Environmental Explanation

Question 1

What is the environmental explanation for health inequalities?

Reading: (World Health Organisation, 2010)

Answer 1

Environmental inequalities such as ambient air pollution, are thought to contribute to such equalities in health.

Question 2

Give an example of a location that experiences health inequalities as a result of the environment.

Answer 2

Nova Scotia, Canada is an example of a deindustrialized landscape where people live in a polluted and isolated landscape which can affect health outcomes.

Question 3

What is a general pattern irrespective of exposure for an environmental explanation for health inequalities?

Reading: (World Health Organisation, 2010)

Answer 3

Subjects of low socioeconomic status experience greater health effects of air pollution.

Question 4

What is the relationship between occupational skill level of workers and environmental conditions?

Reading: (World Health Organisation, 2010)

Answer 4

The occupational skill level of workers is strongly related to their age-standardized mortality rates- lower skills exposed to working conditions of physical, chemicals and microbiological toxins, as well as lack of worker autonomy leading to psychosocial stress.

Question 5

(Samet et al. 2000)

Answer 5

Exposure to particulate air pollution has been found to be associated with increase in hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory disease and mortality in many countries

Question 6

Exposure to particulate air pollution has been found to be associated with increase in hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory disease and mortality in many countries

Answer 6

(Samet et al. 2000)