Search Results (23)

Background: The existing literature emphasises that the hospital environment plays a critical role in the experiences of patients and healthcare workers. To better understand the perspectives of healthcare staff in such settings, a questionnaire-based study was conducted at two paediatric hospitals: Vittore Buzzi Hospital (Milan, Italy) and Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital (Gothenburg, Sweden). Objective: The study had two main objectives: to collect feedback from healthcare staff via a post-occupancy evaluation focused on perceived environmental quality and to compare staff perceptions across different geographical and cultural contexts. Methods: A semi-structured survey tool consisting of 42 closed-ended items (40 of which used a 5-point Likert scale) and 2 open-ended questions was employed. The items assessed the presence and quality of specific environmental and functional features. Results: The findings reveal significant contrasts between the two hospitals. Staff at the Swedish hospital reported higher satisfaction levels across most areas, whereas the Italian hospital demonstrated significant shortcomings. Common concerns in both hospitals included limited space for medical and administrative staff and the absence of private offices for doctors. Conclusions: This study confirms that environmental quality affects not only patients, but also staff, impacting their satisfaction, perceived efficiency, and emotional well-being. The contrasting outcomes highlight the significant influence that differences in architectural design, spatial layout, and investment in staff-oriented spaces can have on the day-to-day experiences of healthcare professionals. Full article

Tetrodotoxin (TTX), earlier known as a tropical paralytic neurotoxin from pufferfish poisoning, has increasingly been occurring in edible marine species, including filter-feeding bivalves, from relatively cold marine waters of some European countries. The defined conditions that promote the production of TTX, its origin or the processes of its accumulation in seafood are still not clarified. Recent studies in temperate waters show, however, that the accumulation of quantifiable levels of TTX in bivalves appears to be influenced by seawater temperature (>15 °C), which indicates a seasonal occurrence at these latitudes. Uncertainties still remain regarding how seawater temperature interacts with other climate and environmental factors or organisms in the marine ecosystem to result in detectable levels of TTX in shellfish. Knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of TTX in the marine environment where the edible bivalves grow is important for maintaining seafood safety, as the toxin is heat-stable and remains potent even after cooking. Therefore, in this study, 264 bivalve samples collected in 2019 and 2021 from 17 sites along the Swedish west coast were analyzed with LC-MS/MS to search for TTX. The study explores the hypothesis of TTX presence in Swedish marine waters, outlines the sample screening strategy and objectives, and reports no evidence of TTX presence in Swedish bivalve shellfish (≥7.8 µg/kg) based on the analyzed samples and the time periods in which the studied samples were collected. Full article

Background: Many studies have identified key factors affecting the rates of engagement in physical activity in older adults with chronic disease. Environmental conditions, such as weather variations, can present challenges for individuals with chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes when engaging in physical activity. However, few studies have investigated the influence of weather on daily steps in people with chronic diseases, especially those with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Objective: This study investigated the association between weather variations and daily self-monitored step counts over two years among individuals with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in Sweden. Methods: The study is a secondary analysis using data from the Sophia Step Study, aimed at promoting physical activity among people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, which recruited participants from two urban primary care centers in Stockholm and one rural primary care center in southern Sweden over eight rounds. This study measured physical activity using step counters (Yamax Digiwalker SW200) and collected self-reported daily steps. Environmental factors such as daily average temperature, precipitation, and hours of sunshine were obtained from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. A robust linear mixed-effects model was applied as the analysis method. Results: There was no association found between weather variations and the number of steps taken on a daily basis. The analysis indicated that only 10% of the variation in daily steps could be explained by the average temperature, precipitation, and sunshine hours after controlling for age, gender, and BMI. Conversely, individual factors explained approximately 38% of the variation in the observations. Conclusion: This study revealed that there was no association between weather conditions and the number of daily steps reported by individuals with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes taking part in a physical activity intervention over two years. Despite the weather conditions, women and younger people reported more steps than their male and older counterparts. Full article

The implementation and application of diffused ceiling ventilation (DCV) is gradually gaining momentum, especially in Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands. In countries such as Sweden, the application is limited despite the favorable conditions for implementation. The current study investigates the performance of DCV and mixing ventilation in a pre-occupancy field study for newly renovated classrooms in Southern Sweden. Two classrooms at the school were installed with diffuse ceiling ventilation while the rest had mixing ventilation. The objective of the study was to compare and evaluate the ventilation performance in terms of indoor environmental quality parameters such as thermal comfort, air quality indexes, airflow, and temperature distribution. Pre-occupancy measurements were performed in two classrooms with similar room characteristics, with one room running under mixing ventilation and the other under DCV. Constant temperature anemometers, thermocouples, and INNOVA thermal comfort were used to measure the indoor air speeds, temperature, and thermal comfort, respectively. Tracer gas measurements, with SF₆, were performed to assess air quality. Additionally acoustic measurements were conducted to assess the acoustic benefits of DCV on reducing ventilation noise. The results demonstrate that DCV offers similar indoor environmental conditions to mixing ventilation but has better acoustic performance especially on reducing the ventilation noise. Indoor environmental conditions were very homogeneous under DCV with mixing ventilation showing tendencies for short circuit ventilation. This study demonstrates that DCV has a potential for implementation in Swedish schools with minimal system modification on existing ventilation and air distribution systems. Full article

