week 1
14. Why is maintenance of environmental quality important for human health?
Mainteneance of the quality of our environment is important for human health because of the large impact the state of the environment has on our health. For example, pollution in the air is highly linked to asthma which has shown a significant increase in the population. Water pollution is also very serious because we, especially in the United States use running water for nearly everything from cleaning to eating. Without having clean water we can become susceptible to various forms of infections and diseases, and without water at all we will not survive. Another reason is due to global warming, with the large amounts of the burning of fossil fuels, the climate is changing and this is having a large impact on our health. One effect seen from global warming is loss of biodiversity due to the changing of the climate. This has shown to limit our crops leading to food insecurities, as well as certain plant species going extinct that could have been used for certain medicines.
Describe variables that affect the size of a population.
Natality, mortality, immigration, and emigration rates apply to every population, including the human population. The sum of these rates makes up the growth rate of a population.
11. Describe the three P's that are principal determinants of health worldwide. Explain what each "P" stand for.
Pollution: the release of hazardous substances into the environment Population: the number of individuals in a certain area Poverty: the state of being poor (ie lacking vital resources)
16. In addition to population growth, what other environmental factors could lead to outbreaks of infectious diseases such as bird flu, Swine flu, COVID-19, H1N1, or Monkey Pox?
Several environmental factors are associated with infectious disease transmission, such as agricultural practices, deforestation, migration patterns, and fecal contamination. When humans interact with animal habitats or population structures, through the built environment, there are unintended consequences leading to the burden of infectious disease. Research has only begun seeking to summarize the relationships between environmental determinants of health and infectious disease.
22. What countries or regions of the world are projected to experience (list 2) stable and (list 2) declining population sizes?
Some countries projected to have a population decline are China, Japan, and Russia by the year 2050. Some countries projected to have population increases are Nigeria and India.
24. Describe the Ecological Model of population health
The Ecological Model of population health describes how the environmental, biological, and behavioral determinants of health are connected with each other throughout the life of a person. According to the model, factors that influence behavior include: individual traits and behavior, interpersonal factors (such as family and community), living and working conditions, and broad social, economic, cultural, health, and environmental conditions, and policy.
18. Describe the types of environmental health problems that prevail in the developing world. Give at one example and explain what can/should be done to alleviate this problem. (Questions 17-19 must all be different)
The current global population is approximately at 7.97 billion and is expected to grow to 10.9 billion in the year 2100. Population trends show that the human population has been growing exponentially since the 1950s and will continue to do so. Rapid population growth has many negative implications such as, depletion of resources and fear of reaching carrying capacity.
8. Discuss one of the 11 major objectives in Healthy People 2030 environmental health, as described in Healthy People 2030. What steps can be taken in your community to accomplish the objectives you have selected?
The healthy people 2030 objective that I will be focusing on is reducing heat-related morbidity and mortality (EH‑D02). As of now, this objective is high priority and in developmental status. Healthy People 2030, currently, do not have reliable baseline data and are looking for evidence-based interventions. Some known ways to reduce heat-related morbidity and mortality would be to create more areas for shade through trees or purposeful structures ( accessible umbrellas, freestanding roofs, etc.). We could also reduce reflective services and promote the use of lighter-colored materials in order to reduce the heat in cities or crowded areas. As more research is conducted, we will learn more about how to reduce heat and the root causes of heat-related morbidity and mortality.
Discuss one of the 11 major objectives in Healthy People 2030 environmental health, as described in Healthy People 2030. What steps can be taken in your community to accomplish the objectives you have selected?
The objective I want to emphasize under the Healthy People 2030 environmental health is the increase the proportion of people whose water supply meets safe drinking water act regulations act (EH-03). The status of this act is that the target goals have been accomplished and exceeded. The EPA through this act can expand access to safe water quality too many vulnerable communities and make sure that water systems are maintained and have adequate efficiencies. The most effective way to bolster individual community efforts for water safety and quality is to identify community partners that can aid in the management of water contaminations, filtration systems, and water quality tests and protocols. Safe drinking water is the bedrock of a fundamental public health system and every stakeholder such as day to day people should be educated and made aware of water regulatory policies.
15. Discuss the role of population growth in human health. How might recent outbreaks of diseases such as the bird flu, Swine flu, COVID-19, H1N1, or Monkey Pox be linked to population growth?
The role population growth plays in human health is the transmission of diseases becoming higher in densely populated areas. High population density leads to a higher rate of contact between humans. Recent outbreaks such as covid-19, swine flu, and etc. could be linked to population growth because these diseases are spread through contact with others. This indicates that it is more likely to transmit in highly growing populated areas.
Define: Completed fertility rate (total fertility rate)
Total fertility rate (TFR), also known as completed fertility rate, is the number of children a woman has given birth to when she completes childbearing (Friis, 2019). TFR is one way that helps to measure fertility. In the U.S., during 2012, the fertility rate was approximately 2 children per woman. During the era of baby boomers in the 1950s, the TFR was 3.5 births per woman. The rates of fertility are declining in most areas of developing countries. Other countries such as the U.S., Japan, and China will continue to increase in population due to births among a large amount of women who are childbearing and were born when fertility rates were elevated. It is predicted that the overall trend for population of the entire world is declining and will result in higher numbers of older individuals (Friis, 2019).
