Chapter 9 Environmental Health and Safety

1. Chapter 9Environmental Health and Safety

2. Concepts and Theories • Preventive approach • Ecologic perspective • Ecosystem • Contaminant • Toxic agent • Triangle of human disease ecology

4. Long-Range Environmental Impact • Consider present and future needs • Food and fuel limitations of the natural environment • Conservation by balancing present and future needs • Preventing consequences of environmental abuse

5. Major Global Environmental Concerns • Overpopulation • Effects: food scarcity, water shortages, depletion of other vital resources • Demographic entrapment: population > ability of ecosystem to support it or acquire needed support, or when population exceeds its ability to migrate to other ecosystems in a manner to preserve its standard of living • Government’s role: solutions may be controversial depending on culture, religious beliefs, personal values and convictions • Nurse’s role: teaching about birth spacing, preventing high-risk pregnancies, preventing growing epidemic of HIV/AIDS, providing family planning education, providing prenatal care

6. Question Is the following statement true or false? • A contaminant is a poisonous substance in the environment that produces harmful effects on the health of humans, animals, or plants.

7. Answer • False • A contaminant is organic or inorganic matter that enters a medium such as water or food and renders it impure.

8. Major Global Environmental Concerns (cont.) • Air pollution • One of the most hazardous sources of chemical contamination; adverse effects include costs to property, productivity, quality of life, and human life (see Fig. 9.3) • Difficulty establishing actual cause and effect • Certain geographic areas more susceptible to ill effects due to weather or physical terrain

9. Major Global Environmental Concerns (cont.) • Dusts, gases, and naturally occurring elements • Dusts: silica dust, asbestos; gases: sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, chlorine, ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, radon (see Fig. 9.4) • Pollen, volcanic ash, airborne microorganisms • Acid precipitation • Air contaminants + precipitation = sulfuric and nitric acid (acid rain) • Effects: killing small life forms; danger to forest and freshwater ecologies

10. Major Global Environmental Concerns (cont.) • Ozone depletion and global warming • Effects: increased risk for skin cancer and cataracts; indirectly damaging food chain, increasing exposure to vector-borne diseases, raising ocean levels, and negative impact on crop production • Government’s role: clean air legislation, reduction of greenhouse gases • Nurse’s role: detection, community education, lobbying for appropriate legislation

11. Major Global Environmental Concerns (cont.) • Water pollution • Surface water (lakes, streams); underground sources • Effects: cause of disease; contamination of streams, lakes, wells; contamination of fish; upset of ecosystem • Government’s role: legislation for water quality testing; groundwater protection • Nurse’s role: examine household or city drinking water; identify increased incidences of water-related diseases; promote safe, healthy water

12. Question Which of the following is a component of acid rain? • Carbon monoxide • Radon • Chlorine • Nitric acid

13. Answer d.Nitric acid • Acid rain is formed when air pollutants combine with precipitation to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Carbon monoxide, radon, and chlorine are gases that pose a major global environmental concern.

14. Major Global Environmental Concerns (cont.) • Deforestation, wetlands destruction, and desertification • Effects: upset of ecosystem; gases contribute to ozone depletion; geographic changes/landslides; drought, famine, starvation • Government’s role: saving wetlands and forests • Nurse’s role: acting as a voice at the local level; leading and collaborating to initiate grassroots efforts to save wetlands and forests

15. Major Global Environmental Concerns (cont.) • Energy depletion • Nonrenewable sources primarily used today; nuclear energy still controversial, including building of plants and disposal of nuclear waste • Government’s role: discovery, rediscovery, or tapping of other renewable sources of energy; use of environmentally friendly sources • Nurse’s role: education about energy conservation, alternative energy sources; encourage people to become interested in and knowledgeable about potential energy depletion

16. Major Global Environmental Concerns (cont.) • Unhealthy or contaminated food • Inherently harmful foods, contaminated foods, foods with toxic additives • Food irradiation/cold pasteurization—for global food safety • Government’s role: regulatory agencies and monitoring • Nurse’s role: education about proper food storage, cooking, and handling

17. Major Global Environmental Concerns (cont.) • Waste disposal • Issues involving disposal of human waste, garbage, hazardous waste • Government’s role: establishing standards for safe waste disposal; monitoring and enforcing compliance • Nurse’s role: educating public and lobbying for enabling legislation; encouraging use of recyclable products; avoiding use of aerosol sprays and plastics and other nonrecyclable items

18. Question Is the following statement true or false? • Overuse of renewable energy sources is the primary reason for energy depletion.

19. Answer • False • Energy depletion is occurring because of the emphasis on use of nonrenewable energy sources.

20. Major Global Environmental Concerns (cont.) • Insect and rodent control • Effects: irritation/discomfort; direct threat to health via attack; contamination of food; vectors for disease transmission (mosquitoes, flies, ticks, roaches, fleas, rats, mice, ground squirrels) • Government’s role: vector surveys, research, control; community awareness; pest control programs • Nurse’s role: increasing awareness of threat; remaining alert to evidence of insects/rodents; educating people; notifying proper authorities; surveying communities; influencing policymakers

21. Major Global Environmental Concerns (cont.) • Safety in home, worksite, and community • Exposure to toxic chemicals, radiation, noise pollution, biologic pollutants; injury hazards; psychological hazards • Government’s role: standards and regulation; monitoring of chemical use and production; public education & community safety programs • Nurse’s role: monitoring; preventing injuries; providing safety education; promoting first-aid/CPR education; noise education; active lobbying for crime prevention, reducing workplace stressors, developing educational & support programs

22. Strategies for Nursing Action in Environmental Health • Learn about possible environmental health threats. • Assess clients’ environment and detect health hazards. • Plan collaboratively with citizens and other professionals to devise protective and preventive strategies. • Assist with the implementation of programs. • Take action to correct situations in which health hazards exist.

23. Strategies for Nursing Action in Environmental Health (cont.) • Educate consumers and help them to take preventive measures. • Promote development of policies and legislation that enhance consumer protection and promote a healthier environment. • Assist with and promote program evaluation to determine the effectiveness of environmental health efforts. • Apply environmentally related research findings and participate in nursing research.

24. Question Is the following statement true or false? • The most serious health hazard of insects and rodents is their role as vectors.

25. Answer • True • The most serious threat posed by insects and rodents is that they can act as vectors that carry disease organisms for transmission directly to humans.

26. Internet Resources • Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR): • www.atsdr.cdc.gov • Fight BAC! Partnership for Food Safety Education: • http://www.fightbac.org • National Food Safety Initiative: • http://www.foodsafety.com

27. Internet Resources (cont.) • Population Action International: http://www.populationaction.org • U. S. Environmental Protection Agency: • http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/index.html • U. S. Food and Drug Administration: • http://www.fda.gov/