While the populations of cities continue to grow, institutions are demanding more sustainability in urban development, leading to a great increase in the complexity of urban planning. The need to consider social, legal, environmental, and economic parameters challenges the traditional urban planning processing in favor of an optimized and automated process. Generative design has the potential to optimize the design phase by automatically generating spatial design solutions and analyzing them in the design phase. The objective of the present study is to analyze the traditional urban planning process and to compare it with a digitalized driven process by using generative design. This study uses a mixed approach with four research methods: document analysis, survey, interviews, and a case study based in Sweden. The critical analysis of the Swedish urban planning process makes it possible to define the main barriers to a digitalized process. Results also show the benefits of using generative design for a more sustainable and faster design process. Two main conclusions can be made from this study: institutional and organizational changes are necessary to achieve digitalization, and generative design proves to be a useful tool that should be considered to support the digitalization of urban planning. Full article

The Swedish risk management case of Baltic fatty fishes, in which dioxin levels may be too high, is a typical multidimensional food safety decision problem involving public health, economic, environmental and socio-cultural aspects. To effectively address the dioxin food safety problem, the multiple dimensions and conflicting interests of stakeholders have to be considered systematically when evaluating competing risk management options. The objectives of this study were to illustrate the applicability of the Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) method for multidimensional food safety risk management problems, and to evaluate the Swedish dioxin risk management using MCDA. The results show that the MCDA method is indeed a relevant tool for modelling the multifactorial Swedish dioxin problem and for initiating discussions amongst stakeholders to increase the acceptance of chosen strategies. Abolishing the derogation from the European Commission’s maximum limits for the presence of dioxins in Swedish fish is the dominant strategy for risk assessors, whereas the preferences provided by the other stakeholders would suggest a continuation of the derogation without providing consumer information. However, the preferences of female consumers match with the 2011 decision of the Swedish government to ask for a derogation in combination with consumer information. The conclusion drawn from our MCDA analysis is comparable to the government’s decision that—given the gradual reduction in dioxin concentrations in Baltic fish—the decision to continue providing consumer information or not mainly depends on how risk managers balance the preferences of the different stakeholders. Full article

In this study, we propose a conceptual approach to assessing biodiversity impacts in the life-cycle assessments (LCAs) of forest wood production with a focus on Nordic managed forests at the landscape level. As a basis for our methodology, we suggest assessing the proportion of the total land area of productive forest under the control of a forest owner that fulfils certain criteria that can be regarded as having a positive impact on the development of forest biodiversity. A similar assessment of the forest management performed on the surrounding land is used to define a site-specific reference situation. In the context of an attributional LCA, the suggested method for the specification of business-as-usual (BAU) or environmental quality objectives (EQO) baselines encourages forest owners to choose forest management options that increase the proportion of productive forest land with properties that are more favorable to biodiversity over time. We illustrate the BAU baseline approach with two examples in Sweden to calculate the biodiversity impact from wood production for individual forest owners using four biodiversity indicators from the Swedish national Environmental Quality Objectives (EQOS)—‘Living Forests’. The approach defined in this study is at this stage only applicable to forestry assessments. Using a BAU baseline approach similar to that used for international climate reporting is a simple but novel approach that makes use of consensuses that have already been drawn and approaches that have already been established. Full article

The endeavour to align the goals of the Swedish food strategy with the national environmental quality objectives and the 17 global SDGs, presents an extraordinary challenge that calls for systemic innovation. Industrial symbiosis can potentially provide the means for increasing sustainable food production, using locally sub-exploited resources that can reduce the need for land, agrochemicals, transport and energy. This case study of the municipality of Härnösand, aims to assess opportunities and challenges for using waste flows and by-products for local food production, facilitated by industrial symbiosis. A potential symbiotic network was developed during three workshops with the main stakeholders in Härnösand. The potential of the COVID-19 pandemic to instigate policy changes, behavioural changes and formation of new alliances that may catalyse the transition towards food systems based on industrial symbiosis is discussed. The material flow inventory revealed that many underexploited resource flows were present in quantities that rendered them commercially interesting. Resources that can be used for innovative food production include, e.g., lignocellulosic residues, rock dust, and food processing waste. The internalised drive among local companies interested in industrial symbiosis and the emerging symbiotic relations, provide a fertile ground for the establishment of a local network that can process the sub-exploited material flows. Although there are multiple challenges for an industrial symbiosis network to form in Härnösand, this study shows that there is a significant potential to create added value from the region’s many resources while at the same time making the food system more sustainable and resilient, by expanding industrial symbiosis practices. Full article

