Environmental Health

The relationship between the environment and physical health is both dynamic and complex. From the air you breathe, to the water you drink, the food you eat, and the physical environment where you reside, each day your life is touched by environmental factors. In fact, most current models describing our determinants of health integrate the impact of the environment on our health and well-being. Furthermore, best practices in the area of health promotion and prevention incorporate an ecological component.
Local and state health departments, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), local and state legislature, as well as federal agencies strive to identify and mitigate environmental health threats within the nation. In this forum, you will delve into a selected environmental health concern in order to identify the impact of that issue on the health of the population. Additionally, you will explore specific health policy initiatives and regulatory statutes which serve to protect the public and reduce the risk of diseases related to environmental health issues.
Upon successful completion of the course material, you will be able to:
Discuss the impact of the environment on population health status.
Identify health-related policies and legislative regulations designed to enhance health and minimize the risk of disease within the
population.
Resources
Textbook: Community as Partner: Theory and Practice in Nursing
Textbook: Public Health Nursing: Population-centered Health Care in the Community
Optional Resources
Website: Healthy People 2020
Website: Healthy People 2030
Website: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Textbook: Kleiber, J. & Cohen, B. (2020, April). Reducing Waste and Increasing Sustainablity in Health Care Settings. Changing the Way Plastic Medical Waste is Used and Desposed of. American Journal of Nursing, 120(4).

Background Information
This discussion is based on the environmental health issue you selected in 3.5 Discussion: Environmental Health Issue Selection.
Health effects of fracking, i.e. hydraulic fracturing
Instructions
Review the appropriate rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
Read Chapter 10 in the textbook, Public Health Nursing: Population-centered Health Care in the Community.
Prepare to discuss the following prompts:
In your own words, summarize the impact and prevalence of this environmental concern on the health of the population.
Define the interventions which are currently in place to address this issue, and additional interventions which may be needed to protect the public from this environmental concern.
What agencies or organizations are in place to address this concern, or monitor compliance with safety standards and preventive measures?
Identify local, national, and global strategies to protect the public from this environmental health threat
Research and select at least two current scholarly sources to support your explanations and insights. Wikipedia is not permitted, as it is not a peer-reviewed, scholarly source.
As time allows, review the following optional resources:
Visit the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences website.
Download the Healthy People 2020 Framework pdf on this website.
Review Development of the National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2030.
Whether written or spoken, interactions are expected to:
clearly and thoroughly address the prompt with meaningful information that shows critical thinking.

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