Stewardship in Environmental Health
Research a vulnerable population (inner city, rural area, or developing nation). In a 1,250-
1,500 word paper, evaluate the environmental health issues facing the chosen population,
and propose strategies to promote health through environmental stewardship. Include the
following:
Describe the vulnerable population you chose, and explain why this group faces health
inequity.
Describe the environmental health issue affecting this population: What caused the issue or
what was the environmental exposure linked to the environmental health issue negatively
influencing the public health of this population? Discuss the correlating public health
issues. Identify one or more surveillance report, provide morbidity and mortality rates, and
explain the burden of disease from the environmental exposure.
Evaluate current policy as it relates to the promotion of public health, health equity, and
environmental stewardship. What changes need to be made, or what policies need to be
implemented, to improve public health and health equity through environmental
stewardship. Discuss the policymaking process, including shared decision-making that
must occur to create functional policy. Include the roles of ethical evidence-based decision
making in this process. Consider Health in All Policies as you complete the evaluation and
make recommendations.
Discuss what is currently being done to address the environmental health issue, as well as
public health. Evaluate the effectiveness of these efforts. Consider aid given, models
implemented, and private-public partnerships promoting health and environmental
stewardship.
Introduce a community design to further address the environmental health issue and
improve public health through long-term environmental stewardship. Include renewable
and sustainable resources.
Identify stakeholders necessary for implementation of the proposed strategies/community
design. Include community members, local and federal government, global organizations,
organizations offering aid, and faith-based and other nonprofit organizations, etc.
You are required to cite five to seven sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be
published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and public
health content.
STEWARDSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Vulnerable Poor Costal Populations in Developing Countries
Introduction
2
STEWARDSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Developing countries are faced with various issues of health inequality among vulnerable
groups. Environmental risks that impact human health are considered to be heaviest among the
poor population. One of the vulnerable populations among developing countries is the poor
coastal populations, this group is vulnerable to very extreme weather events and the rise of sea-
levels. These populations do not have access to clean drinking water from the available sources
and they are also exposed to indoor air pollution resulting from the type of fuels they use for
lighting and cooking. On the other hand, poor coastal populations are also vulnerable to vector-
borne diseases resulting from different environmental risks, that these populations are exposed to
on their daily activities (WHO, 2020). Two groups of populations are particularly vulnerable
among the poor populations, they include people living in agricultural areas that are less favored
and coastal zones that are lowly elevated (Barbier & Hochard, 2018). The poor coastal
population is at risk of diseases that are sensitive to climate associated with health impact. This
vulnerable population is exposed to various health inequalities, health inequality among poor
coastal populations is caused by various factors such as environmental, social, economic and
structural differences associated with health differences that exist among intergroup existing
within the society.
Why poor coastal populations face health inequity
There are various reasons why the poor coastal population faces health inequality issues. One of
the significant reasons why this vulnerable group faces health inequality is the power distribution
and distribution of resources in society. The issue of power and resource distribution is
characterized by institutions, interpersonal and intrapersonal aspects, and other systematic
mechanisms. These factors affect the distribution of resources and power among the poor coastal
population based on individual identity, race, group identity, gender and sexual orientation
3
STEWARDSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
(National Academies of Sciences et al., 2017). The second reason why poor coastal population
which is vulnerable population faces health inequality is the unequal power and resource
allocation. Goods and services among these populations can be allocated unequally. This affects
the health determinants that are associated with social factors. Health inequalities are defined
as avoidable differences and unfair health care outcomes that affect a certain vulnerable group in
society. Access to health opportunities is determined by various structures and social identities
such as geographical locations, race, ethnicity, employment, immigration, disability and social-
economic status of certain populations (National Academies of Sciences et al., 2017). For
instance, if policymakers develop policies that do not consider the health issue affecting
vulnerable populations based on the above-named health opportunity determinants, vulnerable
populations face inequality.
Poor coastal populations living along the coastline in different parts of the developing
countries face health inequality due to poor allocation and distribution of available resources and
power within the health care sectors. In this case, these populations might be poorly structured in
terms of social settings which makes them disadvantaged during the power distribution of health
care representatives. Poor power allocation and distribution have a direct association with the
unequal distributional allocation of resources (National Academies of Sciences et al., 2017).
When the poor coastal populations are underrepresented during power and resource allocation
and distribution they are not able to deal with health issues that affect them due to climate
changes along the coastal lines resulting from global warming and changes in the sea levels.
The environmental health issue affecting the poor coastal population
Climate changes along the coastal line in developing countries are associated with
various environmental health issues affecting the poor coastal populations. Climate changes are
4
STEWARDSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
believed to have a significant effect on both environmental and social health determining factors.
Some of the environmental health issues affecting the poor coastal populations are lack of
sufficient food, lack of safe drinking water, vector-borne diseases and lack of secure structures
due to natural disasters occurring as a result of environmental changes related to climatic
conditions (WHO, 2018). For example, populations living along the coastal line are vulnerable to
diseases such as respiratory infection and cardiovascular diseases that mostly affect the elderly
population. During the extremely high temperatures, the ozone level and other pollutants rise to
the air and this causes diseases to the populations living along the coastal line. Ongoing extreme
temperatures are expected to increase the burden of health issues associated with asthma that
affects millions of people among the poor coastal populations (WHO, 2018).
On the other hand, natural disasters cause other environmental health issues affecting the
poor coastal populations. For example, these populations experience variable rainfall patterns
that affect the water supplies where the people access safe and freshwater for use. Lack of safe
water for drinking and other domestic use causes diseases such as diarrhea. In developing
countries, cases of diarrhea have had significant health issues among populations living along the
coastal lines. In extreme environmental cases, lack of enough water leads to drought and famine
which is associated with malnutrition health issues among poor populations in developing
countries and especially the ones living along the coastal line. Poor coastal populations are also
affected by floods, floods increase the risk of water-borne diseases and also pollute freshwater
sources and supplies (WHO, 2018). Environments that have been affected by floods create
breeding grounds for insects that are responsible for spreading diseases such as malaria and
bilharzia. These environmental health issues cause a lot of losses to the health care sectors and
5
STEWARDSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
also increase the rate of deaths experienced among the vulnerable poor population living along
the coastal line in developing countries.
Current policy as it relates to the promotion of public health, health equity, and
environmental stewardship
Current policy related to the promotion of public health, health equality, and
environmental stewardship indicates that environmental public health programs that have been
developed are aimed at protecting the communities against health-related issues affecting
vulnerable populations. Public health policy that has been developed protects the vulnerable
communities from environmental health hazards that are natural, manmade, deliberate and
unintentional (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, 2020). Based on this policy,
the responsibility of ensuring public health and protecting the populations form environmental
health factors is the role played by the government at the federal, state and local levels.
Policymakers and other agencies involved in the identification and provision of services that are
required while dealing with health hazards should work together. Promotion of health equality
and stewardship requires a well-integrated approach that includes creating awareness on the
affected population, educating health care professionals that will offer services to the vulnerable
population and also ensuring equal distribution and allocation of resources and power
(Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, 2020). To help improve public health and
health equity through environmental stewardship, policymakers should ensure that there are
equal allocation and distribution of resources and power.
Most vulnerable populations such as the poor coastal populations are suffering from
increased morbidity and mortality rates due to poor allocation and distribution of power and
resources. All the population groups should be well represented during power and resource
6
STEWARDSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
allocation regardless of their environmental and social structures. Certain factors such as
individual identity, gender and race should not be used discriminatory during policymaking
processing. The policymaking process should ensure an inclusive representation of all
stakeholders and employees involved in the decision-making process to enhance equality and
promote effective health care service delivery. The processes of resource sharing and power
distribution as well and service delivery should be well defined through a standardized process
(National Academies of Sciences et al., 2017). To address the environmental issue, the
government is currently developing new policies that will help deal with specific issues of
vulnerable populations. The government at all levels are actively participating in ensuring that
healthcare policies being developed are based on ethical standards and considerations. The
government and the private sectors are working together to ensure that the policy developing
bodies are supported through funding and legal actions.
Societal commitment to environmental stewardship is on the rise, communities are
designed to support environmental factors that help improve health issues affecting vulnerable
populations. Government and environmental health partners should develop community designs
that support the partnership between the state and tribal partners (EPA, 2005). This design should
be based on nurturing leadership roles that support environmental stewardship. Strategic
development of this community design should involve various stakeholders such as government
representatives, healthcare professionals, community leaders, and private sector representatives.
These stakeholders should play various roles in implementing the community design and
ensuring partnership between the state and the tribal partners. For instance, the government and
the private stakeholders should play the role of funding policy development process while
community leaders and healthcare professionals should play the significant role of identifying
7
STEWARDSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
different environmental health issues affecting vulnerable populations in the communities.
During the implementation process healthcare, professionals and community leaders should also
play the active role of educating and training the communities on the health issues affecting the
populations by creating community awareness (EPA, 2005).
References
8
STEWARDSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. (2020). Environmental Public Health
Policy Statement | State Public Health | ASTHO.