Environmental Health

Environmental Health is the branch of public health that focuses on the interrelationships between people and their environment, promotes human health and well-being, and fosters healthy and safe communities. As a fundamental component of a comprehensive public health system, environmental health works to advance policies and programs to reduce chemical and other environmental exposures in air, water, soil and food to protect people and provide communities with healthier environments.

Overview

Environmental health is focused on the natural and built environments for the benefit of human health, whereas environmental protection is concerned with protecting the natural environment for the benefit of human health and the ecosystem. Research in the field tries to limit the harmful exposures through various means such as controlling the use of hazardous chemicals or encouraging the use of environmentally friendly products.

Key Concepts

Environmental health encompasses a variety of topics, including:

• Occupational safety and health: This involves creating a safe and healthy work environment. This includes ensuring that workers are properly trained and have the necessary protective equipment.

• Food safety: This involves handling, preparing, and storing food in ways that prevent foodborne illness. This includes a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards.

• Water quality: This involves the chemical, physical and biological characteristics of water in relation to the health of the environment and humans. It is measured through several markers such as the concentration of dissolved oxygen, bacteria levels, the amount of salt, or the amount of material suspended in the water.

• Air quality: This involves the condition of the air within our surroundings. Good air quality pertains to the degree which the air is clean, clear and free from pollutants such as smoke, dust and smog among other things.

• Housing: This involves the impact of housing conditions on health. Poor housing conditions such as damp, cold, overcrowding, lack of sanitation are associated with a range of health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, asthma, cancer, and injury.

Environmental Health Hazards

Environmental health hazards can be biological, chemical, physical, or psychosocial.

• Biological hazards include harmful bacteria, viruses or parasites (e.g., salmonella, hepatitis A and trichinella).
• Chemical hazards include compounds that can cause health problems (e.g., lead, carbon monoxide and asbestos).
• Physical hazards include radiation, including ionizing radiation (e.g., from X-rays) and non-ionizing radiation (e.g., from sunlight).
• Psychosocial hazards include stress, violence, and other societal factors that affect a person's health.

See Also

• Public Health
• Occupational Safety and Health
• Food Safety
• Water Quality
• Air Quality
• Housing