NEHA 2014 AEC: Conference Purpose, Objectives, Theme

This year’s joint conference provides a unique opportunity for exploration and exchange of information, ideas, and practices. A main focus of the 2014 AEC is to provide sessions that help EH professionals adapt to the changing economic and professional landscape by 1) building capacity for EH activities within their organization and 2) developing their EH workforce such that they are able to apply their skill set to new areas, or their resources in new ways. We are seeking the best tips, tricks, and tweaks being implemented and applied in the daily practice of EH to stay relevant and efficient, and manage the much lamented, but very real, funding shortages faced across the profession.  

Please be aware that the Selection Committee will have this mission in mind as we consider the abstracts, and it may be helpful for you to consider as well. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the abstracts, which will be posted as they are submitted.

Sincere thanks,

NEHA Education Coordinator

We Track. You Act! A Case Study in Online Advertising from CDC (20m Lecture)

Abstract: During August 2013, CDC’s National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program launched the We Track, You Act! online advertising campaign using three platforms: Facebook, Google AdWords, and Advertising.com. Because of the highly customizable nature of online ads, limited information is available about the exact methods and efficacy of campaigns. This makes it difficult to determine the relative success of similar online advertising campaigns. In sharing our experience, CDC’s Tracking Program seeks to give others a touchstone by which to compare their campaigns and to provide lessons learned in developing and implementing an online campaign.

The goal of the online ads was to drive visitors to CDC’s We Track, You Act! webpage. The webpage summarizes how data, information, and resources on the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (Tracking Network) can be used by different audiences, including public health leaders, healthcare professionals, and parents.

CDC targeted the online ads to two main audience groups informed by previous research. The ad platforms used characteristics of the audiences, such as age, occupation, and interests to determine ad placement. Each ad platform uses different ad formats from text-only to thumbnail-sized images and banner-sized graphics. CDC designed different ads to meet the requirements for each platform.

Data collected from the three ad platforms show that the ads were seen nearly 23 million times and clicked on more than 12,000 times. While all platforms directed viewers to the We Track, You Act! webpage, Google AdWords had the greatest return on investment.

Lessons learned from this campaign will inform future online advertisements by CDC’s Tracking Program. In addition, CDC will use the outcomes from the We Track. You Act! campaign as a baseline with which to compare future campaigns.  

How many ways can you test for chlorine in recreational water? (50m Lecture)

Abstract: A lecture to describe, explain, and compare the currently available testing methods for the determination of chlorine in recreational waters which are commonly inspected by environmental health officials. Discussion will also include testing interferences and the advantages and disadvantages of using one method over another. 

Session Description/Teaser: If you only thought there was one way to test for chlorine, come to this lecture to find out how many more there really are!
 
Objective #1: Know the different methods available for testing chlorine Objective #2: Test a water sample for chlorine accurately
Objective #3: Identify interferences when testing water

The Human Health Impacts and Environmental Implications of Floods in Northern Ireland (Poster)

Flooding is now the most frequent type of major disaster globally. During the past 30 years, floods have resulted in 200,000 fatalities and affected more than 2.8 billion others worldwide. It should be recognised that flood events do not necessarily need to be large in scale or be physically destructive to have a detrimental impact on homes and livelihoods, as minor floods can still have potentially large cumulative effects. Estimates suggest that if no preventative measures are taken, flooding will affect 250 000–400 000 additional people annually in Europe by 2080.

Flooding has become a major problem in the United Kingdom, as demonstrated in 2007 in England which resulted in flooding of 55,000 properties, evacuation of approximately 7,000 people and 13 fatalities. The problem extends to Northern Ireland, where climate change is likely to result in higher average temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events, such as floods. In recent years, in Northern Ireland, there have been numerous flooding incidents that have caused devastation to local communities.

The environmental impacts of flooding can be quite wide-ranging, from the dispersion of low-level household wastes into the fluvial system to contamination of community water supplies. The impact of floods on human health is under-researched even though flooding has obvious direct impacts i.e. morbidity, injuries, diseases and also more indirect impacts such as mental health conditions due to the long-term consequences of flooding. This study will undertake measurements and characterisation of water contaminants, after a flooding event, with a view to evaluating the impact on water quality. It will also explore the human health impacts of floods, using surveys and interviews to investigate the physical and psychological health problems inflicted on individuals, subsequent to flooding.

The results will assist agencies to mitigate the long-term health impacts of flooding, provide beneficial information on the risk to water quality from flooding and help agencies response efficiently during the recovery stage of a flooding event, providing the community with an appropriate level of support.

