EMERGING ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Cross-section of EHOs in Nigeria

Environmental health is a dynamic and evolving field. While not all complex environmental issues can be predicted, some known emerging issues in the field include:

CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change is projected to impact sea level, patterns of infectious disease, air quality, and the severity of natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and storms.

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Preparedness for the environmental impact of natural disasters as well as disasters of human origin includes planning for human health needs and the impact on public infrastructure, such as water and roadways.

NANOTECHNOLOGY
The potential impact of nanotechnology is significant and offers possible improvements to:

° Disease prevention, detection, and treatment
° Electronics
° Clean energy
° Manufacturing
° Environmental risk assessment

However, nanotechnology may also present unintended health risks or changes to the environment.

THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Features of the built environment appear to impact human health—influencing behaviors, physical activity patterns, social networks, and access to resources.

EXPOSURE TO UNKNOWN HAZARDS
Every year, hundreds of new chemicals are introduced into the market. It is presumed that some of these chemicals may present new, unexpected challenges to human health, and their safety should be evaluated prior to release.

These cross-cutting issues are not yet understood well enough to inform the development of systems for measuring and tracking their impact. Further exploration is warranted. The environmental health landscape will continue to evolve and may present opportunities for additional research, analysis, and monitoring.

BLOOD LEAD LEVELS
There are millions of houses or buildings that have children living in them who are potentially being exposed to lead.

In the U.S. alone, nearly half a million children ages 1 to 5 have blood lead levels at or above 5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL), which is currently the reference level at which CDC recommends public health actions be taken.

Unfortunately, there is no reliable statistics in Nigeria to help in the scientific evaluation of the problem and generate commensurate public health action to be taken

It must be noted that even blood-lead exposure levels as low as 2 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) can affect a child’s cognitive function. Since no safe blood lead level have been identified for children, any exposure should be taken seriously.

However, since lead exposure often occurs with no obvious signs or symptoms, it often remains unrecognized.