The environmental factors that accelerate aging are those that influence either damage of cellular macro- molecules, or interfere with their repair. Prominent among these are chronic inflammation, chronic infection, some metallic chemicals, ultraviolet light, and others that heighten oxidative stress.
Environmental fall‐related risks include environmental factors such as slippery or uneven surfaces, clutter, poor lighting, poor footwear, step hazards, unsafe rails, and loose mats (Clemson 1999; Stevens 2014; Todd 2007).
The environmental risk factors include pollution, radiation, noise, land use patterns, work environment, and climate change. Early life exposure to environmental risks such as chemicals, radiation, and air pollutants might increase NCD risk throughout the life course.
Temperature, oxygen, pH, water activity, pressure, radiation, lack of nutrients…these are the primary ones.
What are 4 major environmental factors? Four major environmental factors that affect a business are the economic, social, political, and technological factors. Economic factors include things like interest rates and inflation rates. Social factors include things like culture and demographics.
Air, water, climate, soil, natural vegetation and landforms are all environmental factors. By definition, the environmental factors affect everyday living, and play a key role in bringing health differences across the geographic areas.
Pollutants in the environment or climate-related events can have a massive impact on our health. Air and noise pollution, and heavy metals like mercury are directly related to health issues like asthma, hearing loss, dehydration and heart diseases.
Environmental causes of chronic disease are increasingly implicated, as elements of the built and social environments are generally recognized, along with environmental contaminants in air, soil, and water, as important influences on chronic disease development.
Air pollution can increase the risk of heart attacks for older adults, especially those who are diabetic or obese. It can worsen conditions like asthma and COPD. Exposure to ground-level ozone can also harm lung functioning.
Age-related loss of muscle mass (known as sarcopenia), problems with balance and gait, and blood pressure that drops too much when you get up from lying down or sitting (called postural hypotension) are all risk factors for falling.
For example, higher education levels may help preserve cognitive function and reduce the risk for dementia. Living near green spaces, such as parks and gardens, is also linked with higher cognitive function. In contrast, long-term exposure to air pollution raises the risk of dementia.
Common conditions in older age include hearing loss, cataracts and refractive errors, back and neck pain and osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression and dementia. As people age, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time.
Research has shown that older adults residing in areas with environmental barriers, such as poor sidewalk conditions, high hills, and heavy traffic, are at a greater risk of reporting mobility limitations [17,20].
The rapid aging of populations around the world presents an unprecedented set of challenges: shifting disease burden, increased expenditure on health and long-term care, labor-force shortages, dissaving, and potential problems with old-age income security.
Modifiable cancer risk factors include health behaviors and lifestyle factors (e.g., tobacco and alcohol use, obesity). Environmental risk factors for cancer such as radiation, infectious agents and workplace exposures may be non-modifiable or modifiable.
Childhood stroke is most common during the first year of life, but can occur any time throughout childhood or adolescence. Each year, about 11 in 100,000 children from birth through age 18 experience a stroke. Boys and African-American children are at a higher risk for stroke than other groups of children.
Across multiple environments, unhealthy environments are those that threaten safety, that undermine the creation of social ties, and that are conflictual, abusive, or violent.
Rising temperatures, polluted water, and shrinking forests put people, wildlife, and the planet at risk. These challenges are not only future concerns—they are happening now and affect our daily lives. Climate change is one of the biggest threats. It causes extreme weather, rising sea levels, and hotter temperatures.
Environmental pollutants can cause health problems like respiratory diseases, heart disease, and some types of cancer. People with low incomes are more likely to live in polluted areas and have unsafe drinking water. And children and pregnant women are at higher risk of health problems related to pollution.
The environment can facilitate or discourage interactions among people (and the subsequent benefits of social support). For example, an inviting space with comfortable chairs and privacy can encourage a family to stay and visit with a patient. The environment can influence peoples' behavior and motivation to act.