Keywords
Elderly workers
Housing Sanitation
Food Sanitation
Water Sanitation
Indoor Air Quality
Housing Sanitation
Food Sanitation
Water Sanitation
Indoor Air Quality
Abstract
Introduction: Thailand will become a complete aged society in 2021 and a super-aged society in 2030, resulting in a high proportion of older people. Living environments, especially at home, play an essential health determinant for the elders.
Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study evaluated 319 households in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province according to the standard of housing sanitation for elders and assessed biological contamination in food, water, and indoor air in the homes.
Results: The housing assessment results revealed some issues that are necessary to be improved, i.e., the wet and dry areas in bathrooms were not separated (89.4%), there was no anti-slip sheet in the bathrooms (97.2%), and handrails were not suitably installed (92.8%). The proportion of coliform bacteria contamination in the samples of elderly hand, dish, spoon, cooked rice, side dish, and drinking water was 78.4%, 82.1%, 88.3%, 93.4%, and 97.5%, respectively. The average total bacteria count in bedrooms and kitchens was 110 CFU/m3 and 148 CFU/m3, respectively. The average total fungi count was 82 CFU/m3 in bedrooms and 92 CFU/m3 in kitchens. Most indoor air quality parameters complied with the standards.
Conclusions: Significant health risks for the elderly workers while living at home were injuries due to slipping fall in the house, especially in the bathroom, as well as foodborne and waterborne diseases. The health risks should be communicated to the elders. Prevention of the risks should be performed by the cooperation of relevant government agencies and the older adults in the study area.
References
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[19] Tong X, Wang B, Dai W-T, Cao J-J, Ho SSH, Kwok TCY, et al. Indoor air pollutant exposure and determinant factors controlling household air quality for elderly people in Hong Kong. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health. 2018;11(6):695-704. doi: 10.1007/s11869-018-0576-2.
[20] Wayne WD. Biostatistics: a foundation for analysis in health sciences. 6th ed. United Stated America: John Wiley and Sons. Inc; 1995.
[21] Sang N, Thanapop C, Kongpran J. Evaluation and Factors related to Residential Care for Elders, Thasala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat. The Public Health Journal of Burapha University. 2019;14(1):30-43. [In Thai]
[22] Ministry of Public Health, Department of Health, Bureau of Food and Water Sanitation. Operation Guildline of Food Sanitation Surveillance for Practicetioner. Available at: http://foodsan.anamai.moph.go.th/more_news.php?cid=86&filename=index. Accessed on 25/05/2020. [In Thai]
[23] Hinds, W.C. (1982) Aerosol Technology: Properties, Behavior, and Measurement of Airborne Particles. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Inc; 1982.
[24] Institute of Environmental Epidemiology Ministry of the Environment. Good Indoor Air Quality in Office Premises. Available at: https://www.bca.gov.sg/GreenMark/others/NEA_Office_IAQ_Guidelines.pdf. Accessed on 25/05/2020.
[25] Ministry of Public Health, Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Health. Operation Manual for Practitioner in Assessment of Indoor Air Qualtiy. Available at: http://env.anamai.moph.go.th/ewt_dl_link.php?nid=824. Accessed on 10/05/2020. [In Thai]
[26] Thawa N, Chaivisit P. The environmental management and housing for the elderly in Muang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat. APHEIT Journal. 2016;5(1):31-9. [In Thai]
[27] Black EP, Hinrichs GJ, Barcay SJ, Gardner DB. Fruit Flies as Potential Vectors of Foodborne Illness. Journal of Food Protection. 2018;81(3):509-14. doi: 10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-17-255.
[28] Rajasekar A, Balasubramanian R. Assessment of airborne bacteria and fungi in food courts. Building and Environment. 2011;46(10):2081-7. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2011.04.021.
[2] United Nations. World Population Ageing 2017-Highlights (ST/ESA/SER.A/397). Available at: https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/ageing/WPA2017_Highlights.pdf. Accessed on 19/3/2020.
[3] National Statistical Office Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. Report on the 2017 Survey of the Older Persons in Thailand. Available at: http://www.nso.go.th/sites/2014en/Survey/social/domographic/OlderPersons/2017/Full%20Report_080618.pdf. Accessed on 19/3/2020. [In Thai]
[4] World Bank. Thailand Economic Monitor: Aging Society and Economy. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group; 2016. Available at: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/830261469638312246/pdf/107267-WP-PUBLIC-Thailand-Economic-Monitor-2016.pdf. Accessed on 19/3/2020
[5] UNFPA and HelpAge International. Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and A Challenge. Available at: https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Ageing%20report.pdf. Accessed on 19/3/2020
[6] Almegbel FY, Alotaibi IM, Alhusain FA, Masuadi EM, Al Sulami SL, Aloushan AF, Almuqbil BI. Period prevalence, risk factors and consequent injuries of falling among the Saudi elderly living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2018;8(1):e019063. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019063.
