Section: Module 4: Environmental Risk | Environmental Health | NextGenU.org

  • Competencies covered in this module:
    • Specify current environmental risk assessment methods.
    • Describe genetic, physiologic, and psychosocial factors that affect susceptibility to adverse health outcomes following exposure to environmental hazards.
    • Develop a testable model of environmental insult.
    • Discuss various risk management and risk communication approaches in relation to issues of environmental justice and equality.
    • Module 4: Lesson 1: Risk Assessment
       
      Student Learning Objectives:
      • Evaluate exposure assessment strategies used in environmental and occupational health.
      • Understand assessment tools and methods to identify risk factors that adversely affect human health.
      • Analyze genetic, physiologic, and psychosocial factors that influence the risk of exposure and the susceptibility to adverse health outcomes following exposure to environmental hazards.
      • Analyze the concepts of hazard identification, exposure assessment, and dose-response assessment and their role in risk assessment and management.
      • Create a risk assessment plan for a given community.
      • Understand the concept of environmental insult and what is a testable model of environmental insult.
      • Create a testable model of environmental insult related to an environmental risk identified in their communities.

      Approximate time required for the readings for this lesson (at 144 words/minute):   677 mins

       
      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • Watch the entire video(2 min 50 sec).

    • Read the entire page, then click on each of the five tabs and read its content(Planning, Hazard Identification, Dose-Response, Exposure Assessment, and Risk characterization).

    • Read slides 4-5.

    • Read the content under the heading "Exposure and Dose Rates."

    • Click on "Direct Measurement," "Indirect estimation," and "Exposure reconstruction" and read the content under the heading "Overview" on each of them.

    • Read the content under the heading "2.3.2. Overview of Exposure Assessment" and "2.3.3. Approaches for Exposure Assessment" on pages 12-16.

    • Read from the end of the table on page 3 to the title "2.2. Initiating Factors Prompting CRAs in the Workplace" on page 5.

    • Read the definition of "Cumulative exposure." in Table 1.

    • Read the entire page.

    • Read the content under the heading "2. General framework of epidemiological studies on pesticides" and the subheading "2.1 Study Design" to understand the different epidemiological designs' key features.

    • Read the entire document.

    • Read from the beginning of the article to the heading "Question 1. Do environmental factors matter to health?." Then read the content under the heading "Conclusions."

    • Read the definition of Environmental Justice.

    • Watch the video(4 min 45 sec). 

    • Read the content under the heading "Equity & Environmental Justice."

    • Read the content under the headings "Role of Genetics in the Variability of Response to Occupational exposures" and "The Use of Genetic Information in Quantitative Risk Assessment."

    • Read the entire page.

    • Read the content of Table 1.

    • Read the content from the heading "Evidence summary: Current knowledge on social inequalities and environmental risk "on page 4 to the heading "Conclusions" on page 13.

    • Read the content under the heading "Executive Summary" on page 8-10.

    • Read the pages 1-32.

    • Read the entire page, then click on the links "Steps needed to manage risk," "Risk assessment template and examples," and "More detail on managing risk" and read its content.

    • Read the content under the heading "1.3.3 Environmental intervention models."

    • Read the content under the headings "Abstract," "Background," and "Environmental Insults in ALS."

    • quiz icon
      Quiz: Module 4: Lesson 1:

      To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the attempt quiz button to view the case studies and respond to the questions.

      TO PASS THIS QUIZ, YOU MUST OBTAIN A SCORE OF 80% 

      Not available unless: The activity Quiz: Mudule 3: Lesson 2: is complete and passed
    • Additional Resources for Optional Learning
    • Read the content under the heading "Abstract," "Introduction," and "Conclusion and Policy Recommendations."

    • Module 4: Lesson 2: Risk Management
       
      Student Learning Objectives:
      • Understand how to create goals, objectives, and strategies for environmental health interventions and the role of the precautionary principle on them.
      • Understand evaluation strategies for environmental health interventions.
      • Analyze the components and activities of an environmental health intervention.
      • Understand the importance of collaboration with key stakeholders to conduct an environmental health intervention.

      Approximate time required for the readings for this lesson (at 144 words/minute): 569 mins

       
      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • Read the content under the heading "Abstract" and "Results."

    • Read from the content under the heading "Executive Summary."

    • Read the entire article.

    • Read the entire article.

    • Read the entire page.

    • Read the entire page.

    • Read the entire page.

    • Step 1: Keeping the case study provided above in your mind, develop a 300 to 500 word paper that addresses the following questions. 

