Excessive nitrates in drinking water pose a human health threat, especially to infants. Methemoglobinemia, or blue-baby syndrome, is a potentially fatal condition that inhibits the ability of red blood cells to bind and transport oxygen. Nitrates/nitrites have also been linked to such conditions as cancer, birth defects, and behavioral and...
Electric arc welding is the most prevalent welding type in industry. It creates two main groups of health hazards for workers; fumes and gases, and radiant energy. Shielded Metal Arc (SMA) welding is the most widely used welding method in industrial plant welding shops. The main chemical health hazards associated...
The purpose of this study was to examine Oregon State University students' self-reported knowledge, attitudes, and behavior about recycling. Students living in on-campus and off-campus organized living groups were mailed a four-page survey with questions about their recycling activities, their attitudes about recycling, their opinions of the effectiveness of the...
Despite the increase in information on the causes of foodborne disease, outbreaks continue to be a major preventable public health problem. Current food service establishment inspection programs, however, are not designed to assess the potential of risk for foodborne disease and do not focus prevention efforts where food service problems...
The purpose of this research was to analyze the available pesticide poisoning data in Oregon from 1994 to 1998 in order to obtain a descriptive account of general incident information and of occupational exposures. These data were to be used by the Pesticide Analytical and Response Center for planning preventive...
American Indians and Alaska Natives have disproportionately high rates of diabetes, and it is not known if perceived medical discrimination is associated with diabetes health measures and poorer health for this population. This study examined the
effect of perceived medical discrimination (PMD) in American Indian women on health care decisions,...
The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge, attitudes, practices and barriers related to handwashing in the restaurant environment. The study was designed with multidimensional study tools to include: a focus group conversation with questions to food workers to develop an initial understanding of knowledge, practice and attitudes...
Benzene is a widespread urban pollutant and monitoring results show concentrations are particularly high in Portland, Oregon. Nationally, benzene air pollution is the largest contributor to total cancer risk from air pollutants. We used data from several data sets including: modeled benzene distribution at the census block group level from...
Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a global issue with national and local implications. Chronic exposure to arsenic in drinking water has been linked to both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health outcomes. The primary exposure route of inorganic arsenic is ingestion from drinking water due to natural contamination in groundwater from dissolution...
Although fish are a nutritious food source, they also are the main source of methylmercury exposure in U.S. populations. This research examined the risks from methylmercury and benefits from omega-3 fatty acids and selenium from fish consumption. The first study provided the first region-specific quantitative risk/benefit analysis for nine commonly...