2.0       Defining Environmental Health and Environmental Health Indicators

As a result of the increasing knowledge of the links between environmental influences on human health, and the impacts of human activities on the environment, increasing attention has been dedicated to tracking processes such as benchmarking and status reporting (i.e. State of the Environment, Health Status Report) by government agencies and others to provide information for evidence-based decision making.  Many of these efforts have relied upon various indicators of the status of various components of the environment and measures of their effects on human health.  Those relationships between human health and environmental influences, are central to the definition of environmental health.

 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2000) defines environmental health as:

 

“…those aspects of human disease, and injury that are determined or influenced by factors in the environment.  This includes the study of both direct pathological effects of various chemical, physical, and biological agents, as well as the effects on health of the broad physical and social environment, which includes housing, urban development, land-use and transportation, industry and agriculture.”

 

This definition is very similar to that of the WHO Charter, which was adapted by the European Charter on Environment and Health, which defines environmental health as:

 

“…(environmental health) includes both direct pathological effects of chemicals, radiation and some biological agents, and the effects (often indirect) on health and well-being of the broad physical, psychological, social, and aesthetic environment, which includes housing, urban development, land use and transport.” (Johnson, 1997)

 

Some definitions have also included the processes or actions related to dealing with environmental health issues.  These definitions go beyond simply defining the relationships and potential health effects of environmental determinants, to stress the implicit actions, and in some cases proactive measures, to protect public health from environmental stresses.  The World Health Organization definition of Environmental Health Services (1989) states:

 

“Environmental health is comprised of those aspects of human health and disease that are determined by factors in the environment.  It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing and controlling factors in the environmental that can potentially affect health.”

 

In greater detail, the World Health Organization draft definition developed at WHO consultation in Sofia, Bulgaria (1993) states:

 

“Environmental health comprises those aspects of human health, including quality of life, that are determined by physical, chemical, biological, social and psychological factors in the environment.  It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing, correcting, controlling, and preventing those factors in the environment that can potentially affect adversely the health of present and future generations.”