HS345 Global Environmental Public Health Exam #2

he questions will come almost exclusively from the lecture slides. The exam will cover all of the topics from Lectures 11 – 17 (i.e., class content from “Prevention and Risk Mitigation” through “Climate Change: Health Impacts” )

Define primary prevention

Prevent exposure

Define secondary prevention

Prevent disease onset

Define tertiary prevention

Prevent disease progression

Explain why primary prevention is best

• Health Promotion: Supports general health and well-being

• Specific Protection: Targets a specific hazard known to cause a disease

Identify examples of pollution/waste prevention that follow the reduce-reuse-recycle adage

1. Reduce source materials and  minimize waste—primary prevention because it uses fewer raw materials at the outset

2. Reuse and recycle materials—secondary prevention because it makes better use of the necessary materials

“SDG wedding cake”: Which goals are foundational? Bottom l ayer

Planet-related goals

SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation

SDG 13: Climate action

SDG14: Life below water

SDG15: Life on Land

“SDG wedding cake”: Which goals rely on other goals? middle layer

People-related goals

SDG 1: No poverty

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing

SDG 4: Quality Education

SDG 5: Gender Equality

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Insitutions Institutions

“SDG Wedding ”Cake”—Top layer 

Prosperity-related goals

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

SDG 10: Reduced inequalities 

SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production

Is international cooperation necessary to meet these goals?

YES. Look at SDG 17: “partnerships for the goals”. It is imperative that countries work together to achieve all of these goals.

Define vulnerability

• Characteristics or conditions that make
  exposures more likely and/or the health
  impacts of those exposures more likely
  or more severe

• Social factors that inhibit the ability to
  prevent, prepare for, or recover from
  hazardous exposures

Identify examples of what is or isn’t a vulnerability

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Define climate justice

find on slides

Identify three specific actions to achieve climate justice globally

1. Climate impacts are not burdened
   on vulnerable communities. Solution—Giving voice to all countries in
   climate negotiations
   

2. Benefits of fossil-fueled
   development are shared. Solution—Financial assistance to LMIC for
   development and adaptation
   

3. Highest-emitting nations have
   greatest responsibility for action
   Climate Justice. Solution—Rapid reduction in GHG
   emissions in a just manner
   
   LMIC = low- and middle-income countries

Define redlining

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What is Environmental Justice?

the principle that environmental hazards must not be disproportionately burdened on communities by race, income, or any other characteristic

 

Also stipulates that all communities should
have equal access to a healthy environment

Identify examples of what is environmental injustice

occurs when environmental health hazards are burdened on vulnerable communities

These communities already have higher rates of chronic illnesses and fewer resources to prevent or recover from hazards = Exacerbated health impacts

Identify examples of what isn’t environmental injustice

…

Classify energy sources as renewable vs. non-renewable.

Renewable: Wind, Hydro, Solar

Non renewable: Nuclear and Fossil Fuels, Urainium

Classify energy sources carbon-based vs. zero carbon

Carbon-based: Fossil Fuels

Zero carbon: Wind, Hydro, Solar and Nuclear, Urainium 

Describe the fate of nuclear waste in the US (i.e., where does it go?)

There are no long term plans for nuclear waste in the U.S. It is not properly regulated

Identify health risks associated with various energy sources, including renewables

Natutral gas has the least c02

Health Impacts of Hydroelectricity

Ecological Impacts:  Disrupts rivers and ecosystems
Flooding

Intentional flooding (to create the dam)
and accidental (dam breaking) causes
displacement, deaths, and injuries
Infectious Diseases
Schistosomiasis risk (blocks migration of
snails that carry this parasite)
Frumkin (2016)

Snail-borne illnesses are a health risk from which renewable energy source?

Hydroelectricity

Which fossil fuel emits the least amount of CO₂?

Natural gas

Which fossil fuel emits the Most amount of CO₂?