Benefits of Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration for Effective Public Health Messaging (50m Lecture)

This talk would summarize an ongoing initiative by the Water Research Foundation (www.waterrf.org) to broaden the national dialogue on water quality contaminants and public health. Co-authors of this presentation would include the Water Research Foundation, ReInventing the Nation’s Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), ARCADIS, and potentially other organizations who participated in the workshop.

Many Water Research Foundation subscribers are drinking water utilities who field requests from the public about their water quality, often driven by media coverage. Water utility staff who respond to these questions may lack the public health knowledge and credentials to provide a satisfactory answer to these questions. Similarly, local county and state public health agencies may get requests from the public and from the news media and may lack the context or knowledge of the local water system to provide complete and relevant information. Both groups can benefit from shared resources, at either a local or national level, resulting in more consistent messaging to the general public, and can benefit from connections with public health researchers on “hot topics” or areas of emerging research.

We propose to describe a few examples of important issues pertaining to water quality and public health that have prompted public concern and questions, to illustrate the benefits of knowledge sharing between different disciplines. Examples include:

1. Media coverage of lead leaching from piping in people’s homes into the drinking water supply due to changes in water chemistry, a result of the local water utility (Washington DC) changing the type of chlorine disinfection used.
2. The detection of compounds that are commonly found in wastewater (e.g., caffeine, pharmaceuticals, personal care products) in drinking water source waters, as a result of direct or indirect wastewater reuse (Multiple locations nationwide, covered by Associated Press several years ago).
3. Concerns about water quality from private wells in rural or remote areas where septic systems may adversely affect shallow groundwater quality (e.g., Cape Cod, Massachusetts)

Next, we would describe the Water Research Foundation initiative to broaden the national dialuge and build collaborations between water and public health groups, summarize discussion topics and key perspectives from different organizations/participants at a recent 2-day workshop, and provide examples of ongoing efforts and intiatives to improve relationships and collaborations among existing programs and generate more effective and consistent messages. (For example, workshop participant Dr. Jerome Paulson described an existing network of Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) whose mission and efforts could be leveraged to better respond to questions from the public related to the health effects of environmental issues on children).

Restroom Infection Control: Chlorhexidine, the final frontier (50m Lecture)

Session Description/Teaser: Pioneering award-winning (BMJ and HAI Watchdog Awards 2013) work at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, UK has demonstrated the remarkable residual antimicrobial activity of chlorhexidine on surfaces thereby maintaining their continuous cleanliness over time. The final point of contact of cleansed hands is the pathogen-rich restroom door handle. In this context, we present a new double-blinded-randomized-crossover trial in a school setting demonstrating significant improvements in continuous cleanliness of handles during use using this simple, cheap technique

ABSTRACT: Chlorhexidine (CHG) wipes offer a cheap and effective environmental cleaning solution in specific situations. We made a chance finding during a laboratory study validating iPads for cleaning efficacy and long-term tolerance to cleaning products. We unexpectedly discovered a previously unreported, powerful residual antimicrobial effect demonstrated by CHG, that was not occurring with any other cleaning agents. Once wiped with a standard CHG swab (SaniCloth CHG 2%, PDI, Nice-pak, New York) we were unable to grow bacteria on the iPads for 6 hours despite the repeated application of high colony counts of a wide range of pathogens. Chlorhexidine has a known residual antimicrobial effect on skin, but the discovery of the effect on objects is novel. We hypothesized that this residual effect could be very important on objects that are, of necessity, repeatedly handled prior to use between sterilization episodes or disposal and that if objects could be kept clean during use this could offer a fundamental advantage (for many applications) in addition to current infection control techniques and in tandem with substantial cost savings thereby providing real and widespread patient benefit across the healthcare, social care and wider sanitary environments. We have published successful trials examining objects handled in the hospital environment (Howell et al. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2013 May;30(5):216-21 and Cummings et al. Anaesthesia. 2013 Aug;68(8):830-4, and 4 in press or preparation). The body of work has attracted two national awards in the UK (BMJ and HAI Watchdog Awards 2013). In addition to presentation and interactive discussion of this body of work and the wider applications, we will present new data at NEHA’s 78th Annual Educational Conference from our double-blinded-randomized-crossover trial in a school setting demonstrating significant improvements in continuous cleanliness of restroom door handles during use using this simple, cheap technique.

Identification and Implementation of Effective Educational Campaigns for Private Well Testing (50m Lecture)

 Public health officials report difficulty in raising awareness among private well owners to perform regular testing and maintenance of their private wells. To identify and evaluate effective approaches that promote well testing and maintenance, a survey of local, state, and national well testing programs was conducted, with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Effective approaches were evaluated to determine the situational characteristics behind their success to provide a set of parameters for determining which approaches might be more effective in specific situations. In this lecture, the results of the survey will be discussed to describe the issues that should be considered when developing such a program. A number of successful approaches will be discussed to provide the audience with an assessment of the criteria used to evaluate how and when each approach should be used as part of a private well testing educational campaign. For each approach described, examples will be provided of how the approach was successfully used, situational information that affected how successful the approach was will be described, and information on the resources necessary for implementing each approach will be provided. The goal of the lecture is to provide attendees with a roadmap for how they might create a successful private well testing program.

