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La minería de oro es una actividad muy importante para la economía colombiana, y de la cual se conocen significativos impactos ambientales y sociales; entre ellos, la vulnerabilidad de una vivienda que brinde refugio y sea factor protector para sus habitantes, en medio de un contexto condicionado por esta actividad. Objetivo: Identificar las condiciones socioambientales y sanitarias en viviendas y su entorno cercano a sitios de explotación aurífera, según la categoría de “vivienda saludable” de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS). Materiales y Métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal, realizado en cinco veredas de tres municipios del Occidente antioqueño (Colombia) en el año 2016. Aplicando como instrumentos la guía de observación y encuesta familiar de la Estrategia de vivienda saludable de la OPS, respondida por el jefe de hogar, en una muestra de 88 hogares y sus 380 habitantes distribuidos en las veredas seleccionadas y directamente relacionadas con la explotación aurífera. Se realizó el análisis estadístico, uni-variado y bi-variado de acuerdo con los objetivos del estudio, haciendo uso del software IBM SPSS Statistics 21 licenciado para la Universidad de Antioquia. Resultados: Se identificó poca accesibilidad a servicios como agua potable, transporte, educación y salud, acompañados de un manejo de residuos sólidos y vertimientos líquidos poco controlado. Conclusiones: En estos contextos, existe una necesidad de mejorar las condiciones para una vivienda saludable de acuerdo con los lineamientos de la OPS, aunque no haya una relación causal directa por la actividad económica desarrollada. Gold mining is a very important activity for the Colombian economy and of which significant environmental and social impacts are known, among them the vulnerability of a home that provide shelter and is protective factor for its inhabitants, in the midst of a context conditioned by this activity. Objective: To identify the socio-environmental and sanitary conditions in homes and their environment near gold-mining sites according to the “Healthy Housing” category of the Pan American Health Organization-PAHO. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in six villages in three municipalities of Western Antioquia in the year 2016. The instruments applied were observation and family survey of PAHO’s Healthy Housing Strategy answered by the Head of household, in a sample of 88 homes and their 380 inhabitants distributed in each of the villages selected and directly related to gold exploitation. A uni-varied and bi-varied statistical analysis was performed according to the objectives of the study, making use of SPSS 21 software licensed to Universidad de Antioquia. Results: Poor accessibility to services such as drinking water, transportation, education and health, was identified accompanied by poorly controlled waste management and effluents. Conclusions: In these contexts, there is a need to improve conditions for healthy housing according to PAHO guidelines, even if there is no direct causal relationship for the economic activity developed.

During the operation of air quality monitoring stations, amounts of missing data can be found in the pollutant's concentrations time series, which can reach up to 10% of the expected records. To explore the association between atmospheric pollutants and variations in the frequency of occurrence of health events, it is convenient to have complete atmospheric pollutants data, in order to avoid introducing biases into the results. A useful strategy for obtaining complete time series is the application of missing data imputation methods. In this work, we compare the performance of two imputation techniques in particulate matter data: Multiple Imputation and Neural Networks. Data from two stations of the Air Quality Monitoring Network of the Aburra Valley, Antioquia were used. In general, the applied techniques presented a good fit, where the results observed when applying each method in situations of presence or absence of meteorological data (or predictor variables) were differential. In situations where there is no access to predictor variables and there are percentages of missing data greater than 25%, the Neural Networks technique showed a better performance. The presence of missing values in the predictor variables, used in the Multiple Imputation method, limited the technique's performance.

