1 Environmental Health
Environmental Health
Prepared by: Jonathan J. Mikulski, Elise Wood, and Rich Castrataro
Prepared for: Dr. Laurie DiRosa
10/18/2013
Introduction
As Americans reached the 21st century, many started to care more about their surroundings and self. Importance is now being stressed on our health as human beings and the world we live in, or environmental and personal health. Environmental health is the health factors or concerns of the natural or built environment that one lives in. The environmental health of a few sometimes affects humankind as a whole. The environment and people alike are still feeling the effects of the BP oil spill that happened in 2010. One example of this is the toxicity levels that sea life experienced, undoubtedly effecting humans that consume seafood. (Tiffany, Jackie. 2013.)
Personal health identifies the efficiency of the mind and body. The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in a broader sense in 1946 as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Unfortunately, many Americans are undereducated as a whole on these topics. Direct correlations between environmental health and personal health are being researched daily, but do working professionals ages 25-35 have an understanding of these correlations? ("Frequently Asked Questions.” 2013.)
Proposed Question
Do working professionals aged 25-35 have a well-rounded understanding of the direct correlation between environmental and personal health?
Significance Statement
The stated topic is of significance to the country. Without an educated understanding of how the health of the environment affects the human body, society will only continue to deteriorate physically and environmentally. The choice to direct this toward the working professional age group of 25-35 was done so purposefully. This range is close to the age of newly graduated and/or working people. Based on the results of the pending survey, we will be able to determine if throughout their studies up to this point, they are learning about this important connection and utilizing it in their personal life. If results show a strong understanding, it will be clear that society has the knowledge, but isn’t being proactive in their approach to better health. If the results show a weak understanding, it will show that proper fundamental knowledge is not being provided and that society should implement a plan to incorporate the connection between environmental and personal health into our current education system.
Literature Review
Air Pollution
One area that can affect the environment and humans alike is air pollution. Air pollution can be a multitude of different pollutants such as chemicals, particulates, or biological materials. When these pollutants get released it can cause substantial damage to our natural and built environment. One example of this pollution is the use of the “slash and burn” method by farmers to clear land for agriculture; the burning process releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere contributing to air pollution and global warming. (Gray, Irina., 2008.). Sadly, this is just one subcategory of pollutants. There are six central categories of air pollution.
Ozone is one of the six air pollutants. When hearing the word ozone many think about the protective layer around our planet, however, ozone is also a pollutant. Ozone is a very pale blue gas with an extremely pungent smell. Ozone forms when sunlight brings together nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are produced by vehicular and factory exhaust systems. Ozone causes damage to mucus and respiratory tissues in humans, and also tissues in plants. (“Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], Ozone section, para. #, 2013.)
Particulate matterare very small pieces of solid or liquid matter associated with the Earth's atmosphere. Most know the term referred to them as aerosol. Sources of particulate matter can be man-made, such as hair products like hairspray or natural, like those found from the soot after a forest fire. Particulate matter can negatively affect human health, individuals that have heart and lung disease are at risk of premature death. This type of pollutant also has impacts on climate, which will be discussed later ("Particulate Matter2013.)
Carbon monoxide is a tasteless, colorless, and odorless gas. In concentrations that are high, it is extremely toxic to humans. Carbon monoxide is produced from the partial oxidation of carbon-containing compounds; it forms when the oxygen present is too little to produce carbon dioxide, such as when operating a gas stove. Carbon monoxide is also produced naturally by sources such as forest fires and volcanos. In humans, carbon monoxide will reduce the amount of oxygen the blood can carry, concurrently reducing the amount of ATP or energy the body can produce ("Carbon Monoxide” 2013.)
Nitrogen Oxide is a universal term for mono-nitrogen oxides NO and NO2 (nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide). Mainly produced at high temperatures, they form from the reaction of nitrogen and oxygen gases in the air during combustion. In cities or areas of high motor vehicle traffic, the amount of nitrogen oxides emitted into the atmosphere as air pollution can be significant. Nitrogen Oxide can also be produced naturally by lightning during severe storms. NOx can react to form particulates like smog and acid rain in the environment, posing hazards, such as, asthma and bronchitis ("Nitrogen Oxide” 2013.)
Sulfur dioxide is a toxic gas with a sharp, irritating smell. It is released naturally by volcanic activity and is a potent global warming gas. In Earth's atmosphere, it exists in trace amounts of 1 part per billion by volume, primarily as a pollutant commonly released by various industrial processes. Since coal and petroleum often contain sulfur compounds, their combustion generates sulfur dioxide unless the sulfur compounds are removed before burning the fuel. Sulfur dioxide emissions are also a precursor to particulates in the atmosphere. Both of these impacts are cause for concern over the environmental impact of these fuels ("Sulfur Dioxide” 2013.)
