Environmental Sciences In Punlic Health Flashcards
(28 cards)
Define environment
The circumstances, objects or conditions by which one is surrounded
Unaltered(natural environment)
Altered environment(chemicals, biological products)
Built environment
What is environmental health sciences?
The study of those factors in the environment that affect human health
- Factors(pollutants, toxicants) in the air, water, soil or food
- Transferred to humans by inhalation, ingestion, or absorption
- Production of adverse health effects
What are the contributors to the environment health?
- Chemical (air pollutants, toxic wastes, pesticides)
- Biological (disease organisms present in food and water- insect and animal allergens)
- physical (noise, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation)
- socioeconomic( access to safe and sufficient health care)
What were the 5 wake up calls/ environmental catastrophes?
- Methyl mercury poisoning
- seveso, Italy (1976)- leak of toxic gas TCDD
- Bhopal(1984)- 16.5 tons pesticide released
- Chernobyl- nuclear reactor accident
- Milwaukee incident(1993)-cryptosporidium in water
Why do we pollute the environment?
Human behavior-needs/wants
Driving forces- population, tech, economic, political, social values
How are we protecting the environment from ourselves?
Mitigating forces- environmental laws- market adjustment- informal social regulation
What are the problems about air pollutants?
- A person inhales approximately 30 m3 (or 35 pounds) or air a day- exposure is continuous
- Lung disease is the third leading cause of death in the US (335,000 deaths per year)
- Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children
List the types of air pollutants
Natural
Particulate matter
Man-made
Gaseous
Explain what is particulate matter
- Solid or aqueous particles (0.01 to 100 micrometers)
- Smallest particles(aerosols) can remain suspended
- Below 2.5 micrometers are capable of penetrating all sites of the respiratory tract
Give reasons for special concern about indoor pollution
- 75% to 90% of time spent indoors( time depends on season, age, gender, health status)
- Many air pollutants known to be hazardous to health are emitted indoors
- Indoor environment trap pollutants- levels may be 2 to 5 times higher than outside
What air pollutants are emitted by pets?
Hair, feces, proteins, dust
What pollutants are emitted from plants?
Pollen, hydrocarbons
What are the pollutants emitted by electronic equipment and wiring?
Organic fumes and electromagnetic radiation
Give examples of particulate matter
Volcanic ash, radioactivity, pollen dust, smoke from fires
Give examples of acute health effects of air pollution
- Loss of lung function
- disability (absenteeism, hospitalization, increased need for medication)
- Symptoms of irritation(cough)
- increased mortality rate(respiratory and cardiovascular deaths)
Give examples of chronic health effects associated with air pollution
Impaired lung growth
Accelerated lung again
Damage to other lung organ systems
Can air pollutants lead or increase risk of cancer?
Yes
List the current water issues
- Vulnerability of surface water to drought and diversion of rivers
- Declining groundwater levels
- surface water pollution from non point sources
- Groundwater pollution
- increasing competition for water supplies
What leads to decreasing groundwater levels?
- Failure to replenish
- compaction of aquifers
- salt water intrusion
Give examples of agents
Agents- chemical, biological and physical
Give examples of vectors
Water, air, soil and food
Give examples of routes of entry
Inhalation, ingestion, absorption
Give examples of vulnerable groups
Low socioeconomic status
Woken
Children
Elderly
Ethnic minorities
Disabled
Indigenous peoples
(Due to genetics and are not empowered to change their environment)
What is safe?
- Means without risk
- no such thing as zero risk
