Read ‘N’ Seed 4: Prevention is Primary: Strategies for Community Well-Being

1. I read chapters 11-13.

2. I had three main topics that I read about:

1. Environment exposures affect on peoples health.
2. How our environment is built will affect people’s health.
3. Another thing that affects people’s health is the choices we make referring to what we eat. This is made in the context of our social, physical, and cultural environment.

3. I learned that the same environmental problems that contribute to poor air and water quality, as well as neighborhood deterioration also contribute to negative mental and physical health outcomes. Cancer, asthma, birth defects, developmental disabilities, infertility and Parkinson’s disease are on the rise, and they are linked to chemical exposures from air, water, food, and products and practices used in our schools, homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces. These health problems are widespread, affecting nearly one of every two Americans (Pew Environmental Health Commission, 2001).

I learned about the physical environment in which we live, work, and play has a fundamental impact on both health itself and behaviours that affect it. For example, the sitting of a truck depot increases diesel emissions in a neighborhood, resulting in higher asthma rates. Another example is, a community without sidewalks results in people walking less and therefore being at risk for increased rates of chronic disease.

Where foods are available, the price of foods, and the advertising and promotion of foods have an influence on the choices we make. Ideally, the food environment would support biological needs, meaning that healthy, nutritious food would be readily available, affordable, and appealing to our community. Unfortunately, the food environment in the United States today is characterized by increasing of heavily marketed snacks and sodas, doughnut shops and fast-food chains, and foods that are highly processed and supersized.

4. Government and local leaders should be doing something to rehabilitating our communities and planning for a healthier and safer environment. We should be building environments that prevent injury and illness and promote health. Ergonomists help design safe, comfortable furniture, industrial hygienists help assess and control indoor air problems, and sanitarians help control rodent infestations in buildings. The environment must be changed to facilitate healthier eating and activity patterns. Many school districts, work sites, government agencies, and health care institutions are making environmental changes to improve access to healthier, sustainable produced food and to decrease the promotion and presence of junk food, but there is still a long way to go with reaching a healthier environment.

New terminology presented:

The precautionary principle borrows from the medical oath to “do no harm” in placing the burden of demonstrating safety prior to public exposure on those who produce chemicals and other substances. (p.231)

You can read more from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precautionary_principle

Community-based participatory research is a vital primary prevention strategy that addresses the need for community capacity building and involvement of key stakeholders in decisions that affect community health.

Read more from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community-based_participatory_research