Announcements

Name: Prof. Dr. Giuseppe D’Antona
Affiliation: Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27058 Voghera, Italy

“Maximal Oxygen Consumption Is Negatively Associated with Fat Mass in Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy”
by Oscar Crisafulli, Luca Grattarola, Giorgio Bottoni, Jessica Lacetera, Emanuela Lavaselli, Matteo Beretta-Piccoli, Rossella Tupler, Emiliano Soldini and Giuseppe D’Antona
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(8), 1108; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21081108
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/8/979

The following is an interview with Prof. Dr. Giuseppe D’Antona:

1. Congratulations on your published paper. Could you give us a brief introduction about yourself and your current research topic to our readers?
I am a professor of exercise and sport science and the Director of the CRIAMS-Sports Medicine Center Voghera at the University of Pavia, Italy. For many years, my research was focused on the basic mechanisms of skeletal muscle plasticity and its adaptations under physiological conditions, such as exercise and aging, as well as in pathological conditions, including neuromuscular diseases. Since 2012, my focus has shifted from bench to bedside. I founded the University Laboratory for the Study of Motor Activities in Rare Diseases, which is dedicated to identifying effective physical exercise protocols and nutritional approaches to slow the degenerative processes associated with neuromuscular conditions, including muscular dystrophies and metabolic disorders. Today, I am particularly interested in studying the potential of physical exercise and nutrition as therapeutic tools for maintaining the health of patients with rare neuromuscular diseases, for the majority of whom there are no clear guidelines or recommendations.

2. Could you describe the difficulties and breakthrough innovations in this research field?
The research in the field of rare neuromuscular diseases highlights a significant gap between the ongoing demand for therapeutic interventions to improve patients’ health conditions and the impracticality of currently experimental therapies. This situation calls for a closer look at possible alternative approaches, which may appear conceptually simpler but are potentially valuable, such as sports therapy and nutritional therapy. These approaches could offer effective support to slow down myopathic processes, or at least some of them. From this point of view, our laboratory aims to serve as a reference point for patients with rare neuromuscular and metabolic diseases. Our mission seeks to introduce a new method of approaching patients after their diagnostic and clinical assessment. This phase is considered particularly important and delicate, as it is often experienced by patients as a period of abandonment or diminished attention from institutions. During this time, it is crucial to enhance the patient’s residual functional capacities, as these often significantly contribute to maintaining their daily activities. However, this requires empowering the patient, who must take on a central and active role in carrying out the training and nutritional program, with constant multispecialty support. In addition to providing clinical support to patients, our laboratory pursues several lines of research, all aimed at the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life for those affected.

3. What do you think is the innovation in this paper? How do you find this innovation when writing the paper?
Our recently published work in IJERPH focuses on facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD), the second most common progressive hereditary muscular dystrophy in adults, with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 20,000 individuals. The disease presents a wide phenotypic spectrum, including heterogeneous symptoms, variable progression, and a fluctuating age of onset, typically in the second or third decade of life. To address the complexity of the disease's clinical presentation, we are exploring additional stratification factors to monitor during interventions aimed at improving or maintaining patients’ quality of life, such as exercise, nutritional adjustments, and supplementation. In our paper, we emphasize the critical role of body composition in evaluating the health and physical efficiency of patients with FSHD. Our research identifies a significant negative association between maximal oxygen consumption—an indicator of physical fitness—and body fat percentage in these patients. This finding is particularly noteworthy because maximal oxygen consumption is not just a measure of aerobic capacity; it is also a key indicator of cardiovascular and muscular efficiency. For patients with muscular dystrophies like FSHD, maintaining physical function is essential for preserving autonomy and quality of life. We hope readers will understand the importance of regularly monitoring body composition, particularly body fat, in FSHD patients. Unlike complex or invasive tests, body composition assessment is non-invasive, simple, and cost-effective, making it a practical tool for clinical practice. Regular monitoring enables healthcare providers to track changes over time and make more informed decisions about patient care. By observing the relationship between body fat and physical efficiency, we can better understand the factors contributing to disease-related functional decline. Furthermore, our findings suggest that maintaining a healthy body composition—reducing excess fat while promoting lean mass—may be a crucial strategy for preserving physical function in FSHD patients. Interventions such as nutritional support and targeted exercise programs could help slow the progression of physical decline and improve patient outcomes. This approach holds promise for more effective disease management. In conclusion, we hope our paper highlights the importance of incorporating body composition as a central metric in the clinical management of FSHD, as well as other neuromuscular diseases. By doing so, healthcare providers can implement more personalized and targeted interventions that not only enhance physical fitness but also improve the overall well-being and quality of life for patients living with these conditions.

