Environmental health

Question 1

Types of disasters

Answer 1

Natural Disasters
Human made disasters
Bioterrorism
Epidemics
Pandemics

Question 2

Categorization of environmental health factors

Answer 2

chemical, physical, biological, psychological, economic

Question 3

Routes of entry for environmental health factors

Answer 3

inhalation, absorption, injection, ingestion

Question 4

Environmental epidemiology

Answer 4

study of the effect of physical, chemical and biological factors in the external environment on human health

Question 5

Most impacted by environmental health

Answer 5

Vulnerable & disparate groups, First Nations Communities (overcrowding, mold, unsafe drinking water), & Children (immigrants, poverty, migrant workers, visible minority homeless, single moms) differ from national average

Question 6

Global health perspective

Answer 6

impact of environmental hazards heaviest amongst poor and vulnerable populations

Question 7

What does the degree of hazard depend on?

Answer 7

1. Nature of agent involved
2. Intensity of the exposure
3. duration of exposure

Question 8

Things to consider of the degree of hazard

Answer 8

1. How much of the agent required to produce effect
2. The likelihood of that happening
3. Rate of agent generation/emission
4. Total contact time
5. Any reductive measures taken or possible

Question 9

Categorization of environmental factors

Answer 9

Physical constructs
Chemical
Biological
Psychological
Ergonomic

Question 10

Physical construct (environmental factors)

Answer 10

Structures where people live, work, worship, play
Community systems, such as roads, transportation systems, land use, practices, waste management.
Radiation, noise, vibration, extremes in temperature/air pressure, road safety, housing quality

Question 11

Chemical (environmental factors)

Answer 11

Chemical component associated with structures, foods, products, and waste products of these chemicals (vapors, gases, dusts, fumes, mists, household cleaners, smoke)

Question 12

Biological (environmental factors)

Answer 12

Any living organisms causing adverse health effects (bacteria, viruses, fungi, pests, insects, animals, water safety, food safety, dusts).
Farming practices, food production & handling, agricultural dusts)

Question 13

Psychological (environmental factors)

Answer 13

Stress/distress events impacting health (illness, death, birth, job promotion, finances, interpersonal conflict).

Question 14

Ergonomic (environmental factors)

Answer 14

workstation design, repetitive motion

Question 15

Environmental Health Inequities

Answer 15

1. Geographic and Geopolitical Location
2. Social location (place, position in society, clean environment, pop density, violence, stress, identity + access to clean environment)
3. Developmental stage (children and older adults, intersectionality - indigenous)

Question 16

Environmental framework to eliminate risk

Answer 16

1. Indigenous Perspective on Health & Environment
2. Intersectional Ecological-Feminist Approaches (gender within women, value-dualism, exclusiveness)
3. Planetary Health Approaches

Question 17

Role of CHNs

Answer 17

1. Prevent, educate, advocate for policy change, identify risk
2. lead interventions to reduce the burden of disease
3. Requires multidisciplinary approach to identify modifiable environmental factors

Question 18

Ethical issues that arise in environmental health descisions

Answer 18

Who has access to information, and when?
How complete and accurate is the information?
Who is included in decision making, and when?
What or whose values and priorities are given weight in decisions?
How are short- and long-term consequences considered?
Is there a conflict of interest?

Question 19

All hazards approach

Answer 19

Prevention (activities, vaccinations)
Mitigation (reducing impact of disease on community)
Preparedness (efficiency of the response, training, testing, response plan)
Response (immediate action, getting supplies)
Recovery (return to acceptable situation)

Question 20

Disaster preparedness

Answer 20

Readiness to respond and manage situation/consequences (emergency plans and warning system)
Involves education, team planning, mock disaster events (earthquake drill)
Emergency Measures Organization – develops, coordinates and manages response plans
Team Members: HCP, Police, Coroners, Firefighters, municipal planners, teachers, Universities, businesses, media, volunteer groups
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) – coordinate all federal departments for national security and safety

Question 21

CHNs in disaster preparedness

Answer 21

Review the community’s disaster history
Consider how past disasters have affected health care delivery
Understand how particular organizations fit into the disaster plan
Educate community members about disaster preparedness
Help initiate or update disaster plans
Organize disaster drills
Provide updated records of vulnerable populations within a community.
Triage: initial (response phase) & ongoing (recovery phase) assessments, surveillance
Shelter management (HP, prevention, support)