Environmental Factors

Question 1

Describe 3 environmental factors that can affect development.

Answer 1

Pollution - Air pollution (e.g. toxic substances such as nitrogen dioxide from traffic, dust and smoke) is a major problem in many cities.

Access to health and social care services - Depending on where someone lives, it may be difficult to access the necessary services to support healthy development.

Housing conditions - Poor conditions in the home can affect development. This can include: dust and mould, overcrowding, fuel poverty, lack of cooking facilities.

Question 2

What health problems can pollution lead to?

Answer 2

• Respiratory disorders, including inflammation of the airways and triggering asthma attacks.
• Cardiovascular problems and higher blood pressure.
• Allergies.
• Pollution can also be a risk factor for early death. High pollution levels have been linked to shorter life expectancy.

Question 3

Why might access to health and social care services be limited?

Answer 3

• Good transport may not be readily available – public transport may be unreliable, particularly in rural locations.
• Opening hours of services may not be suitable for all (e.g. those working 9am– 5pm).
• Services may also not take into account the needs of the community, or be able to provide services to hard-to-reach groups (e.g. homeless people).

Question 4

How might development be affected by poor housing conditions?

Answer 4

• Respiratory disorders can be caused by dust, mould, and needing to dry clothes indoors.
• Overcrowding and stress can lead to cardiovascular problems.
• A lack of quality cooking facilities makes it hard to cook healthy food.
• Fuel poverty can lead to hypothermia (a drop in body temperature below 35 °C – elderly and homeless are most at risk).
• Poor housing conditions can cause anxiety and depression.