Respiratory, reproductive, and other effects of air pollution and high altitude

描述(由申请人提供) 环境和职业健康是发展中国家的严重问题。在智利和秘鲁，室内空气污染是一个特别严重的问题，这两个国家的大量人口缺乏有效的炉子，经常燃烧木材取暖和做饭。室外空气污染也是一个很大的问题，因为空气中的颗粒物、高浓度的臭氧和铅。金属对水的污染在秘鲁和智利都是一个重要的问题，这两个国家的采矿活动增加，矿山废物污染了水和土壤。目前，由我们目前的赠款资助的Fogarty研究正在解决智利和秘鲁的这些问题。在发展中国家，职业危害也往往更严重。在秘鲁，由目前向埃默里提供的Fogarty赠款资助的研究表明，秘鲁马吉斯河谷的农药施用者在使用有机磷农药时不使用保护设备。由Emory资助的另外两项秘鲁Fogarty研究显示，非正式金矿工人使用汞和护士使用细胞抑制药物的情况类似。秘鲁和智利的另一个具体问题是高原反应。这两个国家都有很大一部分人口生活在高海拔地区。例如，在秘鲁，2700万人口中有900万人生活在2000米以上。在高海拔地区工作和生活对健康的影响包括高死产率、低出生体重以及急性和慢性高原病的高发病率。在智利，海拔在2.000米到5.000米之间的采矿活动在过去十年里急剧增加，雇用了大约30.000名新工人。由埃默里目前的福格蒂拨款资助的研究发现，在海平面的高压舱中进行测试可以预测哪些前往高原的工人会患上高原反应。福格蒂在秘鲁资助的其他研究已经证明了低出生体重和海拔之间的联系。如上面的例子所示，埃默里大学在过去五年里一直与智利和秘鲁的同事合作，通过我们目前的Fogarty ITREOH赠款资助研究和培训。通过我们合作伙伴的环境健康硕士课程，以及在墨西哥和亚特兰大的特别课程，已经为数十名学生提供了培训。我们希望在接下来的五年里继续我们的工作，并在乔治亚大学一位新的合作者的帮助下，在秘鲁创建一个新的空气污染研究中心，这位合作者在空气污染方面和在秘鲁做工作方面拥有丰富的经验。我们还计划对干预措施的效果进行研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant) Environmental and occupational health are critical problems in developing nations. Indoor air pollution is a particular problem in both Chile and Peru where large numbers of people lack effective stoves and frequently burn wood for heating and cooking. Outdoor air pollution is also a large problem, due to both particulates in the air, high ozone, and lead. Water contamination by metals is an important problem in both Peru and Chile, where mining has increased and mine wastes have contaminated water and soils Ongoing Fogarty studies funded under our current grant are addressing these problems in Chile and Peru. Occupational hazards are also frequently worse in developing countries. In Peru research studies funded by the current Fogarty grant to Emory have demonstrated that pesticide applicators in the Majes valley of Peru do not use protective equipments when using organophosphate pesticides. Two other Peruvian Fogarty studies funded via Emory showed a similar situation with informal gold miners using mercury and nurses using cytostatic drugs. An additional specific problem in Peru and Chile is altitude sickness. In important percentage of the population in both these countries live in high altitude. For example in Peru, 9 million out of a population of 27 million live above 2,000 meters. Health effects of working and living in high altitude include high stillbirth rates, low birthweights, and high prevalence of acute and chronic mountain sickness. In Chile mining activities in altitudes between 2.000 and 5.000 meters have increased dramatically in the last ten years, with the hiring of about 30.000 new workers. Research studies funded by Emory's current Fogarty grant have discovered that testing in a hyperbarmetric chamber at sea level can predict which workers going to altitude will get mountain sickness. Other Fogarty funded research in Peru has demonstrated the link between low birthweight and altitude. As indicated by the above examples, Emory University has been working with colleagues in Chile and Peru for the past five years, sponsoring research and training via our current Fogarty ITREOH grant. Training has occurred for dozens of students passing through our partners' Masters programs in environmental health, and by special courses in Mexico and Atlanta. We hope to continue our work over the next five years, and extend it by creating a new Center for Air Pollution Studies in Peru with the help of a new collaborator from the University of Georgia who has extensive experience with air pollution and in doing work in Peru. We also plan on research regarding the effect of interventions.