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14 pages, 1093 KB

Open AccessProceeding Paper

Climate Change Risks and Impacts on Public Health Correlated with Air Pollution—African Dust in South Europe

by Ioannis Adamopoulos, Niki Syrou and Domenico Vito

Med. Sci. Forum 2025, 33(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/msf2025033001 - 16 Apr 2025

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2901

Climate change poses a significant risk to the environment and public health, leading to extreme weather patterns, rising sea levels, and loss of biodiversity. The relationship between air pollution from African dust and climate change demonstrates its critical role in trapping heat in [...] Read more.

Climate change poses a significant risk to the environment and public health, leading to extreme weather patterns, rising sea levels, and loss of biodiversity. The relationship between air pollution from African dust and climate change demonstrates its critical role in trapping heat in the atmosphere, resulting in heat-related illnesses, heart problems, and respiratory issues. This research points to the detrimental effects of pollutants such as smog, dust, acid rain, and ozone depletion on ecosystems, highlighting the importance of using geographically weighted regression modeling and the MODIS-NDVI analysis to address air pollution. Particulate Matter (PM_2.5–10) and ozone levels can have negative impacts on respiratory and cardiovascular health. Proactive steps, such as implementing clean energy technologies and enforcing stricter pollution regulations, are necessary to protect public health. Acting is crucial to addressing these global challenges and creating a cleaner, healthier future for future generations, underscoring the need for climate justice commitment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Proceedings of The 3rd International One Health Conference)

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12 pages, 1594 KB

Open AccessProceeding Paper

The Association of the Global Climate Crisis with Environmental Risks and the Impact of Heat Stress on Occupational Safety, Health, and Hygiene

by Ioannis Adamopoulos, Niki Syrou, George Mpourazanis, Theodoros C. Constantinidis and George Dounias

Med. Sci. Forum 2025, 33(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/msf2025033002 - 21 May 2025

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2929

Abstract

The relationship between the global climate crisis, which is associated with environmental risks, and occupational hygiene has not been extensively studied. This study develops a framework for identifying how climate change and the climate crisis could impact the workplace environment, workers, and occupational [...] Read more.

The relationship between the global climate crisis, which is associated with environmental risks, and occupational hygiene has not been extensively studied. This study develops a framework for identifying how climate change and the climate crisis could impact the workplace environment, workers, and occupational morbidity, mortality, and injury. A framework is used in this paper that is based on a review of the scientific literature published from 2014 to 2024, addressing climate risks, their interaction with occupational hazards, and their effects on the workforce. Eight categories of climate-related hazards are identified: increasingly high temperatures, dust and air pollution, sun and cosmic ultraviolet exposure, pandemics and infectious diseases, diseases transmitted by insects and changes in ecosystems, industrial occupational diseases, changes and crises in the built environment, and extreme weather events. Policies need to consider the gaps in the possibility of interactions between known hazards and new conditions and the productivity of workers, especially those who are most at risk of heat-related illnesses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Proceedings of The 3rd International One Health Conference)

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15 pages, 3015 KB

Open AccessProceeding Paper

Mapping Public Sentiment: A Data-Driven Analysis of COVID-19 Discourse on Social Media in Italy

by Gabriela Fernandez, Siddharth Suresh-Babu and Domenico Vito

Med. Sci. Forum 2025, 33(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/msf2025033003 - 8 Jul 2025

Viewed by 1385

Abstract

This study provides a detailed analysis of COVID-19-related social media discourse in Italy, using 535,886 tweets from 10 major cities between 30 August 2020 and 8 June 2021. The tweets were translated from Italian to English for analysis. A multifaceted methodology was employed: [...] Read more.

This study provides a detailed analysis of COVID-19-related social media discourse in Italy, using 535,886 tweets from 10 major cities between 30 August 2020 and 8 June 2021. The tweets were translated from Italian to English for analysis. A multifaceted methodology was employed: Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) identified 20 key themes; sentiment analysis, using TextBlob, Flair, and TweetNLP, and emotion recognition using TweetNLP, revealed the emotional tone of the discourse, with 453 tweets unanimously positive across all algorithms. TextBlob was used for lexical analysis to rank the most salient positive and negative terms. The results indicated that positive sentiments centered on hope, safety measures, and vaccination progress, while negative sentiments focused on fear, death, and quarantine frustrations. This research offers valuable insights for public health officials, enabling tailored messaging, real-time strategy monitoring, and agile policymaking during the pandemic, with implications for future health crises. Full article

(This article belongs to the Proceedings of The 3rd International One Health Conference)

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6 pages, 192 KB

Open AccessProceeding Paper

From Sea to Plate: The Plastic Pollution Problem in the Food Chain

by Carolyne Shealy, Gabriela Fernandez, Domenico Vito and Carol Maione

Med. Sci. Forum 2025, 33(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/msf2025033004 - 15 Jul 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2981

Abstract

The rising concern over plastic pollution is not only related to pollution in marine and terrestrial habitats but also effects humans. This study analyzes the trophic transfer of microplastics throughout the food chain, with an emphasis on the effects on human health. It [...] Read more.

