week 6: Environmental influences on health

Question 1

Environmental health: problems

Answer 1

• rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere

Question 2

Environmental health: causes

Answer 2

• fossil fuel burning (coal, oil, gas)
• agriculture
  industry, people
  -forest destruction

Question 3

Environmental health: the consequences

Answer 3

• Global temps rising
• ice melting
• rising sea levels
• extreme weather

Question 4

How does eco health impact health?

Answer 4

• Extreme weather events likely to increase: could overwhelm the health sector’s capacity
• ## climate change jeopardizes other ongoing health gains, especially in low income/vulnerable populations

Question 5

populations at greatest risk

Answer 5

• climate change has increased risk of infant and maternal mortality, birth complications, and poorer reproductive health, especially in the tropical developing countries.
• Children are less able to deal with heat and more susceptible to dehydration.
• elderly: significant risk factors for heat-related death, less able to regulate extremes in temperatures
• poor: existing illnesses and challenges in daily life exacerbated by disruptions in access to public services, displacement from homes and the need to migrate with limited transportation options.