Environmental health is concerned with how the environment (our homes, workplaces, means of transport, recreation venues and technology) affects human health. People’s exposure to air and water pollution, toxic chemicals, radiation, microbes and physical hazards, and how these contribute to ill-health, are important aspects of this wide-ranging field.
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The new definition of "environment" encompasses both biophysical and socio-economic elements, and suggests that the scope of environmental health should be correspondingly broad. Social and psychological aspects of our environment (noise pollution, and the stress of modern urban life, for example) also impact significantly on our well-being.
The following examples of environmental health topics illustrate its diversity:
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Global warming and the spread of insect-borne diseases
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Ozone depletion and skin cancer
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Sick building syndrome
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Genetically modified foods
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Health problems associated with air travel, such as deep vein thrombosis
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Environmental oestrogens and male infertility
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Childhood lead poisoning
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Air pollution and respiratory health
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How the spread and symptoms of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS and TB are exacerbated by poor environmental conditions
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Dumping of hazardous hospital waste
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Chemical and biological weapons
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Antibacterial cleaning products and the rise of drug-resistant bacteria
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Noise pollution and stress levels
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The possible links between environmental factors and cancers e.g. cell-phone use and brain tumours, power cables and childhood leukemia, and hair products and bladder cancer.
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