Coal

Recognize the global health burden of indoor air pollution

Identify the most effective risk-
reduction strategy for improving indoor air quality globally

Identify the “ingredients” for forming ozone

Ozone is formed from complex chemical reactions that require:

NOx VOCs (“Precursors”) and UV Radiation

Ozone can travel with the wind, but it breaks down quickly once in contact with surfaces

identify where in the atmosphere it is “good” or
“bad” to have ozone in terms of human health

Good up high, bad nearby.”
• Can travel with the wind, but breaks down quickly upon contact with surfaces

• Tropospheric ozone
  (ground-level) is a
  pollutant and respiratory
  irritant (“bad nearby”

• The ozone layer is in the
  stratosphere and absorbs UV
  (“good up high”)

Describe the characteristics of air pollutants that make them more hazardous to health and why

• Particles that are insoluble go out the lower respiratory tract. Causing more damage. Want the particle to leave sooner rather than later

• Smallest particles (fine [PM2.5] and ultrafine [PM0.1] particles) penetrate deeply in the lungs and can be spread to the rest of the body (systemic damage)

• Chemical Composition: Metal content, acidity, sulfates, organics. Ex. Pb (a type of PM2.5) → neurological and renal impacts if they reach the applicable organ system

Identify the general trend of criteria air pollutants (NAAQS) in the US over the past decade

Define inflammation and its relationship to long-term air pollution exposure

Identify ways to reduce indoor air pollution from cooking with a natural-gas stove

Which of the following is probably the BEST way to reduce the global burden of disease of indoor air pollution?

Giving or selling “clean cookstove” to people in LMIC

A gaseous, water-soluble air pollutant will probably be removed in the...

Upper-respiratory tracts

Explain the relationship between the temperature of an object and both the total energy and peak wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation that is emitted from i

What is ionizing radiation and give examples

• Radiation with sufficient energy to remove electrons from atoms and molecules, hence creating an ion. (More harmful on human health)

What is non-ionizing radiation and give examples

Radiation with sufficient energy to cause atoms to vibrate, but not enough to remove electrons

• Lower energy; most do not have enough energy to directly damage cells

• Health impacts can still occur, though, especially with large acute doses or for people with susceptibilities, such as pacemakers

• Ex: TV’s and Remotes. Heat. Wi-Fi and Cell Phones
  *UV range straddles the ionizing / non-ionizing divide CDC (2024a

Identify sources of both non-ionizing and ionizing radiation in healthcare settings. For example,
does an MRI use ionizing or non-ionizing radiation? What kind of radiation does a PET scan use?

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Earth's emitted radiation has a wavelength that is _______ than that emitted by the Sun.

longer. The earth has less radiation than the sun.

Describe the composition of the atmosphere, including relative concentrations of the main gases

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Identify the property of a molecule that is required for it to be considered a greenhouse gas

…

Define global warming potential (GWP)

mount of atmospheric warming per molecule
compared to a molecule of CO2; differs
depending on timeline considered

Define residence time,

Length of time molecule spends in
atmosphere; how long an emission of a
molecule influences global temperatures

know the approximate/relative
GWPs and residence times of the major greenhouse gase

Describe several observations of global warming and what the trends in these are

…

Describe the basic principle behind the Clausius-Clapeyron equation.

Explain the greenhouse effect in both technical and layman’s term

Explain why the scientific community is confident that increased greenhouse gas concentrations
are the main cause of present-day global warming (anthropogenic attribution

Which of the following greenhouse gases has the SHORTEST residence time?

H20 aka water vapor

Identify physical factors that increase the risk of flood

Identify the deadliest forms of extreme weather

Explain the mechanisms through which climate change can affect air pollution

Describe what a combined sewer overflow (CSO) is and when it can pose health risks

Describe what Lyme Disease is and things you should do to prevent it

Using bug spray and checking yourself for ticks can help prevent these diseases. Also wear long sleeves and hiking gear when in areas with small creatures.

Explain how CO₂ fertilization generally affects the nutritional content of crops

• CO2 fertilization reduces the
  nutritional content of multiple
  staple crops, including wheat,
  rice, and potatoes
  Figure 4 from Ziska et al. (2016, p. 198)

• Add the effects from photo in review slides. 

• Some 

Describe ways that individuals and governments can protect against the human health impacts of climate change

Which of the following climate-relevant hazards is associated with the most deaths per year, on average?

Exterme heat (the most deadliest weather event)

Climate change is likely to result in more hurricanes in the future

False. We don’t expect more hurricanes. We expect them to be more severe.