Social determinants of health: the environmental dimension

Environmental health inequalities refer to general differences in environmental health conditions Luis Rodriguez Benavides rodriguezbluis@yahoo.com           965 766 726          957 620 129          RPM *6941041 P  Antes de imprimir este mensaje asegúrese que sea  necesario. Before printing this message be sure it is necessary.                    El medio ambiente está en nuestras manos.  Our environment is in our hands Social determinants of health: the environmental dimension The Lancet, Volume 379, Issue 9817, Page 686, 25 February 2012 Website: http://bit.ly/xfxoNk  “……The concept of environmental health might typically conjure up images of people living in smog-filled cities, or by contaminated rivers or overflowing landfill sites. However, it also concerns the spaces in which people most frequently inhabit: their homes and workplaces. Furthermore, the conditions in which people live and work can vary according to factors such as income, occupation, education, and ethnicity, and lead to inequalities in exposure to environmental risks and related diseases…..” Environmental health inequalities in Europe Assessment report  WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, Bonn Office WHO Regional Office for Europe , 2012 Available online PDF [212p.] at:  http://bit.ly/xA9tmV  “…..Recent debate on the social determinants of health has indicated that the unequal distribution of health and well-being in national populations is a major challenge for public health governance. This is equally true for environmental health conditions and for exposure to environmental risk, which varies strongly by a range of sociodemographic determinants and thus causes inequalities in exposure to – and potentially in disease resulting from – environmental conditions. Interventions tackling such environmental health inequalities need to be based on an assessment of their magnitude and on the identification of population groups that are most exposed or most vulnerable to environmental risks. However, data to quantify the environmental health inequality situation are not abundant, making comprehensive assessments difficult at both national and international levels. WHO Regional Office for Europe has carried out a baseline assessment of the magnitude of environmental health inequality in the European Region based on a core set of 14 inequality indicators. The main findings of the assessment report indicate that socioeconomic and demographic inequalities in risk exposure are present in all countries and need to be tackled throughout the Region. However, the report also demonstrates that each country has a specific portfolio of inequalities, documenting the need for country-specific inequality assessments and tailored interventions on the national priorities….” CONTENT Executive summary Introduction Chapter 1. The concept of environmental health inequalities A historic perspective Inequality and inequity Identification and assessment of inequalities and inequities Environmental health inequality: hazard and risk Sociodemographic factors, exposure and vulnerability The psychosocial dimension in environmental health inequality Framing the problem Chapter 2. Housing-related inequalities Data and methods Inequalities in inadequate water supply Inequalities in lack of a flush toilet in the dwelling Inequalities in lack of a bath or shower in the dwelling Inequalities in overcrowding Inequalities in dampness in the home Inequalities in keeping the home adequately warm Inequalities in keeping the home adequately cool Chapter 3. Injury-related inequalities Inequalities in work-related injuries Inequalities in fatal road traffic injuries (RTIs) Inequalities in fatal poisoning Inequalities in fatal falls Chapter 4. Environment-related inequalities Inequalities in noise exposure at home Inequalities in lack of access to recreational or green areas Inequalities in second-hand smoke exposure at home Inequalities in second-hand smoke exposure at work Chapter 5. Gaps in evidence and restrictions on assessing environmental health inequalities Missing data Limited stratification by sociodemographic determinants Data quality Consistency and comparability Access to data Cumulative and multiple exposures Country priorities Data gaps and relevance for public health Chapter 6. Priorities for action on environmental health inequalities Suggested subregional priorities for action Suggested priorities for national action Conclusion Annex 1. National environmental health inequality fact sheets Annex 2. Examples of national practices in analysis and presentation of environmental health inequalities Annex 3. Assessment of priority areas for national action  *      *     *  This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics; Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]  Washington DC USA “Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". 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