Introduction
The link between key environmental factors and health is undisputed with the World Health Organization (WHO) claiming one in four global deaths (12.6 million) is attributable to unhealthy environments (WHO 2018a). It is believed that of the 12.6 million deaths almost 10 million occur in Africa and Asia, those identified at most risk are children under 5 and adults aged between 50 and 75. Environmental health is the branch of public health concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment and the ways in which these affect human health and well-being. It addresses the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a human and all the related factors that impact on behavior (WHO 2018a). Environmental and social determinants of health are inextricably linked to a sustainable future, and readers are encouraged to refer to the chapter on social determinants of health for a full appreciation of the mutuality of both topics. The discussion within this entry...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Adger WN, Arnell NW, Black R, Dercon S, Geddes A, Thomas DSG (2015) Focus on environmental risks and migration: causes and consequences. Environ Res Lett Synth Rev. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/6/060201
Amnesty International (2015) ‘Our Job is to Shoot, Slaughter and Kill’: Boko Haram’s reign of terror in North-East Nigeria. Amnesty International, London. https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/AFR4413602015ENGLISH.PDF
Birkett DM (2017) Water critical infrastructure security and its dependencies. J Terrorism Res 8(2):1–21. https://doi.org/10.15664/jtr.1289
Burck J, Marten F, Bals C (2016) The climate change performance index results. Germanwatch, Berlin
Cambridge Dictionary (n.d.) Meaning of dwelling in the English dictionary. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/dwelling
Chen J, Chen S, Landry PF, Davis DS (2014) How dynamics of urbanisation affect physical and mental health in urban China. China Q 220:988–1011. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305741014001465
English Oxford Dictionary (n.d.) Definition of dwelling in English. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/dwelling
Gigg D, Stafford-Smith M, Gaffney O, Rockström J, Öhman MC, Shyamsundar P, Steffen W, Glaser G, Kani N, Noble I (2013) Sustainable development goals for people and planet. Nature 495:305–307. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/844naturesjournal.pdf
Hollows J (2008) Domestic cultures. https://www.dawsonera.com
Lossow T (2016) The rebirth of water as a weapon: IS in Syria and Iraq. Ital J Int Aff 51(3):82–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/03932729.2016.1213063
Magalhães KV, Cotta RMM, Martins TP, Gomes AP, Siqueira-Batista R (2013) Habitation as a social determinant of health: perceptions and conditions of families registered under the “Bolsa Família” program. Health Soc 22(1):57–72. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-12902013000100007
Mallett S (2004) Understanding home: a critical review of the literature. Sociol Rev. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-954X.2004.00442.x
Nett K, Rüttinger L (2016) Insurgency, terrorism and organised crime in a warming climate: analysing the links between climate change and non-state armed groups. Adelphi Independent Think Tank. https://www.adelphi.de/en/publication/insurgency-terrorism-and-organised-crime-warming-climate
Orr G (2014) Syria’s dispossessed speak out: what does “home” mean now to the million refugees forces to flee across the border to Turkey. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/syrias-dispossessed-speak-out-what-does-home-mean-now-to-the-million-refugees-forced-to-flee-across-9639045.html
Pecl GT, Araujo MB, Bell J, Blanchard J, Bonebrake TC, Chen I, Clark TD, Colwell RK, Danielsen F, Evengard B, Robinson S et al (2017) Biodiversity redistribution under climate change: impacts on ecosystems and human well-being. Science 355(6332):1–9
Rees T (2016) The Anthropocene epoch could inaugurate even more marvellous eras of evolution. The Guardian.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/29/the-anthropocene-epoch-could-inaugurate-even-more-marvellous-eras-of-evolution
Reliefweb (2014) Typhoon Rammasun.Overview. https://reliefweb.int/disaster/tc-2014-000092-phl
Reliefweb (2017a) Climate in crisis: how risk information can build resilience in Afghanistan – July 2017. Report. https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/climate-crisis-how-risk-information-can-build-resilience-afghanistan
Reliefweb (2017b) Afghanistan: avalanches and floods – Jan 2017. Overview. https://reliefweb.int/disaster/av-2017-000013-afg
Silove D, Ventevogel P, Rees S (2017) The contemporary refugee crisis: an overview of mental health challenges. World Psychiatry 16(2):130–139. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20438
Steffen E, Grinevald J, Crutzen P, McNeill J (2011) The anthropocene: conceptual and historical perspectives. Philos Trans R Soc Math Phys Eng Soc. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2010.0327
United Nations (2015) Department of economic and social affairs population estimates and projections. UN, Geneva. http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/publications/world-population-prospects-2015-revision
United Nations (2017a) UNDP support to the implementation of sustainable development Goal 3: ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. UNDP Living Document.http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/Sustainable%20Development/SDG-3%20Health.pdf?download
United Nations (2017b) Department of Economic and Social Affairs. World population prospects 2017. UN, Geneva. http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/publications/world-population-prospects-2015-revision
United Nations (2018a) Fact sheet: mega cities. Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division. http://www.un.org/development/desa/graphics/world-urbanisation-prospects-2018-more-megacities-in-the-future
United Nations (2018b) Revision of World urbanisation prospects 2018, more mega cities in the future. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. http://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/2018-revision-of-world-urbanization-prospects
United Nations (n.d.) The food and agricultural organisation of the United Nations. http://www.fao.org/safe-food/resources/keyfindings
United Nations Security Council (2017) Physical protection of critical infrastructure against terrorist attacks. Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate. https://www.un.org/sc/ctc/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/CTED-Trends-Report-8-March-2017-Final.pdf
Verma A, Ameijden E, Birt C, Bocsan I, Pope D (2017) Why investigate urban health indicators? Eur J Pub Health 27(2):1–3. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckv101
Villamagna A, Giesecke C (2014) Adapting human well-being frameworks for ecosystem service assessments across diverse landscapes. Ecol Soc 19(1):11. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06173-190111
Wang R, Xue D, Liu Y, Chen H, Qui Y (2018) The relationship between urbanisation and depression in China: the mediating role of neighbourhood social capital. Int J Equity Health 17:105. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-01-0825-x
Williams K (2010) Neighbourhood design and sustainable lifestyles. In: Jenks M, Jones C (eds) Dimensions of the sustainable city, vol 2. Springer, London, pp 183–215
World Health Organisation (2010) Health implications of urbanisation. Bull WHO 88(4):241–320
World Health Organisation (2014) WHO European healthy cities network: phase VI 2014–2018 of the WHO European healthy cities network goals and requirements. Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen. http://www.euro.who.int.assets
World Health Organisation (2017) Save LIVES: a road safety technical package. WHO, Geneva
World Health Organisation (2018a) Health topics: environmental health. www.who.int/phe/en
World Health Organisation (2018b) Road traffic injuries. http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-traffic-injuries
World Wildlife Fund (2018) Human impact.http://www.worldwildlife.org/threats
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Bailey-McHale, R., Ebrahimi, V., Bailey-McHale, J. (2020). Environmental Determinants of Health. In: Leal Filho, W., Wall, T., Azul, A.M., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P.G. (eds) Good Health and Well-Being. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95681-7_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95681-7_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-95680-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-95681-7
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences