Chapter 3 - Environmental & Occupational Health & Illness

Question 1

(3) fundamental components of environment

Answer 1

land

water

air

• affect health directly & indirectly

Question 2

Major environmental issues facing CDNs today include.. (9)

Answer 2

1. climate change
2. chemicals
3. air pollution
4. second-hand smoke
5. medical pollution
6. land pollution
7. e-waste
8. biodiversity
9. food safety

Question 3

Link between health & environmental issues = hard to substantiate

Answer 3

effects on health are unseen in short term & only evident in long-term in health of future generations

Question 4

Health Risk of Environmental Issues in last Century

Answer 4

increased → estimated 60-90% of all cancers environmentally caused

• diseases of major organ systems & reproductive problems
• *50-70k chemicals in commercial use **(farming, manufact, forestry)
• *1000 **new chemicals introduced every year → mostly untested

Ubiquitous & growing → affect whole world

Question 5

Unequal distribution of health hazards

Answer 5

SES → poorer ppl in all countries - less likely to be ablee to move away from toxic waste dumps, drink bottled water & buy organic foods

US Study noted visible minorities more likely to live near uncontrolled waste site

poor/less-developed countries unequally subjected to damaging effects of env degredation b/c of lack of alternatives & money
- more likely to allow dumping of waste within borders for money

Question 6

Climate Change

Answer 6

**global warming **

result of CO2 production by burning fossil fuels & methane produced (livestock)

Gases/air pollutants reflect sun energy back to earth causing warming

• less snow cover - earth absorbs more heat

**direct & indirect effects **

Question 7

Average Surface Temp of Globe Increase since end of 19th Century

Canada’s mean temp increase?

Answer 7

avg surface temp of globe has grown between 0.2 -0.6 % since end of 19C

Canada’s mean temp increased 1 degree (higher in North)

Question 8

Environmental risks are ubiquitous

Answer 8

changes in one nation-states env. policies/procedures affect ecology of whole world

Snows of remote Antarctic contains residue of PCBs, DDT & lead emanated from industries in NA & former soviet union

Question 9

Kyoto Protocol & Canada

Answer 9

Target was 6% less in 2012 than in 1990

• opted out in December 2011

by 2008 → 24% above 1990 emissions

Question 10

Poor, less-developed countries are unequally subjected to destructive effects of environment.

Why?

Answer 10

when they allow destruction of rain forest for agribusinesss (cattle ranching), provide timber for furniture, housing etc.

Lack alternatives & money → more likely to allow dumping of waste within borders in return for cash payments

Question 11

Studies about Climate Change

Answer 11

US study showed increased rates of death & stroke at ~25 degrees

LA → during heat wave (41°) - peak mortality b/w 172-445% higher than at lower temps

2003 European Heat Wave - 35,000 deaths

1995 Chicago heat wave

Question 12

Canada’s role in climate change = significant

Answer 12

2003 → 740 mill tonnes of GHGs emitted

2007-2009 → dropped significantly to **690 megatonnes **

• Env Canada (2011) attributes this to global recession & reduced use of coal

Rate of GHG production surpassed rate of popn growth

Question 13

Chemicals & Health

Answer 13

WHO summarized research on health threats of chem that are part of everyday life

Lead → neurotoxic effects (children especially - hand/mouth contact)

MethylMerucury → from coal plant combustion - deposited into water → fish take it up

Pesticides → leading cause of poisoning in Canada

Benzene → live near busy road & 50% increasse in child leukemia

Question 14

Air Pollution & Human Health

Answer 14

indoor & outdoor

1994 - 2004: ground-level ozone increased almost 1% per year

Study examined deaths in 11 CDN cities 1980-1991 - [ambient air pollutants] in body → N dioxide biggest effect on mortality (14% increased risk)

Question 15

sick-building syndrome

Answer 15

extreme case of indoor pollution in which presence of air poll inside sealed building leads to variety of illnesses

Question 16

Air Pollutants

Answer 16

Radon

Asbestos

Second-hand Smoke

Motor vehicle emissions

burning medical wastes

Question 17

Radon

Answer 17

Most seriously harmful indoor pollutant

odorless, tasteless gas formed during radioactive decay of uranium in earth’s crust

• seeps through earth & into basements
• greatly increases harmful effects on lungs of smokers

Question 18

Asbestos

Answer 18

often used in insulation (doesn’t conduct heat/electricity)

• can break down into small fibers that can be inhaled
• irritate lungs & related to lung cancer & mesothelioma (rare & mostly fatal cancer)

Question 19

Second-hand smoke

Answer 19

env & occupational issue

contains over 100 chemicals (carcinogens & toxins)

(2) sources:

1) sidestream
2) exhaled
- lung cancer, nasal sinus cancer, bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, hay feer, headaches, coughs, SIDS, underweight babies at birth

Question 20

Automobiles & Motor vehicles

Answer 20

2006 → 83% of households owned vehicle

40% had 2

12% had 3

Shift in type of vehicles used for personal transportation

→ from automobile to vans, SUVs, trucks (consume more & release more emissions)

Question 21

Burning of medical wastes

Answer 21

another serious & overlooked source of air pollution

avg NA hosp produces 9kg of solid waste per patient-day

• many med. incinerators DO NOT meet standards
• burn incompletely & emit toxins 10-100x higher than waste in munic. inc.

Question 22

PCPPs

Answer 22

pharmaceuticals & personal care products (PCPPs)

Although trace amounts, chemicals bad for your health

• found in water supply

reappear in consumable water supply

Farm animals → pharmacueticals (hormones & antib)

Cemeteries → emitted after death

Question 23

Water Pollution & Human Health

Answer 23

Water, sanitation & hygiene responsible for 4% of all deaths globally

CDNs use more water per person than any country except USA

→ ~1,500 m3 of water per person yearly (US – 1,870 m3)

Great Lakes → 1/5 of FW supply - over 1000 chemicals & metal pol.

• overuse of water
• oil spills, overfishing

West Coast (early 20C) - hydroelectric dam & salmon

Question 24

Land Pollution & Human Health

Answer 24

Canada = **importer of hazardous wastes for disposal **

Many hazardous waste disposal facilities closed b/c don’t meet stricter regulatory standards & others never opened bc of local opposition

→ ammonia, asbestos, chlorine, fuel oils, hydrogen peroxide, lead, mercury etc.

E-waste

Question 25

E-waste

Answer 25

= all waste that comes from/is caused by electronics - contains **lead, mercury, arsenic, chromium →** all known/suspected causes of harm to human & wildlife health **140k tonnes dumped annually into land fills** Ontario: **2000 → 4** E-waste recycling companies **2004 → 14**

Question 26

Biodiversity

Answer 26

threats to air/water/land ALSO have **effect on future of life on the planet ** → decline of biodiversity * impact not entirely known but interdependance of ecosystems imply extinction of some may indirectly lead to extinc. of other that serve to protect human life Rainforests comprise **7% of earth’s surface** but home to almost **50% of living species**

Question 27

Food Safety

Answer 27

**Sept. 2006 -** CDNs warned - spinach - E.Coli outbreak **Oct. 2006 -** 2 Toronto ppl **paralyzed** - drank organic carrot juice injected with **botulism** Frequent outbreaks of FBDs → 2003 Mad Cow **2008 - Listeriosis** in packaged meat → **57 sick** & **23 dead** Organic foods - 71% of CDNS tried - beleive its healthier, no pesticiides, not gen, mod, prevent allergic rxns

Question 28

Women, Work & Stress

Answer 28

hazards associated with where women work = less documented **clerical work**- sitting, poor lighting, ventilation, toxic emissions from computer terminals **retail & service work -**standing, bend, lift etc. (hairdressers- *chemicals used) *

Question 29

Occupational stress sources?

Answer 29

recently recognized as sig problem associated with health problems sources of stress: **27% = **unreasonable deadlines **23% **= conflict with co-workers **22% = **unclear duties **22% = **not enough influence over job

Question 30

Women - Jobs - compared to men

Answer 30

lower pay/power/independance/autonomy/control - last hired, first fired

Question 31

Potential reproduction hazards focus on women problems?

Answer 31

banned from jobs entirely or during pregnancy/child-bearing years - such legislation discriminates against women & ignores repro danger to men

Question 32

Shift Work - health implications

Answer 32

1/3 of employed CDNs work shifts - associated with **cardiov disease, hypertension, repro problems ** - disruption of **circadian rhythm **

Question 33

Time-Loss WOrk Injuries in HC industry

Answer 33

major source of accidents/illness/death = HC industry **BC - 1995 - **HC had higher injury rate than prov avg 71% of claims from within HC industry - RNs = most vulnerable to acts of violence

Question 34

Survey on 9,000 AB & BC nurses

Answer 34

**38%** reported hurtful remarks

Question 35

Agricultural work

Answer 35

after mining & construction, **most health-threatening job** - high rates of **accidents** & **fatalities** & poor working conditions - **pesticides ** many workers = immigrants, temporary, illegal etc. * will take whatever job they can

Question 36

Leading Causes of Death/Injury in Canada (3)

Answer 36

auto accidents - **45% ** unintentional falls - **32% ** homocide/intentional injury - **9%**