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Epidemiology and Public Health in Applied Sciences
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Epidemiology and Public Health in Applied Sciences

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 20542

Special Issue Editor

Dr. George Rachiotis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Lab of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Interests: epidemiology; occupational health; smoking; social determinants of health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Epidemiology is recognized both as the science basic to preventive medicine and one that informs the public health policy process. Several operational definitions of epidemiology have been suggested. Epidemiology is the study of the occurrence of disease or other health-related characteristics in human populations. In addition, public health has been defined as the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized efforts of society.

Both epidemiology and public health have a long history of applying a statistical approach to problem solving, and many innovations in statistical methodology have arisen from these disciplines. We are happy to announce this Special Issue of Applied Sciences entitled “Epidemiology and Public Health in Applied Sciences” and look forward to receiving your submissions.

Assoc. Prof. George Rachiotis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • epidemiology
  • public health
  • COVID-19
  • infectious diseases
  • non-communicable diseases
  • occupational diseases
  • physical environment and health
  • social determinants of health

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 878 KiB  
Article
Drowning Risk Analysis Comparing Surf Bather Subgroups
by Damian Morgan and Joan Ozanne-Smith
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(24), 12047; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112412047 - 17 Dec 2021
Viewed by 2282
Abstract
The study assessed the utility of risk analysis for advancing knowledge on drowning risk factors. The setting was unintentional drowning of surf bathers in Australia. Bathers reported earlier exposure to selected risk factors (swimming ability, wave height associated with rip currents and surf [...] Read more.
The study assessed the utility of risk analysis for advancing knowledge on drowning risk factors. The setting was unintentional drowning of surf bathers in Australia. Bathers reported earlier exposure to selected risk factors (swimming ability, wave height associated with rip currents and surf bathing experience) and were observed for water exposure (in minutes). These data were then assembled in mathematical models. The analysis forecast relative drowning risk pertaining to risk markers representing selected surf bather subgroups (gender, age and water activity). Contextualized through previous study findings, comparison of results with a gold standard obtained from mortality data generated new surf bather drowning hypotheses suitable for future testing by rigorous analytical epidemiologic designs. The hypotheses were: (1) The male to female comparative surf bather drowning rate is explained primarily by differences in crude water exposure; (2) the association of cardio-vascular medical conditions with surf bather drowning is stronger for older surf bathers compared to younger surf bathers; and (3) other risk contributors to surf bather drowning are: Poorly calibrated perception of bathing ability (overconfidence) and use of alcohol. Nonetheless, drowning rates appear generally consistent with time exposure to water. The study findings may also support drowning prevention strategies targeting risk marker subgroups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology and Public Health in Applied Sciences)
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17 pages, 2796 KiB  
Article
A Concept for Conducting Scientific Studies in Vehicles and Stationary Test Rooms during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Timmy Kantusch, Advan Sinanovic and Stefanie Marker
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(18), 8556; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11188556 - 15 Sep 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1836
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic affected many areas of public life and industry. This also applies to research particularly that relies on scientific studies with test persons. In order to minimize the risk of infection, several aspects of experiment design including the setting might require [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic affected many areas of public life and industry. This also applies to research particularly that relies on scientific studies with test persons. In order to minimize the risk of infection, several aspects of experiment design including the setting might require alteration. An extensive review of the latest research involving the COVID-19 pandemic as a blueprint for dealing with other health situations has been conducted in order to develop a step-by-step approach to plan a study with regard to infection protection. As a result, a generic six-step concept was developed that is applicable for scientific studies in both stationary rooms and vehicles while being adaptable to the respective circumstances. The infection protection measures determined through research were implemented in the individual sub-steps from study planning to execution. They allow a step-by-step approach to prevent infections in scientific studies with different settings during a pandemic and in situations where increased hygiene measures are required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology and Public Health in Applied Sciences)
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9 pages, 2160 KiB  
Article
Accommodative Relaxation by Extending the Viewing Distance through the Simple Optical Design of a Double-Mirror System
by Shang-Min Yeh, Hui-Rong Su, Chi-Hung Lee, Yu-Jung Chen and Shuan-Yu Huang
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(15), 6979; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11156979 - 29 Jul 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3169
Abstract
Purpose: This paper discusses the accommodative relaxation of myopic adults using a simple double-mirror design. This optical design can extend the viewing distance to 2.285 m and can magnify the image up to 3.386 times, and it results in the accommodative relaxation of [...] Read more.
Purpose: This paper discusses the accommodative relaxation of myopic adults using a simple double-mirror design. This optical design can extend the viewing distance to 2.285 m and can magnify the image up to 3.386 times, and it results in the accommodative relaxation of a single human eye. By using this optical design, accommodative relaxation may improve eye fatigue and, furthermore, it may delay the progression of myopia. Method: This study recruited 32 subjects with an average age of 20.8 ± 0.95 years old. After an examination of their refractive status, disposable contact lenses with a corresponding refractive error were fitted, and the dynamic accommodative response and change in pupil size were measured by using an open-field autorefractor. The subjects gazed at two different viewing distances. First, they gazed at a real object, which was placed 0.4 m in front of them. Second, the subjects gazed at a virtual image through a double-mirror system at a distance of 2.285 m. The dynamic accommodative responses and pupil size data were collected under these two viewing distance conditions. Results: When the subjects gazed at a real object that was 0.4 m away, or a virtual image that was 2.285 m away, the mean value of the accommodative response was 1.69 ± 0.31 D or 0.11 ± 0.05 D, and the pupil size was 3.79 ± 0.49 mm or 4.09 ± 0.72 mm, respectively. The accommodative response decreased, and the pupil size increased when using the double-mirror system, and therefore, accommodative relaxation can be achieved by using this new optical design. Conclusions: In the present study, we first successfully proposed a simple optical design to relax the accommodation, and the fluctuations of the accommodation response were stable, with an extended viewing distance of 2.285 m. This design may be applied for the improvement of visual function in applications such as the reduction of asthenopia and the control of myopia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology and Public Health in Applied Sciences)
