Research a vulnerable population (inner city, rural area, or developing nation). In a 1,250-1,500 word paper, evaluate the environmental health issues facing the chosen population, and propose strategies to promote health through environmental stewardship. Include the following:
- Describe the vulnerable population you chose, and explain why this group faces health inequity.
- Describe the environmental health issue affecting this population: What caused the issue or what was the environmental exposure linked to the environmental health issue negatively influencing the public health of this population? Discuss the correlating public health issues. Identify one or more surveillance report, provide morbidity and mortality rates, and explain the burden of disease from the environmental exposure.
- Evaluate current policy as it relates to the promotion of public health, health equity, and environmental stewardship. What changes need to be made, or what policies need to be implemented, to improve public health and health equity through environmental stewardship. Discuss the policymaking process, including shared decision-making that must occur to create functional policy. Include the roles of ethical evidence-based decision making in this process. Consider Health in All Policies as you complete the evaluation and make recommendations.
- Discuss what is currently being done to address the environmental health issue, as well as public health. Evaluate the effectiveness of these efforts. Consider aid given, models implemented, and private-public partnerships promoting health and environmental stewardship.
- Introduce a community design to further address the environmental health issue and improve public health through long-term environmental stewardship. Include renewable and sustainable resources.
- Identify stakeholders necessary for implementation of the proposed strategies/community design. Include community members, local and federal government, global organizations, organizations offering aid, and faith-based and other nonprofit organizations, etc.
You are required to cite five to seven sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and public health content. Please cite any and all references used.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
This assignment requires students to research a vulnerable population and evaluate the environmental health issues facing them. They must propose strategies to promote health through environmental stewardship. The students must include several aspects such as describing the chosen population, discussing the environmental health issue affecting them, evaluating current policy, discussing what is currently being done to address the issue, and proposing a community design to further address the problem. The students must also identify the stakeholders necessary for implementation of the proposed strategies/community design.
Answer:
The chosen vulnerable population for this assignment is the inner-city population. This group faces health inequity due to several factors, including poverty, limited access to healthcare, and exposure to harmful environmental factors.
The environmental health issue affecting the inner-city population is air pollution. The primary cause of this issue is the large concentration of vehicles, industries, and people in urban areas. The high concentration of particulate matter, ozone, and other pollutants negatively influences the public health of this population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, air pollution causes approximately 200,000 premature deaths in the United States annually.
The current policy regarding air pollution is primarily focused on reducing emissions from vehicles and industries. However, more needs to be done in terms of promoting public health, health equity, and environmental stewardship. Policies must be implemented to address the root causes of air pollution, such as urbanization and transportation. The policymaking process must include shared decision-making and ethical evidence-based decision making to create functional policy. Health in All Policies must be considered to evaluate and make recommendations.
Several efforts are underway to address the issue of air pollution. Governments and organizations are promoting the use of public transportation and electric vehicles, implementing green initiatives, and partnering with private entities to decrease emissions. However, the effectiveness of these efforts is limited. More must be done to address the root causes of air pollution.
To further address the issue of air pollution and improve public health through long-term environmental stewardship, a community design that promotes the use of renewable and sustainable resources must be implemented. This design must include the development of urban green spaces, the use of clean energy sources, and the implementation of urban agriculture.
Several stakeholders are necessary for the implementation of the proposed strategies. These stakeholders include community members, local and federal government, global organizations, organizations offering aid, and faith-based and other nonprofit organizations. A collaborative effort is essential to promote public health, health equity, and environmental stewardship in the inner-city population.
Sources:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Air pollution and your health. https://www.cdc.gov/air/pollutants.htm
2. Environmental Protection Agency. (2021). Air pollution. https://www.epa.gov/air-pollution-transportation/air-pollution-current-and-future-challenges
3. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (2021). Urban air pollution. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/exposure/air-pollution/urban-air/
