世界衛生組織調查報告指出,全球有超過33%低於五歲的孩童因環境因素而罹病;而若避免環境風險的發生,每年將可拯救約400萬孩童的性命。而如果同時考慮孩童和成人的話,有24%的疾病是因暴露在可避免的不良環境而引起。
該報告開啟了新的一頁,讓人們對環境與健康的交互關係更加認識。世衛組織說,這份報告可說是當前最有力的證據,顯示環境與健康在85個類別的疾病和傷害上是相關的。
世衛組織代理總幹事諾斯頓(Anders Nordstrom)說:「這份報告說明了,創造一個支持性環境是一項明智的投資,不僅可增進健康,也是能促進永續發展的成功策略。」
這份報告名為《以健康的環境來預防疾病—邁向疾病的環境負擔的評估》(Preventing Disease Through Healthy Environment-Towards an Estimate of the Environmental Burden of Disease),是至今最完整、最具系統性的一項研究,旨在研究可預防的環境危害,是如何促成許多疾病及傷害。
參與者有100多位來自世界各地的專家,並經過系統性的文獻整理與回顧,才得出這份報告。報告中明確指出一些廣為人知的環境危害如何和特定疾病相關,以及相關連的程度。
報告指出,由不良環境引起的四個最主要疾病分別為:佔第一大死因的腹瀉、死亡率第二高的下呼吸道感染、各類型非故意傷害(unintentional injuries)、以及瘧疾。其中因腹瀉相關疾病所造成的死亡超過94%,因瘧疾而致死案例佔40%;這兩項死因是全世界孩童最大的殺手,都可以藉由更好的環境管理來預防。
「這份新的報告是第一次顯示出,環境風險是如何的影響特定的疾病及傷害的發生,及其影響的程度。事實上,我們已有依據健康和環境所擬出最迫切需要解決的問題的目標清單。」世衛組織公共衛生和環境部門執行長尼拉(Maria Neira)如此表示。
要閱讀《以健康的環境來預防疾病—邁向疾病的環境負擔的評估》報告及摘要,請按這裡。
Globally, more than 33 percent of disease in children under the age of five is caused by environmental exposures, the World Health Organization WHO said in a sweeping report issued today. The lives of as many as four million children a year could be saved by preventing environmental risk, the world health body concludes.
Taking children and adults together, as much as 24 percent of disease is caused by environmental exposures that could be averted by targeted interventions, the WHO report shows.
The analysis breaks new ground in understanding the interactions between environment and health. WHO says it presents the best evidence available today on environmental links to health in 85 categories of disease and injury.
"This will help us to demonstrate that wise investment to create a supportive environment can be a successful strategy in improving health and achieving development that is sustainable," said Dr. Anders Nordstrom, acting WHO director-general.
The report, "Preventing disease through healthy environments - towards an estimate of the environmental burden of disease," is the most comprehensive and systematic study yet undertaken on how preventable environmental hazards contribute to a wide range of diseases and injuries.
Surveys of over 100 experts worldwide and systematic review of literature went into the report, which identifies specific diseases impacted by certain well-known environmental hazards - and by how much.
The four main diseases influenced by poor environments are diarrhea, the biggest killer; lower respiratory infections, the second most deadly; various forms of unintentional injuries not due to road traffic, and malaria.
More than 94 percent of deaths from diarrheal diseases, and 40 percent of deaths from malaria - two of the world's biggest childhood killers, could be prevented through better environmental management, the report indicates.
"For the first time, this new report shows how specific diseases and injuries are influenced by environmental risks and by how much," said Dr. Maria Neira, director of WHO's Department for Public Health and Environment. "In effect, we now have a hit list for problems we need to tackle most urgently in terms of health and the environment," she said.
To read the report and executive summary, "Preventing Disease Through Healthy Environments: towards an estimate of the environmental burden of disease," click here.