Healthy and Safe Environments Across Occupational and Environmental Contexts, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Environments (ISSN 2076-3298).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 May 2026 | Viewed by 70

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Environmental Health Department, School of Health of Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal
2. Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology (TBIO), Health Research Network (RISE-Health), Porto, Portugal
Interests: healthy environments; occupational and environmental health; occupational safety and hygiene; chemical exposure; indoor environments; environmental ergonomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Environmental Health Department, School of Health of Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal
2. Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology (TBIO), Health Research Network (RISE-Health), Porto, Portugal
Interests: human factors and ergonomics; environmental and occupational health and safety; impact of digitalization and emerging technologies on health; fatigue and burnout
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Environmental Hygiene and Human Biological Monitoring Unit, Department of Health Protection, Laboratoire National de Santé, Luxembourg
Interests: indoor air; microbiology; endotoxins; occupational and environmental exposure; biomonitoring; DNA damage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a Special Issue on “Healthy and Safe Environments Across Occupational and Environmental Contexts, 2nd Edition”.

The WHO defines environmental health as the science that “addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviours. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments”. The main link between the general environment and the workplace is that the source of the hazard is, in some cases, the same. To control the health hazard, a common approach may work effectively in both settings. It is now well recognized that the scientific knowledge and training required to assess and control environmental health hazards are, for the most part, the same skills and knowledge required to address occupational health hazards.

The Issue will feature a diverse range of topics, including novel approaches to hazard assessment, emerging environmental and occupational health risks, technological innovations for safety and health, interventions in challenging environments, and strategies for disease prevention and human wellbeing among occupational and environmental settings and communities.

The articles should cover one of the following topics:

  • Occupational and environmental mixed exposures;
  • Modelling approaches to estimate occupational and environmental exposures;
  • New technologies, human factors, and health outcomes;
  • Healthy indoor and outdoor workplaces and environments;
  • Physical, biological, chemical, psychosocial and ergonomic factors exposure and qualitative and quantitative risk assessment methods;
  • Work organization and design to prevent accidents and injuries;
  • Skin and airborne exposure: new developments on assessment and control;
  • Impact of green jobs on environment and occupational health;
  • Other related themes.

The publications in the first edition, which we believe may be of interest to you, can be found here: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/environments/special_issues/23P75513WP.

Dr. Carlos Carvalhais
Prof. Dr. Joana Carvalho dos Santos
Dr. Cristiana Costa Pereira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Environments is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • occupational health
  • environmental health
  • human factors and ergonomics
  • human exposure
  • healthy environments

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 1781 KiB  
Article
Small-Scale Farming, Pesticide Exposure, and Respiratory Health: A Cross-Sectional Study in Bolivia
by Maria Teresa Solís-Soto, Jonas Walber, Armando Basagoitia, Ondine S. von Ehrenstein and Katja Radon
Environments 2025, 12(8), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments12080290 - 21 Aug 2025
Abstract
This study analyzed the relationship between pesticide exposure with respiratory symptoms and lung function among small-scale farm workers in rural communities of Sucre, Bolivia. A cross-sectional study was conducted including 277 farmers and 214 non-farmers ≥ 16 years. Pesticide exposure and respiratory symptoms [...] Read more.
This study analyzed the relationship between pesticide exposure with respiratory symptoms and lung function among small-scale farm workers in rural communities of Sucre, Bolivia. A cross-sectional study was conducted including 277 farmers and 214 non-farmers ≥ 16 years. Pesticide exposure and respiratory symptoms were assessed by questionnaire, and lung function was assessed by spirometry. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for associations between pesticide exposure and respiratory symptoms, while multiple linear regression was employed to estimate associations with lung function. The adjusted regression models indicated a positive association between pesticide exposure and chronic cough or phlegm (aOR 1.22; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.5), chest tightness (1.14; 1.0 to 1.3), and nasal allergies (1.21; 1.0 to 1.4). Also, pesticide exposure showed a slight positive association with FVC (β = 0.04; 95% CI = 0.01 to 0.07). Agricultural work (vs. non-agricultural work) showed a dual effect; on the one hand, it showed a negative association with lung function (FEV1/FVC (%): −1.57; 95% CI = −3.25 to −0.11); on the other hand, it seemed to be a protective factor for nasal allergies (aOR 0.31; 95% CI 0.1–0.8). Our study suggests an association between pesticide exposure and respiratory symptoms and farm work with lung function parameters. The results underscore the need to enhance programs that regulate and train farmers on the use of pesticides, thereby reducing health effects on workers and agricultural and neighboring communities. Full article
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