Submit to IJERPH Review for IJERPH Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Health Environment and Sustainable Development

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 33738

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Pilar Martinez-Jimenez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Applied Physics, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Interests: education; renewable energy; advertising; new technologies; social media; applications to health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Alberto Jesús Perea Moreno

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Applied Physics, Radiology and Physical Medicine, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Interests: renewable energy; energy saving; biomass; sustainability; remote sensing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The term sustainability refers to efforts toward improving and maintaining an individual’s wellbeing in the long-term by recovering, adjusting, or preserving environmental systems. Sustainability is based in simultaneous benefits regarding economic, social, and environmental factors. Among all the factors that contribute to sustainability, innovational and technological advances have become the most relevant element that can define a population’s health.
Most of the innovations focused on sustainability imply the institutionalization or routinization of such technologies. This institutionalization implies the integration of different technologies in the healthcare system—from diagnosis to the organization of care.
Moreover, sustainability has been also incorporated in different areas such as the automobilist industry to social interactions. The objective of improving all these different areas in order to achieve individual wellbeing is sometimes lost within technological advances. In this sense, several economic, social, or organizational interests utilize the novel advances despite the sustainability and, therefore, the wellbeing of the population.
Based on this, two concepts in particular have arisen during the last two decades—the sustainability of healthcare innovations and social sustainability. Both concepts are based on adequation of the technologies, first, to the environment and resources and, later, to adapt them to the community.

The list of topics may include (but is not limited to):

Emerging technologies, internet, and sustainability of healthcare innovations;
Safety, security, and privacy of information technologies;
Sustainability and communities;
Smart cities, smart health, and population;
Health promotion and sources management;
Operation management and decision-making regarding resources;
New technologies, wellbeing, eating attitudes, and mobility;
Education for sustainable development.

Dr. Pilar Martinez-Jimenez
Dr. Alberto Jesús Perea Moreno
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. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 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 2500 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

health systems maintenance and cost reduction
new technologies and mobility
sustainability and lifestyles
smart cities and health
social factors, allies, or enemies of sustainability
environmental sustainability in higher education

Published Papers (10 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 769 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Health Environment and Sustainable Development

by Pilar Aparicio-Martínez, María Pilar Martinez-Jimenez and Alberto-Jesús Perea-Moreno

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 8175; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19138175 - 04 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1518

Abstract

Although there are multiple definitions of sustainability, it can be defined as the balance of a species and the resources of its environment [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Environment and Sustainable Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

15 pages, 2159 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Parametric Form-Based Code for Sustainable Development of Urban Communities and Neighborhoods

by Yingyi Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7389; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127389 - 16 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1636

Abstract

Parametric techniques have been implemented for planning projects in urban communities and neighborhoods. Form-Based Code, a representative planning approach, uses parametric techniques towards an efficient planning process with three-dimensional visualized schemes. However, the extent to which the parametric Form-Based Code integrates the sustainable development criteria is still unclear. This paper targets to evaluate parametric Form-Based Code towards sustainable development of urban communities. Methods of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) are hired. Criteria that related to health environment and sustainable development in LEED-ND, including smart location & linkage, neighborhood pattern & design, and green infrastructure & buildings work to test parametric Form-Based Code. Results indicate that parametric Form-Based Code are concordant with a small number of the criteria of smart location & linkage and green infrastructure & buildings. Criteria of neighborhood pattern & design are more moderately or strongly reflected in parametric Form-Based Code. Conclusions include criticism and valuable insights for the enhancement of parametric Form-Based Code towards healthy socio-environment and sustainable development of urban communities and neighborhoods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Environment and Sustainable Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 20775 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gamification as a Promoting Tool of Motivation for Creating Sustainable Higher Education Institutions

by Johanna Andrea Navarro-Espinosa, Manuel Vaquero-Abellán, Alberto-Jesús Perea-Moreno, Gerardo Pedrós-Pérez, Maria del Pilar Martínez-Jiménez and Pilar Aparicio-Martínez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2599; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052599 - 23 Feb 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5052

