environmental health Flashcards
environment
we come in contact with and in some ways it becomes us
we are dependent on env for dev, growth, survival
everything around: air, water, food, chm, radiation, microbes, phys forces
our interactions with env are complex and not always healthy
env health
assess env and dev means to protect
aspect of human health determined by phys, chm, bio, psychosocial
science and practice of perventing injury and illness and promoting well being by: ID and eval env sources and shazardous agens, decrease exposures to hazardous phys, chm, bio, agents in water, air, soil, food, other env media or settings that may adversely affect human health
24% deaths linked to modifiable env rf - so maybe preventable
env health requirements
safe and sustainable, but - env has limits!
clean air, safe and sufficient H2O, adequate and safe food, safe and peaceful settlements, stable global env
env health and theory - precautionary principle
duty to protect public from harm when science finds plausible R, even if no cause and effect fully est
ethical imperative to prevent rather than just treat disease
social responsibility to protect public from exposure to harm when scientific investigation has found plausible risk
precautions relaxed only if evidence of no harm
env health: role of nursing
assess env, ID rf, educate and communicate to community, participate in strategies to promote health community and env
edu, prevent, treat
comm involve
individual and pop risk assess
risk comm -> effective comm with public
epidemiological investigation
policy dev and advocacy
hazard
something that can potentially cause harm, no harm unless exposed
risk
hazard + exposure (part of env)
likelihood of harm occuring
env health hazard
complex, gaps btw info in how env effects health -> precautionary principle
any env substance or situation that has ability to cause adverse health event
but, need exposure -> differ for everything
phys, chm, bio external to person
natural or human made
ex: pesticides, chm in consumer products, radiation, flood waters
how is boyd affected by toxic exposures
resp/lung, neuro, hemat
skin, age, mucous mem
reporductive
carcinogenic
other major organs
children:
eat, drink, breathe more smaller lungs, breathe more) -> relative to size, pound for pound
explore, mouth, floor and ground
protective systems that filter pollutants not fully F
env can disrupt g + d
env R assessment
ID and characterize hazard
who impacted (individual v community), what type, how is it reaching humans
how does it enter body: ingest, inhale, abs, acute v chronic exposure, severity, time frame (many things studied for a long time)
ID and characterize stakeholders
formulate problem statement: scope, management goals, comm with at risk (nurses trusted)
surveillance/assess exposure
toxicology studies, epidemiologic studies (distribution of disease associated with exposures), env monitor (qual of env), bio monitor (after exposed metabolite, amount in body), product surveillance (monitor env impact of product)
hazard control strategies
ethical to prevent rather than just treat
source (prevent all exposure), along path (protective), level of person (PPE, admin controls, other primary prevention), secondary prevention (early detect)
expsome
complex to determine
totality of exposure individual experience from conception to death and its impact on chronic disease
3 domains: internal, specific external, general external
risk comm
bad comm can be detrimental
purposeful exchange of info about existence, natura, form, severity, acceptability of R
objective: alert public or decision makers of R (if unaware), calm concerns about small R that public or decision makers see as serious
env considerations: built env
buildings and comm spaces created by humans, influence health behaviors and outcomes
general conditions: street, sidewalk, lighting, park, safe?, playground transport
exposures in buildings/spaces; SHS, radon, noise, overcrowd, proximity to haxardous facilities, policies
land use: pollution, destruct, mosies, maintenance, manicured
env conditions: home env
shelter that supports state of complete phys, mental, social well being
major concerns: crowd, temp, injury, water and air qual, noise, safety
most of our lives in home
env health in home
env health in home
shoes off, vent, organic and fresh and local produce, garden without pesticides, decrease red meat, clean with baking soda and vinegar, decrease VOC paints, eat small fish (mercury), check products, decrease smoke and radon, avoid BPA and PFA
water quality
maint/improve: proper disposed pharm, chm, oil paints; check car leak, clean up pets, decrease fertilizer/pesticides, watershed, runoff, drainage, straight piping
epa reg amount of contaminants in public H2O -> expect to have some
FDA reg bottles
CCA = right to know qual -> safe drinking water act
clean H2O act: 1st major US law to address water pollution, dont d/c unless permit
air qual
pollute is result of emission of hazardous sub that exceeds capacity of natural process to convert, deposit, dilute
severity change with season, daylight, activity, traffic, winds, rain
air quality: particulate matter
dust, soot, smoke
travel deeper into lungs
mix of solid and liquid droplets found in air
air quality: clean air act
outdoor standards, regular emissions
air monitoring network: CO-, Pb, NO2, O3, particulate matter, SO2
O3 = reflex response in lungs
env justice
fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people with respect to dev, implement, enforce of env laws, reg, policies
flint water crisis: lead is irreversible toxin
no group should bear disproportionate share of neg env effect
those that contribute least are affected most
climate and health
greenhouse gas effect
response to climate change
slow rate and limit warming
decrease flow of greenhouse fas -> clean E
adapt: new trees, harvest rain water
live with, adapt to climate change already in motion
what can we do?: clean E, drive less, decrease beef consumption, recycle, reuse, use H2O efficiently, decrease E use, plant comm garden, plant trees, advocate
advocacy
trusted and credible source of health info
professional association: ID key areas of ation, educate officials, speak about EH when appropriate
elevate message: opinion editorials, meet with elected officials
comm engagement: work with comm members on issues they have ID’d, nurses day at capitol
10 reasons nurses and env go together
provide healing and safe env
trusted source of info
largest health care occupation
work with variety of cultures
affect decisions
good sources of info
translate health info and make understandable
engaged in research
hc organizations recognize role in env health
education = standards of practice req that nurses know how to decrease exposure to env hazards
