Climate change is increasingly affecting public health and safety, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and aggravating existing health inequities. Recognizing the urgency of this challenge, the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH), College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila, convened the Seventh EOH Forum on November 21–22, 2024, with the theme Resilient Futures: Enhancing Health and Safety in Communities and Workplaces Amid Climate Challenges. This commentary highlights key points raised during the forum, with a focus on community-and workplace-level initiatives that address climate-related health risks. These efforts include the improvement of heat-health early warning systems, integration of climate resilience in occupational health and safety programs, and hospital-based interventions for environmental footprint reduction. The presentations also emphasized the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration, localized mitigation and adaptation strategies, and climate-informed health promotion activities. The forum highlighted that building resilient communities and workplaces requires not only policy alignment and institutional support but also interventions on the ground that are inclusive and equitable.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease caused by novel coronavirus named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. Its growing number of cases with a very limited number of studies in the country is quite alarming, especially to the vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women. Objective: To determine and compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes of COVID-19 positive versus negative parturient Materials and Methodology: This is a retrospective cohort study of 131 parturient in a tertiary hospital. Results: We analyzed a total of 131 patients, of whom 65 (49.6%) were COVID positive. At the time of testing, more than half were at their early term of pregnancy (64.89%) and at term (14.5%). Based on disease severity, 45 women (69.2%) exhibited mild disease, 39 were asymptomatic and 6 symptomatic, 19 (29.2%) moderate disease, and 1 (1.5%) severe disease. Among those symptomatic, the most common signs and symptoms were cough (33.85%), myalgia (10.77%), and a radiographic finding of localized or multilobar infiltrates (30.76%). Those who had laboratory examinations, the c-reactive protein (CRP) and D-dimer were found to be elevated. Based on maternal outcomes, there was a higher incidence of preterm birth (21.54%, P = 0.048) and longer length of hospital stay (P = 0.005) in the COVID-19-positive group. While the neonatal outcomes were similar in both groups, except for longer hospital stay, and delayed institution of breastfeeding among the COVID-19-positive group. Conclusion In this study, there was no evidence that the presence of COVID-19 infection during pregnancy causes increased morbidity and mortality in mothers and their neonates. Close surveillance should be done on this population, especially if detected before term, as these patients are predisposed to having preterm labor. Further research is needed to understand the true extent of the risks to improve the management of these special population.
COVID‑19 ; Pregnancy ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Pregnant Women ; Vulnerable Populations

BACKGROUND: One effective way to improve return-to-work (RTW) performance may be to convince the employer that the worker has the necessary skills. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of having a professional certification among workers injured in occupational injuries on their return to work. METHODS: The Panel Study of Workers' Compensation Insurance (PSWCI) targets workers who completed medical care in 2012 after an occupational injury. The study population (n = 2000) was stratified by gender, age, region, disability grade, and rehabilitation service use. A total of 1458 workers were finally selected for this study. The effect of having a certification on RTW status was calculated with an odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals using binomial and multinomial logistic regression analyses. In the binomial logistic regression analysis, the RTW group was made up as a combination of the return to original work and the reemployment groups. RESULTS: The ORs of RTW among those with a certification compared to those without certification were 1.38 (1.16-1.65) in Model 1, 1.25 (1.05-1.50) in Model 2, and 1.22 (1.01-1.47) in Model 3. Among female workers with a certification, the OR of RTW was 4.60 (2.68-7.91), that of return to original work was 3.21 (1.74-5.91), and that of reemployment was 5.85 (3.34-10.27). Among daily workers with a certification, the OR of RTW was 1.32 (1.03-1.69) and that of reemployment was 1.37 (1.07-1.76). CONCLUSION In conclusion, injured workers with a certification generally had a higher RTW rate. In particular, the RTW rate was higher among female workers and daily workers with a certification than among those without.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Certification/statistics & numerical data* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Injuries/statistics & numerical data* ; Republic of Korea ; Return to Work/statistics & numerical data* ; Vulnerable Populations/statistics & numerical data* ; Workplace/statistics & numerical data* ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the socio-demographic disparities in obesity among US adults across 130 metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas. METHODS: This study used data from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and Selected Metropolitan/Micropolitan Area Risk Trend of 159,827 US adults aged 18 years and older. Data were analyzed using the multilevel linear regression models. RESULTS: According to individual level analyses, socio-demographic disparities in obesity exist in the United States. Individuals with low socioeconomic status were associated with a higher body mass index. The participants from the Midwest United States tend to have higher body mass index than those who from the South. According to metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area level analyses, secondly, there were significant differences in obesity status between different areas and the relation of obesity with 5 socio-demographic factors varied across different areas. According to geospatial mapping analyses, even though obesity status by metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area level has improved overtime, differences in body mass index between United States regions are increasing from 2007 to 2015. CONCLUSION: Socio-demographic and regional disparities in obesity status persist among US adults. Hence, these findings underscore the need to take socio-environmental factors into account when planning obesity prevention on vulnerable populations and areas.
Adult ; Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System ; Body Mass Index ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Multilevel Analysis ; Obesity ; Social Class ; United States ; Vulnerable Populations