      • What is the role of biomarkers in exposure assessment? 
      • What approaches for assessment, prevention, and control of Arsenic exposure can be applied in this case?
      • What is the role of toxicology in environmental and occupational health?
      • Develop a table stating the strengths and limitations of the available toxicological assessment methods (blood, urine analysis, and hair or nail testing)?
      • All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. See the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library for instructions: APA citation resource (references are excluded from word counts).
      Step 2: Self-Analysis and Enhancement

      Before you submit, engage in an introspective self-analysis by systematically reviewing each component of your work. Reflect on what aspects of your work were executed well and what could be enhanced. Proceed to refine these elements in your work. 

      Step 3: Submit your assignment by clicking “add a new discussion topic” below, completing the fields, and clicking “post to forum”.

      OPTIONAL Step 4: Interact (10 minutes)

      If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”


    • forum icon
      Discussion Post: How are environmental hazards related to sociocultural determinants? (Completion time: 60 minutes) Forum

      Step 1: Write a 150-300 word paragraph answering the following questions:

      • Is there a correlation of the degree of susceptibility with the number of environmental hazards in LMIC and HIC?

      • What are the determinants of social and gender inequalities, and how they can be prevented and mitigated?

      • How can safe, enabling, and equitable environments for health be guaranteed? 

      • All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. See the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library for instructions: APA citation resource (references are excluded from word counts).

      Step 2: To share your work, click on the button at the bottom of the screen labeled 'Add a new discussion topic.' and include the title "Discussion: Explain how the effects of environmental hazards on health are and how they vary between countries, regions, or groups, and how gender, age, and socioeconomic status influence susceptibility to these hazards." in the subject line.  

      Step 3: To complete the activity, you will  need to comment on at least one other post made by your peers in a respectful and professional manner. Be sure that your post engages your peers' discussion by including a reflection upon learning, sharing insight into the link between degree of susceptibility and the number of environmental hazards in LMIC, applying this knowledge to a specific situation, or asking insightful questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply back. To post a reply, click on the particular discussion, then click on 'reply'.

      OPTIONAL Step 4: Interact (10 minutes)

      If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”


    • Step 1: Write a 250-400 words paragraph answering the following questions:

      • What environmental insults are present in your region or community?

      • Describe the types of injuries that environmental insults cause to the human body?

      • All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. See the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library for instructions: APA citation resource (references are excluded from word counts).

      Step 2: To share your work, click on the button at the bottom of the screen labeled 'Add a new discussion topic.' and include the title "Discussion: How are the concepts of environmental insult related to regional environmental risks" in the subject line.  

      Step 3: To complete the activity, you will need to comment on at least one other post made by your peers in a respectful and professional manner. Be sure that your post engages your peers' discussion by including a reflection upon learning, sharing your knowledge about an specific environmental insult, providing examples of the injuries caused by specific environmental insults, or asking insightful questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply back. To post a reply, click on the particular discussion, then click on 'reply'.

      OPTIONAL Step 4: Interact (10 minutes)

      If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”


    • In this activity, you will propose a model for the development of lung cancer in the context of the environmental insult case study provided above.

      Step 1: Review the case study provided above and the material regarding environmental insults provided in the course. An example of a model is provided here.

      Step 2: Create an environmental insult model with the information provided above, it should look like the model presented above. Include a brief discussion that contains the following aspects:

      • A rationale for the proposed model

      • The process used to develop the model

      • Instructions for testing the model 

      • All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. See the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library for instructions: APA citation resource (references are excluded from word counts).

      Step 3: Prepare your work in a document and submit your assignment ensuring it meets the assignment's requirements by clicking “add a new discussion topic” below and completing the fields. Make sure to upload the document that contains your work, do NOT paste your work in the Description box.

      Step 4: Self-Analysis and Enhancement
      Before you submit, engage in an introspective self-analysis by systematically reviewing each component of your work. Reflect on what aspects of your work were executed well and what could be enhanced. Proceed to refine these elements in your work. 

      Step 5: Submit your assignment by clicking “add a new discussion topic” below, completing the fields, and clicking “post to forum”.

      OPTIONAL Step 6: Interact (10 minutes)

      If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”


    • In this activity, you will evaluate the applicability of the precautionary principle. 

      Step 1: Read this systematic review from the Cochrane Library on Household interventions for preventing domestic lead exposure in children.

      Step 2: Write a 150-300 word paragraph that addresses all of the following points:

      • What is the role of the precautionary principle in this intervention?

      • Does the precautionary principle limit the management strategies available for this environmental health issue? Why?

      • Provide  an example of a management strategy for lead exposure in children that would violate the precautionary principle.

      • All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. See the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library for instructions: APA citation resource (references are excluded from word counts).

      Step 3: Self-Analysis and Enhancement
      Before you submit, engage in an introspective self-analysis by systematically reviewing each component of your work. Reflect on what aspects of your work were executed well and what could be enhanced. Proceed to refine these elements in your work. 

      Step 4: Submit your assignment by clicking “add a new discussion topic” below, completing the fields, and clicking “post to forum”.

