A presentation on Guiding the Public Health Nursing Curriculum
by Ann H Cary PhD MPH RN A-CCC
Loyola University New Orleans

Water and Curriculum APHA

Presented at the American Public Health Association to the Quad council on November 8, 2009.Water and Curriculum APHA

Policies and Practices:

• Brenda Afzal
• Laura Anderko
• Catherine Dodd
• Kristin Welker Hood

Scientific Understanding:

• Wade Hill

Serving Communities

• Barbara Sattler

Education/Communication

• Stephanie Chalupka

Chemical Emergencies

• Kathy Curtis

Today WVE released Disinfectant Overkill, a report exposing the links between the overuse of disinfectant chemicals and serious health impacts such as asthma, immune system problems, hormone imbalance, and potential reduced fertility. The report also details safer ways to keep your home clean and your family healthy, including non-antibacterial soap and water for routine cleaning jobs, and recommends less toxic alternatives such as vinegar and borax, which have natural anti-bacterial properties, for use in place of harsh chemicals. Disinfectant chemicals are effective at killing germs, but given their associated health risks, they should be used sparingly. You can read Disinfectant Overkill and download the fact sheet at www.womenandenvironment.org/disinfectants.

We’ve also developed some fun engagement tools around the report. Test your knowledge of disinfectants with WVE’s Disinfectants Mythbusters Quiz, and then watch the Disinfectants Horror Show on YouTube and pass it on to friends and family members.  Please see the press release below for more details.

Contact: Ali Solomon, Women’s Voices for the Earth

ali@womenandenvironment.org,  406-543-3747

Sian Wu, sian@resource-media.org, 206-374-7795 x102

New Report Links Disinfecting Chemicals with Chronic Disease: Overuse of Disinfectants Could be Harmful

MISSOULA, Mont. – A new report released today links disinfectant chemicals with chronic illnesses and conditions such as asthma, hormone imbalance, and immune system problems. The report, “Disinfectant Overkill: How Too Clean May Be Hazardous to Our Health,” was released by the national environmental health group Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE), and cites more than 40 peer-reviewed reports and scientific studies that illustrate the health impacts of chemicals found in household disinfectants.

WVE assessed the potential health hazards of five classes of antimicrobial chemicals, and expressed concern about the prevalent overuse of products containing these chemicals by consumers. Chemicals reviewed in the report include chlorine bleach, ammonia, Triclosan and Triclocarban, ammonium quarternary compounds, and nano-silver.

According to the report, studies have found Triclosan and Triclocarban, chemicals commonly used in antibacterial soap, in the bodies of nearly 75 percent of people tested. Studies show the two chemicals may have hormone-disrupting effects, which means they change the activity of hormones in the body. For example, Triclocarban appears to amplify testosterone in the body, while Triclosan has been shown to interfere with communication between cells in the brain and the heart.

Antimicrobial products are effective at killing germs, but WVE is concerned by research that links the harsh chemicals in these cleaners to serious health problems. “Just as you wouldn’t use a sledgehammer to kill a fly, we’re advocating for people to use disinfecting products only when the situation calls for them,” says WVE Executive Director Erin Switalski.  “Consumers need to know that the harsh chemicals found in disinfectants are simply too strong for everyday use all over the house.”

Disinfectants are a growing sector of business for cleaning product manufacturers. The industry has seen significant growth in recent years, and analysts project that the global disinfectant market will reach $2.5 billion by 2012.

“Companies are working hard to convince consumers, and especially moms, that they need to regularly disinfect every surface in their homes to protect their families from illness. But that’s simply not true and it may not be healthy,” says WVE staff scientist and report author Alexandra Scranton. “We’re not saying you should never disinfect your home, but we’re encouraging consumers to go back to basics for cleaning, with less of a focus on disinfection and more on non-toxic cleaners and a little elbow grease.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccination and frequent hand washing with hot water and regular soap is the best way to prevent infection and illness.

“Antimicrobial chemicals available in the home today were initially developed for hospital and clinical settings, but for the vast majority of people, the home does not need to be as sterile as an operating room,” Says Susan Luck, RN, director of the Integrative Nursing Institute.

The overuse of antimicrobial chemicals has also been linked to the creation of drug-resistant bacteria, or “superbugs,” which are bacteria and viruses that have become resistant to the antimicrobial compounds and antibiotic drugs developed to control them.

