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Considering the small number of studies aimed at evaluating outcomes related to dizziness and falls in the older adults who live in long-term care facilities, especially in north-eastern Brazil, and considering the negative impact of these events on the quality of life of these individuals, this study purpose was to evaluate dizziness as a predictor of risk of falls in institutionalised older adults. This cross-sectional analysis of data on falls and dizziness of 187 institutionalised older adults carried out between the years 2014 and 2016. The data collection instruments used were a socioeconomic and demographic questionnaire and questionnaires for assessing variables related to falls. The different diagnostic methods were compared using the Spearman correlation, and the Dizziness variable was evaluated by means of logistic regression. Inferential statistical analysis showed a significant association between dizziness and number of morbidities (p = .03) and dizziness and a history of falls (p = .04). Spearman's correlation analysis revealed statistically significant results only for FES-I (Falls Efficacy Scale-International) (p < .01). Dizziness was a predictor of risk of falls and that it was associated with a greater number of morbidities and previous history of falls. Implementing rehabilitation practices to reduce dizziness symptoms can significantly reduce the risk of falls for institutionalised older adults., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The provision of drinking water in metropolises is a challenge that requires programs for continuous monitoring of water quality and processes that impact the land cover of the watershed. In this work, we investigated through multivariate statistical analysis the temporal and spatial trends of several variables, not yet explored in a data series that includes 42 years (1978-2020) of monitoring in the hydrographic basin of the Guarapiranga reservoir, in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region-SPMR (Brazil). This reservoir is the source of drinking water for 3.8 million people and plays a strategic role in the social, environmental, and economic structure at SPMR. Our results point to the continuous degradation of water quality in the reservoir, although with different causes and spatio-temporal aspects. Between the 1970s and 1980s, variables associated with erosion/silting played a more critical role. From the 1990s, the introduction of N and P intensified, and the concentration of thermotolerant coliforms increased. The loss of quality is mainly associated with the progressive advance of urban settlements without planning combined with the inefficient initiatives to control domestic sewage pollution. If there is no rapid and comprehensive intervention, there is a risk that the Guarapiranga reservoir may become unsuitable for drinking water supply and other types of use in the future. This scenario will represent a critical obstacle to regional development and the quality of life of the population.

Rural headwater catchments are important to describe the connectivity of pollution sources to water bodies. Strategies to optimize water quality monitoring networks, as parameter definition, sampling, and statistical approach, have been widely discussed. The objectives of this study were to describe the spatial and temporal dynamics (intra- and inter-events) of water quality and to establish its implications for environmental monitoring programs. The monitoring was carried out in a rural headwater catchment (1.2 km 2 ) with shallow soils, high slopes, and intense agricultural activity in Southern Brazil. To better describe the impact of agriculture on water resources, the monitoring strategy was based on definition of the best set of parameters and different sampling frequency to incorporate intra- and inter-event variability and statistical analysis approach. We also analyzed parameters in different sub-basins with physiographic traits. Three hydrological compartments were analyzed: surface flow, groundwater, and base flow. Physico-chemical parameters, the concentration of elements associated with agricultural activity, and biological parameters were evaluated. Total phosphorus and turbidity were the parameters most affected by agricultural activity. They reflected on the inter- and intra-events, the impacts of soil and water degradation by agricultural activity, and the precarious rural sanitation conditions. Spatiotemporal variability of the parameters characterizes the different mechanisms for transferring pollutants from diffuse sources to water bodies. Spatial and temporal patterns in water quality changes were used to discuss environmental monitoring strategies, such as parameter and sampling frequency definition, to improve soil and water conservation programs at the catchment scale.