      OPTIONAL Step 5: Interact (10 minutes)

      If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”


    • Read the text about the role of toxicology in environmental and occupational health, then answer the questions.

      This case study was adapted from Arsenic Poisoning: Overview and Case Study which is linked below.

      https://journals.lww.com/joem/fulltext/2018/12000/arsenic_exposure,_assessment,_toxicity,_diagnosis,.16.aspx 

    • Read the texts about uranium and its negative effects. Read the question after each text and choose the correct answer.

      This case study was adapted from Mining and Environmental Health Disparities in Native American Communities which is linked below.

      https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40572-017-0140-5#Sec6

    • quiz icon
      Quiz: Module 4: Lesson 2:

      To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the attempt quiz button to view the case studies and respond to the questions.
      TO PASS THIS QUIZ, YOU MUST OBTAIN A SCOR OF 11/14 

    • Module 4: Lesson 3: Risk Communication
       
      Student Learning Objectives:
      • Understand the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to improve populations' health.
      • Advocate for political, social, or economic interventions to improve health in diverse populations.
      • Understand the importance of considering environmental justice and equality while communicating and advocating for environmental health interventions.

      Approximate time required for the readings for this lesson (at 144 words/minute): 730 mins

       
      Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • Read the content under the headings:
      • "Introduction"
      • "What Is Collaboration?"
      • "Benefits of Collaboration" 
      • "Interprofessional Collaboration in Practice"
      • "Potential Barriers to Collaboration"
      • "Suggested Resources" 
      • "Conclusion"
    • Read the content under the heading "Chapter 7. Planning and Implementing an Observational Human Exposure Measurement Study" on page 130.

    • Read the entire article.

    • Read the entire article.

    • forum icon
      Asynchronous Learning Activity 6: Letter to the editor (Completion time: 2 hours) Forum

      In this activity, you will draft a letter to a targeted medium (letters published in newspapers or professional journals)  concerning an important environmental health issue in your community. 

      Step 1: Click here to read the example of a letter to the editor.

      Step 2: Select an article from the Environmental Health Journal that is related to an environmental health issue present in your community. 

      Step 3: Suggest an advocacy tool and describe how the tool promotes social, political, or economic interventions to address the environmental health issue in the article that you selected. The letter should be professional and compelling. It should follow  the publishers instructions for publication.

      All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. See the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library for instructions: APA citation resource (references are excluded from word counts).

      Step 4: Self-Analysis and Enhancement
      Before you submit, engage in an introspective self-analysis by systematically reviewing each component of your work. Reflect on what aspects of your work were executed well and what could be enhanced. Proceed to refine these elements in your work. 

      Step 5: Submit your assignment by clicking “add a new discussion topic” below, completing the fields, and clicking “post to forum”. Make sure to redact personal information when posting your letter to the editor in the forum.

      Step 6 (optional): Submit your letter to the publisher.

      OPTIONAL Step 7: Interact (10 minutes)

      If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”


      Not available unless: The activity Quiz: Module 4: Lesson 2: is complete and passed
    • forum icon
      Asynchronous Learning Activity 7 : Write a white paper (Completion time: 8 hours) Forum

      In this activity, you will write a white paper to advocate for the development or update of federal or state regulatory programs, guidelines, and awareness of authorities to address environmental health issues.

      Step 1: Read this resource to understand how to write a white paper. You can also access an example of a white paper from the Environmental Health Journal here. (The estimated reading time for this resource is 46 minutes. This reading contains important information to help you complete all activities). 

      Step 2: Choose an environmental health issue that affects your community and write a 1500 - 2000 word white paper that addresses all 8 core components of a policy paper listed in the reading, and uses the appropriate structure. Include the following points:

      • What activities does your government do in your country or region to promote environmental health? 

      • What improvements can be applied to those activities and how do they relate to the issue you chose?

      • What social and cultural determinants in your community relate to the chosen environmental health issue ?

      • How can this be framed in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals?

      Step 3: Compile your responses in a document. Be sure to include all the requirements detailed in Step 2. 

      All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. See the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library for instructions: APA citation resource (references are excluded from word counts).

      Step 4: Self-Analysis and Enhancement
      Before you submit, engage in an introspective self-analysis by systematically reviewing each component of your work. Reflect on what aspects of your work were executed well and what could be enhanced. Proceed to refine these elements in your work. 

      Step 5: Submit your assignment by clicking “add a new discussion topic” below, completing the fields, and clicking “post to forum”. Make sure to upload the document that contains your work, do NOT paste your work in the Description box.

      OPTIONAL Step 6: Interact (10 minutes)

      If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”


    • quiz icon
      Quiz: Module 4: Lesson 3

      To access the quiz, click on the name of the quiz provided above. On the following screen, click the attempt quiz button to view the case studies and respond to the questions.
      TO PASS THIS QUIZ, YOU MUST OBTAIN A SCORE OF 10/12