Blog 7
1. Communities are forced to pay for environmental health issues due to increased rates of asthma, cancer, neurodevelopmental disorders, etc. One of the most frustrating aspects of this is that certain communities are disproportionately affected by these issues - and those usually are impoverished and minority communities.
I worked in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland in a community health clinic, which is known for having high amounts of lead in the neighborhood's dirt and buildings. We were very careful to screen patients for lead, and especially children due to the effects that lead can have in their development.
2. I have always heard that mercury, lead, etc. can affect neurodevelopment disorder, but I didn't realize the gravity. It was interesting to see the millions of dollars that neurodevelopment issues cost society - and it's devastating to think of the affects that it has on people's lives. The idea that flame retardants, which are everywhere - including mattresses and couches - can cause delays in brain development is alarming, and it's challenging to think that we are surrounded by these chemicals daily. As a nurse, I will educate my patients on harm reduction - including less processed foods, more organic foods, and organic materials.
3. My clinic does not work with pregnant women, but if I become an NP that works with pregnant patients someday I would screen based on obstetric recommendations. When I eventually do my maternal health clinical rotations, I plan on checking with my clinical preceptor to see if they screen pregnant women.
4. I was very interested in learning about some of the feminization of frogs due to exposure to atrazine. The speaker talked about water run off, which carries pesticides with it and affects drinking water. The speaker said that we can fall into the illusion that our water is safe because it doesn't have E. coli in it, but if it's still full of pesticides it's clearly problematic, especially in the ways in which it affects hormones.
5. My education towards patients would be twofold - 1. that they need to attempted harm reduction in what their children are exposed to. This is a frightening reality - because at the end of the day, there is no safe level of these chemicals in a child's body. The second piece of education that I would do with patients is that major policy changes need to happen in how we are exposed to chemicals, and that requires widespread effort by people across the world to demand action.
Above the Fold:
I read a CNN article about how bird populations in North America have dropped drastically. I've seen a few articles about this lately so I was interested in reading more about it - and found that since 1970, 3 billion birds have been lost - largely due to pollution, cats, litter, etc. The speaker in the video mentioned that this a warning sign for major changes in the ecosystem, and that first the birds will die, then the bugs, etc.
I worked in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland in a community health clinic, which is known for having high amounts of lead in the neighborhood's dirt and buildings. We were very careful to screen patients for lead, and especially children due to the effects that lead can have in their development.
2. I have always heard that mercury, lead, etc. can affect neurodevelopment disorder, but I didn't realize the gravity. It was interesting to see the millions of dollars that neurodevelopment issues cost society - and it's devastating to think of the affects that it has on people's lives. The idea that flame retardants, which are everywhere - including mattresses and couches - can cause delays in brain development is alarming, and it's challenging to think that we are surrounded by these chemicals daily. As a nurse, I will educate my patients on harm reduction - including less processed foods, more organic foods, and organic materials.
3. My clinic does not work with pregnant women, but if I become an NP that works with pregnant patients someday I would screen based on obstetric recommendations. When I eventually do my maternal health clinical rotations, I plan on checking with my clinical preceptor to see if they screen pregnant women.
4. I was very interested in learning about some of the feminization of frogs due to exposure to atrazine. The speaker talked about water run off, which carries pesticides with it and affects drinking water. The speaker said that we can fall into the illusion that our water is safe because it doesn't have E. coli in it, but if it's still full of pesticides it's clearly problematic, especially in the ways in which it affects hormones.
5. My education towards patients would be twofold - 1. that they need to attempted harm reduction in what their children are exposed to. This is a frightening reality - because at the end of the day, there is no safe level of these chemicals in a child's body. The second piece of education that I would do with patients is that major policy changes need to happen in how we are exposed to chemicals, and that requires widespread effort by people across the world to demand action.
Above the Fold:
I read a CNN article about how bird populations in North America have dropped drastically. I've seen a few articles about this lately so I was interested in reading more about it - and found that since 1970, 3 billion birds have been lost - largely due to pollution, cats, litter, etc. The speaker in the video mentioned that this a warning sign for major changes in the ecosystem, and that first the birds will die, then the bugs, etc.
In the hospital, we don't screen people for lead or any chemicals. I remember Anderson mentioning the test was expensive. I wonder if the insurance covers the cost. Screening would be beneficial, especially for children.
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