RESUMO
Abstract The current environmental deterioration of ecosystems is unquestionable, even though for some time now work has been done to change the dominant social paradigm that places Nature as a tool at the service of human beings. Environmental psychology proposes that environmental problems are strongly related to human behavior, thus, its studies are oriented to measure behavioral variables. To propose a version of the Ecological Behavior Scale (EBS) for use in Mexican populations, the psychometric properties of the instrument were explored, obtaining as a result an EBS scale of 28 items and three factors, with an overall Cronbach's alpha of .79.
Resumen Es incuestionable el actual deterioro ambiental de los ecosistemas, a pesar de que desde hace tiempo se ha trabajado en cambiar el paradigma social dominante que coloca a la naturaleza como una herramienta al servicio del ser humano. Desde la Psicología Ambiental se propone que los problemas ambientales están fuertemente relacionados con el comportamiento humano, con esto, sus estudios se han orientado a medir las variables comportamentales. Con el objetivo de proponer una versión de la Escala de Comportamiento Ecológico (ECE) para su uso en poblaciones mexicanas, se han explorado las propiedades psicométricas del instrumento, obteniendo como resultado una escala ECE de 28 ítems y tres factores, con un Alfa de Cronbach global (α = 0,79).
RESUMO
Short-term effects of air pollution on the health of residents in the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey, Mexico were assessed from 2012-2015 using a time-series approach. Guadalupe had the highest mean concentrations for SO2, CO and O3; whereas Santa Catarina showed the highest NO2 concentrations. Escobedo and Garcia registered the highest levels for PM10. Only PM10 and O3 exceeded the maximum permissible values established in the Mexican official standards. Most of pollutants and municipalities showed a great number of associations between an increase of 10% in their current concentrations and mortality, especially for people >60 years. Different scenarios resulting from climatic change were built (increases of 5-25% in daily mean temperature), but only the increase of 25% (5 °C) showed a significant association with air pollutant concentrations and mortality. All pollutants and municipalities showed significant increases in relative risk indexes (RRI) resulting from an increase of 5 °C when people >60 years was considered. Results were comparable to those reported by other authors around the world. The RRI were low but significant, and thus are of public concern. This study demonstrated that the elderly is strongly threatened not only by atmospheric pollution but also by climatic change scenarios in warm and semiarid places.