What is my own definition of environmental health?
Environmental health is the setting and resources that impacts the health of the individual and the overall population.
My definition of environmental health is different by leaving out the epidemiological aspect of the subject. However, it is similar by associating environmental factors and its effects with the health of a population.
There are elements of environmental health that I notice more than others (e.g. air and water quality) and it could mainly be due to the fact that these elements have a larger global impact.
Personal Home Assessment
After completing the home assessment, I did discover environmental risks in my own home. It is important to know the age of the home, because homes built before the 1950s used lead-based paint. It is also essential to know if there are people living in the basements, as I assume the indoor air quality is not as good. I believe public health inspectors, homeowners, and residents of the home are responsible for home-based environmental health risks.
List
of Environmental Exposures
Homes- Asbestos*
- Coal* (stoves)
- Radon* (in air)
- Soot (chimney)
- Lead* (paint chips)
- Bisphenol-A (BPA)*
- Mercury (fish consumption, cosmetics and household products)
- Mold*
- Phthalates* (personal hygiene products
- Carbon Monoxide
Schools
- Lead*
- Mold*
- Radon*
- Allergens*
- Volatile Organic Compounds
- PCBs (paint, pipes, and lights)
- Pesticides*
- Indoor/Outdoor Air Pollution
- Bisphenol-A (BPA)* (toys, school supplies)
- Vehicle Emissions (school buses)
Workplaces
- Asbestos* (construction workers)
- Radiation (healthcare workers/patients)
- Radon*
- Pesticides*
- Mold*
- Cleaning Supplies (bleach)
- Antineoplastic Agents (healthcare setting)
- Ethylene Oxide (sterilize medical instruments)
- Cadmium* (batteries)
- Glycol Ethers* (paint and household cleaners)
Community
- Sun exposure/UV Rays
- Arsenic (tobacco)
- Benzene (cigarette smoke)
- Pesticides*
- Air Pollution
- Lead* (water pipes)
- Mold*
- Secondhand Smoke
- Radon*
- Allergens
*exposures that apply to multiple categories
Composing the list of environmental exposures in each area was actually tougher than I had thought. I would have to say that 50% of the exposures were specific and 50% were broad.
Composing the list of environmental exposures in each area was actually tougher than I had thought. I would have to say that 50% of the exposures were specific and 50% were broad.
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ReplyDeleteWow Candy that is an extensive list of environmental exposures. It is frightening how much we encounter environmental risks in our daily lives. I was quite surprised by the number of exposures that I come into contact with at work on a regular basis. We have an infusion center so I walk past bags of chemotherapy daily. Also, the closet where environmental services keeps the cleaning supplies is near the employee bathroom which all of us visit multiple times a day.
ReplyDeleteI would say that the air quality is something I notice frequently as well. I live in Brentwood, it's a bit more country, which has fairly decent air quality. However, I work in Oakland and I notice a dramatic difference between the smells and visual aspect of the air when I go to work, the air is much more dense and visibility is not as clear.
Great Blog!
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Candy, your post is beautiful, informative and complete. I'll have t speak to you and see how you did it. Especially to list the product into the Blog. You provided so much new information that I did not know. I also use products from Trader Joe's and I use Dove deodorant. Thank you for listing the name of the alternate product line that is made safer. I will certainly be looking in to adopting it instead. Great Job!
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