Lead is a chemical element in the carbon group. Lead is a soft and malleable metal, which is regarded as a heavy metal and poor metal. Lead is used in building construction, lead-acid batteries, and bullets to name a few. If ingested, lead is poisonous to animals, including humans. It damages the central nervous system often causing brain disorders. Excessive lead also causes blood disorders in mammals. Like the element mercury, another heavy metal, lead is a neurotoxin that accumulates both in soft tissues and the bones. ("Lead.", 2013.)
TheClean Air Act provides the principal framework for national, state, tribal, and local efforts to protect air quality, including the health of "sensitive" populations such as people with asthma, children, and older adults. EPA also sets secondary standards to protect public welfare. This includes protecting ecosystems, including plants and animals, from harm, as well as protecting against decreased visibility and damage to crops, vegetation, and buildings. Improvements in air quality are the result of effective implementation of clean air laws and regulations, as well as efficient industrial technologies. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA has a number of responsibilities, including: Conducting periodic reviews, reducing emissions, ensuring air quality standards are met, reducing air pollutants, limiting the use of chemicals, and ensuring that sources of toxic air pollutants that may cause cancer and other adverse human health and environmental effects are well controlled and that the risks to public health and the environment are substantially reduced ("Air Pollution and the Clean Air Act” 2013.)
Pollution is one of the biggest global killers, affecting over 100 million people. That’s comparable to global diseases like malaria and HIV. Over one billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water due to air pollutants. Five thousand people die each day due to dirty drinking water (11 facts about Pollution”2013).
Climate Change
Climate change/control is another huge environmental factor that is contributing to the deteriorating health of the society. Many people might be aware of climate change or maybe have just heard the term used before but never really thought much about it. Global climate change has many affects, some more severe than others, that are impacting our health and most of these affects are poorly understood (Jessup, et. al, 2013.) Global warming and extreme heat has been found to be linked to increased risks of death and illnesses. There are health problems related to increasing temperatures that most people probably aren’t aware of. Among elderly people, and people who don’t have access to air conditioned environments have a greater risk of death due to cardiovascular and respiratory disease ("World health organization," 2013)
High temperatures also raise the levels of ozone which produce pollutants that cause cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Urban air pollution causes about 1.2 million deaths every year (World Health Organization. 2013.) Global warming is closely linked to other climate changes, such as increases in the frequency of intense rainfall, more and increasingly intense heat waves, and rising sea levels (Jessup, et al., 2013.)
Devastating rainfall not only affects the environment, but it also affects surrounding communities as well. Rising sea levels and increasing rainfall can destroy homes, medical facilities and other essential services. More than half of the world's population lives within 60 km of the sea. This could cause people to move to different living locations which could increase the risk of a different health effects like mental disorders and infectious diseases. In terms of our environment, higher rainfall patterns affect the supply of fresh water. Not having enough safe water can affect personal hygiene and increase diarrheal disease among the society which kills 2.2 million people every year ("World health organization," 2013)
The infections that come along with changes in climate are very threatening and could become a severe problem for our society. Climate factors can be responsible for changes in disease prevalence, distribution and intensity, particularly in the case of vector-borne diseases and emerging diseases. Frequent and abundant rainfalls along with increasing temperature will increase the development of infectious diseases (Mirski, Bielawska-Drózd& Bartoszcze2012.) In the eastern United States climate change is associated with increasing precipitation which can increase larval breeding habitats pathogens (Gallana,Ryser-DeGiorgis,wahli, & Segner,2013.) This then leads to an increase of the vector population and even more pathogen transmission. Changes in climate can increase the length of transmission seasons of important vector-borne diseases and to alter their geographic range causing them to spread beyond their origination. Due to increases in global temperature, tropical insects can expand their territories to further (northern or southern) latitudes, and find living conditions at higher altitudes that affect the transmission of local viral pathogens (Gallana, et al, 2013.) Tick-borne diseases are another concern that rises from increasing heat. Lyme disease is the most commonly occurring vector-borne disease in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. In the United States there have been 15,000 to 20,000 cases registered each year (Gallana, et al, 2013.)
Everyone is affected by climate change and its health effects. Some people however, are more susceptible than others. Children, especially those living in poor conditions are highly susceptible to increasing diseases due to climate changes. The elderly are also more likely to have cardiovascular or respiratory disease due to increasing heat. Those who have preexisting conditions are also more likely to be affected by climatic changes. When it comes to reducing climate change, many people have probably already heard of some of the way to help. Recycling, using your water efficiently, living a “greener” lifestyle with transportation such as carpooling, spreading the word, and educating younger generations about how to help climate change are among the ways to help eliminate this growing problem (Dunlea, Geller, Kraucunas, McConnell,Mengelt, & Huddleston, 2011.)