4. Do you have any advice or experience that you would like to share with young researchers who want to pursue research in this field?
The study of rare neuromuscular diseases requires a solid background in physiology and pathophysiology, which is essential for effectively addressing highly complex conditions. In general, the importance of nutritional interventions and those based on physical activity represents a still largely unexplored territory. This field demands young, passionate, dedicated, and curious minds, capable of taking on significant and complex challenges.

5. What is your impression of the publishing experience with IJERPH?
First and foremost, I appreciated that a niche topic with potentially significant implications for a specific group of patients could find a place in the journal. The peer-review process was conducted properly, leading to a progressive improvement in the content of the manuscript, with which we are now very satisfied.

6. We are an open access journal. How do you think the open access model impacts authors?
Open access has become a well-established system that enables the rapid dissemination of scientific findings, resulting in a significant and immediate impact on the directions science takes on a daily basis. In addition to ensuring widespread dissemination of knowledge, it also enhances the visibility of scientific findings, accelerating their social impact as in the field of neuromuscular diseases.

We would like to express our gratitude to Prof. Dr. Giuseppe D’Antona and his research group for choosing the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601) as the platform to publish their research. Submissions and input related to the area of health promotion and health presentation are welcomed by our journal.

Name: Ms. Laurie-Anne Kosak
Affiliation: ¹ School of Psycho-Education, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada; ² School Environment Research Group, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada

Name: Prof. Linda Pagani
Affiliation: ¹ School of Psycho-Education, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada; ² School Environment Research Group, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada; ³ Sainte-Justine’s Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada

“Early Socio-Emotional Difficulty as a Childhood Barrier to the Expected Benefits of Active Play: Associated Risks for School Engagement in Adolescence”
by Laurie-Anne Kosak, Kianoush Harandian, Simon L. Bacon, Isabelle Archambault, Luca Correale and Linda S. Pagani
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(10), 1353; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21101353
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/10/1353

The following is an interview with Ms. Laurie-Anne Kosak and Prof. Linda Pagani:

1. Congratulations on your recently published paper! Could you please give our readers a brief introduction to yourself and your current research topic?
Linda S. Pagani: My name is Linda Pagani, and I’m a professor at the University of Montreal. In my lab, we focus on studying lifestyle factors and their impacts on development. I’ve been fortunate to work with Laurie-Anne Kosak, an outstanding student who undertook a significant project as part of her studies. She used a historically important population-based longitudinal study for her research. Why do I call it historically important? Because it was conducted during a time when technology wasn’t as invasive as it is today. This allowed us to work with fewer nuisance variables, offering more controlled results compared to what you might encounter in today’s hyper-connected environment. We received funding for this work from Sport Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Laurie-Anne, who is also a scholarship awardee of this council, has conducted remarkable research. I want to highlight that it’s important for senior researchers like myself to give young scientists opportunities to take on responsibility early in their careers. With the right support, they can achieve significant milestones, as Laurie-Anne has.
Laurie-Anne Kosak: My name is Laurie-Anne Kosak, and I recently graduated from the University of Montreal with a master’s degree under Linda’s direction. The paper we’re discussing today was one of two I worked on during my master’s studies. In this particular research, we examined the connection between early childhood active play and school engagement. Another paper from this series, published in Children, focused on the link between extracurricular physical activity and academic achievement. Both papers were part of my master’s research, which, as Linda mentioned, was funded by the SSHRC. Currently, I’m starting my Ph.D. at the University of Sherbrooke, Canada. My research interest lies in exploring how lifestyle factors like physical activity can influence various aspects of child development. Physical activity is particularly fascinating because it’s actionable—it’s something families can easily incorporate into their daily lives, making it a critical area of study.

