Question

Vulnerable Populations

• Establish why children are more vulnerable to environmental toxins than adults.
• Identify any other vulnerable populations at the local, national, and international levels.
• From public and environmental health perspectives, what types of policies are needed to protect vulnerable populations from environmental hazards?

please provide reference and details

Answer 1

1. Children are not littleadults—their bodies are not the same as adult bodies. Because they are small and still developing, they are more easily exposed to environmentalcontaminants and here's why: Children breathemore air, drink more water, and eat more food per pound of body weight than adults.Due to their size, physiology, and behavior, children are more vulnerable than adults toenvironmental hazards.Children are more heavily exposed to toxins in proportion to their body weight, and havemore years of life ahead of them in which they may suffer long-term effects from early exposure.
2. Despite efforts and goals in the United States to reduce or eliminate disparities in healthcare by 2010, significant disparities, including risk factors, access to healthcare, morbidity, and mortality, continue in vulnerable populations. For example, studies find that Americans living in poverty are much more likely to be in fair or poor health and have disabling conditions, and are less likely to have used many types of health cares.
Vulnerable populations include the economically disadvantaged, racial and ethnic minorities, the uninsured, low-income children, the elderly, the homeless, those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and those with other chronic health conditions, including severe mental illness.It may also include rural residents, who often encounter barriers to accessing healthcare services.The vulnerability of these individuals is enhanced by race, ethnicity, age, sex, and factors such as income, insurance coverage (or lack thereof), and absence of a usual source of care.Their health and healthcare problems intersect with social factors, including housing, poverty, and inadequate education.
3. Adopt a public health, preventive approach toenvironmental exposure which protects the mostvulnerable subsets ofpopulations. Set standards regulating air, food, water, and homes.Children must be incorporated into the risk assessment process.Effective controls protect workers from work place hazards; help avoid injuries, illnesses, and incidents; minimize or eliminate safety and health risks; and help employers provide workers with safe and healthful working conditions