Levels of Heavy Metals in Traffic-Related Particulate Matter along a Major Motorway in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area, Nigeria (20m Lecture)

 Background: Traffic-related particulate matter contributes extensively to ambient air pollution especially in urban centres. Hence, Populations found along major urban motorways are at higher risk of various health effects. This study was therefore designed to determine levels of heavy metals in the air along IdiApe-Iwo road motorway in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area.

Methods: Descriptive study design involving air sampling and particulate analysis for selected heavy metals was used. At all five sampling locations, levels of particulate matter (PM10) at intervals of 10, 20 and 30 metres away from the motorway were measured using calibrated fine particulate matter sampler. Measurements were done in the morning (7-10am) and afternoon (1-4pm) for 10 weeks. Filter papers obtained from the sampler from SL were digested and analysed for Lead (Pb), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd), Zinc (Zn), Chromium (Cr) and Nickel (Ni) using atomic absorption spectrophotometry according to standard methods. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA and Pearson correlation test at p <0.05.

Results: Daily PM10 level at each sampling location were AB (100.5 ± 36.3µg/m3), IA (96.3 ± 42.1µg/m3), BA (84.6 ± 41.7µg/m3), AL (110.1 ± 48.4µg/m3), and HJ (121.6 ± 59.8µg/m3) was 4-6times above the PM10 guideline limit of 20µg/m3. The mean levels of heavy metals were Pb (161.1 ± 108.3mg/m3), Fe (2.54 ± 1.09mg/m3), Cu (0.91 ± 0.31mg/m3), Cd (52.5 ± 30.7mg/m3), Zn (0.52 ± 0.39mg/m3), and Cr (0.19 ± 0.03mg /m3). Spatial variations in PM10 and heavy metal concentrations were found to reduce with distance further away from traffic by 23.5% and 18.7% respectively.

Conclusion: Levels of heavy metals at all sampling locations along Idi-Ape-Iwo road motorway exceeded permissible guideline limits for urban centres. Periodic air monitoring of motorways should be instituted. This should be targeted at reducing traffic-related particulate matter concentrations on our motorways especially from exhaust emissions.

Sanitizing 101 ( Drop-in Learning Lab)

  Sanitizers are used in lots of EH functions and there are numerous different types that are available.  This session will show attendees how to properly test some of the more common types of sanitizers. i.e. Quat and chlorine.  Attendees will learn how to dispense and test sanitizer concentrations and the different types of test kits available.  They will get to see firsthand that when you swish the test strip that it does in fact increase the concentration reading on the test strip.  Participants will get to see how hard it is to remove sanitizer from a surface that was sanitizer with too high of a concentration.  In addition, the learning lab will also demonstrate how sanitizer can cling to the inside of a spray bottle.  Attendees can participate in any or all demonstrations based on their knowledge and needs and will be able to problem solve issues identified in the field as it relates to sanitizers better and with more confidence.                             

Meeting the Challenge in Time of Crisis (50m Lecture)

When a disaster occurs, it is essential that public and environmental health understands its role in assuring the public's health. This workshop will examine the role of public and environmental health in emergency response. From environmental concerns to threats to community health, we will discuss the threats in a disaster recovery environment. Lastly, the workshop will examine what resources and expertise that public and environmental health bring to a crisis and examine a vision of how we interfaces with existing incident management structure.

The Environmental Health Definitions Show (50m Learning Lab / Talk Show)

The National Environmental Health Association recently published new definitions of the terms "environmental health" and "environmental health professional." They were the products of a work group formed by the NEHA Board of Directors. After research, study and deliberation, the work group developed definitions and subjected them to public comment.  Comments were considered and the definitions were revised.  The final version of the definitions were published in the October 2013 Journal of Environmental Health, as well as on the NEHA.org web site and social media such as LinkedIn.  The definitions sparked lively debate about the field, its purposes, workforce composition, and qualifications to be an environmental health practitioner/professional.  This program will continue to conversation about the definitions and what it means to practice environmental health.  This is relevant because the Board of Directors also has adopted a policy calling for periodic review of the definitions and revisions when necessary. The talk show will demonstrate the use of social media in promoting the discussion of concerns and issues within the field of environmental health. It will also contribute to the understanding of the profession of environmental health and the workforce composition and range of views about what constitutes an environmental health professional.