The global epidemiology of atopic dermatitis (AD) in the current decade (2009–2019) has not been extensively reported. Epidemiological studies play an important role in presenting the risk factors of AD, as detailed prevalence and incidence data could demonstrate the burden of disease in the population of adults, adolescents, and children in different geographical regions. Thus, the primary objective of this review was to assess and summarize the epidemiological studies of the prevalence and incidence of AD in different age groups, focusing on data from studies published for 2009 to 2019. After a thorough literature search, six countries were identified from African, Asian, and European regions respectively, who published studies on AD. In contrast, only two studies were identified from Australia and New Zealand, three countries from North America and two from South America published AD studies, respectively. The highest prevalence of AD from included studies was noted among Swedish children with 34%, while the lowest prevalence was in Tunisian children with 0.65%; studies reporting incidence data were far less numerous. A common trend in the prevalence of AD was that children would have a higher prevalence as compared to adolescents and adults. The severity and morbidity of the disease showed variance with age, sex, socioeconomic characteristics, geographical location, and ethnicity. Environmental factors played an important role as causative agents in AD. The risk factors that were proven to cause and induce AD were skin barrier impairments due to FLG mutation, changes in the environment, and diet. FLG mutation may impair the skin barrier function by disruption of pH and hydration maintenance of the skin. Lastly, there were only a few studies on the incidence of AD in the 21st century. Therefore, epidemiological studies on childhood and adulthood AD in different continents are still needed, especially on the incidence of AD during adulthood. Full article

This article examines the implementation of the Swedish national environmental quality objectives and discusses what can be learned for the equivalent process for the set of global UN 2030 goals (SDGs), established in 2015. The empirical basis is a study on 50 large companies in Sweden and their use of these objectives in their policy formulation. The SDGs are crafted with a broader approach than the Swedish national environmental quality objectives. Therefore, the SDGs probably better reflect the agenda of the business community since they have a global character, cover the whole spectrum of important sustainability issues and provide a mutual agenda for the business community worldwide. More than 90 percent of the large companies in the study have explicitly committed themselves to the SDGs, only 1–2 years after they were published, whereas similar commitments hardly exist for the national environmental quality objectives, even 20 years after their establishment. A large majority of the large companies in this study know about the SDGs, have actively endorsed them, and started to adjust their activities accordingly. In the end, the results of these endorsements remain to be seen. Full article

In the management of protected nature areas, arguments are being raised for increasingly integrated approaches. Despite an explicit ambition from the responsible managing governmental agencies, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and Swedish National Heritage Board, attempts to initiate and increase the degree of integrated nature and cultural heritage conservation management in the Swedish mountains are failing. The delivery of environmental policy through the Swedish National Environmental Objective called Magnificent Mountains is dependent on increased collaboration between the state and local stakeholders. This study, using a group model building approach, maps out the system’s dynamic interactions between nature perceptions, values and the objectives of managing agencies and local stakeholders. It is identified that the dominance of a wilderness discourse influences both the objectives and management of the protected areas. This wilderness discourse functions as a barrier against including cultural heritage conservation aspects and local stakeholders in management, as wilderness-influenced objectives are defining protected areas as environments “untouched” by humans. A wilderness objective reduces the need for local knowledge and participation in environmental management. In reality, protected areas depend, to varying degrees, on the continuation of traditional land-use practices. Full article

Background and Objectives: in Sweden during 2016, 71.6 million metric tonnes (t) of forest biomass (roundwood and forest fuels) were transported by truck, corresponding to approximately 15% of all national goods truck transport. To reduce the environmental impact of forest product transports and meet Swedish climate goals, the use of 90 t high-capacity transport (HCT) trucks on well-chosen routes has been identified as one potential measure. The objective was, therefore, to develop a method of finding the geographical occurrence of potential roundwood HCT corridors for 90 t trucks, as well as estimating their environmental and economic potential in comparison to the conventional 74 t-truck transport system for Swedish conditions. Materials and Methods: the study used data from actual roundwood transports during 2016 along with a digitalization of the Swedish road network (National Road Database, SNVDB) for corridor identification. In four steps we: 1) identified supportive networks, 2) identified flow supporting corridors on the technically supportive networks, 3) applied a calibrated route finder (CRF) to route relevant transports both directly from the landing to the receiver and via the corridor, gathering drive distance information and, for example, 4) analyzed transports fuel consumption and potential CO₂ savings. Results: Results showed there was annual potential for 25 HCT corridors throughout Sweden to employ 20 90 t trucks to transport 2.5 Mt of roundwood, reducing up to 5500 t of CO₂ and €3.1 M in fuel costs. Conclusions: the study reinforces previous studies’ findings concerning economic and environmental potential using HCT vehicles and identifies terminal establishment and management costs as a bottleneck in successful large-scale implementation of HCT corridors. Full article