2. What aspect of your work excites you most right now? Have you encountered any unexpected findings during your research journey?
Laurie-Anne Kosak: What excites me most is how close this research is to everyday life. Studying lifestyle factors like physical activity makes it easy to connect with people and helps them make tangible changes. As for unexpected findings, we discovered that while physical activity generally benefits children, certain individual characteristics can influence these outcomes. For instance, children with traits like anxiety, or relational aggression may not experience the same benefits as others. Another finding was the significant impact of organized sports compared to unstructured activities like free play or cycling. Organized sports, which involve structure and guidance from coaches or instructors, seem to offer additional benefits, such as teaching teamwork, discipline, and attention. However, access to these activities can depend on family characteristics like socioeconomic status, parental education, and income.
Linda S. Pagani: Structure is essential, and this ties into another aspect of our research: the importance of respecting the differences between males and females in how they experience risk and protective factors. Many studies take a gender-neutral approach, but real life isn’t gender-neutral. Social expectations and biological influences mean that males and females experience these factors differently. In our lab, we stratify our analyses by sex to ensure that these nuances are respected and accurately reflected in our findings.
Laurie-Anne Kosak: Yes, and our findings reinforce this approach. For instance, boys and girls may benefit differently from certain types of physical activity or interventions, which highlights the need for tailored strategies in promoting healthy lifestyles for children.

3. Let’s dive deeper into how your collaboration came together for this research. How did your team form, and what was the dynamic like?
Laurie-Anne Kosak: This project brought together researchers from three universities. I conducted my master’s work at the University of Montreal under Linda’s supervision. We were also supported by Kianoush Harandian, another student in the School Environment Research Group, which studies school adaptation and environmental influences on children, as well as Isabelle Archambault who is a professor of psychoeducation at the University of Montreal and also a member of the School Environment Research Group. Additionally, Simon Bacon from Concordia University, who specializes in physical activity research, and Luca Correale from the University of Pavia in Italy, contributed to the paper. Their expertise allowed us to refine our findings and push the research further after I graduated.

4. What do you hope readers will take away from your paper?
Laurie-Anne Kosak: As Linda mentioned earlier, we conducted sex-stratified analyses and found notable differences between boys and girls. For girls, when they had low anxiety, their school engagement was more positively influenced by participation in sports. Interestingly, when girls had higher levels of anxiety and participated in organized sports, their school engagement was lower. Our interpretation is that, at six years old, the age when we measured active play and anxiety, organized sports might overwhelm children already experiencing high anxiety. Combining that with starting school might simply be too much for them at such a young age, leading to lower long-term school engagement.
Linda Pagani: Organized sports could act as a risk factor for girls with high anxiety. At this age, they’re already receiving strong messages about the importance of excelling both academically and in extracurricular activities. Women’s stronger connections between the frontal lobe and amygdala may also contribute to this heightened emotional response, possibly due to evolutionary roles in offspring protection.
Laurie-Anne Kosak: For boys, a similar pattern emerged but with unstructured physical activity, like playing outside or street hockey. When boys with low anxiety participated in these activities, it had little impact on their school engagement. However, for boys with high anxiety, engaging in more unstructured physical activity correlated with lower school engagement. Physical activity in this case appeared to act as a distraction, shifting their focus away from school.
Linda Pagani: This is unstructured play—completely different from organized sports. For boys with high anxiety, these activities can be overly stimulating and pleasurable, leading them to disengage from school. Developmentally, boys may also struggle more with self-regulation at this age.
Laurie-Anne Kosak: For boys with higher levels of relational aggression—behaviors like exclusion or verbal negativity toward peers—unstructured physical activity was again linked to lower school engagement. However, we didn’t find significant results for relational aggression in girls.

5. What inspired you to submit this work to our journal, and how was your experience?
Laurie-Anne Kosak: I was drawn to the journal’s interdisciplinary focus. I appreciate its ability to bring together perspectives from various fields on related topics. The submission process was smooth and user-friendly, which I found refreshing.
Linda Pagani: I also value the journal’s broad readership, particularly in Europe, where I collaborate extensively. It’s an excellent platform for sharing research with a diverse audience. For example, I recently gave a talk in Moscow on the fragile state of youth today. Topics like this benefit greatly from the journal’s reach and interdisciplinary approach.

We would like to express our gratitude to Ms. Laurie-Anne Kosak, Prof. Linda Pagani, and their research group for choosing the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: ISSN: 1660-4601) as the platform to publish their research. Submissions and inputs related to the area of health promotion and health presentation are welcomed by our journal.