Define: Population dynamics
Definition: Population dynamics refers to the developing interrelationships among the set of variable that influence the demographic makeup of populations as well as the variables that influence the growth and decline of population sizes. Some factors relating to population size in addition to age and sex composition include fertility, death rates, and migration (Friis, 2019).
23. What areas are expected to have the greatest increases in population size in the 21st century?
Areas that will have the greatest increases in population will be regions with mostly developing countries. The text states that developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America have rates of 4.0 births per woman. India will become the most populous country in the world, with China in second. Nigeria will replace Brazil as the fifth most populous country in the world.
12. Discuss how the three P's could be considered interrelated characteristics.
12. The three P's are pollution, population, and poverty. These are interrelated as population growth is linked with poverty and poverty and population growth are associated with pollution. Pollution is known to be harmful to the environment and a cause of global warming as the combustion of fossil fuels causes greenhouse gases to be dispersed into the atmosphere, thereby polluting the air quality. Population can be defined as the number of people in the world which is growing exponentially. Population is especially important to understand as it is responsible for the 10 to 12 billion present in the 21st century. This can be an issue as carrying capacity is reached and the world has to manage its effects. Poverty is the last "P" and although it is linked to population growth, it can be problematic as it is known to be linked with adverse health outcomes. Specifically, poverty can be attributed to urban crowding and all of the issues associated with that such as susceptibility to infectious disease agents.
25. What is the Ecosystem and why is it considered fragile?
An ecosystem is typically an environment and the organisms in that environment that interact to form a "bubble" of life. Each component of an ecosystem is dependent of the other, which is why they are considered fragile. The weather is one factor that can cause different outcomes in an ecosystem. For example, the weather could impact the type of plants that can grow in an area. Then that could affect the animals that depend on plants for food or shelter. This shows how one small factor can drastically impact an ecosystem.
13. What are some of the consequences of the three P's that were discussed in class.
As the earth approaches its carrying capacity with a population (first P) increasing exponentially, our resources are rapidly depleted. The means of depleting these resources, such as the burning of fossil fuels, results in an exorbitant amount of the second P, pollution and waste that infests the environment. As the population increases, inflation follows suit and affordability of the cost of living also becomes nigh-impossible. People are forced as a result into poverty(third P), and to live in areas that are afflicted by pollution. We also discussed the most pressing issues of today, most of which had to do with pollution. The biggest factor contributed by our groups that was said to be the biggest issue in environmental health today was water and its quality. Water is becoming a very scarce resource as a result of two Ps, population and pollution. Clean water also isn't readily available to those in poverty.
Demonstrate population growth trends over the past two centuries. What is the likelihood that current exponential population growth rates will continue? What is the current global population size and what is the estimated population in the year 2100? why are these projected population growth projections good for society? why are these projected population growth projections bad for society?
Due to the population growth that is expected to happen by 2100, this can cause many negative impacts on society such as having a greater unhoused population as well as problems in the food supply. The food supply would ultimately need to increase to support the population if it is projected to increase by over 3 billion. Additionally, with the rapid population growth, urbanization would likely increase as well causing more pollution and cramping in housing facilities. Moreover, according to Essentials of Environmental Health, the increase in urbanization is also tied to numerous health impacts directly related to diseases and accidents (Friis, 2018, p.14). Due to the increase in population, there's also a worry about reaching "carrying capacity" which factors relate to having adequate food, breathable air, and safe water (Friis, 2018, p.15); with a population demand increase, these factors would all be scarce as water would be a limited resource as well as agricultural land (due to urbanization). All in all, population growth of that capacity would likely have negative impacts on all areas of life sustainability.
Define: Epidemiologic transition
Epidemiologic transition is defined as a shift in pattern of morbidity and mortality due to causes related to infectious and communicable diseases to causes associated with chronic, degenerative diseases.
26. What is one current event (that's being covered by the media outlets) that you have heard in the past week, related to environmental health.
A 2021 state law linked Virginia vehicle emissions standards to California as part of efforts to combat climate change. California has plans on their 2035 ban to stop new cars fueled by gas to stretch to Virginia and apply it there as well.
Define: Demographic transition
Demographic transition is the alteration over time in a population's fertility, mortality, and makeup. Developed societies have progressed through 3 stages that have affected their age and sex distributions.
Define: Environmental health
Environmental health is defined as the field addressing all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviors (Friis, 2019).
Define: Environmental risk transition
Environmental risk transition is used to characterize changes in environmental risks that happen as a consequence of economic development in less-developed regions of the world.
Define: Environment, physical and social
~Physical environment is the chemical and biotic factors (physical factors) that have an impact on an organism(s). This includes climate, water, soil, toxins, metallic compounds, energy and other organisms (external factors). ~Social environment are the societal and cultural factors that have an influences on individuals like religion and social stigma.
