Biological threats: A Health Response for Ireland

In the light of recent worldwide events it is clear that there is a need in this and every country for preparedness for dealing with people who have been exposed to or infected with agents associated with bioterrorism. It seems unlikely that a country such as Ireland would be the target of a primary bioterrorist attack. It is more likely that those who have been covertly exposed to bioterrorist agents abroad could enter this country before they develop signs of illness and could have their illness diagnosed in this country. Due to the high infectivity of many of the diseases associated with these bioterrorist agents it is necessary to have protocols in place to deal with all contingencies. Download document here

Burden of Disease: Environmental Inequalities

A report on Environmental Inequalities in the UK. Part of the Burden of disease. A clean and healthy environment is a vital component of public health. This is particularly so for children. They are more sensitive to most stressors during development and growth and receive relatively more exposure than adults due to behaviour patterns, lack of awareness, size and biological metabolisms.A study of the contribution of environmental pollutants to the incidence, prevalence, mortality and costs of four categories of paediatric disease in American children estimated total annual costs to be $54.9 billion comprising $43.4 billion for lead poisoning, $2.0 billion for asthma, $0.3 billion for childhood cancer, and $9.2 billion for neurobehavioral disorders; 2.8 % of total U.S. health care costs. As well as childhood conditions, some adult diseases, even those that emerge much later in life, e.g. hypertension, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, breast cancer and prostate cancer have some of their origins in utero and childhood. Childhood exposures to environmental health hazards may therefore constitute a source of inequity between generations .