Name: Prof. Dr. Nancy Fiedler
Affiliation: Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA

“Age and Hair Cortisol Levels as Predictors of SARS-CoV-2 Infection”
by Nancy Fiedler, Pamela Ohman-Strickland, Jialin Doris Shen, Kathleen Black, Daniel B. Horton, Reynold Panettieri, Jr., Martin J. Blaser, Jeffrey Carson, Kestutis Bendinskas, Hana Cheng et al.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(9), 1166; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091166
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/9/1166

The following is an interview with Prof. Dr. Nancy Fiedler:

1. Congratulations on your published paper! Could you briefly introduce yourself for our readers?
I'm a professor at the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice in the School of Public Health at Rutgers University. I'm also deputy director of the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute at Rutgers.

2. What is your current research focus? What inspired you to pursue this field of research?
The focus of my past and current research has been primarily on environmental and occupational health issues. I've done work related to neurotoxicants such as pesticides and solvents, and how they impact behavior. I am trained as a clinical psychologist, which is a different academic background from what you typically see in the environmental field. I've always incorporated psychosocial risk factors such as stress in my research on environmental neurotoxicants, either by measuring stress with questionnaires or biological measurements like hair cortisol, to see how chemical exposures interact with stress to determine the impact on health. For example, one of my studies evaluated the health effects of poor indoor air quality in combination with stress on worker health.

The study that was recently published in the journal IJERPH came about because of a large-scale cohort study that we developed at Rutgers in response to the COVID epidemic. Our study was focused on health care workers, who were experiencing significant stress due to long working hours and concerns about contracting COVID. Understanding the stress health care workers were experiencing prompted me to evaluate how chronic stress could affect susceptibility to COVID.

3. What difficulties have you encountered in your scientific research? How did you overcome them?
Well, one of the difficulties is convincing basic scientists of the value that psychosocial factors can contribute to our understanding of disease risk. What's interesting to me now is that in the environmental and occupational literature there’s an increasing interest in evaluating the combined effects of psychosocial and chemical exposures, including stress. But it hasn't always been clear to people in the basic sciences why it's important to think about psychosocial and behavioral risk factors.

In addition, there are always issues related to research funding and being able to pay for everything that you want to accomplish. So, that's one of the other barriers that I think exists and specifically for the study that I published with this journal. The study started out in 2020 recruiting a large number of healthcare workers because we were concerned about understanding risk factors for contracting COVID. We recognized that healthcare workers were working around the clock. That provided an opportunity, although that may not be the best word to use, but an opportunity to follow these individuals who were on the front lines of the COVID epidemic and to determine the variables that might be indicative of greater susceptibility to COVID. I approached the principal investigators for access to the healthcare worker cohort, advocating for funding to evaluate chronic stress. It was evident that healthcare workers were sleep deprived and worried about getting sick. It took me a long time to convince the principal investigators that we ought to look at chronic stress. There is still some bias in the medical establishment about the importance of stress as a risk factor for disease susceptibility.

4. What advice do you have for young scholars determined to engage in scientific research?
Be persistent. I think it's important to be very clear about what area of expertise you want to pursue. Be focused. I think that as a young scientist, there's so many things that are of interest and you may want to pursue lots of different avenues, but if you want to succeed as an academician in science, it’s important to think about what you are most interested in, what you want your focus to be. Then you can become an expert in that particular area and have a greater depth of understanding, which will enhance your ability to write competitive grants and manuscripts. Being in academia is quite competitive and I think, unfortunately, funding is always an issue. It’s also probably useful for many people now to seek a postdoctoral fellowship just so that they can develop their research skills. Post doctoral fellowships help early career scientists increase their ability to publish and gain experience with mentors who know how to successfully compete for funding.

The other piece of advice is to seek mentors and participate in a mentoring program if your university offers one. When I began my career, the only mentorship was the following message: “write more papers and get more grants”. While that advice is still applicable, the hard part is “how” to accomplish those goals. 

5. How has your publishing experience been with IJERPH?
It was very, very positive. I’ve published in several different journals including those focused on the environment. The review process for IJERPH was transparent and efficient. The reviews were reasonable and improved the paper. The journal responded quickly to my changes based on the reviewer’s requests. And then from there on, the publishing process was straightforward and happened quickly, faster than I expected. So, I was honestly very happy with the process.

