Assessment 2: Report – Environmental Risk Assessment
Length: 2500 words (+/- 10%)
Learning Outcomes The Subject Learning Outcomes demonstrated by successful completion of the task below include:
a) Examine environmental factors from the local to the global levels that influence health and interpret the relevance to the health of populations.
b) Interpret and analyse the impacts of globalisation on the social, economic, and political determinants of global and local health.
c) Critically analyse ethical elements relevant to environmental health protections, policies, and industry practices, including identification of vulnerable groups.
d) Investigate the relationships between environmental risk factors and social, economic, and political determinants of illness and injury.
e) Critically apply frameworks and interventions to mitigate environmental health issues
Context
One of the most important strategies to understand the impact of global and local environmental health issues is to conduct a critical analysis of the factors that lead to the problem. The DPSEEA (Driving forces, pressures, state, exposures, effects, actions) framework was developed on behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO), to establish and analyse the cause-to-effect chain of environmental issues. The DPSEEA frameworks enables the analysis of each factor that impact the health of a given population (WHO, 1999).
The DPSEEA was designed to support actions to reduce the burden of disease linked to the environmental health issue and to improve communication between key stakeholders. Completing this assessment, the student will develop knowledge and understanding of the importance of establishing the structural drivers of environmental health issues, and the causal relationship between them. Critical analysis of these factors allows for a clear understanding of the nature of the health crisis, and the potential gaps in policy, procedure and legislation that trigger it.
Task:
Write a report using the Driving forces, Pressures, States, Exposures, Effects and Actions (DPSEEA) framework to analyse the impact of an environmental health issue from in a specific region. Describe the links between cause and effect and develop actions to target the chosen issue. Please follow the task instructions below.
Instructions:
Choose a SPECIFIC geographical region in the world (such as a suburb, city, state, region, country) facing the impact of an environmental health issues CAUSED by one of the following:
Unsafe drinking water/Water insecurity/Sanitation
Solid waste and Hazardous/toxic substances management
Housing and the built environment (including noise and traffic accidents)
Disasters due to natural or man-made hazards
Food security and safety
Vector-borne disease
Climate and geography
Ocean pollution
WHO DPSEEA framework link:
World Health Organization. (2002). Health in sustainable development planning: the role of indicators (No. WHO/HDE/HID/02.11, pp 107-120). World Health Organization.
https://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/IndicatorsChapter7.pdf?ua=1
Write a report of the environmental health issue impacting your chosen region addressing the following key points:
Describe and link each of the Driving forces, Pressures, State changes, Exposures, Effects and current Actions relevant to the impact of the environmental health issue in the chosen region.
Identify and describe any vulnerable populations that are disproportionately affected by the problem.
What are the legislative and regulatory measures intended to control this health risk at the national, regional, and local levels?
Identify and describe any social, political, or economic influences that are not captured by the DPSEEA framework.
Research and discuss the gaps in management in different sectors (Government and non-government) that triggered the environmental health issue in the chosen region (based on your framework investigation).
What is the role of existing health agencies and other agencies, key stakeholders including community groups, critical infrastructure addressing the environmental health issue?
Based on your findings, review and analyse the literature related to the environmental health issue and propose 3-4 evidence-based recommendations addressing the gaps in current policy, regulation, and management in your chosen region.