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Environmental
Health and Aging
John Kavanagh,
American, active 1878-1897.
Portrait of an Old Man, c. 1884. Charcoal; framing
lines in graphite (lower margin), 49 x 38.7 cm.
© The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. A.J. Weatherhead,
1944.8 |
It is well
known that environmental problems such as air pollution, poor water
quality, chemical contaminations, and temperature extremes are all
threats to human health, especially children. More recently, scientists,
health professionals and policy makers have recognized the risk
these problems pose for another vulnerable and growing population
- the elderly.
The U.S. is
a rapidly aging nation. By 2030 it is estimated that one in five
persons will be aged 65 or older. Ohio is currently the fifteenth
“oldest” state with 13.3% of the population in this
age bracket. As this group becomes ever larger, protecting their
health becomes more important. That is why the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency launched the Aging Initiative in 2002, an effort
to better understand the affects of an unhealthy environment on
the elderly.
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“The
older we are, the more susceptible we become to threats from the environment,
which may cause or worsen chronic life-threatening conditions.”
Donald Welsh, Regional Administrator, EPA, Region III
What exactly is the
EPA concerned about? Lifelong exposure to low-level toxicants can increase
the risk for diseases common in the elderly such as osteoporosis, hypertension,
renal impairment, Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease. Other issues
include:
- Heart ailments,
pulmonary diseases and cancer call all be exacerbated by environmental
contaminants.
- Older bodies may
not have the ability to handle several assaults from their environment.
- Some pollutants
may accelerate aging.
- Bodies can retain
and accumulate certain toxic compounds for years, such as lead.
- The environmental
conditions indoors can often be worse than out-of-doors, especially
for urban and poor populations. Generally, the elderly spend significantly
more time indoors.
There is no doubt
that a cleaner environment can improve health later in life. As the EPA
and other organizations have only recently focused on this issue, there
is sure to be increasing amounts of new information available in the coming
years.
Sources:
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Aging Initiative
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Jerry Phelps, "Towards a New Understanding of Aging," Environmental
Health Perspectives, Volume 111, No. 14, November 2003
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Tina Adler, "Aging Research: The Future Face of Environmental Health,"
Environmental Health Perspectives, Volume 111, No. 14, November 2003
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Population Reference Bureau
For more information,
visit these websites:
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