6. We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts authors?
Open access is wonderful in allowing scientists and the public to have access to research publications. Frankly, for myself and for many researchers, our work is funded by government grants such as the National Institutes of Health. Open access helps make the knowledge that we create available, which it should be, to the people who paid for it, i.e., the public. The only issue I have is that it's often expensive to publish purely through open access, and that is a significant barrier. I understand why journals need to do that, especially if they don't have reimbursement from subscriptions, but certainly many grants until more recently did not have funds for paying the open access fees. We have some resources and funds in our institute to pay for publication, but they're limited.

We would like to express our gratitude to Prof. Dr. Nancy Fiedler and her research group for choosing the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601) as the platform to publish their research. Submissions and inputs related to the area of health promotion and health presentation are welcomed by our journal.

Name: Prof. Celia Landmann Szwarcwald
Affiliation: Institute of Communication and Scientific and Technological Information in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Brasil, 4365 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil

“Using Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) to Identify the Healthcare Needs among Women of Reproductive Age Who Migrated from Venezuela to Brazil, 2018–2021”
by Celia Landmann Szwarcwald, Paulo Roberto Borges de Souza Junior, Thaiza Dutra Gomes de Carvalho, Rita Suely Bacuri de Queiroz, Euclides Ayres de Castilho and Maria do Carmo Leal
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(6), 811; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21060811
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/6/811

The following is an interview with Prof. Celia Landmann Szwarcwald:

1. Congratulations on your recent publication! Could you briefly introduce yourself and share your current research focus with our readers?
I graduated in mathematics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and have a Master of Science in statistics and mathematics from the University of Rochester, USA, a Ph.D. in public health from the National School of Public Health, Brazil, and post-doctoral training in statistical spatial analysis at the Southern Methodist University, USA. I am a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Scientific and Technological Communication and Information in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. My research is in the area of public health, with an emphasis on epidemiology, working mainly on the following topics: HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, vital statistics, development of probabilistic and web surveys, and health inequality. I currently coordinate the trachoma elimination validation survey in Brazil. I have more than 300 published papers in scientific journals.

2. What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment? Have you experienced anything unexpected related to your research?
I am excited about the prospect of conducting health surveys online using chain sampling methods, like Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS). The biggest challenges are getting responses from people with low levels of education. Many of them do not have access to the internet. Others are unable to complete the online questionnaire and thus interrupt the recruitment chain. So, it is difficult to achieve national representation.

3. What do you think is the biggest challenge currently in your area of research?
As an epidemiologist, I believe that one of the biggest challenges is communicating risk factors and healthy behaviors to the general population. Findings are often disseminated in scientific articles, which are not read by the broad public.

4. What advice would you give to young investigators who aspire to be where you are now?
Pursue an academic career, conduct research with the aim of improving the health of the population, and read and stay up to date with articles in your area of interest.

5. What motivated you to submit to IJERPH, and how was the publishing process?
I had already successfully published an article in IJERPH on the emotional well-being of adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. In early 2024, I received an invitation to write another article in IJERPH. I was involved in a study on the healthcare needs of Venezuelan women who migrated to Brazil and decided to accept the invitation. Again, the article was widely read, and I had several invitations to write other articles. The process was very fast, and I think the reviewers were very good at suggesting changes that enriched the work. In addition, the journal is very comprehensive in terms of the topics published, all of them of great interest to the public health area.

6. We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts authors?
I think that open access has had a significant impact on researchers, mainly due to the rapid dissemination of findings. However, publication fees are generally very high for researchers who do not live in developed countries and/or who do not have the funding to pay publication fees. Therefore, I think that more inclusive policies should be created to provide open access to more researchers.

We would like to express our gratitude to Prof. Celia Landmann Szwarcwald and her research group for choosing the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601) as the platform to publish their research. Submissions and inputs related to the area of health promotion and health presentation are welcomed by our journal.

More than 100 German universities and research institutions have entered into a national agreement with MDPI. The publication agreement negotiated by ZB MED comes into effect on 1 January 2025 and is valid until the end of 2026. Joining the consortium is still possible until the beginning of 2025. We are delighted by the high level of interest this agreement has already garnered, reflecting the strong demand for accessible and cost-effective open access publishing solutions among German research institutions.