Abstract

Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) are responsible for creating healthy and sustainable environments for students and teachers through diverse educational paradigms such as gamification. In this sense, the Healthy People 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals indicated the imperative to provide inclusive and equitable quality education to promote a healthy environment and life. The principal objective was to analyse the impact of gamification on health development in HEIs, highlighting their positive and negative effects. To achieve such an objective, a bibliometric analysis was carried out. The 257 documents showed no significant increasing trend in the last decade (p > 0.05) related to the pandemic. Most of the publications were conferences (45%), and the few published articles were the documents with more citations (p < 0.001). According to their index in Journal Citation Reports, there were significant differences between the citations of articles published in journals (p < 0.001). The analysis of journal co-citations showed that the leading journals (such as Computers in Human Behavior) had a significant part in the clusters formed (p < 0.001), conditioning also the keywords, especially the term “motivation”. These findings were discussed, concluding that the experimental studies focused on the teachers’ adverse effects are yet to come. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Environment and Sustainable Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 11289 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Significance of Occupants’ Interaction with Their Environment on Reducing Cooling Loads and Dermatological Distresses in East Mediterranean Climates

by Jihan Muhaidat, Aiman Albatayneh, Mohammed N. Assaf, Adel Juaidi, Ramez Abdallah and Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(16), 8870; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168870 - 23 Aug 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2182

Abstract

Global endeavors to respond to the problems caused by climate change and are leading to higher temperatures inside homes, which can cause skin conditions (such as eczema), lethargy, and poor concentration; disturbed sleep and fatigue are also rising. The energy performance of buildings is influenced by interactions and associations of numerous different variables, such as the envelope specifications as well as the design, technologies, apparatuses, and occupant behaviours. This paper introduces simple and sustainable strategies that are not dependent on expensive or sophisticated technologies, as they rely only on the actions practiced by the building’s occupants (movable window shading, and nighttime natural ventilation) instead of completely relying on high-cost mechanical cooling systems in buildings located in the main Eastern Mediterranean climates represented in the country of Jordan. These low-energy solutions could be applied to low-income houses in hot areas to avoid health problems, such as dermatological diseases, and save a significant amount of energy. The final results indicate that window shading has significant potential in reducing the cooling load in different climate zones. Natural ventilation exhibits high energy-saving abilities in climates that have cool nights, whereas its abilities in hot climates where nights are moderate is limited. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Environment and Sustainable Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Work Safety on Organizational Social Sustainability Improvement in the Healthcare Sector: The Case of a Public Sector Hospital in Pakistan

by Zia Ullah, Mohammed Ali Bait Ali Sulaiman, Syed Babar Ali, Naveed Ahmad, Miklas Scholz and Heesup Han

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(12), 6672; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126672 - 21 Jun 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3401

Abstract

Social sustainability is the much emphasized organizational phenomenon in Western literature; however, in emerging economies, its importance has only been realized in the recent past. Social sustainability is the amiability of the relationship between employees and the organizations on a relatively permanent basis. Social sustainability is the key determinant of organizational sustainability and organizational effectiveness. As healthcare organizations are labor-intensive, the role of social sustainability in hospitals is more crucial. The purpose of the present study is to understand the role of work safety in improving social sustainability in public sector hospitals. To this effect, we collected data from 431 healthcare professionals of a large public sector tertiary and teaching hospital in the city of Lahore Pakistan and analyzed the data using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results uncovered certain important facts, which were not expected per se. Job design, coworkers’ behavior towards work safety, and supervisors’ role in ensuring work safety are the key factors that influence social sustainability. However, surprisingly, in the eyes of employees, management practices and safety programs/policies do not contribute to the work safety of the hospital under study. Keeping in view the findings, we suggest that management must participate in work safety affairs directly and formulate indigenous policies and programs according to local needs. Job analysis is needed to redesign job structures to meet workplace safety requirements. Formal and informal training will be beneficial to make workers and supervisors more aware, more sensitive, and more responsible regarding work safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Environment and Sustainable Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