Pesticides
Lastly, pesticides are chemicals that farmers spray on their crops in order to prevent insects and animals from eating and invading their fruits and vegetables. While this serves a purpose, there are risks that come with it that effect the human individual. There is also a chance that pesticides can end up in the water system and effect individuals that way as well. There are many different kinds of pesticides that are used such as Pyrethoid, Organophosphate, Carbamate, and Organochlorine. There is also biopesticides that can be used that are different from the chemical pesticides (EPA ,2013.)
With pyrethoid pesticides, they are synthetic made pesticides derived from pyrethin, which is found in the flower chrysanthemums. These pesticides can in fact be harmful to the individual’s nervous system (EPA, 2013) Some names of pyrethoid pesticides are Sumicidin, Bida, Karate, Nurell, and Selecron (Ngidlo, 2013.) The Environmental Protection Agency regulates the use of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) (EPA, 2013). Exposure to pesticides can happen to the consumer that is ingesting the food product or the farmers that are using the pesticides on their crops. It can be toxic if inhaled, ingested, or handled without proper precautions. “The failure of farmers to use appropriate protective gears during spraying may have exposed themselves to the risk of pesticide poisoning” (Ngidlo, 2013.) This can cause many issues with the individuals’ health that will be further discussed.
Some of the effects of pesticides can harm your brain, weaken your immune system, cause cancer, lower a males sperm count, cause kidney and liver failure, cause obesity, as well as upset intestinal balance (Rodale,2010.) Pesticides are known to cause some of the most common cancers such as “leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, brain, bone, breast, ovarian, prostate, testicular and liver cancers” (“Toxics Action Center“, 2013). Although the Environmental Protection Agency regulates the amount of pesticide that is used on crops, it is being noticed by doctors that even small amounts of pesticide use are just as harmful as larger amounts (Rodale, 2010.)
Pesticides are not only found in field crops, they can also be found in our homes, parks, schools, and so on (Toxics Action Center). With the rainfall, pesticides can end up in our water systems as well. “Pesticides can be found in our air, our food, our soil, our water and even in our breast milk” (“Toxics Action Center“, 2013). While pesticides are used to keep rodents, insects, and other pests away, it can be harmful on the good soil that the crops are grown in (“Toxics Action Center“, 2013).
Not only does this occur in the United States, there are “an estimated 3 million cases of pesticide poisoning occur every year, resulting in an excess of 250,000 deaths” (Karunamoorthi, Mohammed,& Wassie, 2012.) Those numbers reflect the whole universe that is affected by pesticide poisoning. It is a considerable segment of the 900,000 deaths by suicide yearly (Karunamoorthi, K., Mohammed, M., & Wassie, F., 2012.) There can be other ways to save individuals to decrease this number. The number one way this can be done is through education. If more individuals are aware of pesticides, they may be able to prevent illness and death. By choosing to eat organic foods, the individuals’ health risks will be decreased as compared to eating foods containing pesticides (Rodale, 2010). Also, if farmers were able to use traps instead of spraying their foods, this could decrease the use of pesticides from rodents and can save lives. While pesticides serve a general purpose and the government regulates it, it does not mean that it is good for the human body. There are other things that we as individuals can ingest to decrease the consumption of these chemicals.
Even though Americans have begun to think about personal and environmental health, there is a long way to go before we can eliminate the majority of pollutants and affects from our Earth. Preventing the climate from making negative changes that affect the environment and ourselves is imperative to personal health. Education and knowledge is the biggest factor in being able to make these positive changes, unfortunately, it is believed many don’t have access to this information. Environmental health awareness and education can truly help in cleaning up the world. Undoubtedly, these practices need to be taught early and often throughout early education and college. With these steps in place, young, working class individuals ages 25-35 will be knowledgeable and can convey the same positive message to their kin.
Proposed Methodology
In regards to the survey, it contained 10-15 questions. The first four questions were demographic in nature (i.e. age, gender, occupation…). The remaining questions switched between true/false and multiple choice formats to keep the participant engaged. The questions were quiz-like so that we would know what degree of knowledge the participants have on the topic. Our plan of action was to divide the surveys in stacks of 33, 33, and 34. Each member of the group received a stack and was responsible for distributing the surveys out to the proper control group. We then compared all 100 surveys together as a group and recorded the findings. During our pilot survey, we received some feedback that our survey may have been a little “challenging” but we did not change any of the content. We wanted our participants to be challenged to get the best results possible. The only thing that we did change was that we grouped our questions into groups such as “what do you know” type questions along with a persona beliefs section. We handed our surveys out the week after we conducted our pilot survey in the method stated above. Our participants were mainly from the Rowan campus as well as adults in our workplaces.