-Ye Lee, Yeun-Soon Choi, Jin-Hwan Kim, Jang-Rak Kim, Yune-Sik Kang, Baek-Geun Jeong, Ki-Soo Park
J Prev Med Public Health. 2019;52(6):405-415. Published online October 24, 2019
Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of frailty with perceived neighborhood walkability and environmental pollution among community-dwelling older adults in rural areas.
Methods The participants were 808 community-dwelling men and women aged 65 years and older in 2 rural towns. Comprehensive information, including demographics, socioeconomic status, grip strength, polypharmacy, perceived neighborhood environment (specifically, walkability and environmental pollution), and frailty, was collected from participants using face-to-face interviews conducted between June and August 2018. Perceived neighborhood walkability was measured using 20 items that were selected and revised from the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale, the Neighborhood Walkability Checklist from the National Heart Foundation of Australia, and the Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Survey. The Kaigo-Yobo Checklist was used to assess participants’ frailty.
Results The overall prevalence of frailty in this community-dwelling population was 35.5%. Sex, age, cohabitation status, educational attainment, employment status, grip strength, and polypharmacy were significantly associated with frailty. In the logistic regression analysis, frailty was associated with low perceived neighborhood walkability (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.881; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.833 to 0.932; p<0.001) and severe perceived neighborhood environmental pollution (aOR, 1.052; 95% CI, 1.017 to 1.087; p=0.003) after adjusting for sex, age, cohabitation status, educational attainment, employment status, monthly income, grip strength, and polypharmacy.
Conclusions More studies are warranted to establish causal relationships between walkability and environmental pollution and frailty.
Summary
Korean summary
본 연구는 우리나라 농촌지역 노인들이 인지하는 지역 환경과 노쇠의 연관성을 확인하기 위하여 자기보고식 설문지로 인지된 보행편의성 및 환경오염을 측정하였고, Kaigo-Yobo 평가척도로 노쇠를 평가하였다. 연구 결과, 노쇠에 영향을 미칠 것으로 예상되는 변수들을 통제한 후에도 인지된 보행편의성의 감소와 인지된 환경오염의 증가는 노쇠와 관련성이 있었다.
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Objectives Environmental pollution is a significant global issue. Both objective (scientifically measured) environmental pollution and perceived levels of pollution are important predictors of self-reported health. The purpose of this study was to compare the associations between perceived environmental pollution and health in China, Japan, and South Korea.
Methods Data were obtained from the East Asian Social Survey and the Cross-National Survey Data Sets: Health and Society in East Asia, 2010 (n=7938; China, n=3866; Japan, n=2496; South Korea, n=1576).
Results South Koreans perceived environmental pollution to be the most severe, while Japanese participants perceived environmental pollution to be the least severe. Although the Japanese did not perceive environmental pollution to be very severe, their self-rated physical health was significantly related to perceived environmental pollution, while the analogous relationships were not significant for the Chinese or Korean participants. Better mental health was related to lower levels of perceived air pollution in China, as well as lower levels of perceived all types of pollution in Japan and lower levels of perceived noise pollution in South Korea.
Conclusions Physical and mental health and individual socio-demographic characteristics were associated with levels of perceived environmental pollution, but with different patterns among these three countries.
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OBJECTIVES To estimate the value of statistical life (VSL) and health damage cost on theoretical mortality estimates due to environmental pollution. METHODS: We assessed the health risk on three environmental problems and eight sub-problems. Willingness to pay (WTP) was elucidated from a questionnaire survey with dichotomous contingent valuation method and VSL (which is the division of WTP by the change of risk reduction) calculated from WTP. Damage costs were estimated by multiplying VSL by the theoretical mortality estimates. RESULTS: VSLs from death caused by air pollution, indoor air pollution and drinking water contamination were about 0.3, 0.5 and 0.3 billion won, respectively. Damage costs of particulate matters (PM10) and radon were higher in the sub-problems and were above 100 billion won. Because damage cost depends on theoretical mortality estimate and WTP, its uncertainty is reduced in the estimating process. CONCLUSION: Health damage cost or risk benefit should be considered as one scientific criterion for decision making in environmental policy.
OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of particulate matter (PM), a marker of environmental pollution derived from combustion sources, on lung epithelial cells (A549) and macrophage (RAW 264.7). METHODS: The production of reactive radicals from lung cells, the lipid peroxidation of cell membrane, and the cytotoxicity of PM were measured using an in vitro model. The results were compared with a control group. RESULTS: The presence of PM significantly increased the production of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species with time and in a dose dependent pattern and also increased the malondialdehyde concentration in lung epithelial cells. The cytotoxicity of PM was increased with increasing concentration of PM. CONCLUSIONS: It has been suggested that urban particulate matter causes an inflammatory reaction in lung tissue through the production of hydroxyl radicals, nitric oxides and numerous cytokines. The causal chemical determinant responsible for these biologic effects are not well understood, but the bioavailable metal in PM seems to determine the toxicity of inhaled PM.
Environmental pollution is common problem of the present world that is intimately related to the future survival of human beings. The problems of environmental pollution originate from the pursuit of benefit by enterprises, insufficient countermeasure of government and ignorant life style of the people. Health hazards due to environmental pollution have characteristics of irreversibility, difficulty in measurement and ineffectiveness of personal prevention. Objects of this article are to review the various aspects of environmental pollution, to outline the present status of environmental pollution and strategy to control environmental pollution in Korea. In the first part of this article, causes of environmental pollution are presented. International relationships, world-wide status of environmental pollution and health hazards due to environmental pollution are briefly reviewed. In the second part, present status of air, water, soil and ocean pollution in Korea is presented. Pollution by radioactive materials, noise, vibrations, odor, wastes and chemicals is reviewed. Climate changes related to environmental poisoning, problems of workplace environment, pesticide and defoliants are also reviewed. Finally, control measures for environmental pollution including the role of government are reviewed.
To understand the possible hazards to health from the environmental pollution in Korea, the articles reported in 16 daily newspapers were collected and analyzed. From 1980 to 1991, ninety three cases were reported. Statistics show that, during the last 2 years, there has been a remarkable increases of health problems reported. The main sources of pollution were plants and the transportation facilities. Except the noise, the exact causative factors were, for the most part, not clearly described. Although many residents complained of neurological symptoms, the exact effects on health were not clearly investigated. The responses of the residents were diverse in the contents of the demand and the method of its pushing, however, the government did not show immediate and consistent counterplans.