What is it about?
Risk exposure to environmental contaminants and occupational hazards are prevalent in certain factors of the social determinants of health (e.g., economic status, gender, geography) impacting opportunity and poor health outcomes. Using a case study methodology and data from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 Study, we compare relative environmental risks between and within the regions of Europe and North America to demonstrate the variance in leading causes of death, mortality rate, and contributing risks by stratifying data by levels of income. We find consistent evidence of environmental health disparities, provide the economic and human costs associated with these inequalities, and consider how scientific innovation and policy response can generate improved efficiencies. We conclude that the role of income and economic development in the global scheme of health systems, environmental, and public health to reconcile inequalities must change to halt rapid development unless accompanied by planned action to address environmental health.
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Why is it important?
Geography can tell us more about local hazards but often, we do not take a soil analysis unless we are going to buy/sell a property. That means hazardous materials can wreak environmental hazards for decades unknown for decades. No matter where we live, we live on some kind of soil. We should spend more time and resources understanding it.
Perspectives
Soil is the essence of where we live and where we grow things to live. Why aren't we dedicating more resources to this essential resource?
Ms. Beth A. Fiedler
University of Central Florida
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Environmental perspectives from the ground up: The cost of poor environmental health on human health, January 2020, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-819008-1.00012-2.
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