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12 pages, 1294 KiB  
Article
Investigating Dynamics of COVID-19 Spread and Containment with Agent-Based Modeling
by Amirarsalan Rajabi, Alexander V. Mantzaris, Ece C. Mutlu and Ozlem O. Garibay
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5367; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125367 - 9 Jun 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3266
Abstract
Governments, policy makers, and officials around the globe are working to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by making decisions that strive to save the most lives and impose the least economic costs. Making these decisions require comprehensive understanding of the dynamics [...] Read more.
Governments, policy makers, and officials around the globe are working to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by making decisions that strive to save the most lives and impose the least economic costs. Making these decisions require comprehensive understanding of the dynamics by which the disease spreads. In traditional epidemiological models, individuals do not adapt their contact behavior during an epidemic, yet adaptive behavior is well documented (i.e., fear-induced social distancing). In this work we revisit Epstein’s “coupled contagion dynamics of fear and disease” model in order to extend and adapt it to explore fear-driven behavioral adaptations and their impact on efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The inclusion of contact behavior adaptation endows the resulting model with a rich dynamics that under certain conditions reproduce endogenously multiple waves of infection. We show that the model provides an appropriate test bed for different containment strategies such as: testing with contact tracing and travel restrictions. The results show that while both strategies could result in flattening the epidemic curve and a significant reduction of the maximum number of infected individuals; testing should be applied along with tracing previous contacts of the tested individuals to be effective. The results show how the curve is flattened with testing partnered with contact tracing, and the imposition of travel restrictions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology and Public Health in Applied Sciences)
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14 pages, 2486 KiB  
Article
A Regional Geography Approach to Understanding the Environmental Changes as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Lockdown in Highly Populated Spanish Cities
by Jesús Rodrigo-Comino and José María Senciales-González
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(7), 2912; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11072912 - 24 Mar 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2497
Abstract
Spain has been highly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is reflected at different scales. From an economic point of view, lockdowns and the reduction of activities have damaged the country (e.g., complete lockdown from March 13 to June 21, 2020). However, it [...] Read more.
Spain has been highly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is reflected at different scales. From an economic point of view, lockdowns and the reduction of activities have damaged the country (e.g., complete lockdown from March 13 to June 21, 2020). However, it is not clear if the associated environmental impacts could be observed in 2020. Currently, studies on the effects of the lockdown (e.g., decrease in economic activities, transport and social communication) on specific parameters related to climate change, such as air temperature or air pollution, due to a drastic decrease in human activities are rare. They are focused on specific cities and short periods of time. Therefore, the main goal of our research will be to assess the records of air temperature and air quality during the whole of 2020 compared to references from previous years (30 years for air temperature and 10 for air quality). We paid attention to the possible effects of the reduction of activities (e.g., tourism and transport) in March, April and May and the different restrictions of each lockdown in Spain. To achieve this goal, five urban climate stations with long-term time series within the most populated cities of Spain were analyzed (Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga, Sevilla and Valencia). We conclude that it is possible to affirm that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the atmospheric conditions in 2020 are not clear and not strictly focused on the lockdown or reduction of activities in these urban areas. No evidence of a reduction in the annual air temperature was found, and only a minimum reduction of rates of pollutants was registered in the highly populated cities of Spain. Therefore, it is worth confirming that these changes could be affected by other factors, but on a global scale and not directly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering recent studies on the relationships between air pollutants, temperature and the spreadability of COVID-19, green policies must be further imposed in urban cities, since temperatures do not stop increasing year by year. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology and Public Health in Applied Sciences)
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11 pages, 399 KiB  
Article
Regional Variation and Socio-Economic Determinants of Suicide Mortality in Greece before and during Economic Crisis
by Christos Zilidis, Dimitrios Papagiannis and Georgios Rachiotis
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(17), 6117; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10176117 - 3 Sep 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2234
Abstract
Background. Suicide mortality increased in Greece after the 2008 financial crisis. This study aimed to explore the regional variation of suicide mortality before and after the economic crisis, and its correlation with socio-economic and mental health-related variables factors. Methods. This is a quasi-experimental [...] Read more.
Background. Suicide mortality increased in Greece after the 2008 financial crisis. This study aimed to explore the regional variation of suicide mortality before and after the economic crisis, and its correlation with socio-economic and mental health-related variables factors. Methods. This is a quasi-experimental ecological study. Data from the national mortality statistics were analyzed, and standardized death rates and age-specific mortality rates were calculated. The effect of economic crisis was explored by comparing mortality rates before and after crisis onset. Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression were used to assess the impact of socioeconomic and mental health-related factors on suicide mortality. Results. Trends of suicide mortality showed a rise during 2011–2014, followed by a decline during 2015–2016. Significant differences were observed between regions, ranging from 27.6% lower to 54% higher than the national average. Unemployment, income, and change of gross domestic product were significantly correlated with regional variation. No association was found with mental disorder mortality rates and psychotropic drug consumption. Conclusions. Socio-economic factors explained only a part of the suicide mortality variation. Mental health-related factors were not significantly correlated with suicide mortality. More research is needed to investigate other possible determinants of suicides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology and Public Health in Applied Sciences)
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Review