To reduce environmental burdens from the food system, a shift towards environmentally sustainable diets is needed. In this study, the environmental impacts of the Swedish diet were benchmarked relative to global environmental boundaries suggested by the EAT-Lancet Commission. To identify local environmental concerns not captured by the global boundaries, relationships between the global EAT-Lancet variables and the national Swedish Environmental Objectives (SEOs) were analysed and additional indicators for missing aspects were identified. The results showed that the environmental impacts caused by the average Swedish diet exceeded the global boundaries for greenhouse gas emissions, cropland use and application of nutrients by two- to more than four-fold when the boundaries were scaled to per capita level. With regard to biodiversity, the impacts caused by the Swedish diet transgressed the boundary by six-fold. For freshwater use, the diet performed well within the boundary. Comparison of global and local indicators revealed that the EAT-Lancet variables covered many aspects included in the SEOs, but that these global indicators are not always of sufficiently fine resolution to capture local aspects of environmental sustainability, such as eutrophication impacts. To consider aspects and impact categories included in the SEO but not currently covered by the EAT-Lancet variables, such as chemical pollution and acidification, additional indicators and boundaries are needed. This requires better inventory data on e.g., pesticide use and improved traceability for imported foods. Full article

Environmental injustice, characterized by lower socioeconomic status (SES) persons being subjected to higher air pollution concentrations, was explored among pregnant women in Scania, Sweden. Understanding if the general reduction of air pollution recorded is enjoyed by all SES groups could illuminate existing inequalities and inform policy development. “Maternal Air Pollution in Southern Sweden”, an epidemiological database, contains data for 48,777 pregnancies in Scanian hospital catchment areas and includes births from 1999–2009. SES predictors considered included education level, household disposable income, and birth country. A Gaussian dispersion model was used to model women’s average NO_X and PM_2.5 exposure at home residence over the pregnancy period. Total concentrations were dichotomized into emission levels below/above respective Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air objectives. The data were analyzed using binary logistic regression. A sensitivity analysis facilitated the investigation of associations’ variation over time. Lower-SES women born outside Sweden were disproportionately exposed to higher pollutant concentrations. Odds of exposure to NO_X above Swedish EPA objectives reduced over time, especially for low-SES persons. Environmental injustice exists in Scania, but it lessened with declining overall air pollution levels, implying that continued air quality improvement could help protect vulnerable populations and further reduce environmental inequalities. Full article

There has been substantial urban growth in Stockholm, Sweden, the fastest-growing capital in Europe. The intensifying urbanization poses challenges for environmental management and sustainable development. Using Sentinel-2 and SPOT-5 imagery, this research investigates the evolution of land-cover change in Stockholm County between 2005 and 2015, and evaluates urban growth impact on protected green areas, green infrastructure and urban ecosystem service provision. One scene of 2015 Sentinel-2A multispectral instrument (MSI) and 10 scenes of 2005 SPOT-5 high-resolution instruments (HRI) imagery over Stockholm County are classified into 10 land-cover categories using object-based image analysis and a support vector machine algorithm with spectral, textural and geometric features. Reaching accuracies of approximately 90%, the classifications are then analyzed to determine impact of urban growth in Stockholm between 2005 and 2015, including land-cover change statistics, landscape-level urban ecosystem service provision bundle changes and evaluation of regional and local impact on legislatively protected areas as well as ecologically significant green infrastructure networks. The results indicate that urban areas increased by 15%, while non-urban land cover decreased by 4%. In terms of ecosystem services, changes in proximity of forest and low-density built-up areas were the main cause of lowered provision of temperature regulation, air purification and noise reduction. There was a decadal ecosystem service loss of 4.6 million USD (2015 exchange rate). Urban areas within a 200 m buffer zone around the Swedish environmental protection agency’s nature reserves increased 16%, with examples of urban areas constructed along nature reserve boundaries. Urban expansion overlapped the deciduous ecological corridor network and green wedge/core areas to a small but increasing degree, often in close proximity to weak but important green links in the landscape. Given these findings, increased conservation/restoration focus on the region’s green weak links is recommended. Full article