1. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. Chapter 17 Environmental Policy: A New Focus on Health Kelly Tzoumis and Leonard Robins

2. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 2 Early Encounters with Environmental Health John Snow of London –Conducted landmark 1830s study relating an outbreak of cholera in certain neighborhoods with the source(s) of drinking water serving such areas

3. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 3 Early Encounters with Environmental Health Authorities in Chicago reversed flow of Chicago River in order to move contaminated water away from the city –Thus cutting the cases of cholera and typhoid fever Case shows clear priority given to “health” concerns over “environmental” considerations

4. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 4 Dawn of the Environmental Movement and Death of the “Environmental Health” 1970s-era legislation came in the wake of modern environmental movement –Shifted responsibility for environmental health to the federal government and away from local jurisdictions

5. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 5 Dawn of the Environmental Movement and Death of the “Environmental Health” At the same time: –“Health” aspect of environmental health was subordinated to concerns about the environment

6. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 6 Dawn of the Environmental Movement and the Death of “Environmental Health” Public Health officials and organizations have been left to manage very narrow aspects of the public’s health –Despite a broad professional mission Necessity now exists to reconnect policies affecting the environment to the health of citizens

7. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 7 Hurricane Katrina and Environmental Health 2003 landfall of category-3 hurricane Katrina –Followed by mass devastation As levees broke, water quickly became contaminated –Threatening residents and rescuers Environmental conditions caused gaps in medical infrastructure

8. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 8 Hurricane Katrina and Environmental Health Federal government responded by providing $37 million to National Institute for Environmental Health –Allowed it to educate, afford protection to rescuers at risk

9. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 9 Hurricane Katrina and Environmental Health Environmental health again became an issue as residents began to return to ruined homes in contaminated soil/water

10. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 10 Terrorism and Environmental Health Initial responders to 9/11 –Suffered harm due to inexperience in dealing with airborne toxins Bioterrorism appears to be an emerging threat

11. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 11 Terrorism and Environmental Health Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Response Act (2002) –Seeks to support CDC in its coordination with states on defending against such threats State and local response to legislation has varied widely

12. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 12 Environmental Health and Global Warming Despite hosting the best scientific scholarship on the subject –U.S. has failed to respond along with other nations to the emerging global warming threat As another prominent PowerPoint user has shown

13. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 13 Environmental Health and Global Warming While environmentalists have taken the lead on this issue –Environmental health professionals have thus far proven slow to respond

14. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 14 Possible Policy Responses to Environmental Health Concerns Environmental Health Summit could bring together environmental advocates and public health officials –Producing common agreement on solutions More multi-disciplinary academic focus on environmental health

15. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 15 Possible Policy Responses to Environmental Health Concerns Action on the part of environmental health professionals to become further engaged on the matter politically

16. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 16 Chapter 17 Summary Starting in 1830s London –Environmental health gradually arose as an issue of concern, particularly in cities Environmental legislation in 1970s gave primacy to federal government in protecting environmental health –But most legislation stressed the environment over health-related issues

17. © 2008 Delmar Cengage Learning. 17 Chapter 17 Summary Natural disasters/terrorist attacks and global warming –Present two situations in which focus on environmental health can be crucial