This new cooperation aims to make scientific gold open access publishing more affordable and less administratively burdensome for researchers in Germany. The agreement includes substantial discounts on article processing charges (APCs) for corresponding authors from participating institutions. It offers flexible payment options, including centralized invoicing or individual payment of fees by researchers or their institutions. Additionally, the agreement features a flat-fee model that enables institutions to precisely plan expenses and optimize their library budgets.

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Franziska Fischer (right), Commercial Director at ZB MED, an Peter Roth (left), Head of Publishing at MDPI, celebrate the signing of the new national open access agreement between MDPI and the ZB MED Consortium.

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We are pleased to announce a series of updates to our template, aimed at improving the readability and overall aesthetics of our publications. These changes have been meticulously designed to enhance the user experience and ensure consistency across all our publications. The updated template will be available for download from the Instructions for Authors page.

The following updates will be applied to articles published in the 2025 volumes, starting on 24 December 2024:

• Main text: The line spacing has been increased to improve the readability of publications;
• Header and footer: The link to the journal website will be removed, as a hyperlink has been integrated into the journal logo. Additionally, the DOI link will be moved from the left-hand side to the right-hand side, and both the header and footer will be slightly raised to achieve a better balance;
• Left information bar: The information provided here has been rearranged for better organization; the CC-BY logo will be removed;
• Font size: The font size used for the abstract, keywords, and first-level headings will be increased.

Furthermore, MDPI journals will continue to use article numbers. This approach enables us to maintain a rapid and efficient production process by being able to define pagination as soon as a paper is accepted.

We hope that the new version of the template will provide users with a better experience and make the process more convenient.

Please contact production@mdpi.com if you have any questions or suggestions.

Name: Prof. Fernando I. Rivera
Affiliation: Puerto Rico Research Hub, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA

“Compound Crises: The Impact of Emergencies and Disasters on Mental Health Services in Puerto Rico”
by Fernando I. Rivera, Sara Belligoni, Veronica Arroyo Rodriguez, Sophia Chapdelaine, Varun Nannuri and Ashley Steen Burgos
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(10),1273; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21101273
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/10/1273

The following is an interview with Prof. Fernando I. Rivera:

1. Congratulations on your recent publication! Could you briefly introduce yourself and share your current research focus with our readers?

My name is Fernando Rivera, and I’m a professor of sociology. I also serve as the Director of the Puerto Rico Research Hub at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL, USA.
To share a bit of my background, I focus on mental health issues, particularly among Latino ethnic subgroups. My research disaggregates populations to reveal significant differences often hidden in generalized studies. I’m also deeply interested in disaster resilience, studying the social conditions and community networks that enable effective emergency responses.
One pivotal event that shaped my work was Hurricane Maria in 2017, which devastated Puerto Rico and highlighted gaps in emergency planning and mental health services. This experience has driven my studies of mental health services available on the island and the experiences of Puerto Ricans who relocated to Florida.

2. Mental health services in Puerto Rico seem to face many challenges. How do they compare to those available in Florida?

The challenges are significant in both settings, but they’re more pronounced in Puerto Rico. Florida offers more licensed providers and diverse mental health resources, but even there, demand often exceeds capacity. In Puerto Rico, economic constraints, a shortage of mental health professionals, and limited public health program coverage exacerbate the problem.
Additionally, the island’s aging population creates further challenges, as many young professionals migrate to the mainland. Despite ongoing efforts, like the work of my colleague Dr. Nicasio, mental health often takes a backseat until symptoms become severe.

3. Your research intersects with climate change and disasters. How do you approach these issues from a sociological perspective?

Climate change isn’t just an environmental issue; it profoundly affects social relationships, health, and resource access. For instance, extreme weather events like hurricanes reshape communities, disrupt social networks, and create long-term health challenges.
In Florida, reliance on air conditioning highlights the tension between livability and energy consumption, underscoring the need for sustainable practices. Climate change also drives migration, as people displaced by extreme weather seek stability, reshaping demographics and social dynamics.

4. How do health challenges fit into this framework?

Health is central to understanding disaster impacts. People with chronic conditions, like diabetes or those dependent on medical equipment, are particularly vulnerable during extreme weather. Losing access to electricity or medical supplies during a hurricane, for example, can be life-threatening. Addressing these vulnerabilities requires both immediate interventions and long-term systemic changes.

