Suchergebnisse

We report on the suspected case reports filed for SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 illnesses among health and social welfare workers in Germany. In addition, we report about COVID-19 in health workers in Malaysia. Claims for occupational diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2 are recorded separately in a database of the Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW). This database is analyzed according to its content as of May 22, 2020. In addition, the notifiable cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections from personnel in medical institutions (e.g., clinics and doctor's office) and social welfare institutions (e.g., nursing homes, shelters and refugee camps) following the German Infection Protection Act are analyzed. The report from Malaysia is based on personal experience and publications of the government. In Germany at present, 4398 suspected case reports for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections among health and social workers have been filed. This figure is four times the number of all reported infections normally received per year. The majority of claims, regardless of being a confirmed infection, concerned nurses (n = 6927, 63.9%). The mortality rate for workers infected with SARS-CoV-2 is 0.2% to 0.5%. Doctors are affected by severe illness more frequently than other occupational groups (8.1% vs. 4.1%). In Malaysia, work-related infection of health workers (HW) occurred mainly when COVID-19 was not suspected in patients and no adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) was worn. Although knowledge on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections among workers remains limited, the impact appears to be substantial. This is supported by the mortality rate among infected workers. Occupational health check-ups carried out at the present time should be systematically analyzed in order to gain more information on the epidemiology of COVID-19 among HW. Since the supply and use of PPE improved, the infection risk of HW in Malaysia seems to have decreased.

Abstract
Thermal comfort is linked to our health, well-being, and productivity. The thermal environment is one of the main factors that influence thermal comfort and, consequently, the productivity of occupants inside buildings. Meanwhile, behavioural adaptation is well known to be the most critical contributor to the adaptive thermal comfort model. This systematic review aims to provide evidence regarding indoor thermal comfort temperature and related behavioural adaptation. Studies published between 2010 and 2022 examining indoor thermal comfort temperature and behavioural adaptations were considered. In this review, the indoor thermal comfort temperature ranges from 15.0 to 33.8 °C. The thermal comfort temperature range varied depending on several factors, such as climatic features, ventilation mode, type of buildings, and age of the study population. Elderly and younger children have distinctive thermal acceptability. Clothing adjustment, fan usage, AC usage, and open window were the most common adaptive behaviour performed. Evidence shows that behavioural adaptations were also influenced by climatic features, ventilation mode, type of buildings, and age of the study population. Building designs should incorporate all factors that affect the thermal comfort of the occupants. Awareness of practical behavioural adaptations is crucial to ensure occupants' optimal thermal comfort.

Abstract

Objectives
Environmental risk factors contribute to 24% of the global burden of disease from all causes in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and to 23% of all global deaths. Malaysia being an advanced developing country, there is a need to prioritise environmental health issues to enable environmental health practitioners to focus on the most significant and urgent environmental health concerns.


Content
This project was undertaken by a Thematic Working Group on Environmental Health Experts (TWG 10) under the Malaysian National Environmental Health Action Plan. Sixteen pre-selected environmental health issues were presented to a two focus group discussions among 20 environmental health and related professionals who then scored each issue on its magnitude and severity scale.


Summary
The total of these scores generated a list of priority environmental health issues for Malaysia. Children environmental health came out as the environmental health issue of the highest priority.


Outlook
We hope that this list of priority environmental health issues will be used for prioritising academic and professional manpower training, research funding allocation and planning for intervention programmes by various stakeholders.