The Sociology of Environmental
Health
Sociological Processes &
Environmental Health Assessments
• A number of sociological processes play a role
in environmental health assessments
– Gender inequality (EBCM)
– Racial and ethnic identity
– Social norms and structures (GWI)
– Political economy
– Environmental justice
DEP vs EP
• Dominant
Epidemiological Paradigm
• Biomedical model
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Individual
Genetic
Medical/etiology
Neutrality of medicine
Treatment
Risk management
• Environmental Paradigm
– Population
– Environmental and
political factors
– Prevention
– Precautionary principle
DEP vs EP
• Sick individuals
• Why are some individuals
sick?
• Sick populations
• Why are some groups sick
while others are not?
• Requires different methods
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Innovative methods
Topics of study
GIS
Survey methods
Novel epidemiological and
toxicological methods
– Collaboration with laypeople
Tragedies: Making the Case for
Environmental Health
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1950s – Minamata Bay, Japan
1970s – Michigan
1970s – Love Canal, NY
1984 – Bhopal, India
World Trade Centre
2007 – Ivory Coast
Chronic Mishaps
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Lead poisoning
Cancer
Toxins in personal care products
War causes
Climate change
Climate Change
• Creating one of the greatest public health
issues of this century.
• Five main health concerns
– Air pollution-related illness
– Temperature-related illness
– Vector-borne diseases
– Water and food-borne disease
– Illness or injury from extreme weather events
Heat Waves
• Heat waves affect groups differently based on
their race, gender, age, and medical and
socioeconomic status.
• Minority communities
• Inner-city areas
• Lack of access to health care
• Migration measures
Policy Making
• Policy addressing climate-related health and illness
originated in late 1980s and 1990s
– US EPA (1989) “The Potential Effects of GCC”
– UN (1992) The Framework Convention on CC
– OTA (1993) “Preparing for Uncertain Climate”
– US EPA (1997) … medical and public health practitioners
better educate the public about heat events
– US Congress (1998) US National Assessment of the
Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and
Climate
Policy Making
• Shaped by political tensions
• (199) Public Law 101-606, the US Global
Climate Change Research Act .. Stimulate a 10
year plan for national agencies such as EPA,
DE, NIEHS, among others, to develop an
understanding of and necessary responses to
climate change.
Many Scientific and Political Obstacles
• Many public official resist acknowledging that
heat is increasing because it might
– Result in better regulation of the air pollution
which causes global warming
– There are medical and scientific factors that make
it difficult for policymakers to deal with illnesses
caused by heat waves.
Public Health Impacts
• Climate change is just one of the emerging
concerns of environmental health specialists
• Others include
– The accumulation of chemicals in the human body
– Decreasing availability of clean water and resulting
water-borne illnesses
– Environmental crimes that lack international
regulations
Conclusion
• Making connections between health and the
environment is often first achieved by those who suffer
environmental illnesses.
• In order for them to gain compensation for their losses
and to stop these exposures, public officials must also
accept their claims
• A key component of this latter process is scientific
proof
• If an affected community has research that proves an
illness is connected to certain exposures, it is much
easier to gain the proper treatment and prevention
• A key political principle that may improve
environmental health is the precautionary principle