HS 3400 Final Test Study Set
What policy issues does the bite of blood case adress? - Answer - role of evidence
- framing of issues
- screening
- policy trade-offs
- cost-effectiveness analysis
- ethics (precautionary principle)
- federal-provincial roles and responsibilities
What is environmental health - Answer the theory and practice of assessing, correcting,
controlling, and preventing those factors in the environment that can potentially affect
adversely the health of present and future generations
Naylor Report (2003) - Answer - policy document related to the sars virus
- critical of public health practice and underfunded
- said that sars won't be the only emerging infectious disease and that they're getting
here faster
West Nile Virus - Answer - spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito (bridge
vector)
- became a disease of significance in 2003
- only serious is a small proportion of population (80% asymptomatic) - mostly older
people
- the risk posed by vector species is the focus as to when we should do something and if
its worth it since few are affected
- climate and weather dependent
Framing of the West Nile Virus - Answer - frame it from the perspective of testing and
screening
- nature of the condition
- risk to blood supply
- zero tolerance (precautionary principle)
- costs of doing something vs not doing something - places a dollar value on human life
, precautionary principle - Answer - the expectation in aspects of civil society
- if you think there is a possibility of harm there is an expectation to do something about
it (eg. drinking and driving or slips and falls and reducing those risks)
- lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing
cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation (can't be certain
something bad won't happen)
- engaging in advantageous behaviours rather than detrimental
- a useful tool in raising awareness and determining aspects of human culture that are
and are not sustainable
Precautionary principle; principles (5) - Answer 1. Proportionality - protection measures
are in proportion to the risks
2. Non-discrimination - comparable situations should be treated in the same way unless
there are grounds for doing so (eg. respond in same way for all people like men and
women)
3. Consistency - measures should be of comparable scope/nature to those already taken
in similar areas where scientific data are available
4. Examining costs and benefits - comparing costs of an action and lack of action in both
short and long term; not just economic cost-benefit analysis
5. Subject to review - in light of new scientific data, the protection should be maintained
(when discover new info, need to still be flexible)
Precautionary principle in principle - Answer - If hazards are well established and
supported by scientific evidence, precautionary action is almost always going to receive
consensus support (supported by population)
"When there are significant gaps in the scientific understanding of hazards,
precautionary regulatory policies and recommendations to consumers are often
controversial".
Risk management science - Answer - data is constantly evaluated
- preventing the hazard from becoming a risk
- risk assessment to risk management
Example of risk management: Failure modes and effective analysis - Answer - identifies
hazards and exposures of regular care provided
- failure modes (what could go wrong?)
- failure causes (why would the failure happen?)
What policy issues does the bite of blood case adress? - Answer - role of evidence
- framing of issues
- screening
- policy trade-offs
- cost-effectiveness analysis
- ethics (precautionary principle)
- federal-provincial roles and responsibilities
What is environmental health - Answer the theory and practice of assessing, correcting,
controlling, and preventing those factors in the environment that can potentially affect
adversely the health of present and future generations
Naylor Report (2003) - Answer - policy document related to the sars virus
- critical of public health practice and underfunded
- said that sars won't be the only emerging infectious disease and that they're getting
here faster
West Nile Virus - Answer - spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito (bridge
vector)
- became a disease of significance in 2003
- only serious is a small proportion of population (80% asymptomatic) - mostly older
people
- the risk posed by vector species is the focus as to when we should do something and if
its worth it since few are affected
- climate and weather dependent
Framing of the West Nile Virus - Answer - frame it from the perspective of testing and
screening
- nature of the condition
- risk to blood supply
- zero tolerance (precautionary principle)
- costs of doing something vs not doing something - places a dollar value on human life
, precautionary principle - Answer - the expectation in aspects of civil society
- if you think there is a possibility of harm there is an expectation to do something about
it (eg. drinking and driving or slips and falls and reducing those risks)
- lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing
cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation (can't be certain
something bad won't happen)
- engaging in advantageous behaviours rather than detrimental
- a useful tool in raising awareness and determining aspects of human culture that are
and are not sustainable
Precautionary principle; principles (5) - Answer 1. Proportionality - protection measures
are in proportion to the risks
2. Non-discrimination - comparable situations should be treated in the same way unless
there are grounds for doing so (eg. respond in same way for all people like men and
women)
3. Consistency - measures should be of comparable scope/nature to those already taken
in similar areas where scientific data are available
4. Examining costs and benefits - comparing costs of an action and lack of action in both
short and long term; not just economic cost-benefit analysis
5. Subject to review - in light of new scientific data, the protection should be maintained
(when discover new info, need to still be flexible)
Precautionary principle in principle - Answer - If hazards are well established and
supported by scientific evidence, precautionary action is almost always going to receive
consensus support (supported by population)
"When there are significant gaps in the scientific understanding of hazards,
precautionary regulatory policies and recommendations to consumers are often
controversial".
Risk management science - Answer - data is constantly evaluated
- preventing the hazard from becoming a risk
- risk assessment to risk management
Example of risk management: Failure modes and effective analysis - Answer - identifies
hazards and exposures of regular care provided
- failure modes (what could go wrong?)
- failure causes (why would the failure happen?)
