Chapter 17: Environmental Hazards and Human Health Flashcards
Zoonotic diseases
spead form animals to humans
- 61% of 1,415 pathogens are zoonotic
Pollution
a substance in the environment that:
- prevents funtioning of natural processes
- produces undesirable environmental/health effects
Pollutant
any material that causes pollution
- by-products of someone desirable action
Environmental health
connections between environmental hazards and human disease or death
Environment
the whole context of human life
Hazard
anything that can cause:
- injury, disease, death to humans
- damage to personal or public property
- deterioration or destruction of environmental parts
Risk
the probability of suffering:
- injury, disease, death, or some loss as a result of exposure to a hazard
Vulnerability
some people are more vulnerable to certain risks
What does risk equal?
hazard x vulnerability
Health
a state of complete physical, social, and mental well-being
Morbidity
the incidence of disease in a population
Mortality
the incidence of death in a population
Epidemiology
the study of the presence, distribution, and prevention of deiseas in populations
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Part of the Department of Health and Human Services
- Provides tools and information to protect health
- Is the primary agency responsible for health risk management and prevention
Who has access to WHO?
all countries
Epidemiologic transition
decreasing death rates that accompany development
4 categories of hazards
cultural, biological, physical, chemical
Cultural hazards
many factors that cause death or sidability are a matter of choice
Biological hazards
Humans have always battled bacteria and viruses (black plague and typhus killed millions)
- vaccinations
What percent of deaths are diseases responsible for?
20%
Rotavirus
causes dehydration, but vaccines now exist
Tuberculosis
infects 1/3 of all people
Malaria
kills 655,000 people each year
Physical hazards
natural disasters result from hydrological, meteorological, or geological forces
Chemical hazards
Toxicity, exposure is through ingestion, breathing, the skin, direct use, or by accident
Toxicity
condition of being harmful, deadly, or poisonous
Carcinogens
cancer-causing agents
One major pathway for hazards
poverty
The biggest killer around the world
Poverty
Underweight children
the world’s main risk factor (strongly related to poverty)
Wealthy nations have healthier populations
they die from diseases of old age (cancer, heart disease, etc.)
What is the leading cause of death in the U.S.
Tobacco
Where is tobacco use increasing and decreasing?
Tobacco use is increasing in developing countries and decreasing in developed countries
Synergistic effects
smokers living in polluted air ave higher rates of lung disease
How can tobacco use be decreased?
- Raising taxes
- Warnings
- Smoke-free workplaces
- Non-smoking
- Banning smoking on domestic flights
Dose
concentration of the chemical in question
Dose response
a linear response used to determine an accetable level of exposure
Acute response
sudden and severe, acute toxicity from a single exosure or from multiple exposures in a short space of time (< 24hrs)
Chronic response
chronic toxicity from repeated exposures, often at lower levels, to a substance over longer time period (months or years)
Teratogenic
Teratology is the study of congenital malformations
Mutagenic
- ethylene oxide
- ionizing radiation
- hydrogen peroxide
- benzene
Carcinogen
a substance that is known to cause cancer
Mutagen
a physical or chemical agent that changes the enetic material of an organism and increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level
Irritant
a substance that causes slight inflammation or other discomfort to the body
Asphyxiant
Gas or vapor that can cause unconsciousness or death by suffocation due to lack of oxygen
Synergism
the total effect is greater than the sum of the indicidual effects
NFPA
based National Fire Protection Association. This helps determine what equipment should be used, procedures followed, or precautions taken during the initial stages of an emergency response