“Even when used as directed, these chemicals inadvertently end up polluting our bodies and our environment,” says Ann Blake, PhD, University of California Berkeley Extension Instructor.  The report cites a study that found that microbes in lake water adapted and became resistant to some ammonium quaternary compounds, a family of chemicals commonly found in disinfectant sprays and toilet cleaners.

The report contains information on how to reduce usage of disinfecting products as well as suggestions for non-toxic cleaning alternatives. It also provides an index of cleaning products that contain the disinfecting chemicals of concern.

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Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) is a national organization that engages women to advocate for the right to live in a healthy environment. WVE seeks to reduce and ultimately eliminate environmental pollutants that cause health problems for women, their families and communities. To this end, WVE creates opportunities for women to influence environmental decision-making. For more information, visit www.womenandenvironment.org.

Last year, we (Anna Gilmore-Hall from Health Care Without Harm and Barbara Sattler from University of Maryland) agreed to be editors of a specially dedicated environmental health  issue for an upcoming Nursing Administration Quarterly journal. Nursing Administration Quarterly (NAQ). This is a peer-reviewed journal that provides nursing managers and administrators with practical, up-to-date information on the effective management of nursing services in a range of health care settings. Published 4 times per year, each issue focuses on a selected topic providing an in depth look at the many aspects of nursing administration. So now, all of a sudden it is here!

We are responsible for soliciting manuscripts for the journal, as well as reviewing unsolicited manuscripts. We will have about 175 pages that we are responsible for. Manuscripts will be due on  April 1, 2010. There are also other opportunities – including providing suggestions to the journal for their regular column topics (recent news, regulation and legislation, new book reviews, informatics etc. etc.).  Read more…

Dear Nursing Colleagues and Friends,

Last year, we (Anna Gilmore-Hall from Health Care Without Harm and Barbara Sattler from University of Maryland) agreed to be editors of a specially dedicated environmental health  issue for an upcoming Nursing Administration Quarterly journal. Nursing Administration Quarterly (NAQ). This is a peer-reviewed journal that provides nursing managers and administrators with practical, up-to-date information on the effective management of nursing services in a range of health care settings. Published 4 times per year, each issue focuses on a selected topic providing an in depth look at the many aspects of nursing administration. So now, all of a sudden it is here!

We are responsible for soliciting manuscripts for the journal, as well as reviewing unsolicited manuscripts. We will have about 175 pages that we are responsible for. Manuscripts will be due on  April 1, 2010. There are also other opportunities – including providing suggestions to the journal for their regular column topics (recent news, regulation and legislation, new book reviews, informatics etc. etc.).

We have the opportunity to include some articles that are general to the topic of environmental health as well as those that are directly related to the role of administrator/managers.   If you would like to discuss an idea that you might have for an article, feel free to contact us by phone or email.

We hope that many of you will consider submitting an article.   As a peer-reviewed journal the articles will be archivable and therefore retrievable when someone  does a literature search so we imagine that these articles will often be read by nurses who are looking for information about environmental health and nursing.

Here are examples of some of the topics we thought would be of interest:   The regenerative hospital, climate change and impact on health (US and global perspectives); green teams; changing culture within health care systems; economics of sustainability within facilities and within communities; safer chemicals policy; impact of sustainable food on patients and communities; role of nurses as change agents around sustainability; as well as other ideas.

To learn more about the journal www.naqjournal.com

Author guidelines at www.NAQjournal.com

We look forward to hearing from you!!!

Anna Gilmore Hall, RN,CAE
Executive Director
Health Care Without Harm
1901 N Moore St., Suite 509
Arlington, VA 22209
ph:   (703) 243-0056 X 29
Fax:  (703) 243-4008
agilmorehall@hcwh.org
www.noharm.org

Barbara Sattler, RN, DrPH, FAAN
Professor and Director
Environmental Health Education Center
University of Maryland School of Nursing
655 W. Lombard St, Rm 665
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 706-1849
bsattler@son.umaryland.edu
www.enviRN.umaryland.edu

Lillian Mood

The following is an excerpt from a presentation to Quad Council of the American Public Health Association by Lillian Mood, RN, MPH, FAAN; Lillian spoke on the issue of water and public health.

One of the strengths of our PHN (Public Health Nurses ) Section is its inclusiveness—a refusal to be insulated, the desire to be connected and to make partners of all who share our mission, our passion for championing the public’s health—the health of people and the connection between health and the conditions in which we live.

