Environmental health is the branch of public health focused on how the natural and built environment affects human health and well-being. It involves identifying, assessing, and controlling environmental factors—physical, chemical, biological, social, and psychosocial—that can influence health outcomes
. Key aspects include:
- Ensuring clean air, safe water, adequate sanitation, and healthy workplaces to prevent disease and promote health
- Addressing environmental risks such as pollution, harmful chemicals, radiation, and unsafe living conditions that contribute to diseases like respiratory illnesses, heart disease, cancers, and infectious diseases
- Recognizing that environmental health impacts are both direct (e.g., exposure to toxins) and indirect (e.g., effects on food production, social inequalities)
- Emphasizing prevention by reducing exposure to environmental hazards to lower disease burden and healthcare costs
- Highlighting environmental justice, as marginalized communities often face disproportionate environmental health risks
- Incorporating interdisciplinary fields such as environmental science, toxicology, epidemiology, and occupational medicine
In summary, environmental health aims to create and maintain environments that support human health by preventing harmful exposures and promoting well-being through policies, monitoring, and cross-sector collaboration
