What is environmental health

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 residents and provide communities with healthier environments.

The approval was the culmination of a year-long process of reviewing previously published definitions, proposing revisions to the NEHA board of directors, publishing draft definitions for public comment, conducting an opinion survey, incorporating public comment, and final revision. The health risks for these families are greater.

We support research and action to help ensure healthy environments for all. Environmental health is the branch of public health that: focuses on the relationships between people and their environment; promotes human health and well-being; and fosters healthy and safe communities. Environmental health is a key part of any comprehensive public health system.

Environmental burden of disease worldwide. We use the following definitions: Environmental health refers to aspects of human health including quality of life that are determined by physical, chemical, biological, social and psychosocial factors in the environment.

Environmen t broadly includes everything external to ourselves, including the physical, natural, social and behavioral environments. Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and is not merely the absence of disease or illness. We depend on the environment for energy and the materials needed to sustain life, such as: clean air safe drinking water nutritious food safe places to live.

Table 1 gives examples of how different aspects of the environment can affect our health. Even in developed countries, environmental factors play a large role in the burden of disease. References 1. Useful links. Preventing disease through healthy environments A World Health Organization report showing that almost a quarter of disease worldwide is caused by environmental exposure.

Toxicology—that is, the area of science devoted to understanding how chemicals and substances can affect people and their surroundings—is an important field in environmental health.

Many of the materials needed to advance industries and technology, like heavy metals or even some plastics, can also hurt the human body and even lead to serious medical conditions. One of the most recent, highly publicized examples of this happening is the Flint water crisis. When news broke in that the drinking water in Flint, Michigan was loaded with lead, it prompted widespread outrage and fear among families. If kids drink or digest lead , it can lead to long-term health complications, including brain damage, and in the case of Flint, it was the economically disadvantaged kids who were most affected.

More than 40 percent of the population in Flint lives below the poverty line, roughly 2. The county where the town resides has a history of poor health, ranking 81st out of 82 Michigan counties for health outcomes. The crisis was a prime example of how environmental health issues often hurt those whose health status is already most at risk. We spend the bulk of our time at home, work, or school, so it's important that these places be safe with minimal hazards, as well as be conducive to a healthy lifestyle.

When a neighborhood has a lot of violence, for example, families might not go outside to exercise. When roads aren't properly maintained, it can result in more car crashes. An emerging field in this area of environmental health is that of food access. Many neighborhoods throughout the United States do not have full-service grocery stores nearby. In their absence, residents often have to rely on convenience stores, like those found at gas stations, to buy their groceries.

This can be expensive, but most importantly, it can mean fewer or poorer quality options for fresh fruits and vegetables—a vital part of a healthy diet. For families in these areas, it can be a struggle to make healthy choices, exacerbating existing health disparities for low-income and minority populations especially. In an effort to offset the impact of these "food deserts," environmental health professionals are urging communities to establish public gardens where residents can grow and harvest their own fresh produce, improve access to public transportation to full-service grocery stores and farmers markets, and change zoning laws to incentivize retailers to offer healthier food options.

A primary piece of any public health strategy is information. By understanding what the risks are and where environmental health professionals can better deploy resources to prevent or combat them. This includes investigating and responding to diseases—a field called epidemiology—as well as screening populations for hazards and establishing surveillance programs. Surveillance activities involve either going out and looking for particular health concerns active surveillance or by asking professionals in other fields, such as medicine or agriculture, to alert environmental health agencies when they encounter them passive surveillance.

An example of this in action is mosquito surveillance and abatement activities. These programs test mosquitoes for certain things, including the presence of dangerous infections like Zika virus , as well as monitor populations to ensure control measures are working.

This information can help health officials know what to watch for in doctors' offices, direct local governments on where and how best to spray for mosquitoes, and alert the public if a mosquito-borne illness is spreading in the area.