Connection is a key word.  One of the first basic principles I was taught by my colleagues in environmental health was “Everything is connected to everything else.”  There is no better illustration of that truth than the topic of this session and this entire APHA conference —WATER.

For the full presentation click here: Lillian Mood’s Presentation

With Thanksgiving just two short weeks away, you’re probably thinking about holiday cooking. At EWG, we are too. So we put together this month’s Healthy Home Tip to help you find safer cookware.

We think you should be able to cook a meal without the risk of filling your kitchen with toxic fumes. Don’t you?

Learn about non-stick cookware — why it’s toxic and how to clear the air in your kitchen.

Visit our Healthy Home Tips page to learn:

• Why you should skip the non-stick;
• How to cook with non-stick if you’re stuck with it;
• What safer cookware to choose;
• Other ways people are exposed to PFCs (perfluorinated chemicals).

P.S. Interested in safer cookware for Thanksgiving? Order it at Amazon using this link, and a portion of your purchase will go to EWG!

The Environmental Protection Agencies Office of Environmental Justice recently announced $ 1 million for up to 40 grants at $25,000 for each grant.

Proposals Due January 8th, 2010.

To learn more got to: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/ej/grants/ej-smgrants.html

• EPA Begins New Scientific Evaluation of Atrazine

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is launching a new comprehensive evaluation of the pesticide atrazine to determine its effects on humans. At the end of this process, the agency will decide whether to revise its current risk assessment of the pesticide and whether new restrictions are necessary to better protect public health.  One of the most widely used agricultural pesticides in the U.S., atrazine can be applied before and after planting to control broadleaf and grassy weeds. EPA will evaluate the pesticide’s potential cancer and non-cancer effects on humans. Included in this new evaluation will be the most recent studies on atrazine and its potential association with birth defects, low birth weight, and premature births. More information visit: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/atrazine/atrazine_update.htm

• The Collaborative on Health and the Environment’s (CHE), Published  Work on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

The Collaborative on Health and The Environment’s (CHE), Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI) has just published their latest Practice Prevention column. The focus is on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The information is drawn from the seminal scientific statement recently published by the Endocrine Society among other resources, and provides a succinct overview of what EDCs are, where you find them, how they may affect your health, and how to avoid them. Please see: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/working_groups/learning or the direct link to the PDF: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/?module=uploads&func=download&fileId=773

• EPA Releases Guide to Help Scientists Understand Children’s Exposure to Pollutants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released a user-friendly document to help risk assessors understand how children are exposed to pollution. The document, titled “Highlights of the Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook,” serves as a quick-reference guide to the more comprehensive “Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook,” published by EPA in 2008. It will serve as an additional resource for those who work on children’s health issues, which the agency has been highlighting during Children’s Health Month.

EPA developed the reference guide to provide important information necessary for answering questions about exposure through drinking water, breathing, and eating foods, such as:

• How much exposure to environmental pollutants might children get if they live or play near contaminated sites?
• How much dirt from a child’s hands might s/he inadvertently eat?
• How much of a child’s exposure to various pollutants might come from skin contact?
• Which age groups (childhood life stages) may inhale or ingest the most and thus may be at higher risks?

More information on the documents: http://www.epa.gov/childexpfactors/highlights

Have you ever wondered whether cleaning supplies used in our homes and schools contain toxic chemicals? Are they safe for your family’s health?

At EWG, we did. So, we tested some popular conventional and green cleaning supplies to see what’s in them and whether those ingredients are safe.

Check out our report — you’ll learn more about the products we tested, the 457 chemicals they released into the air, and how you can limit your exposures.

What’s the problem with cleaning supplies?

The shocking truth is that nearly any chemical can legally be used in cleaners, and ingredient lists are not required on labels. Our health, and the health of our children, is at risk when we breathe air clouded with chemicals, including some that can cause asthma and are known or possible carcinogens.

Get EWG’s tips for simple but effective things you can do at home and at school.

It’s smart to make some basic changes to clear the air. Get EWG’s tips and tools to switch to greener cleaning:

•             Clean with greener products at home and use safer supplies and practices.

•             Find tools to help you work effectively with your child’s school, including a fact sheet about certified green cleaners and a sample letter to get the conversation started.

•             Get answers in our FAQ: We answer common questions about chemicals in cleaning supplies and their possible effects on your health.

Read EWG’s full report to learn more about the link between cleaning supplies and your health, to see our product test results, and to find out what you can do to make the air in classrooms and homes a whole lot cleaner.