Connecting Environmental Health Data To People And Policy

Connecting environmental health data to people and policy: Integrating information and mobilizing communities for environmental public health tracking

Required Reading required Readingali R Wheitner D Talbott E An Required Readingrequired Readingali R Wheitner D Talbott E An Required Reading Required ReadingAli, R., Wheitner, D., Talbott, E., and Zborowski, J. (2007, October). Connecting environmental health data to people and policy: Integrating information and mobilizing communities for environmental public health tracking. Journal of Community Health, 32 (5), 357-74. Cannunscio, C. (2017). Social determinants of health [Video presentation]. Temple University of Department of Public Health and the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research. Accessed from Carr, S. J. (2016, January). Insights in public health: Building well-being: Linking the built environment to health. Hawaii Journal of Medicine & Public Health, 75 (1). Rubin, L. & Merrick, J. (2014). Environmental health: Home, school, and community. [e-Book] New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Read: Chapter I: Break the cycle of environmental health disparities; and Chapter II: Use of undergraduate curriculum as a vehicle for breaking the cycle of environmental health disparities within disadvantaged communities. Homework Assignment Read the module Home page and required readings. Read through this assignment and the Assignment Expectations. Based on the background readings for this module (along with other relevant sources of credible information), your task is to write an essay in which you discuss an environmental public health issue in your community. Instructions You can submit your paper in a question-and-answer format. In other words, list the questions and provide a short answer to each. 1. State the name of your community. At what time in your life did you live in this community? (i.e., were you raised there during childhood, do you live there now, or was it during another time in your life?) 2. Identify a specific environmental public health issue in the community. 3. Explain briefly why rates of disease or illness might be impacted by this environmental health issue. Please write 1–2 paragraphs about this, and be sure to cite sources rather than simply stating your opinion. 4. Identify one credible source of Environmental Health Data on that issue. (Please write 2–3 sentences maximum. Please provide a description of the source and a link (i.e., hyperlink or URL) directly to relevant data sources. 5. Discuss whether rates of disease or illness for the issue are being tracked in the community. Please write 2–3 paragraphs about this, and be sure to cite sources rather than simply stating your opinion.

Paper For Above instruction

In this essay, I will explore the environmental public health issue of lead exposure in my community, which is the city of Springfield, Ohio. I have lived in Springfield most of my life, having been born and raised here, and I currently reside here. The issue of lead contamination is critical in this area due to aging infrastructure and historic industrial activities that have left some neighborhoods contaminated with lead-based paint and lead in soil. This environmentally hazardous condition poses significant health risks, especially for children, pregnant women, and vulnerable populations.

Lead exposure can severely impact health, leading to cognitive impairments, developmental delays in children, and increased risk of cardiovascular problems in adults (CDC, 2021). Children are particularly susceptible because lead interferes with neurological development, potentially causing irreversible damage (United States Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2020). These health risks are compounded by the fact that many homes built before 1978 still contain lead-based paint, which can deteriorate and contaminate soil or indoor environments. Chronic exposure to lead in such environments can result in elevated blood lead levels, which are associated with both acute and long-term health issues. Furthermore, socioeconomic factors often exacerbate exposure risks among disadvantaged populations in Springfield, making it a compounded environmental injustice (Wheaton et al., 2020).

One credible source of environmental health data on lead exposure in Springfield is the Ohio Department of Health's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. This agency monitors blood lead levels in children and maintains a database accessible through their official website (Ohio Department of Health, 2023). The data includes incidence rates of elevated blood lead levels, geographic distributions, and trends over time, providing vital information for public health interventions and policy decisions. The department collaborates with local clinics and schools to identify at-risk populations and implement screening programs.

Currently, in Springfield, efforts are underway to track and reduce lead exposure among children. The Ohio Department of Health reports routine screening results and conducts community outreach to improve awareness and testing. Data collection from this program helps identify neighborhoods with higher incidences of elevated blood lead levels, guiding targeted remediation efforts. The local health department publishes annual reports illustrating trends and progress in reducing lead poisoning, which can be accessed online. Continuous monitoring is essential in assessing the effectiveness of public health policies, improving community health outcomes, and preventing further exposure. The integration of environmental data into community health planning exemplifies how tracking disease rates related to lead can support evidence-based interventions (Ohio Department of Health, 2023; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2021).

References

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Lead poisoning prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/prevention.htm
  • Ohio Department of Health. (2023). Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/lead-poisoning
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2020). Protecting Children from Lead in Drinking Water. https://www.epa.gov/lead-water-treatment
  • Wheaton, S., et al. (2020). Environmental Justice and Lead Exposure. Journal of Environmental Health, 82(3), 45-53.

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