OBJECTIVES: We searched and reviewed the literature including the laws or acts, statistics, guidelines, papers and conference proceedings related to home visit nursing care in South Korea. METHOD: We searched and reviewed the literature including the laws or acts, statistics, guidelines, papers and conference proceedings related to home visit nursing care in Korea. RESULTS: There are three types of home care nursing in Korea. Public health center provides home visit nursing to vulnerable population by registered nurses for free, based on community health act in public health center. As of 2017, 1,261,208 people were enrolled in the visiting health program of public health center. Health behavior and disease management has been improved and showed having cost-benefit effect among the enrolled people in visiting health program. Visiting nursing care in long-term care services is provided by registered nurses or nurse aid, based on long-term care act. The cost is paid as the unit price according to service time. 1,095,764 older people used long-term care services in 2017, only 0.2% of total cost used for home visiting nursing. Even though the number of user of home visiting nursing, it was reported that users spent less medical cost and hospitalized shorter. Hospital-based home care nursing is provided to patients and their families under the prescription of a doctor by family nurse specialists who are employed by medical institute based on medical law. Four hundred sixty family nurse specialists worked for hospital-based home care nursing and hospital-based home care services accounted for 0.038% of total medical expenses in 2017. CONCLUSION: Even though home visit nursing care services are different in aspect of legal basis, personnel, running institutes, and cost basis, home visit nursing care showed cost-benefit effect and good health outcomes. In order to advance home visit nursing care, the integrated home visiting care, improvement of working condition, and revision of legal basis should be considered.
Academies and Institutes ; Disease Management ; Health Behavior ; Home Care Services ; Home Care Services, Hospital-Based ; House Calls ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Long-Term Care ; Methods ; Nurses ; Nursing Care ; Nursing ; Prescriptions ; Public Health ; Running ; Specialization ; Vulnerable Populations

PURPOSE: This study evaluates the efficacy of a Self-Care Reinforcement Program (SCRP) based on the Selection Optimization Compensation (SOC) model, in socially vulnerable elderly women with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: This study adopts a pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design. The participants were 64 socially vulnerable elderly Korean women with metabolic syndrome (experimental group: 31, control group: 33). Participants' body composition analysis, nutrient intake, risk factors of metabolic syndrome, depressive symptoms, and social network were measured. Data were analyzed with an independent t-test; statistical significance levels were set at p<.05. The SCRP, including metabolic syndrome education, nutritional education, exercise, and social network, was performed three times a week for 8 weeks. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups in terms of systolic blood pressure, diastolic pressure, fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, sodium intake, depressive symptoms, and social networks. CONCLUSION: The SCRP is effective and can be recommended as a community health nursing intervention for socially vulnerable elderly women with metabolic syndrome.
Aged ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Body Composition ; Community Health Nursing ; Compensation and Redress ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Education ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Nutrition Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Self Care ; Social Networking ; Sodium ; Triglycerides ; Vulnerable Populations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify influencing factors of metabolic index and cardiovascular risk factors, on depressive and non-depressive groups, in vulnerable diabetic elderly women. METHODS: Participants were 137 vulnerable diabetic elderly women, using health centers in D city. Data were collected through interviews September though December 2017. The metabolic index was measured using National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III), and cardiovascular risk factors were measured using Framingham Risk Score (FRS). Depressive and non-depressive groups were divided by the score of Geriartric Depress Scale Short Korea Version (GDSSF). Collected data were analyzed using a x2 test, independent t-test, and binary logistic regression, with the SPSS/WIN 25.0 program. RESULTS: Vulnerable diabetic elderly women, did not exercise in the depressive groups, and had higher triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and larger waists, than in the non-depressive group. Results show that lack of exercise (OR=6.30), is the highest risk factor, influencing the depressive symptom in vulnerable diabetic elderly women. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that to reduce depressive symptom levels among vulnerable diabetic elderly women, nursing interventions are needed to increase exercise and decrease TG, TC, and waist size, particularly in improving exercise of vulnerable diabetic elderly women.
Aged ; Cardiovascular System ; Cholesterol ; Depression ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Nursing ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides ; Vulnerable Populations

