The Sociology of Environmental Health

DEP vs EP Dominant Epidemiological Paradigm Biomedical model Individual Genetic Medical/etiology Neutrality of medicine Treatment Risk management Environmental Paradigm Population Environmental and political factors Prevention Precautionary principle

DEP vs EP Sick individuals Why are some individuals sick? Sick populations Why are some groups sick while others are not? Requires different methods Innovative methods Topics of study GIS Survey methods Novel epidemiological and toxicological methods Collaboration with laypeople

Tragedies: Making the Case for Environmental Health 1950s – Minamata Bay, Japan 1970s – Michigan 1970s – Love Canal, NY 1984 – Bhopal, India World Trade Centre 2007 – Ivory Coast

Chronic Mishaps Lead poisoning Cancer Toxins in personal care products – FDA does not regulate War causes Climate change

Climate Change e.g. Heat Waves Heat waves affect groups differently based on their race, gender, age, and medical and socioeconomic status. The elderly – predominantly women Inner-city area – lack of green space – poor & minority communities Lack of access to health care

Public Health Impacts Climate change is just one of the emerging concerns of environmental health specialists Others include The accumulation of chemicals in the human body Decreasing availability of clean water and resulting water-borne illnesses Environmental crimes that lack international regulations

Conclusion Making connections between health and the environment is often first achieved by those who suffer environmental illnesses. In order for them to gain compensation for their losses and to stop these exposures, public officials must also accept their claims A key component of this latter process is scientific proof If an affected community has research that proves an illness is connected to certain exposures, it is much easier to gain the proper treatment and prevention A key political principle that may improve environmental health is the precautionary principle