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- Geriatric Study in Portugal on Health Effects of Air Quality in Elderly Care CentersPublication . Teixeira, João Paulo; Botelho, Amália; Neuparth, Nuno; Caires, Iolanda; Papoila, Ana; Martins, Pedro; Paixão, Paulo; Aelenei, Daniel; Viegas, João; Cano, Manuela; Mendes, AnaAs people have become increasingly aware, the age of the European population is rising and the percentage of adults aged 65 years and older is expected to increase. In addition, older people spend about 20 hours per day indoors, and some spend essentially their time in elderly care centers (ECC). In this sense, the study of indoor environments and how elder people may be particularly at risk of adverse health effects from pollutants, even at low exposures, due to multiple underlying chronic diseases is becoming an important issue to be addressed by research. Such conditions are highly prevalent, multifactorial, and associated with multiple comorbidities and poor outcomes, such as increased disability and decreased quality of life. The importance of this topic was heightened in 2012 by the World Health Day in 2012 Ageing and health with the theme "Good health adds life to years" and also the ‘European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations’. Accordingly, this project is suitable to integrate these initiatives and to ensure greater recognition of what older people bring to society and create more supportive conditions for them. To our knowledge, this is the first study in Portugal to assess effects of indoor air contaminants on health status and quality of life in older persons living in ECC. The aim of GERIA project is to carry out a risk assessment, often difficult for older people, involving the identification of multiple factors potentially affecting health and quality of life, the quantification of human exposure to pollutants, and the evaluation of the individual’s response to these stimuli. The results of this project contribute to the understanding of health effects due to indoor environment variables and to provide health benefits to ECC residents with relatively simple measures. The primary long-term purpose of the GERIA study is to improve the health of older persons living in ECC. The GERIA study aimed at: • Measure air quality and thermal conditions in ECC; • Assess the relationship between indoor air quality and thermal conditions on cardiorespiratory health of ECC residents (aged 65 years and older); • Evaluate the association of indoor air pollution with health-related quality of life of older persons; • Identify a subgroup of older persons particularly susceptible to adverse effects of air pollutants, thus posing the basis for preventive interventions. The GERIA Project took place in the two main Portuguese cities, Lisbon and Oporto. Within the 1st phase of this study, 53 ECC (33 in Lisbon and 20 in Oporto) were selected through proportional stratified random sampling (by parish) from the 151 included in the Portuguese Social Charter (95 in Lisbon and 56 in Oporto). These 53 ECC were attended by 2,110 residents (1,442 in Lisbon and 668 in Oporto). The 2nd phase completed a thorough analysis based on the 1st phase preliminary study. Eighteen ECC where further studied in detail.
- Environment and Health in Children Day Care CentresPublication . Neuparth, Nuno; Papoila, Ana Luísa; Aelenei, Daniel; Cano, Manuela; Paixão, Paulo; Viegas, João; Martins, Pedro; Araújo Martins, José; Leiria Pinto, Paula; Caires, Iolanda; Pedro, Catarina; Nogueira, Susana; Mendes, Ana; Aguiar, Fátima; Teixeira, João Paulo; Proença, Carmo; Piedade, Cátia; Santos, Madalena; Silvestre, Maria José; Brum, Laura; Nunes, Baltazar; Guiomar, Raquel; Curran, Martin D.; Carvalho, Ana; Marques, Teresa; Virella, Daniel; Alves, Marta; Marques, João; Rosado-Pinto, José; Neuparth, Nuno; Aelenei,Daniel; Caires, Iolanda; Teixeira, João Paulo; Viegas, João; Cano, Manuela; Pinto, Paula LeiriaThis project addresses a set of common clinical problems in the context of children attending day care centres. It is common sense that children get sick more often as soon as they start attending a day care centre on a daily basis and this is particularly true for some groups at risk, as wheezing infants and wheezing pre-school children. Concerning this, some questions remain unclear: 1. The role of indoor air quality - what is the health impact of indoor air environment (including indoor pollutants, house dust mite, temperature and humidity) in wheezing children? 2. The role of virus infections - We don’t know the real role of virus infections in respiratory conditions at day care centre level. There is a lack of information concerning how indoor air environment influence virus infections. 3. The role of building ventilation - what is the impact of building ventilation in the health of wheezing and non-wheezing children? How is ventilation affecting indoor air quality? How is ventilation of day care centres affected by the structure of the buildings? 4. Social impact of this study - what should be the recommendations to improve IAQ? What is new in this project is the collaboration of a health team (medical doctors and other health professionals) with environment specialists, mechanical, civil engineers, epidemiologists and statisticians.