PHWM 2110 Public Health Ecology Exam #1

toxicology

the study of poison; anything can be poison (Paracelsus)

what is the goal of exposure assessment?

to quantitatively and qualitatively describe agent's contact and entry into body

what is an example of an area source?

urban run-off

environment interacts with

a person's genetic make up

uptake

absorption through skin or inhalation or ingestion

how much time do americans spend indoors?

we spend about 90-95% of our day is indoors

how does a health effect occur?

when both the exposure and intake occur

when does an exposure become a dose?

when it enters the body

Gauley Bridge Disaster

problem: workers were exposed to high levels of silica causing health problems; occupational diseases law: broadened the Workmens' Compensation to include occupational disease and injury

what is a secondary source?

produced in the environmental media through condensation (ex: ozone)

Thomas Malthus

started conversation about population growth and decline, proposed idea about populations growing until resources have been exhausted

transport and fate

study of how chemicals degrade and wheeree chemicals travel in the environment when they are released intentionally or unintentionally

toxciologists

study poison (any substance that causes a harmful effect to living organisms)

applied dose

subset of potential dose that refers to the amount that has made contact with skin, digestive tract, or respiratory tract where absorption into bloodstream can occur

aggregate exposure

sum of all exposures of an organism to a single chemical pathway over a period of time

Rachel Carson

the modern day environmental movement

OSHA

occupational safety health association

policy development in public health

- inform, educate, empower - mobilize community partnerships -develop policies

emissions

- measured as a rate; amount of contaminant per unit of time

personal exposure concentrations

- measures concentrations near the person - Personal exposure measurements for VOCs (volatile organic contaminants) are usually more closely correlated with indoor measurements than outdoor measurements.

assessment in public health

- monitor health - diagnose and investigate

instantaneous exposure

- occurs in a single measurable point in time

assurance

- Evaluating effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based environmental public health services - Addressing the sufficiency of a competent environmental public health workforce

Workplaces are often preferred as a "laboratory" for the study of general environmental health effects because they typically feature:

- Higher exposures - Fewer confounder influences - Better estimation of exposure intensity - A more clearly defined study population

obesity in the United States

- Prevalence is increasing in all age groups. - Obesity prevalence is growing at a much faster rate in the youngest age groups. - Over 60% of the US population meets the definition of overweight. - One in three Americans meets the definition of obesity.

urban sprawl has been indirectly or directly accelerated by

- The GI Bill which resulted in insured mortgages and a decrease in mortgage interest rates. - The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 that allows individuals to exclude up to $250,000 of capital gains on the sale of a residence. - Increased highway construction. - Federal tax laws allowing mortgage interest to be tax deductible.

exposure concentration

- amount of toxic agent - amount of contaminant in the environmental media that contacts the body

response

- biological change(s) caused by a chemical, physical, or biological agent - biological change can be occur at cellular, molecular, or tissue level

disruptions of endocrine system

- chemicals in everyday products interfere with endocrine system and production of hormones (pharmeceuticals, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs, DDT pesticides, bisephnol A) - health problems (early onset of puberty in girls and other development problems; obesity)

things to consider when examining exposure

- concentration in contact media - sociodemographic of the receptor (ex: children and elderly are more susceptible to exposures than adults) - behavioral factors (ex: if individual smokes it could increase degree to which exposure becomes toxic) - physiologic factors, health status (ex: those that are immunocompromised may be more susceptible to certain exposures than people that are health)

exposure

- contact over time of one or more biological, chemical, or physical agents with the outer part of the human body (skin, mouth or nose) at a specific concentration for a specific interval of timee - exposure always occurs first but not all exposures result in adverse effects

cumulative exposure

- cumulated dose of exposure during a certain time period - sum total of all exposures to all chemicals over all pathways (inhalation, ingestion, dermally)

environmental health

- defined by the problems faced - uses a systems approach to understand a problem; usually focuses on populations - includes any aspect of the environment (housing, agriculture, urban development, transportation)

Paracelsus

- father of toxicology - dose-response relationship - when considering the potential adverse effects of a given toxicant, the exposure intensity is a critical determinant

biologically effective dose

- fraction of delivered dose that is capable of producing a toxic effect - whether or not the biologically effective dose will cause an effect will depend on the body's ability to defend or repair itself to detoxify the agent

built environment has been associated with

- increased prevalence of several chronic diseases, notably asthma, obesity, cardiovascular disease and depression - The built environment can also favor social equity or increase disparities

exposure pathway

- physical course followed by an agent as it moves from source to human - course of path along which a contaminant moves from its source to an ecological of human receptor (individual or population)

source

- point of origin of a toxic agent - properties, amount released/used, location/setting

muckrakers

- writers who were bringing attention to horrible working conditions of the Industrial Revolution - these persons or groups contributed through their writings to increasing public awareness of the poor working conditions of certain groups of U.S. workers

elements of exposure pathway to be complete

1. source - origin of contaminant 2. environmental media - soil, water, air, food, etc. through which a contaminant moves from its source 3. exposure or point of contact - where and how people contact the media 4. exposure route - how the material can potentially enter the body 5. receptor - individual or population who are exposed or potentially exposed

accident and safety phase

1890s, workers experienced disease and injuries, workers compensation programs

occupational disease phase

1920s, occupationally related diseases came into the picture and was added to compensation programs

health conversation phase

1940s, medical examinations and surveillance of injuries were done by employers to converse worker health

