M1.5 Blog Assignment: Environmental Health Home Assessment

Did you understand why all of the questions on the Assessment tool pointed to environmental health risks?
Yes, completely! It makes complete sense why the assessment questions were specific to health risks. I think that is a much more efficient way to categorize exposures because it enables the viewer to put the information into context. 
Did you discover any environmental risks in your home by completing the home assessment?
My roommates have dogs so I discovered that many of the products they use to clean up after them are not the best for me and my asthma. I also recognize that the pets in my home also pose an environmental risk as they bring in exposure items when they come back from walks, etc. Many of the products that I use in my home are products I have used since I was a little kid so it is pretty shocking to see what these products are actually made of. 
In the home assessment, why did we want to know about the age of your home?
Asking about the age of the home provides insight into the materials that were used to build the home. From the worksheet, we can see that homes built before 1978 tend to have higher amounts of lead. Many of the building products used before 1978 have contributed to negative health outcomes for many so verifying the age of the building helps provide information about the types of materials/exposures one might have.
Why would we want to know if someone lives in the basement? 
Living in a confined space, especially underground has its own risks. For example, not having proper ventilation and being in an enclosed space where the water heater and other household items are located. 
Who is responsible for home-based environmental health risks?
The homeowner, the city in which the home is in and the local government. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to ensure their home is not damaging to the community. And it is the responsibility of the city/local government to ensure that the waste, garbage, trees, water, etc are not creating health risks as well. 


Comments

  1. Chris DeatrasAugust 30, 2018 at 10:10 PM

    Hi, Emebet! I didn't include the city and local government under who is responsible for home-based environmental health risks, but after reading your post, I agree that they are also have a responsibility in addressing them. Tackling home-based environmental health risks, and environmental health risks in general, is never the responsibility of just one individual or body. It will take the combined efforts of everyone - government, citizens, and organizations - to make the changes that can best help the environment and each other. Thank you for your post!

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  2. UnknownSeptember 2, 2018 at 2:35 PM

    Hi, Emebet! It was really interesting reading that your roommates have pets and use products that can affect your health. I also have asthma along with a dog and a cat but have never thought to look into the products I use to clean up after them. I usually focus more on their shampoos and things of that nature! I'm interested to know if you are considering telling them about the products. It may be a good way to open up a convo regarding toxics that can be avoided within your house. Thanks for sharing :)

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