Literature Review

This article discusses the ways in which human activities and global industrialization have weakened and deteriorated the ecological barrier against viral transmission of viruses. The authors cite global climate change as a potential trigger for emerging infection diseases and globalization as a contributor to high-risk regions in city areas. Reflecting upon concerns that arose during the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), this article presents new significance to ecological work as an important public health piece of the fight against infectious diseases.

This article investigates how large-scale anthropogenic changes to the natural environment are accelerating and interacting to generate five major public health threats. These threats include: increasing exposure to infectious disease, water scarcity, food scarcity, natural disasters, and population displacement. The authors stress the importance of mapping global vulnerability to each of these threats and providing natural resource managers and policy makers with the information to inform their decision making.

This article analyzes the district heating energy consumption and air quality in China. The authors estimated the air pollution status quo caused by heating emissions in the 66 main heating cities and used this data to provide a guide on improving the heating system and reducing hazards to human health. The authors encourage this study to be used as a reference by other polluted cities on how to investigate the environmental quality deterioration and corresponding human health hazards.

This article details landscape fires, as well as prescribed burning, and the environmental effects and influence of both. It offers a historic look at the cultural use of fire management and a realistic examination of its logistical implementation in industrialized societies. The authors examine short- and longer- term health effects due to smoke exposure, and provide a variety of tools and solutions to help manage and mitigate the health impacts. Portable air cleaners and cooler air shelters are among the devices named to help improve indoor air quality in homes, schools, and workplaces. Additionally, the authors propose a more intensive prescribed burning regime, which some studies have shown will ultimately decrease landscape fire smoke exposure and lessen the risk of unexpected, uncontrollable fires with devastating impacts on health, safety, and biodiversity.

As climate change influences and increases extreme weather and climate events, adverse health impacts must be prevented against through improved risk reduction, preparation, response, and recovery. The authors examined health risks tied to high ambient temperatures, droughts, floods, and wildfires, and called for vulnerability and adaptation assessments like climate disaster management to mitigate the health effects of climate change.

Injection of wastewater in deep disposal wells in Oklahoma has been identified as the main cause for the dramatic increase in earthquakes and seismic activity across the state. While areas across Oklahoma may have similar degrees of exposure, this article investigates the disproportionate consequences and impacts on some residents more than others, due to underlying or pre-existing social vulnerabilities. The authors identifies targeted areas that experience heightened vulnerability and encourages mitigation actions to address the degree of exposure and the social determinants.

This article analyzes the first environmental justice study of light pollution exposure and tested for disparate patterns across the continental United States. The authors found evidence of light pollution based on racial/ethnic minority and low-to-mid socioeconomic statuses. The research investigated how ambient light pollution can disrupt and decrease natural melatonin levels, which is linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and obesity, and linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other neurological ailments. The authors call for more research into the social and environmental inequities at play.

This article produces the first estimates of ambient PM2.5-associated preterm births for 183 individual countries and globally. This study combines national, population-weighted, annual average ambient PM2.5 concentrations, preterm birth rates, and the number of livebirths. Globally, in 2010, 2.7 million preterm births were estimated to be associated with PM2.5 concentrations. Not only did PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy effect livebirths and preterm birth rates, but the research also showed that it put survivors at risk for long-lasting health effects. The authors advocate for reduction of maternal exposure to PM2.5.

This article recaps discussions from the Cornwall Oceans and Human Health Workshop in March 2014. The Workshop brought together scientists, policy makers, funders, business, and non governmental organizations from Europe and the United States to review evidence of the impact oceans and seas have on human health and wellbeing. The attendees discussed the risks challenging ocean ecosystem health as well as the benefits to and opportunities for human wellbeing.

This article broadly examines the known and potential impacts of ocean pollution on human health. Pollution is responsible for around nine million premature deaths per year, making it the largest environmental cause of disease in the world. Through a series of reviews on current pollutants, the authors identified ocean pollution to be a mix of chemicals and biological materials, including plastic waste, petroleum-based pollutants, toxic metals, manufactured chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and other harmful substances. The authors provide an extensive breakdown of many common ocean pollutants and their harmful effects on marine life and risk to human health and livelihood.

This article works to understand the magnitude, frequency, and duration of harmful algae blooms (HABs) in inland waters and their effect on public health. Site-specific HAB events degrade water quality to a greater extent than many chemicals. At the time of publication, the authors found that while HABs presented documented ecological and health risks, many states, tribes, and territories lack formal HAB species or algal toxin monitoring programs for surface waters.

This article reviews the main groups of aquatic contaminants, their effects on human heath, and potential methods to mitigate pollution of freshwater resources. Increasing chemical pollution in natural water across the globe can be traced back to agriculture, mining activities, landfills, and more. The authors call for better wastewater collection and treatment systems in order to improve poor water sanitation and mitigate the threat to human and ecosystem health.