BCIT Environmental Public Health Journal
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209 research outputs found
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Assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and safety practices of aesthetic laser hair removal providers in British Columbia
Get PDFAesthetic laser hair removal (LHR) has gained global popularity. Guidelines are present to assist LHR operators in safely providing their services, however, there is a need for prescriptive measures in the regulations that govern Personal Service Establishment (PSE), which Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) enforce. Inadequate training can lead to improper use of the LHR device, which can cause various injuries or disorders to both the clients and the operator. Practitioners must be sufficiently trained and educated on the risks, hazards, and safety measures required to provide LHR services adequately. Therefore, LHR providers should be assessed to determine any discrepancies in safety knowledge
Assessing the knowledge, attitudes and practice of mask wearing while exercising in fitness facilities in British Columbia (BC), Canada during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic
Get PDFAs the COVID-19 pandemic continues into its second year, public health measures remain in place in order to prevent the spread of the virus. One of these measures is the requirement for face masks to be worn at all times in public places. One of these places, fitness facilities, has slightly different requirements. Masks are not required to be worn while actually exercising in gyms and fitness facilities. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practice of mask wearing while exercising in fitness facilities in BC, Canada during the second year of the pandemic. The goal of this study was to assess gym users’ familiarity with the mask guidelines, and if the government needs to do anything different to make the guidelines clearer and more accessible
Food premises inspection violations and inspection frequency during COVID-19 in Vancouver Island Health Authority
Get PDFFood service establishments, such as restaurants are subject to regulatory compliance, which acts to protect the health of the public from health risks and hazards that may arise in these settings. Ensuring compliance during inspections is carried out by public health professionals including Environmental Health Officers (EHOs). The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the public health sector, with many programs, services and professional involvement being enhanced to better support the COVID-19 response. This study investigated whether restaurant inspections on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, were impacted during COVID-19, including inspection frequency, inspection violations and hazard ratings
Kombucha: Determining the likelihood of secondary fermentation and increased ethanol content via stated sugar content on product labels
Get PDFKombucha products are now a common, and popular beverage. Increasingly, Kombucha beverages are outpacing popularity of other carbonated beverages on the market, such as soda pop. This increase is seen by many as a positive change of consumer interests, as Kombucha has much less sugar content than many soda pop alternatives. However, Kombucha products are fermented beverages, and therefore are apt to contain ethanol, which may be a hazard for certain at risk populations. This study aims to investigate how information provided on product labels may or may not allow for increased consumer control by making an educated guess about potential ethanol content
Studying the accessibility and use of digital literacy among older adults during a global pandemic
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The COVID-19 global pandemic has demanded many individuals remain indoors and isolate from friends and family to keep safe. These long periods of isolation have led to loneliness and an overall shift in the way individuals communicate with each other. Digital media sources have become predominant forms of interaction and entertainment – but how are different age groups, specifically older adults managing this major digital media shift?
Keywords
older adult(s)
 
A survey study of public awareness on hand sanitizer recalls in Canada
Get PDFThe Covid-19 pandemic has created a high demand for hand sanitizer to prevent the spread of pathogens. This resulted in a hand sanitizer shortage on the market and promoted more manufactures to produce and sell hand sanitizers. Meanwhile, Health Canada has recalled many hand sanitizers due to potential health risks for various reasons such as products that contain unauthorized ingredients. However, the general public in Canada might not notice hand sanitizer recalls and/or underestimate the risk of using recalled hand sanitizers. This research study was conducted to determine the general public awareness regarding hand sanitizer recalls
Knowledge of protective measures during extreme heat events among the general public
Get PDFExtreme Heat Events (EHEs) are increasing in frequency, intensity, and duration in Canada that are resulting in high numbers of preventable heat-related illnesses and deaths. Apart from heat related injuries, extreme heat can catalyze reactions to worsen the outdoor air quality, increase wildfire occurrences, and worsen pre-existing heart conditions or chronic illnesses. Assessing the general public’s knowledge of protective measures against EHEs is needed to prevent further heat-related injuries. In addition, the general public’s knowledge of climate change can be determined to assess if they are aware of the contribution of extreme heat
The cleanliness of Beautyblenders
Get PDFKeeping makeup tools in sanitary conditions is necessary in order to prevent the risk of pathogenic microbes from multiplying in unhygienic conditions which may pose a risk to health (Bashir & Lambert, 2019). Beautyblenders are a highly regarded product by consumers worldwide (Shah, 2016). The company launched their sponges in 2007 and in 2016, they have sold more than 6.5 million sponges globally (Bashir & Lambert, 2019). It is a reusable pink cosmetic sponge that can be used with a number of different cosmetic products such as foundations, beauty creams, and concealers for application on the face. This study is about examining the public who uses Beautyblenders and their knowledge in regards to cleaning the reusable sponges
Assessing private well user’s attitudes towards chlorination of drinking water
Get PDF In Canada, those who rely on private wells are at approximately 5.2 times greater risk of contracting enteric illness due to contaminated drinking water than those who rely on municipal water systems (4). In recent years, some communities have expressed opposition towards chlorination and distrust towards health authorities mandating its use (5,6). Given that chlorination of drinking water is a widely used and highly effective method of limiting waterborne illness, the purpose of this research aims to determine if there is a relationship in the public between perception of the health risk of microbial contamination in drinking water versus attitudes towards chlorination among those utilising non-municipal water systems and private wells in Canada
Radon awareness in Metro Vancouver
Get PDFRadon is a naturally occurring harmful radioactive gas and is the second leading cause of lung cancer (WHO, 2021). Canada gets a very high number of immigrants every year and immigrant population is increasing dramatically (Government of Canada, 2005). Assessing the immigrants’ knowledge in metro Vancouver on radon gas can help identify whether education for radon gas for immigrants is needed to aid in the prevention of lung cancer