POH 100 - Professional Practice Mid-Term Exam 1 Review - Study Notes

Public Health

The organized effort of society to maintain the health of individuals, prevent injury, illness, and premature death, combining programs, services, and policies to safeguard and enhance the health of all Canadians.

Occupational Health

Focuses on safeguarding the well-being of workers through preventive measures, regulations, and training to reduce workplace hazards, injuries, and illnesses.

Key Components of Effective Occupational Health and Safety Programs

A) Risk Assessment: Identifying potential hazards and evaluating risks. B) Hazard Control: Implementing measures to eliminate or minimize risks. C) Employee Engagement: Involving workers in health and safety initiatives.

Environmental Public Health

Focuses on how natural and built environments affect the health of Canadians, influencing healthcare quality and health disparities through factors like water, air, and food quality.

World Health Organization (WHO) on Environmental Health

States that healthier environmental conditions could avert nearly 25% of the global burden of disease, emphasizing the critical relationship between human and environmental health.

Essential conditions for good health (WHO)

Clean air, stable climate, adequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene, safe chemical usage, protection from radiation, secure workplaces, supportive agricultural practices, and preservation of natural habitats.

Deaths due to Modifiable Environmental Risks (2016)

13.7 million deaths globally, amounting to 24% of all annual deaths, meaning nearly 1 in 4 deaths are connected to environmental conditions.

Biodiversity

Refers to the biological variety of life on Earth, encompassing genetic diversity of organisms to cultural diversity.

Link Between Biodiversity and Human Health

Crucial for daily life and human health, providing essential ecosystem products and services (e.g., fresh water, food, fuel sources); its loss can impair human health and lead to indirect effects like shifts in livelihoods and potential conflicts.

Human Activities Impacting Biodiversity

Deforestation, land-use changes, water management, pesticide resistance, climate variability, migration, trade, and pathogen introduction, all altering ecosystems and disease patterns.

Importance of Biodiversity for Nutrition

Critical for food production sustainability, soil productivity, provision of genetic resources for crops and livestock, and ensuring access to a variety of nutrients for health.

Waste Management

The effective handling and disposal of waste generated by industrial societies.

Classification of Waste

Combustible (can be burned), Sewage (wastewater requiring treatment), Solid (Municipal: general household waste), Hazardous (poses substantial health or environmental risks).

Pollution

The introduction of harmful contaminants to the environment, existing as chemicals (metals, organics), pathogens, or noise.

Environmental Burden of Disease in Canada

Approximately 13% of preventable diseases are attributable to environmental causes, costing CAD$ 3.6 - 9.1 billion annually in healthcare expenditures.

Health Hazard

A condition defined under the Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act as having the potential to harm health (source: substances or environmental conditions).

Risk (related to health)

The likelihood of an adverse health outcome from exposure, determined by the probability and severity of the hazard.

Point Sources of Pollution

Specific, localized contamination sources (e.g., spills).

Non-Point Sources of Pollution

Widespread pollution related to land uses (e.g., urban runoff), creating larger pollution areas but with lower concentration.

Environmental Health Inequities

Certain communities (biologically vulnerable, resource-reliant, low-income/urban ethnic groups, Indigenous populations) disproportionately experience environmental health hazards due to socioeconomic factors.

Health Threats Posed by Climate Change

Major health risks related to extreme weather events, disruption of food supply, vector-borne disease transmission, and mental health issues.

Extreme Heat Events

Lead to heat-related conditions (heatstroke, dehydration), worsen chronic ailments, and cause fatalities, especially among vulnerable groups lacking safe indoor access.

Flooding Issues

Direct hazards include injuries and fatalities; indirect consequences are mental health effects, increased infectious disease risks, and compromised indoor air quality due to mold.

Wildfires

More frequent and severe; impact air quality due to smoke, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.

Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change

Include eco-anxiety, stress, and trauma associated with displacement or loss of cultural landmarks due to climate impacts.

WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System)

A structured system delivering safety information regarding hazardous materials in Canadian workplaces, aligned with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).

Key Components of WHMIS

Hazard Identification and Product Classification, Labeling, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and Worker Education and Training.

Legal Foundations of WHMIS

Initiated in 1988, enhanced with GHS integration in 2015, with recent amendments in December 2022.

Supplier (WHMIS)

A seller or importer of hazardous products.

Manufacturer (WHMIS)

A supplier who produces or processes hazardous products.

Importer (WHMIS)

An entity that brings hazardous products into Canada.

Distributor (WHMIS)

A re-seller of hazardous products; modifying them qualifies them as a manufacturer.

WHMIS Regulations and Enforcement

Enforced via coordinated federal, provincial, and territorial laws; in Ontario, oversight falls to the Ministry of Labour, Training, and Skills Development.

Food Safety

The science of managing, preparing, and storing food to mitigate foodborne illnesses rooted in contamination by pathogens or chemicals.

Common bacteria linked to foodborne illnesses in Ontario

Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and Yersinia.

Public Health Measures for Food Safety

Routine inspections of food establishments, training and certification of food handlers, public education on food safety, and investigation of foodborne outbreaks.

Importance of Safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)

Fundamental for health promotion, mitigating disease, and assisting in community resilience; contaminated water sources prompt diarrhea and other health burdens.