The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a significant change in the way healthcare is dispensed. During the pandemic, healthcare inequities were experienced by various sections of society, based on gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The LGBTQ individuals were also affected by this inequity. There is a lack of information on this topic especially in the developing countries. Hence this issue requires further exploration and understanding. Previous literature briefly explored the mental, physical, and emotional turmoil faced by the LGBTQ community on a regular basis. They feared rejection by family and friends, bullying, physical assault, and religious biases. These issues prevented them from publicly speaking about their sexual orientation thereby making it difficult to collect reliable data. Although they require medical and psychological treatment, they are afraid to ask for help and access healthcare and mental health services. Being mindful of these difficulties, this article explores the various underlying causes of the mental health problems faced by LGBTQ individuals, especially, in the Indian subcontinent. The article also examines the status of healthcare services available to Indian sexual minorities and provides recommendations about possible remedial measures to ensure the well-being of LGBTQ individuals.
Glass beads are used in road markings to obtain retroreflectivity and recently have received attention due to the presence of arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and antimony (Sb). In this study, six domestic (U.S.-manufactured) and 12 imported batches of glass beads were analyzed for total metal and metalloid concentrations using field-portable X-ray fluorescence. For domestic batches, average concentrations of 8 mg/kg for As, 23 mg/kg for Pb, and 55 mg/kg for Sb were observed. On the other hand, the imported batches were found to have averages of 485 mg/kg for As, 97 mg/kg for Pb, and 106 mg/kg for Sb. Samples from batches followed Gaussian distributions; however, variability in concentrations within the imported batches was significant with errors ranging from 18% to 22% for As, 50% to 83% for Pb, and 13% to 16% for Sb. Based on these results, additional studies are warranted to evaluate the potential for leaching of metals.
Background: Previous studies have found that health insurance coverage expanded for farmworkers from 2011-2012 to 2015-2016 due in part to the introduction of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). This study examines the continued impact of the ACA on insurance coverage for farmworkers to 2018 and identifies barriers to further expansion.Methods: A mixed-methods approach was utilized. Weighted statistical analyses were conducted on the National Agriculture Worker Survey (NAWS) data for 2011-2012, 2015-2016, and 2017-2018. Qualitative interviews conducted with agricultural employers, health care providers, and community-based organizations examined the impact of the ACA on health insurance coverage for farmworkers.
Recently, metals and metalloids have been observed at elevated concentrations in glass beads imported to the US. Average total concentrations in imported batches ranged from 103 to 683 mg kg(-1) for As, 62 to 187 mg kg(-1) for Sb, and 23 to 179 mg kg(-1) for Pb. The labile fraction associated with the glass beads resulted in leached concentrations as great as 538 μg L(-1) for As, 1092 μg L(-1) for Pb, and 160 μg L(-1) for Sb. Sequential extraction was conducted as well to better understand the form of metals and metalloids associated with the glass beads. Only 0.23% of As, 3.40% of Pb, 2.37% of Ba, and 1.92% of Mn were extracted in the exchangeable (As, Mn, and Ba) and the oxidizable forms (Pb), whereas greater than 97% of metals and metalloids present were associated with the glass matrix. Nonparametric statistics were applied to test total concentrations that resulted in exceedances in the groundwater quality criteria. Results demonstrated that the As, Pb, and Sb limits were exceeded for 98%, 58%, and 15% of the samples tested respectively suggesting a potential environmental impact to groundwater used as a drinking water source.
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