December 14, 2022 – The state of the world’s environment isn’t just about pollution, hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, drought and heat. It’s about human health. That’s the gist of a position paper on environmental health issued this fall by the American College of Physicians and published in the “Annals of Internal Medicine.” Individual doctors can play a direct role, according to the College, but the collective voice of ACP’s 160,000 members will probably hold greater sway over policymakers.
It’s not the first time ACP has weighed in on the public health implications of air pollution, water contamination and climate change. The new paper reflects many concerns expressed in its 2016 paper, “Climate and Health,” but addresses a wider array of environmental exposures that impact human health. It also emphasizes environmental justice, that is, the belief that all communities – including people of color, those with low income, and marginalized populations – deserve to live, work, learn, and play in a safe and healthy environment.
“Human health is affected by the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink, the substances to which we are exposed, and changes in Earth’s climate,” according to ACP in its paper, citing World Health Organization data showing that modifiable environmental factors contributed to 24% (13.7 million) of global deaths and 28% of deaths among children younger than 5 years in 2016.
“The quality of the environment can contribute to common diseases, such as stroke, heart disease, asthma and cancer. Interventions such as reducing air pollution and water contamination, providing protection from ultraviolet radiation, and mitigating climate change can improve health outcomes for persons with communicable and noncommunicable diseases.”
Read more in the latest issue of Repertoire Magazine.