31 pages, 3836 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Bibliometric Literature on Scopus and WoS: The Medicine and Environmental Sciences Categories as Case of Study

by Mila Cascajares, Alfredo Alcayde, Esther Salmerón-Manzano and Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 5851; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115851 - 29 May 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4349

Abstract

In a broad sense, science can be understood as the knowledge contained in scientific manuscripts published in scientific journals. Scientific databases index only those journals that reach certain quality standards. Therefore, research and dissemination of scientific knowledge are essential activities for the growth of science itself. The aim of this manuscript is to assess the situation of medicine and environmental sciences among the bibliometric literature and to put it in perspective with the overall bibliometric publications in all scientific fields. The main countries publishing bibliometric manuscripts are China, USA and Spain. The latter country is ranked three out of the top five institutions according to the Scopus and WoS databases. In both databases, the average scientific collaboration of the top 20 institutions offers the same result, 41%. According to Scopus, the main subject categories in which this research falls are social sciences (38%), computer science (26%) and medicine (23%), while the environmental sciences category has 8%. In the analysis of the Medicine category alone, it has been observed that 136 countries have contributions in this field. The main countries are the United States, China and the United Kingdom. In the field of medicine, the main areas studied were: Epidemiology, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Cardiology, Neurosurgery, Radiology, Ophthalmology, Oncology, Plastic Surgery and Psychiatry. With respect to environmental sciences, less international dissemination has been found, with only 83 countries having worked in this field. The main ones are China, Spain and the United States. Regarding the top 10 institutions, it can be stated that only Spain and China are relevant. Spain focuses on sustainability and China on the environment. The result of an independent keyword analysis of all published bibliometric manuscripts has shown that the main clusters are: Mapping Science (29%), Research Productivity (23%), Medicine (20%), Environmental Sciences (12%), Psychology (7%), Nursing (6%) and Engineering (4%). In short, medicine and environmental sciences are the most relevant areas in the field of bibliometrics after social sciences and computer sciences. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Environment and Sustainable Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 1764 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing the Status of Sustainable Development in the Manufacturing Sector Using Multi-Expert Multi-Criteria Fuzzy Decision-Making and Integrated Triple Bottom Lines

by Sepehr Hendiani, Huchang Liao, Morteza Bagherpour, Manuela Tvaronavičienė, Audrius Banaitis and Jurgita Antucheviciene

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(11), 3800; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113800 - 27 May 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2643

Abstract

A sustainable manufacturing company depends on the developments in three aspects in order to minimize harmful impacts on the environment, improve the social relations, and simultaneously maximize the economic benefits. Despite the increasing types of investigations that researchers have carried out in environmental and economic aspects, the minimum attention has been paid to social relations. In response to this deficiency, this paper proposes a new framework to obtain the overall sustainability index in manufacturing companies by encapsulating the sustainability criteria/sub-criteria. This article collected 33 sub-criteria for five pillars of sustainability as social, environment, economic, technological advancement, and performance management. The key contributions of this paper are highlighted as the hierarchical method that obtains the status of sustainability in uncertain conditions, the ability to identify the weak points, and a new framework for gathering the data about sustainability performance in manufacturing companies. The findings of this paper will aid both policymakers and decision-makers to assess the sustainability status of manufacturing systems and improve the performances of them. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Environment and Sustainable Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2706 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Sustainable Approach to the Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Its Economic Burden

by Manuel Vaquero Alvarez, Pilar Aparicio-Martinez, Francisco Javier Fonseca Pozo, Joaquín Valle Alonso, Isabel María Blancas Sánchez and Manuel Romero-Saldaña

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(6), 1891; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17061891 - 14 Mar 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3285