PURPOSE: Although vitamin D deficiency is common among Korean adolescent girls and young women, few studies have explored the potential health effects of vitamin D deficiency in this vulnerable population. This study examined the association between vitamin D deficiency and anemia in Korean adolescent girls and young women.METHODS: The data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008 ~ 2014 were used. A total of 3,643 girls and adult women aged 12 to 29 who provided all the information (including serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D, hemoglobin, and/or serum ferritin) needed for the analysis were included in the analysis. Demographic, lifestyle, and health data were obtained through survey questionnaires. Anemia and iron deficiency anemia were defined according to the World Health Organization cut-offs. Multivariable logistic regression, and restricted cubic spline regression were used in the analysis.RESULTS: In fully adjusted logistic regression models, the vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with higher prevalences of anemia (odds ratio (OR): 1.61, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04 ~ 2.49) and iron deficiency anemia (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.01 ~ 2.03). In a cubic spline regression model, we observed a dose-response relationship between serum 25(OH)D concentration and anemia, and this linear relationship was also clearly observed between serum 25(OH)D concentration and iron deficiency anemia.CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency may be associated with a higher prevalence of iron deficiency anemia and anemia in adolescent girls and young women. Alternatively, vitamin D deficiency may be a concurrent event for patients with anemia, which we cannot distinguish in this cross-sectional study. Further studies are needed to verify the causality in this population of low vitamin D levels.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Anemia ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Prevalence ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; Vitamin D ; Vitamins ; Vulnerable Populations ; World Health Organization

Until 1995, the incidence of symptomatic acute hepatitis A was minimal and there were no cases of national outbreak in Korea. However, there was a nationwide outbreak of hepatitis A that peaked in 2009. In 2019, a total of 10,083 cases of acute hepatitis A were reported for seven months of the year according to the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This may be attributed to the proportion of susceptible subjects in the Korean population, as about 10 years have passed since herd immunity was induced by the epidemic occurring during the late 2000s. Recent studies have shown that the rate of seropositivity for anti-hepatitis A virus antibodies (anti-HAV) is the lowest in adults in their 20s and has not changed much over the past 10 years, and seropositivity of anti-HAV in adults in their 30s has continued to decline from 69.6% in 2005 to 32.4% in 2014. Most young adults who have not yet experienced hepatitis A and are not vaccinated are vulnerable to hepatitis A infection. This year's epidemic of hepatitis A is a predictable outcome for vulnerable populations. Therefore, effective acute hepatitis A control and prevention strategies are needed, particularly for those in their 20s and 30s.
Adult ; Antibodies ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Hepatitis A Antibodies ; Hepatitis A ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Immunity, Herd ; Incidence ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Vulnerable Populations ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: Equity in financial protection against healthcare expenditures is one the primary functions of health systems worldwide. This study aimed to quantify socioeconomic inequality in facing catastrophic healthcare expenditures (CHE) and to identify the main factors contributing to socioeconomic inequality in CHE in Iran. METHODS: A total of 37 860 households were drawn from the Households Income and Expenditure Survey, conducted by the Statistical Center of Iran in 2017. The prevalence of CHE was measured using a cut-off of spending at least 40% of the capacity to pay on healthcare services. The concentration curve and concentration index (C) were used to illustrate and measure the extent of socioeconomic inequality in CHE among Iranian households. The C was decomposed to identify the main factors explaining the observed socioeconomic inequality in CHE in Iran.
Delivery of Health Care ; Family Characteristics ; Health Expenditures ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Iran ; Prevalence ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Vulnerable Populations