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14 pages, 1373 KiB  
Review
Comparison of Selected Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and HCoV-NL63
by Darina Bačenková, Marianna Trebuňová, Tatiana Špakovská, Marek Schnitzer, Lucia Bednarčíková and Jozef Živčák
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1497; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041497 - 7 Feb 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3809
Abstract
The global pandemic known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This review article presents the taxonomy of SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses, which have been classified as the seventh known human pathogenic coronavirus. The etiology of COVID-19 [...] Read more.
The global pandemic known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This review article presents the taxonomy of SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses, which have been classified as the seventh known human pathogenic coronavirus. The etiology of COVID-19 is also briefly discussed. Selected characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and HCoV-NL63 are compared in the article. The angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) has been identified as the receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 viral entry. ACE2 is well-known as a counter-regulator of the renin-angiotensin system (RAAS) and plays a key role in the cardiovascular system. In the therapy of patients with COVID-19, there has been a concern about the use of RAAS inhibitors. As a result, it is hypothesized that ACE inhibitors do not directly affect ACE2 activity in clinical use. Coronaviruses are zoonotic RNA viruses. Identification of the primary causative agent of the SARS-CoV-2 is essential. Sequencing showed that the genome of the Bat CoVRaTG13 virus found in bats matches the genome of up to (96.2%) of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Sufficient knowledge of the molecular and biological mechanisms along with reliable information related to SARS-CoV-2 gives hope for a quick solution to epidemiological questions and therapeutic processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology and Public Health in Applied Sciences)
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