Abstract

The prevalence of obesity continues to grow, resulting in metabolic syndrome and increasing economic burden for health systems. The objectives were to measure the ability of the NIM-MetS test, previously used in the adults, for the early and sustainable detection of the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in children and adolescents. Moreover, to determine the economic burden of the children with MetS. Furthermore, finally, to use and implement the NIM-MetS test, via a self-created online software, as a new method to determine the risk of MetS in children. The method used was an observational study using different instruments (NIM-MetS test, International Diabetes Federation (IDF), or Cook) and measures (body mass index). Additionally, the economic burden was estimated via a research strategy in different databases, e.g., PubMed, to identify previous papers. The results (N = 265 children, age from 10–12) showed that 23.1% had obesity and 7.2% hypertension. The prevalence of MetS using the NIM-Mets was 5.7, and the cost of these children was approximate 618,253,99 euros. Finally, a model was obtained and later implemented in a web platform via simulation. The NIM-MetS obtained is a non-invasive method for the diagnosis of risk of MetS in children. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Environment and Sustainable Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 1154 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Decision-Making Algorithm for Rearchitecting of Healthcare Facilities to Minimize Nosocomial Infections Risks

by Yasaman Parsia and Shahryar Sorooshian

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(3), 855; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030855 - 30 Jan 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2624

Abstract

Most of the healthcare facilities (HFs) have to face the nosocomial infections (NIs), which increase the rates of morbidity, mortality, and financial burden on the HFs and the patients. The control of the NIs is a global issue and requires additional effort. Because the pathogenic microbes can be transmitted among all the HF departments, the layout and design of the HFs (or the department configuration) is considered to play a significant role in control of the NIs. A few of the departments transmit the microbes more than other departments, called ‘cause’, while some other departments are more infected than others, called ‘effect’. Here, the researchers have stated that both the cause and effect departments are risky. This research tried to propose a comprehensive mathematical algorithm for choosing the high-risk department(s) by applying the NI and the managerial criteria to minimize NIs through rearchitecting of the HFs. To develop the algorithm, the researchers applied the multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. They used Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and modified weighted sum method (WSM) methods, and their hybrid, along with a modified nominal group technique (NGT) for data collection. The proposed algorithm was later validated by implementation in a HF as a case study. Based on all results of the algorithm, the high-risk departments in the HF were identified and proposed to be eliminated from the HF in such a way that the facility would retain its functionality. The algorithm was seen to be valid, and the feasibility of the algorithm was approved by the top managers of the HF after the algorithm was implemented in the case study. In conclusion, the proposed algorithm was seen to be an effective solution for minimizing the NIs risk in every HF by eliminating the high-risk departments, which could simplify the HF manager’s decisions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Environment and Sustainable Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

15 pages, 567 KiB

Open AccessReview

Green Jobs—A Literature Review

by Mihaela-Roberta Stanef-Puică, Liana Badea, George-Laurențiu Șerban-Oprescu, Anca-Teodora Șerban-Oprescu, Laurențiu-Gabriel Frâncu and Alina Crețu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7998; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137998 - 29 Jun 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5616

Abstract

In the past two decades the topic of “green jobs” has drawn particular attention, resulting in a widely diverse and relatively large number of published papers. Although a determinant for the increase of knowledge, the heterogeneity of these studies may raise the issue of a systematic documentation of the key contributions in this field. In this context, the present research focuses on analyzing the scientific literature published in the last five years on the topic of “green jobs” with the aim to identify definitions and meanings associated with the concept of “green jobs”, the connected terms, areas of research interest and the main theoretical and practical results. The results reveal that although there is no uniformity in the definition of the concept, there is still a convergence towards the initial meaning offered by the UNEP/ILO/IOE/ITUC Report of 2008. Moreover, using scientific software VOSViewer our research shows that the concept of “green jobs” is most linked with the following terms: sustainable development, the green economy, the circular economy, the welfare economy, the European Green Pact, energy, renewable energy, economic development, and employment. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that the studies focused on “green jobs” are mainly concerned with the following issues: green jobs creation, work-life balance, correlations between green business and green jobs and the role of local government in supporting green jobs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Environment and Sustainable Development)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Health Environment and Sustainable Development

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (10 papers)

Editorial

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI