Principles of Environmental Health Administration

¶ … Environmental Health Administration

The objective of this study is to examine methods of controlling agents that cause disease, communicable disease control, wastewater treatment, swimming pool guidelines, solid waste management insect and rodent control, radiation control and environmental management.

Environmental health is described as "the art and science of protecting against environmental factors that may adversely impact human health or the ecological balances essential to long-term human health and environment quality." (Gordon, nd, p.1) These factors are inclusive of yet not limited to "air, food, water contaminants, radiation, toxic chemicals, wastes, disease vectors, safety hazards, and habitat alterations." (Gordon, nd, p.1) It is reported that the terminology 'environmental health" is also inclusive of environmental protection. (Gordon, nd, paraphrased) Environmental health is described as "one of two basic components of the field of public health, the other being personal public health." (Gordon, nd, p.2) Environmental health services are reported as "…essential components of the continuum of health services, and are precursors to the efficacy of the other components of the health services continuum. Other health services include personal public health services (population-based disease prevention and health promotion), as well as health care (diagnosis, treatment, and/or rehabilitation of a patient under care on a one-on-one basis)." (Gordon, nd, p.2)

I. Environmental Health Administration

It is reported that environmental health administration is based on "risk assessment, risk communication and risk management applied in various areas which include but are not limited to such as "ambient air quality, indoor air quality, radon, asbestos, community noise pollution, radiation, tanning parlors, water pollution, liquid wastes, lead poisoning, insects and rodents," as well as many, many other issues. (Gordon, nd, p.3) Program activities that serve to prevent or ameliorate the problems include those listed as follows:

(1) Surveillance, sampling, monitoring

(2) Regulation, including: Warnings, Administrative hearings, Permits, Grading, Compliance schedules, Variances, Injunctions, Administrative and judicial penalties, Embargoes, Environmental impact requirements, Court preparation/testifying, Inspection, as well as many others.

(3) Inspection; and (4) Planning for Environmental Health for prevention through effective involvement during the planning, design and implementation stages of: (a) Energy production and utilization; (b) Land use; (c) Transportation systems; (d) Resource development and consumption; and (e) Product and facility design. (Gordon, nd, p.3)

II. Necessary Support Services

Necessary support services include those stated as follows:

(1) Epidemiology;

(2) Laboratory;

(3) Legal;

(4) Geographic information systems;

(5) Personnel training;

(6) Information technology; and (7) Research. (Gordon, nd, p.5)

III. Values and Benefits