Environmental health
Introduction
Environmental health is a branch of public health that focuses on the relationships between people and their environment; promotes human health and well-being; and fosters healthy and safe communities. As a fundamental component of a comprehensive public health system, environmental health works to advance policies and programs to reduce chemical and other environmental exposures in air, water, soil and food to protect people and provide communities with healthier environments.
Scope and Importance
Environmental health encompasses a variety of topics, including but not limited to the assessment and control of physical, chemical, biological, and social factors in the environment that can potentially affect health. It also includes the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments. This definition excludes behaviour not related to environment, as well as behaviour related to the social and cultural environment, and genetics.
Environmental Health Hazards
Environmental health hazards can be biological, chemical, physical, or psychosocial.
Biological Hazards
Biological hazards include bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, birds, animals, and humans. These sources can cause a variety of health effects from skin irritations and allergies to infections (e.g., tuberculosis, AIDS), cancer and so on.
Chemical Hazards
Chemical hazards can be natural or synthetic and there are many ways of classifying them. Chemicals can be classified as health hazards or environmental hazards. Health hazards such as carcinogens, toxicants, and allergens can cause cancer, poisonings, and allergies, respectively. Environmental hazards can cause damage to the environment and disturb ecological balance.
Physical Hazards
Physical hazards include noise, temperature extremes, radiation, and ergonomics. Noise does not seem to cause mental illness or permanent damage to mental health, yet it is a source of annoyance, discomfort, and interference with activities. Temperature extremes can sometimes cause health problems such as heat stroke or hypothermia. Radiation can cause burns, illness, and death, depending on the amount of radiation absorbed by the body, the type of radiation, and the time period over which the exposure occurs.
Psychosocial Hazards
Psychosocial hazards include stress, violence, and other workplace pressures. Stress can cause physical health problems (e.g., heart disease) and mental health problems (e.g., depression). Violence can cause physical injuries and mental health problems.
Environmental Health Policy
Environmental health policy is the interplay between the environment and health, and the policy process that surrounds this. This includes the act of assessing and controlling factors in the environment that can potentially affect health. Environmental health policy is often practiced through the creation of legislation and regulations.
Environmental Health and Sustainable Development
Environmental health is intricately related to sustainable development, as it addresses the impact on human health of aspects such as adequate supply of safe food and water, healthy occupational and recreational environments, and control of vectors of disease.
Environmental Health Education
Environmental health education is a key tool in mitigating environmental health hazards. This involves providing individuals and communities with information on the identification, prevention and control of environmental health hazards.