5. What aspect of your work excites you the most, and have you encountered unexpected challenges?

Involving students in research is incredibly rewarding. Their contributions not only advance knowledge but also have real-world implications, such as improving mental health services in Puerto Rico.
A significant challenge has been the lack of access to public data on mental health and related issues. Transparency is essential for addressing social inequalities, but barriers like limited resources and reluctance to share data often hinder progress.

6. What motivated you to submit to IJERPH, and how was the publishing process?

I was excited by the Special Issue call for papers on mental health services, which aligned perfectly with my research. The publishing process was efficient, with excellent communication from the editorial team. I also appreciated the open access model, which ensures broader visibility and accessibility, especially for the populations we study.

7. Do you have any feedback for improving the journal?

Overall, my experience has been excellent. One area for improvement might be setting clear expectations about timelines and processes. For example, quick decisions, even desk rejections, can help authors focus their efforts elsewhere and save valuable time.

We would like to express our gratitude to Prof. Fernando I. Rivera and his research group for choosing the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601) as the platform to publish their research. Submissions and inputs related to the area of health promotion and health presentation are welcomed by our journal.

Name: Mr. Lucas Akio Iza Trindade
Affiliation: School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil

Name: Dr. Flavia Mori Sarti
Affiliation: School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 03828-000, Brazil 

“Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Associated with Impoverishment Due to Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure in São Paulo City, Brazil”
by Lucas Akio Iza Trindade, Jaqueline Lopes Pereira, Jean Michel Rocha Sampaio Leite, Marcelo Macedo Rogero, Regina Mara Fisberg and Flavia Mori Sarti
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(9), 1250; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091250 
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/9/1250

The following is an interview with Mr. Lucas Akio Iza Trindade and Dr. Flavia Mori Sarti: 

1. Congratulations on your recent publication. Could you briefly introduce yourself and share your current research focus with our readers?
   I’m a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, Brazil. My research revolves around evaluating public health systems, particularly access to and utilization of health services, with a focus on addressing inequalities.
   In our recent study, we explored financial protection in healthcare by analyzing catastrophic health expenditures and impoverishment. We examined how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and smoking, influence these financial outcomes.
2. What are some key findings from your research?
   We discovered that healthier lifestyles—such as meeting physical activity recommendations and avoiding smoking—can significantly protect households from catastrophic health expenditures. This link highlights how lifestyle factors not only improve health outcomes but also serve as financial protection mechanisms.
   This insight is particularly relevant globally, as public health systems in low- and middle-income countries face increasing demand for cost-effective, sustainable healthcare. Promoting healthier lifestyles could help address these challenges by reducing financial burdens on households and improving population health.
3. What excites you the most about your work right now?
   I’m particularly inspired by the potential for lifestyle interventions to play a central role in public health strategies. Our findings highlight how promoting physical activity and other healthy behaviors can alleviate financial strain on households while improving population health.
   This approach is especially critical given the ongoing epidemiological transition in countries like Brazil, where non-communicable diseases are becoming more prevalent. Addressing these shifts through lifestyle-focused strategies could be transformative.
4. Have there been any unexpected findings or challenges in your research?
   One surprising discovery was that, even with Brazil’s universal healthcare system, lower-income groups remain at risk of impoverishment due to healthcare costs. This underscores the importance of addressing socioeconomic disparities.
   On a positive note, we also found that lifestyle factors like regular physical activity can significantly protect vulnerable populations from financial hardship. This reinforces the need to promote healthy behaviors, especially among disadvantaged groups.
5. Do you think promoting physical activity as a preventive measure can be made sustainable on a larger scale?
   Definitely. Sedentary lifestyles are a growing concern, particularly as younger populations face increasing risks of chronic diseases. Preventive measures focusing on physical activity, especially during leisure time, could reduce healthcare costs in the long term compared to traditional therapeutic approaches.
   The challenge is that the benefits of these interventions take time to manifest. However, with aging populations and rising sedentary behaviors, the time to act is now.
6. What do you hope readers take away from your paper?
   I hope it inspires more research into the intersections between impoverishment, catastrophic health expenditures, and lifestyle factors. While our study focused on physical activity, there’s a need to explore other aspects, such as dietary habits and mental health.
   Ultimately, I want to emphasize that lifestyle interventions are not just health strategies—they’re financial protection mechanisms as well. This is particularly important for low- and middle-income countries where preventive measures could have a lasting impact on health equity and economic stability.
7. How was your experience with IJERPH?
   It was excellent. IJERPH was highly recommended by my professors and colleagues at the University of São Paulo. I admire the journal’s emphasis on visibility and dialog, which contributes to the collective advancement of scientific knowledge.
   As an early career researcher, I appreciate the opportunity to share my work through such a reputable platform.

