Session 5 - Environmental Health Flashcards
Define environment
The total sum of all surroundings of a living organism, including natural forces and other living things, which provide conditions for development and growth as well as of danger and damage
List the 4 components of interdependent environments.
- Home environment
- Transport environment
- Work environment
- Recreational environment
What is environmental health?
Interactions of humans with the environment which has health consequences and identification, detection and control of hazards which affect human health
What are the 8 pillars of environmental health?
- Housing
- Food safety
- Water management
- Waste management
- Air quality management
- Noise pollution
- Radiation control
- Occupational health
Name the 7 core concepts of environment health
- Toxicity
- Exposure
- Dose and response
- Individual susceptibility
- Risks and Benefits
- Environmental justice
- Community resources and action
What is toxicity?
A measure of how dangerous a chemical is
What is exposure?
The total amount of a hazard that comes in direct contact with your body
Name 3 methods of exposure
Ingestion - via intestinal tract to bloodstream
Inhalation - via lungs to bloodstream
Skin/Membranes contact - via skin to bloodstream
What is dose?
The amount of a hazard that actually enters your body
What are the 3 factors on which dose response depends?
- Duration of exposure
- Frequency of exposure
- Body size of person
What are the 4 categories of people who have increased susceptibility?
- Pregnant women and their unborn
- Elderly people whose defence mechanisms are less efficient
- Sick people who have weakened immune systems
- Infants and children who are still developing
What is a health risk assessment?
Systematic process of identifying hazards and evaluating any associated risks within the immediate environment, then implementing reasonable control measures to remove or reduce such risks.
Name the 6 steps of a health risk assessment.
- Identify and determine extend of hazards
- Decide who might be harmed and how
- Identify control measures already in place
- Evaluate the risks and recommend control measures
- Record findings and implement measures to reduce risk
- Review risk assessment and update if necessary