Objetivo: Describir el comportamiento y la respuesta del sistema de salud ante la violencia de género en el departamento del Meta, Colombia. Materiales y métodos: Se diseñó un estudio observacional de corte transversal, con los casos notificados por violencia sexual y de género en el departamento, durante 2015. Resultados: Se estudiaron 1569 casos, la edad promedio fue de 20,7 años, la mayoría mujeres 81,7%, de ingresos bajos 59,44%, amas de casa 36,9% o estudiantes 20,72%, el agresor más frecuente fue un hombre joven (14-45 años) 67,18%, que tiene relación afectiva con la víctima y convive con ella. La violencia física 46,4%, la negligencia-abandono 25,18% y el abuso sexual 24,16% son las modalidades de mayor ocurrencia. El mecanismo agresor más común es el arma corto contundente 52,35% y el sitio anatómico más afectado, cara, cuello y manos 36,3%. El sitio más frecuente de agresión fue la vivienda 73,4% y los lugares públicos. Se evidenció población vulnerable afectada como son las gestantes y víctimas de violencia armada. El sistema de salud actúa en la atención integral en forma efectiva, se limita a la atención del daño físico y no activa la ruta de atención establecida, generando mayores riesgos a la víctima. Conclusiones: Se encuentra una alta incidencia de violencia de género, los factores de riesgo encontrados: ser mujer, estudiante o ama de casa, unión libre, bajo ingreso y bajo nivel educativo. El sistema de salud debe involucrarse en la atención integral del evento. Objective: To describe the behavior and health system response to gender violence in the department of Meta, Colombia. Materials and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was designed with the reported sexual and gender violence in the department during 2015. Results: A total of 1,569 cases were studied. The average age was 20.7 years, most of them were women, 81.7%, 59.44% from lowincome status; they were housewives, 36.9% or students 20.72%. The most frequent offender was a young man (14-45 years) 67.18%, who had an affective relationship with the victim and cohabited with her. The highest occurrence patterns were physical violence 46.4%, abandonment-neglect 25.18%, and sexual abuse 24.16%. The most common aggressor mechanism was the short blunt weapon, 52.35%, and the most affected anatomical areas are the face, the neck and the hands, 36.3%. The most frequent place of aggression was the house, 73.4% and public places. Vulnerable population affected was evidenced including pregnant women and victims of armed violence. The health system operates in comprehensive care effectively but is limited to the attention of physical damage and does not active the attention route established, thus generating greater risks to the victim. Conclusions: A high incidence of gender violence was found being the risk factors: being a female, student or housewife, cohabitating, low income and low educational level. The health system must be involved in the comprehensive care of the event.

Upgrading water supplies is an opportunity to resolve health care problems. Thus, this shows the importance of establishing comprehensive evaluation and management models to guarantee quality. Currently, there are numerous methodologies to detect microbial water contamination. Nevertheless, the high cost, which analysis time and isolation in microorganism cultures represent, has been an obstacle to establish microbial water quality for human consumption. The use of microorganisms that are bio indicators of water quality decreases costs and facilitates the implementation of efficient treatment measures, water control and control of diseases associated to transmission. The objective of the review was to describe the main microbiological indicators used to evaluate drinking water as key items to propose a new monitoring schema in Colombia. Results reflect the need to consider some microbial agents that were previously not considered like viruses and other bacteria and parasites, bio indicators, in addition to bacteria and protozoans already established in the norm. On the other hand, they indicate the need to establish reference values and define the microorganisms, which will be used based on specific evaluations of the microbial situation of the water in monitoring to validate, operate and verify. This review contributes important information to update Colombian norms based on knowledge of international, national and local standards. RESUMEN: Las mejoras en el suministro de agua son oportunidades para solucionar problemas de Salud Pública. De ahí la importancia de establecer modelos de evaluación y gestión integral que garanticen su calidad. Actualmente hay múltiples metodologías para detectar la contaminación microbiana del agua. Sin embargo, los elevados costos que representan, los tiempos de análisis y aislamiento en cultivo de microorganismos, han sido obstáculo para establecer la calidad microbiana del agua para consumo humano. El uso de microorganismos bioindicadores de calidad del agua disminuye los costos y facilita la implementación de medidas eficientes de tratamiento, control del agua y de enfermedades asociadas a su transmisión. El objetivo de la revisión fue describir los principales indicadores microbiológicos empleados para la evaluación del agua potable, como elementos clave para proponer un nuevo esquema de monitoreo en Colombia. Los resultados permiten considerar como bioindicadores, además de las bacterias y protozoos establecidos en la norma, algunos agentes microbianos como virus u otras bacterias y parásitos. Por otro lado indican la necesidad de establecer valores de referencia y definir los microorganismos a emplear con base en evaluaciones específicas de la situación microbiana del agua en monitoreos de validación, operación y verificación. Esta revisión aporta información importante para la actualización de la norma colombiana con base en el conocimiento de estándares internacionales, nacionales y locales COL0016049