The rising concern over plastic pollution is not only related to pollution in marine and terrestrial habitats but also effects humans. This study analyzes the trophic transfer of microplastics throughout the food chain, with an emphasis on the effects on human health. It provides a review of 12 articles analyzing the microplastic intake by humans via ingestion of fish and environmental exposure. In particular, the reviewed studies focused on microplastic ingestion by fish and animals intended for human consumption, the distribution of microplastics in human tissues, and human blood. The results of this analysis can extend our understanding of microplastic transfer in the human body, with implications for future research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Proceedings of The 3rd International One Health Conference)

9 pages, 508 KB

Open AccessProceeding Paper

Monitoring the Health of Our Oceans: From the Sea Surface to the Seafloor

by Carol Maione

Med. Sci. Forum 2025, 33(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/msf2025033005 - 30 Jul 2025

Viewed by 943

Abstract

Overfishing represents one of the most alarming threats to marine conservation in the Mediterranean Sea. In particular, deep-sea trawl fishing can severely damage marine habitats that may take decades to recover due to their slow growth rates. Hence, monitoring the health and subsistence [...] Read more.

Overfishing represents one of the most alarming threats to marine conservation in the Mediterranean Sea. In particular, deep-sea trawl fishing can severely damage marine habitats that may take decades to recover due to their slow growth rates. Hence, monitoring the health and subsistence of deep-sea ecosystems in fishing hotspots is vital to understand the impacts of deep-sea fishing. This paper presents a methodological study to prepare an expedition in Sardinian (Italy) deep waters. The methodology is composed of three sections: first, it offers a comparative analysis of the proper technological mix to identify fishing hotspots pre-expedition; second, it simulates an in situ expedition to monitor the state of deep-sea ecosystems in proximity of the fishing hotspots identified; and third, it offers recommendations for data analysis and management post-expedition. This study offers a replicable methodology for advancing knowledge on the state of deep-sea ecosystems affected by trawl fishing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Proceedings of The 3rd International One Health Conference)

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12 pages, 6792 KB

Open AccessProceeding Paper

The CHIARA Project: Addressing Women’s Mental Health and Safety in US–Mexico Border States

by Stephanie Meza, Gabriela Fernandez and Domenico Vito

Med. Sci. Forum 2025, 33(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/msf2025033006 - 22 Dec 2025

Viewed by 1335

Abstract

The CHIARA Project investigates women’s mental health and vulnerability to sex trafficking in the U.S.–Mexico border states (California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico). A mixed-methods design was employed, combining qualitative content analysis of media, legal, and policy documents with quantitative analyses of secondary [...] Read more.

The CHIARA Project investigates women’s mental health and vulnerability to sex trafficking in the U.S.–Mexico border states (California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico). A mixed-methods design was employed, combining qualitative content analysis of media, legal, and policy documents with quantitative analyses of secondary datasets from health institutions, the National Human Trafficking Hotline, the Polaris Project, and the U.S. Census Bureau. Data were cleaned, integrated, and examined through descriptive statistics, regression models, and correlation matrices using R Studio, complemented by visualizations to identify patterns and hotspots. Results show a strong association between higher crime rates, reported trafficking cases, and the prevalence of mental health disorders such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety among women. California and Texas consistently reported higher trafficking cases and mental health burdens, while regression analyses highlighted poverty, limited education, and gender inequality as significant predictors of vulnerability. These findings underscore the interplay between socioeconomic conditions and gender-specific exploitation at the border. By linking mental health and trafficking indicators, the study provides actionable insights for community leaders, policymakers, and healthcare providers, emphasizing the need for trauma-informed care, targeted prevention strategies, and policies that address both structural inequities and survivor rehabilitation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Proceedings of The 3rd International One Health Conference)

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32 pages, 697 KB

Open AccessConference Report

Preface and Abstracts of the 3nd International One Health Conference 2024

by Domenico Vito, Margherita Ferrante, Gea Oliveri Conti, Gabriela Fernandez, Carol Maione, Paolo Lauriola, Prisco Piscitelli, Melissa Jiménez Gómez Tagle, Carlos Dora, Jordi Serrano Pons, Carole Conforti, Joima Panisello, Paula Sol Ventura, Ilaria Bernotti, Carmen Ruiz Martin, Edgar Buloz-Osorio, Marcella Trombetta, Giuseppe Banfi and Valentina Tageo

Med. Sci. Forum 2025, 33(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/msf2025033007 - 23 Dec 2025

Viewed by 1575

Abstract

The International One Health Conference 2024 took place against the backdrop of the Mediterranean, a region emblematic of humanity’s most pressing interconnected challenges, including climate change, environmental degradation, and persistent maternal and child health disparities [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Proceedings of The 3rd International One Health Conference)

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