Air Pollution Exposure

The goal for this multidisciplinary randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to actively and meaningfully engage outdoor workers (can include agricultural workers, construction workers, landscaping, wildland firefighters, fire cleanup crews, etc.) and community members in describing the impact of climate change on their lives and working conditions in San Joaquin Valley, Kings County, and Monterey County. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two study arms: (1) the Intervention Group, which will receive bilingual (Spanish and English) Cal/OSHA educational materials and engage in the Our Voice participatory action research (photovoice) method using a bilingual (Spanish and English) mobile application, or (2) the Control Group, which will only receive bilingual (Spanish and English) Cal/OSHA educational materials. Core outcomes will be measured identically across both groups to allow direct comparison of the two approaches. Using the "Our Voice participatory action research method" and Cal/OSHA educational materials, the investigators will learn about participants' attitudes, behaviors, and actions in response to changing climate in the counties and evaluate whether the education and photovoice approach is more impactful than traditional didactic Cal/Osha education only.

This study examines the short-term respiratory and cognitive effects of exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) generated during typical household cooking. Healthy adults will complete two 6-hour sessions in a controlled exposure chamber at the University of Illinois Chicago: one control day with clean indoor air and one exposure day during which standardized cooking (frying potatoes and grilling beef) is performed by research staff. Participants will not cook or handle food. Lung function will be measured using peak expiratory flow (PEF), and cognitive performance will be assessed using validated tests including the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised and the Processing Speed Index from the WAIS-IV. Airborne particle and gas concentrations in the chamber will be continuously monitored to ensure that exposures remain within levels typical of everyday home cooking. Findings will help characterize acute physiological responses to indoor cooking emissions and inform future research on indoor air quality and potential mitigation strategies.

This study, combining both an observational study and an interventional clinical trial, aims to assess how exposure to ultrafine particulate matter (PM0.1) and noise pollution affects the risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders in 45-64-year-old residents of Kaunas City, and whether lifestyle interventions-specifically physical activity in green spaces and the Mediterranean diet-can help reduce these risks. In the observational part, approximately 1,000 randomly selected 45-64 years men and women living in private households will complete an anonymous online health and lifestyle questionnaire. The clinical interventional trial will include 180 participants, who agreed to participate in the clinical study and, who meet specific health criteria. The main questions the study seeks to answer are: whether increased exposure to PM0.1 and noise is linked to higher cardiovascular and metabolic risk; and whether short-term healthy lifestyle changes can improve biological markers associated with these conditions. Participants in the clinical trial will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) control group continuing usual habits, (2) physical activity group at least 30-minute daily walks in green spaces, or (3) group adherence to a Mediterranean diet. They will have two visits to the clinic for health surveys: * Wear a wristband sensor for 7 days to monitor physical activity, heart rate, and sleep quality * Visit a clinic on Day 1 and Day 8 for measurements (blood pressure, waist circumference, body composition) and give blood samples for biomarker analysis. This research will provide new evidence on environmental health risks and practical recommendations for reducing the burden of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.