[7] Bergen G, Stevens MR, Burns ER. Falls and Fall Injuries Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years — United States, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65:993-8. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6537a2.
[8] Wu H, Ouyang P. Fall prevalence, time trend and its related risk factors among elderly people in China. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. 2017;73:294-9. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2017.08.009.
[9] Kannus P, Niemi S, Parkkari J, Mattila V, Sievänen H. Fall-induced hospital-treated traumatic brain injuries among elderly Finns in 1970–2017. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. 2020;86:103958. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2019.103958.
[10] Ekbrand H, Ekman R, Thodelius C, Möller M. Fall-related injuries for three ages groups – Analysis of Swedish registry data 1999–2013. Journal of Safety Research. 2020. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2020.02.016.
[11] Sucharitpongpan W, Daraphongsataporn N, Saloa S, Philawuth N, Chonyuen P, Sriruanthong K, et al. Epidemiology of fragility hip fractures in Nan, Thailand. Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia. 2019;5(1):19-22. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afos.2019.03.003.
[12] Medical Advisory S. Prevention of falls and fall-related injuries in community-dwelling seniors: an evidence-based analysis. Ont Health Technol Assess Ser. 2008;8(2):1-78. Epub 2008/10/01. PubMed PMID: 23074507.
[13] World Health Organization. Sanitation. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sanitation. Accessed on 25/05/2020.
[14] United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization. Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000-2017: Special focus on inequalities. Available at: https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/jmp-report-2019/en/. Accessed on 25/05/2020.
[15] Belachew AB, Abrha MB, Gebrezgi ZA, Tekle DY. Availability and utilization of sanitation facilities in Enderta district, Tigray, Ethiopia. Journal of preventive medicine and hygiene. 2018;59(3):E219-e25. Epub 2018/11/07. doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2018.59.3.826. PubMed PMID: 30397678; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPMC6196372.
[16] World Health Organization. Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. Available at: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44584/9789241548151_eng.pdf;jsessionid=4B70B28FA4E2BAC3DF49A111D007EEA4?sequence=1. Accessed on 25/05/2020
[17] Simoni M, Jaakkola MS, Carrozzi L, Baldacci S, Di Pede F, Viegi G. Indoor air pollution and respiratory health in the elderly. European Respiratory Journal. 2003;21(40 suppl):15s. doi: 10.1183/09031936.03.00403603.
[18] Almeida-Silva M, Wolterbeek HT, Almeida SM. Elderly exposure to indoor air pollutants. Atmospheric Environment. 2014;85:54-63. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2013.11.061.
[19] Tong X, Wang B, Dai W-T, Cao J-J, Ho SSH, Kwok TCY, et al. Indoor air pollutant exposure and determinant factors controlling household air quality for elderly people in Hong Kong. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health. 2018;11(6):695-704. doi: 10.1007/s11869-018-0576-2.
[20] Wayne WD. Biostatistics: a foundation for analysis in health sciences. 6th ed. United Stated America: John Wiley and Sons. Inc; 1995.
[21] Sang N, Thanapop C, Kongpran J. Evaluation and Factors related to Residential Care for Elders, Thasala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat. The Public Health Journal of Burapha University. 2019;14(1):30-43. [In Thai]
[22] Ministry of Public Health, Department of Health, Bureau of Food and Water Sanitation. Operation Guildline of Food Sanitation Surveillance for Practicetioner. Available at: http://foodsan.anamai.moph.go.th/more_news.php?cid=86&filename=index. Accessed on 25/05/2020. [In Thai]
[23] Hinds, W.C. (1982) Aerosol Technology: Properties, Behavior, and Measurement of Airborne Particles. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Inc; 1982.
[24] Institute of Environmental Epidemiology Ministry of the Environment. Good Indoor Air Quality in Office Premises. Available at: https://www.bca.gov.sg/GreenMark/others/NEA_Office_IAQ_Guidelines.pdf. Accessed on 25/05/2020.
[25] Ministry of Public Health, Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Health. Operation Manual for Practitioner in Assessment of Indoor Air Qualtiy. Available at: http://env.anamai.moph.go.th/ewt_dl_link.php?nid=824. Accessed on 10/05/2020. [In Thai]
[26] Thawa N, Chaivisit P. The environmental management and housing for the elderly in Muang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat. APHEIT Journal. 2016;5(1):31-9. [In Thai]
[27] Black EP, Hinrichs GJ, Barcay SJ, Gardner DB. Fruit Flies as Potential Vectors of Foodborne Illness. Journal of Food Protection. 2018;81(3):509-14. doi: 10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-17-255.
[28] Rajasekar A, Balasubramanian R. Assessment of airborne bacteria and fungi in food courts. Building and Environment. 2011;46(10):2081-7. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2011.04.021.