Two studies explored adolescents' neighborhood and school psychological sense of community. Multiple regression analyses of subscale scores from two social support measures showed that psychological sense of community was related to different aspects of social support depending on the community setting; the number of supportive persons identified was most significantly related to neighborhood sense of community, and the amount of tangible assistance received was most significantly related to school sense of community. Multiple regression results indicated that school sense of community accounted for the highest proportion of variance on the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, followed by satisfaction with social support, and nondirective support received. The data suggest that sense of community is a significant aspect of adolescents' environments, as demonstrated by its relationship to loneliness. Further investigation of the components of adolescent sense of community and their relevance to adolescent development is warranted.

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To evaluate the role of airborne endotoxin and (1 → 3)-β-D -glucan in the production of symptoms observed in indoor air environments, subjects were exposed for 4 h to aerosols of saline, Escherichia coli endotoxin or (1 → 3)-β-D -glucan in saline or a (1 → 3)-β-D-glucan dust particle aerosol, at concentrations similar to those sometimes found in indoor air. Exposure effects were evaluated using spirometry, methacholine challenge for airway responsiveness and questionnaires for symptoms. People with a history of reactivity to inhaled agents (atopics) showed increased airway responsiveness after endotoxin exposure. (1 → 3-β-D -Glucan exposure caused an increase in the severity of symptoms of nose and throat irritation, while after glucan exposure, a relationship was observed between the intensity of subjective throat irritation and increase in airway responsiveness. The results suggest that (1 → 3)-β-D-glucan and/or moulds could be important agents for the symptoms observed.

No abstract

STELING, T.D. et al. A epidemiologia dos "edifícios doentes". Rev. Saúde públ., S. Paulo,25: 56-63 , 1991. O meio ambiente interno dos edifícios modernos, especialmente aqueles designados para uso comercial e administrativo, constitui nicho ecológico com seu próprio meio bioquímico, fauna e flora. Sofisticados métodos de construção e os novos materiais e equipamentos necessários para manter o meio ambiente interno destas estruturas fechadas produzem grande número de sub-produtos químicos e permitem o desenvolvimento de diversos microorganismos. Estes edifícios, por serem hermeticamente fechados, apresentam um dilema quanto a regulagem da umidade e temperatura do ar que circula pelos duetos, uma vez que diferentes espécies de microoganismos se desenvolvem em diferentes combinações de umidade e temperatura. Se o meio ambiente interno dos edifícios fechados não for mantido de forma adequada, pode se tornar nocivo para a saúde dos seus ocupantes. Nessas condições, edifícios fechados, são chamados de "Edifícios Doentes". Apresenta-se uma revisão da epidemiologia das doenças ocasionadas por esses edifícios fechados, etiologia das doenças dos ocupantes, origens das substâncias tóxicas e métodos possíveis para manter um ambiente interno seguro.Descritores: Poluição do ar, efeitos adversos. Poluentes ocupacionais do ar, efeitos adversos. Doenças ocupacionais, epidemiologia. IntroduçãoA doença tem sido freqüentemente associada com o tipo e uso das estruturas que as pessoas ocupam e seus costumes. A comida, bebida, excreções do organismo e outras substâncias orgânicas suportam o desenvolvimento de microorganismos. Ao mesmo tempo que se descobriram os vetores através dos quais microoganismos infecciosos invadem o homem, surgiram inovações na tecnologia de construção de edifícios, de eletrodomésticos (para cozinhar, armazenar e preservar alimentos) e de eliminação de dejetos, que ajudam a conservar o meio ambiente interno de um edifício razoalvelmente livre de agentes infecciosos nocivos. Não obstante, produtos químicos tóxicos ainda são encontrados em ambientes fechados, mas raramente são reconhecidos como fonte de doença. A relação entre os sub-produtos da combustão de biomassa em ambientes internos (como madeira, carvão, querosene e gás natural) e subseqüentes doenças crônicas, não era reconhecida até pouco tempo atrás. Apesar do tipo de estrutura da habitação e do local de trabalho poder ter profunda influência na saúde das pessoas, antecedentes de doenças não costumam ser relacionados com a estrutura da construção.No início do século XX tornou-se proeminente na América do Norte e Europa um novo tipo de estrutura utilizada para edifícios públicos com fins administrativos ou comerciais. A medida que esses edifícios cresciam em tamanho, criaram um meio ambiente propício a problemas pelo grande volume de ar contido. Os subprodutos dos equipamentos utilizados para fazer funcionar esses edifícios criaram problemas. A necessidade de sucção de ar externo, aquecimento, resfriamento, distribuição e eliminação dos subprodutos pr...

Fixed-location monitoring has been extensively employed to assess exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in offices and other public buildings. In contrast, personal monitoring methods have seldom been used to assess non-smokers’ exposure. Simultaneous personal exposure monitoring and fixed-location measurements were conducted in two office buildings in Richmond, Va., USA, to compare the two sampling methods. The results from the personal and fixed-location monitoring showed general agreement in the measured exposure to particle-phase and vapour-phase ETS constituents. The overall results indicate that fixed-location monitoring provides a close approximation of an individual’s exposure to ETS, as determined through personal monitoring. A secondary objective of the research was to assess the effectiveness of dilution ventilation for the control of ETS in the workplace. Overall, the results demonstrate that with ventilation in accordance with current ASHRAE Standards, dilution can be an effective means of controlling ETSrelated constituents to low concentrations.

A Health Effects Institute--Asbestos Research Report calculates the risk of exposure to environmental asbestos fibers (EAF) by downward extrapolation from the mortality of workers exposed for 20 years. This extrapolation is improper because 1) relative risks of asbestos exposure very likely are not linearly progressive; 2) the composition of EAF may not be equivalent to that in mining or fabricating; 3) the same environmental asbestos concentration probably represents different exposure doses for different populations; and 4) health effects of asbestos exposure on children, seniors, patients, the institutionalized, the handicapped, and the chronically ill may not be the same as those of healthy workers. Evidence of asbestos-related disease among family members of exposed workers demonstrates that the risk observed for EAF is substantially larger than that estimated from downward extrapolation and suggests a basis for an alternative approach to estimating asbestos-related health risks. Such epidemiologic procedures are well established and ought to form the basis for detecting the health effects of EAF. It is also unclear which industry supports HEI-AR.

Field monitoring was conducted in office buildings in Seattle and Dallas to assess the effectiveness of various workplace smoking configurations in con trolling non-smokers exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Simul taneous measurements of vapour-phase and particle-phase tracers of ETS were conducted in adjacent smoking and non-smoking areas. Pressure rela tionships between smoking and non-smoking areas were determined. The Seattle portion of the study focused on the direct infiltration of ETS from smoking to non-smoking areas, as minimal recirculation of return air was occurring. Negative pressurisation of smoking areas eliminated the direct migration of ETS. Tracers of ETS exposure were not detected in non-smoking areas adjacent to negatively pressurised smoking lounges. In the Dallas study buildings, the impact of recirculation of ETS through the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems was assessed. Vapour-phase ETS constituents were recirculated into non-smoking areas at diluted concentrations. However, elevated particle-phase constituents were not found in non-smoking areas. The overall results indicate that non-smokers exposure to ETS can be effec tively reduced in the office workplace without regulations or policies that require either direct exhaust of air from smoking areas to the outdoors by dedicated ventilation systems or total prohibition of smoking within build ings.