We would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Lucas Akio Iza Trindade, Dr. Flavia Mori Sarti and their research group for choosing International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: ISSN: 1660-4601) as the platform to publish their research. Submissions and inputs related to the area of health promotion and health presentation are welcomed by our journal.

Name: Dr. Liv Yoon
Affiliation: School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada

“Responding to the Heat and Planning for the Future: An Interview-Based Inquiry of People with Schizophrenia Who Experienced the 2021 Heat Dome in Canada”
by Liv Yoon, Emily J. Tetzlaff, Carson Wong, Tiffany Chiu, Lucy Hiscox, Samantha Mew, Dominique Choquette, Glen P. Kenny and Christian G. Schütz
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(8), 1108; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21081108
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/8/1108

The following is an interview with Dr. Liv Yoon:

1. Congratulations on your published paper! Can you give us a brief introduction of yourself and your research for our readers?
Sure! My name is Liv Yoon, and I’m an assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. My background is in social sciences, which might surprise some because many people associate kinesiology with physiology, biomechanics, or neuroanatomy. But there’s also a sociocultural side to kinesiology, which looks at human movement in a broader context—how our different ‘bodies’ (different groups of people) are both shaped by, and shape, social, cultural, political, and historical contexts. When we walk into a room, we’re not just bodies made of bones and muscles; we carry with us our cultural identities, socioeconomic status, and ethnic backgrounds, all of which shape our experiences and how others perceive us.

2. What inspired you to pursue this field of research?
My current work explores the intersection of climate change, health, and social inequities, with a focus on intersections with the housing crisis as well. I’m particularly focused on how climate change disproportionately impacts people who are already facing social and economic hardships. It's those in low-income neighborhoods, racialized communities, and marginalized groups who suffer the most from climate-related risks. I’m motivated by a mix of feelings—resentment, anger—but also admiration for the resilience of these communities who, despite their struggles, continue to work for the benefit of all. I believe these emotions can be a powerful force for social change. I also want to emphasize that to truly understand these issues, we need to go beyond the biomedical and physiological views of health and incorporate social and political understandings of bodies and health.

3. How is your research going so far?
I’m a relatively new professor, having started in January 2023, so I’m still in the early stages of several projects. A lot of my work involves community engagement and participatory methods, working directly with those most affected. It’s humbling, and also energizing. The issues are urgent, and while it can feel overwhelming, it’s also motivating to see people—including students—respond with action instead of despair.

4. What do you hope readers will take away from your paper?
For people living with schizophrenia, in particular, the paper challenges the usual biomedical understanding of thermoregulation. I want to highlight that those living with schizophrenia, live with multiple forms of marginalization and discrimination that affect how they experience climate change. I hope readers come away understanding that health impacts from climate change are not just about biology but are deeply intertwined with social inequities. We need to consider the whole person and their life context, and how these are shaped by societal, structural forces.

5. What advances would you like to see in your field over the next decade?
I hope we see more efforts to connect the dots between various social inequities and the climate crisis. In Vancouver, for example, there’s a big intersection between the housing crisis and climate vulnerability. Affordable housing is often the least climate-resilient, and those living in it typically also face other forms of marginalization. Addressing these issues isn’t just about solving one problem—it’s about understanding how these crises intersect and finding solutions that address multiple needs at once.

6. What made you choose to publish in IJERPH, and how was your experience with the journal?
I’ve been a long-time reader of IJERPH, and I know the journal publishes high-quality research. There was no question that we wanted to submit here. The publication process was fantastic. The reviewers and editors were very responsive, and the turnaround was quick—everything was done in less than two or three months. Overall, it was a really positive experience.

We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Liv Yoon and her research group for choosing IJERPH as the platform to publish their research. Submissions and inputs related to the area of health promotion and health presentation are welcomed by our journal.