1. The Sociology of Environmental Health

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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