Health and the environment
By: special ed. of this volume, Phil Brown.
Contributors: Brown, Phil.; American Academy of Political and Social Science.
Series: Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science -- v. 584
Publisher: Sage Periodicals Press
Published: 2002
Place of publication: Thousand Oaks [Calif.]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 212
Subjects: Environmental health -- United States.; Environmentally induced diseases -- United States.; Environmental toxicology -- United States.; Epidemiology -- United States -- States.
Description: From the Preface: This special issue of The Annals addresses environmental health, an area that has become a very significant part of popular concern, government attention, and scientific research. What exactly do we mean by "environmental health"? The broadest definition would include the totality of unhealthy living and working conditions: bacteria and viruses in human waste; animal vectors for infectious diseases; surface water and groundwater pollution; air pollution from fires, vehicle exhaust, and incineration; chemical and petroleum product spills and explosions; and disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, and fires (which may be either natural, human caused, or human exacerbated). But that definition is broad enough to encompass virtually all disease-causing factors. I believe we are better off focusing on the health effects caused by toxic substances in people's immediate or proximate surroundings (soil, air, water, food, and household goods), a definition that mirrors most research and policy on environmental health. These are chemical-related, air-pollution-related, and radiation-related symptoms and diseases that affect groups of people in workplaces and communities. Focusing on toxic substances makes sense for several reasons. Toxic exposure has engendered much conflict, policy making, legislation, public awareness, media attention, and social movement activity. It leads to disputes between lay people and professionals, between citizens and governments, and among professionals. And toxic exposure demonstrates interesting and ongoing examples of social problems construction and political contestation concerning environmentally induced diseases.
Notes: "November 2002"--cover and t. p.

Includes bibliographical references.
Table of contents: title: Devra Lee Davis; title: Devra Lee Davis -- Richard W. Clapp; title: Devra Lee Davis -- Richard W. Clapp -- Rachel Morello-Frosch, Manuel Pastor Jr., and James Sadd; title: Devra Lee Davis -- Richard W. Clapp -- Rachel Morello-Frosch, Manuel Pastor Jr., and James Sadd -- Joel A. Tickner; title: Devra Lee Davis -- Richard W. Clapp -- Rachel Morello-Frosch, Manuel Pastor Jr., and James Sadd -- Joel A. Tickner -- Sheldon Krimsky and Nora K. Murphy; title: Devra Lee Davis -- Richard W. Clapp -- Rachel Morello-Frosch, Manuel Pastor Jr., and James Sadd -- Joel A. Tickner -- Sheldon Krimsky and Nora K. Murphy -- Lois Gibbs; title: Devra Lee Davis -- Richard W. Clapp -- Rachel Morello-Frosch, Manuel Pastor Jr., and James Sadd -- Joel A. Tickner -- Sheldon Krimsky and Nora K. Murphy -- Lois Gibbs -- Penn Loh; title: Devra Lee Davis -- Richard W. Clapp -- Rachel Morello-Frosch, Manuel Pastor Jr., and James Sadd -- Joel A. Tickner -- Sheldon Krimsky and Nora K. Murphy -- Lois Gibbs -- Penn Loh -- Raymond Richard Neutra; title: Devra Lee Davis -- Richard W. Clapp -- Rachel Morello-Frosch, Manuel Pastor Jr., and James Sadd -- Joel A. Tickner -- Sheldon Krimsky and Nora K. Murphy -- Lois Gibbs -- Penn Loh -- Raymond Richard Neutra -- Anjali Garg and Philip J. Landrigan; title: Devra Lee Davis -- Richard W. Clapp -- Rachel Morello-Frosch, Manuel Pastor Jr., and James Sadd -- Joel A. Tickner -- Sheldon Krimsky and Nora K. Murphy -- Lois Gibbs -- Penn Loh -- Raymond Richard Neutra -- Anjali Garg and Philip J. Landrigan -- Michael McCally; title: Devra Lee Davis -- Richard W. Clapp -- Rachel Morello-Frosch, Manuel Pastor Jr., and James Sadd -- Joel A. Tickner -- Sheldon Krimsky and Nora K. Murphy -- Lois Gibbs -- Penn Loh -- Raymond Richard Neutra -- Anjali Garg and Philip J. Landrigan -- Michael McCally -- Gerald Markowitz and David Rosner; title: Devra Lee Davis-- Richard W. Clapp-- Rachel Morello-Frosch, Manuel Pastor Jr., and James Sadd-- Joel A. Tickner-- Sheldon Krimsky and Nora K. Murphy-- Lois Gibbs-- Penn Loh-- Raymond Richard Neutra-- Anjali Garg and Philip J. Landrigan-- Michael McCally-- Gerald Markowitz and David Rosner-- Phil Brown ... [et al.]