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Human Health and Environmental Hazards

Human Health and Environmental Hazards. 1. Cultural Hazards. Matter of human choice Engagement in risky behaviour leading to harm / decreased health Smoking  Lung Cancer Drug Use  nervous system damage Sunbathing  Melanoma Overeating  Heart Disease / Diabetes

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Human Health and Environmental Hazards

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  1. Human Health and Environmental Hazards

  2. 1. Cultural Hazards • Matter of human choice • Engagement in risky behaviour leading to harm / decreased health • Smoking  Lung Cancer • Drug Use  nervous system damage • Sunbathing  Melanoma • Overeating  Heart Disease / Diabetes • Risky sexual practices – STDs HIV/AIDS • Living in inner cities  asthma • Others?

  3. 2. Physical Hazards • Natural disasters • 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami • 2010 Haiti earthquake • 2005 Hurricane Katrina (Louisiana) • 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami • Tornados, earthquakes, floods, forest fires, landslides, volcanic eruptions… • Difficult / impossible to predict • Choice of where to live? • How does poor preparation result in natural disaster potential?

  4. 3. Biological Hazards • Pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, worms, protozoans • Only in the 20th century – antibiotics and immunization • Despite advances, most diseases of 500 years ago are still present • 25%of global deaths are due to infectious and parasitic diseases

  5. Top 6 (mortality) • Acute Respiratory Infection (e.g. pneumonia) 4 million / year • Diarrheal diseases (e.g intestinal viruses) 2 million / year • HIV / AIDS – 2 million / year • Tuberculosis – 1.5 million / year • Malaria – 1 million / year • Measles – 0.5 million / year

  6. 4. Chemical Hazards • Result of industrialization (many cancers have increased since the Industrial Revolution) • Ex. Pesticides, cleaning agents, fuels, paints, medicines …. • Exposure is via ingestion, inhalation, or dermal absorption • Birth defects • Infertility • Brain impairment

  7. Toxicity – causing harm – depends on A) exposure – quantity of the toxin - length of time in contactB) dose – actual absorption of the chemical by the body • Sometimes there is a threshold level below which the body’s defenses can deal with the chemical. Sometimes there is no threshold (there is often debate on this point)

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