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C De Brouwer

Publications and source records attributed to C De Brouwer.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

[Noise in neonatology, the impact of hospital staff].

OBJECTIVES: To identify the various sources of noise in a neonatal intensive care unit in a university hospital centre and to assess the noise level. METHODS: The nursing staff was interviewed to obtain a qualitative assessment of the noise in the department. Quantitative observations using a sound level meter and a dosimeter were then made. The measurements presented here were carried out in two different units caring for the newborn: on the heated table and in an incubator. RESULTS: Many sources of noise were identified in the unit. They were responsible for a noisy environment, the level of which was far greater than current recommendations and left few periods of quiet. The alarms of the various monitors and maintenance apparatuses, the crying of the newborn and the activity of the staff were the principal sources of noise. CONCLUSION: The impact of hospital staff on the extent and frequency of sources of noise is crucial. An enhanced awareness strategy should therefore be developed.

Crying↗
PubMed2002

[The precautionary principle applied to lung cancer risk caused by residential radon].

Residential radon seems to represent a major health hazard. The studies, which investigate the pulmonary risk of cancer caused by radon, are of different nature and their results are divergent. Thus, there persist scientific uncertainties concerning the real size of this risk. The application of the precautionary principle is based on an analysis of these uncertainties. Studies on miners, studies concerning residential radon (at individual and ecological level), as well as experimental data allow for the organisation of the uncertainty of each one of these specific approaches taking into account their proper limitations. The first risk that is linked to radon is the risk of pulmonary cancer. Miner occupational exposure studies appear compatible with the results of case-control studies concerning residential radon. However, the case-control studies, where the risk appears more present, are contradicted by ecological studies, often not very convincing about the existence of a risk. The case-control studies have an intrinsic advantage over the ecological studies because they limit the classification errors by the individualization of the relation-exposure effect. In addition, the experimental data are not in contradiction with the existence of effects for very small exposures. Consequently, the inherent scientific uncertainties of the totality of these data, can be classified and permit the application of the precautionary principle in a better proportioned way. The utilisation of the precautionary principle implies the necessity to limit, as far as possible, the exposure to residential radon. Precautionary principle is based on the debated hypothesis of no threshold linear relation between radon exposition and health consequences. This relation has been established on professional and residential exposures. The implementation of this epidemiological model shows the "residential radon" risk as the second cause of pulmonary cancer and responsible of about 10% of these specific cancers.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗
PubMed2001

[The European Directive 96/29/Euratom through the history of radiation protection].

The new european directive concerning the radiation protection 96/29/Euratom is currently being transposed in national regulations. This directive is registered in a historical context. This context allows us to understand how it is realised and what philosophy underlies the actual structure and its possible shortcomings. Current developments of the radiobiology and the radio-epidemiology, notably important modifications of our knowledge about natural irradiation, the attention for genetic fragile populations and relationships between irradiation and cancer are likely to modify our perception of the radiation protection.

Europe↗