OSHA/EPA phase

1970s, Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (Williams-Steigler Act) ensured employers were providing safe working environments for employs, National Institute of OSH was created, also EPA.

health promotion wellness phase

1980s, smoking and drugs, workplace-based health promotion programs

ADA phase

1990s, Americans with Disabilities act, making workplaces and public spaces accessible for disabled persons

secruity phase

2000s, safe work environment took on another meaning with the 9-11 terrorist attack, public health preparedness and response to bioterrorism; expansion of the field to include public health preparedness and response to terrorist attacks

indoor pollution affects _____ children

6.2 million; asthma prevalence is increasing even though outdoor air quality if improving

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act

direct exposure

Contact with a chemical substance that occurs while using it or by being present in an area where it has been used (Ex: child eating lead chips

policy development

Empowering people about environmental public health issues

assessment

Investigating environmental public health problems and health hazards in the community

what are the phases of occupational health and safety in the United States?

accident and safety phase (injury), occupational disease phase (illness), health conversation phase, OSHA/EPA phase, health promotion wellness phase, ADA phase, security phase

response and time

acute (short term), chronic, delayed onset (latency), reversible, irreversible, age dependent, specific, nonspecific

natural environment

air, water, soil, chemical, biological, and social features of our surroundings

internal dose

amount of agent that crosses absorption barriers and is metabolized by the body

dose

amount of something we ingest (can be eaten, inhaled or absorbed; amount of agent actually deposited at one or more sites within the body

potential dose

amount of toxin taken in that is inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through skin

delivered dose

amount that reaches the target organ

3 core functions of public health

assessment, public policy development, and assurance

in the EHP, what does the triangle depict?

barrier between the inside of the body and the outside

man-made, or built environment

buildings, roads, transportation systems, land use, pollution, and waste management

what is an example of a mobile source?

car

indoor microenvironmental monitor

cart loaded with sampling devices measures concentrations in a room or home

many environmental health problems are born out of

crisis which leads to the creation of laws

average exposure

cumulative divided by total duration of exposure

risk management

determination of source and level of health risks that are acceptable and how to manage

what is the goal of effect assessment?

determine intrinsic hazards association with hazard and quantify relationship between dose and health effect (hazard identification)

dose-response relationship

diagram displaying relationship between dosage and response

social environment

diet, exercise, socioeconomic status, and other societal influences

route of exposure

different ways an agent can enter the body (inhalation, ingestion, or dermally)

intake

entry of the substance into the body

climate change affects health

environmental effects (weather changes, ecosystems, water scarcity/flooding, oceans, air quality) and disease concerns (food/water borne illnesses, asthma, cancer, infectious disease carried by animals)

EPA

environmental protection agency

risk assessment

estimates the likelihood, magnitude, and uncertainty of population health risks associated with exposures

secondary pathway

ex: lead paint that has contaminated soil and soil is ingested or inhaled

what is the exposure formula?

exposure = intensity x frequency x duration ...or... how much? x how often? x for how long?

mixed exposure scenarios

exposure to more than one toxic agent during a given time

what is an example of a stationary source?

factory or refinery

Agricola

father of mineralogy, mining, and health effects, penned De Re Metallica

Percival Pott

father of occupational epidemiology, connected chimney sweeps to scrotal cancer

Ramazzini

father of occupational medicine, penned Diseases of Workers

peak exposure

highest level of exposure over a given time

what is the natural history of a public issue?

identification -> politicization -> legislation -> litigation

exposure assessment

identify and define exposures occurring or anticipated to occur in the human population

adverse effect

if biologically effective dose harms the body

what are the 10 essential environmental public health services?

monitor health status and solve problems diagnose and investigate problems inform, educate, and empower mobilize communities develop policies enforce laws link people to services assure competent workforce evaluate effectiveness of services research

epidemic of illnnesses

parallel economic development and energy utilization

industrial revolution

periods of time in both the U.S. and Europe, was characterized by increased wealth, prosperity and productivity, but also by an increase in the number of work-related injuries and exposure to physical agents

in the environmental health paradigm, what is the continuum between origin of toxic agent and its effect on humans?

pollutant source -> environmental fate and transport -> exposure -> dose -> effect

which groups are more suspectible to environmental agents?

poor and minority populations, children, and the elderly

Bhopal Disaster

problem: Union Carbide plant in India leaked chemicals killing many; industrial and transport disasters law: led to the hazard communication/Community Right to Know Laws

Farmington, W. Va., Coal Mine Disaster

problem: coal mine disaster, black lung disease; occupational injuries and dieasese law: Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1968 and 1970

Triangle Shirtwaist Co. Fire

problem: fire broke out and led to many injuries and deaths; occupational injuries and fire hazards law: resulted in the State Workmens' Compensation in Wisconsin and New Jersey

world war II

protection of health at the workplace

personal monitoring

provides more accurate information on individual exposures to airborne contaminants

environmental health paradigm describes

relationship between a toxicant and its effect on health by identifying and characterizing a complex pathway that begins with the emission source of that toxicant and ends with the response of the host to the effects of that toxicant

what is an example of a point source?

smoke stack

examples of indoor, non-seasonal allegerns

smoke, cockroaches, dust mites, mold, pet dander, and pollen