RESUMEN: Objetivo Evaluar condiciones de salud ambiental subcuenca la Chaparrala, Andes-Colombia 2015. Método Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal, se indagó sobre condiciones sanitarias y ambientales de las viviendas, entorno inmediato y prejuicios acerca de la salud ambiental, en encuesta a 117 familias asentadas sobre eje principal de la quebrada y se analizó calidad fisicoquímica del agua. Resultados Predominó el hombre como jefe de hogar, cuatro personas en promedio por vivienda, 69 urbanas y 48 rurales, con permanencia mayor a 20 años en las primeras y menor a cinco años en las segundas. La mayoría, propias con escritura, con conexión 75 % al acueducto y 73 % al alcantarillado. En zona urbana predominó techo en losa y piso en baldosa, en la rural, teja de barro y piso en cemento y paredes en adobe en ambas zonas. El agua de la quebrada cumplió parámetros fisicoquímicos establecidos en el reglamento técnico del sector de agua potable y saneamiento básico, y resolución No. 2115 de 2007, excepto Turbiedad y Nitritos y se hallaron ocurrencias y concurrencias sobre salud ambiental. Discusión Las características sociodemográficas y condiciones ambientales y sanitarias de las viviendas y sus alrededores, son similares a las reportadas en encuesta de demografía y salud 2010, y en Encuesta Nacional de Salud (ENDS) 2007. La quebrada puede seguir siendo fuente de abastecimiento para consumo humano con tratamiento convencional y como concurrencia, la salud ambiental con enfoque hacia el cuidado y protección del ambiente que difiere del concepto de Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). ABSTRACT: Objective To assess environmental health conditions at La Chaparrala subbasin, in the Andes Mountains of Colombia, during 2015. Method Descriptive cross-sectional study on sanitary and environmental conditions of the dwellings, as well as on immediate environment, and environmental health prejudices. A survey was applied to 117 families settled in the main axis of the creek. The physicochemical quality of the water was analyzed. Results Men were predominant as head of household, with an average of four people per house. 69 of the houses were in the urban area, while 48 were rural; the permanence was greater than 20 years for the first, and less than five years for the second. Most of the houses are owned with deeds, and 75 % of them had a connection to the aqueduct and 73 % to the sewer. The houses in the urban area were predominantly made of tile roof and tile floor, while rural houses were made of mud tile and concrete floor. Both types of construction had adobe walls. The water from the creek complied with the physicochemical parameters established in the technical regulation of the sector for drinking water and basic sanitation, and with resolution No. 2115 of 2007. Non-compliance was observed in turbidity and nitrite levels, and occurrences and concurrences on environmental health were found. Discussion The socio-demographic characteristics and environmental and health conditions of the dwellings and their surroundings are similar to those reported in Encuesta de Demografía y Salud 2010 (Demographic and Health Survey) and Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2007 (2007 National Health Survey). The creek may continue to be a source for human consumption with conventional treatment and environmental health directed to care and protect the environment, differing from the concept of World Health Organization (WHO).

Rural areas of developing countries require low-cost treatment systems to purify wastewater which is contaminated with pesticides and organic matter. This work evaluated for six months the simultaneous removal of chlorpyrifos and dissolved organic matter in water using four horizontal sub-surface flow constructed wetlands (SSFCW) at a pilot scale, that were planted with Phragmites australis at 20 ± 2 °C water temperature. In each wetland, three concentrations of chlorpyrifos and three of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were tested by liquid chromatography and an organic carbon analyzer respectively. The pesticide and DOC were added to the wetlands in synthetic wastewater. For the experiments, four wetlands of equal dimensions were used, with granular material of igneous rocks, 3.9–6.4 mm in diameter and at a depth of 0.3 m with a layer of water 0.2 m deep. For each treatment, regular sampling was carried out for the influent and effluents. As a supporting feature NH4+, NO3− and PO43− were quantified and in situ measurements of dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, electrical conductivity, water temperature and redox potential were taken. The overall removal of the chlorpyrifos (92.6%) and DOC (93.2%) was high, as was DOC removal as a function of pesticide concentration in the influent. The minimum magnitude (92.0%) was reached with 425.6 μg L−1 of chlorpyrifos and, with the highest pesticide removal (96.8%). At lower concentrations of the agrochemical, DOC removal increased. The removals were possibly due to mineralization processes, biological decomposition and sorption in plants. These findings demonstrate that SSFCW are capable of simultaneously removing dissolved organic matter and organophosphate pesticides such as chlorpyrifos, which indicate that chlorpyrifos did not interfere with the removal of organic material.

Los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio, también conocidos como los Objetivos del Milenio, constituyeron las metas finales que aprobaron los dirigentes mundiales, 189 jefes de estado y de gobierno en la Cumbre del Milenio de las Naciones Unidas celebrada en Nueva York en el año 2000, en la cual los Estados miembros de la organización reafirmaron su compromiso de luchar por un mundo en el que el desarrollo sostenible y la eliminación de la pobreza tuvieran máxima prioridad1 . En la cumbre se definió la Declaración del Milenio, la cual detalla los objetivos, principios, valores, metas y acciones para erradicar la pobreza Mundial hacia el año 2015, todos ellos ratificados con alto interés y acción estratégica de carácter global, como marco para la medición de los progresos en materia de desarrollo.

This work used subsurface flow constructed wetlands, planted with Phragmites australis, using 2 water depths and 2 sizes of granular material, in order to find the optimal conditions for the remova...