Assessment 2 Environmental Risk Assessment

Instructions:
Choose a SPECIFIC geographical region (such as a city or suburb) facing ONE of the following environmental
health issues:
 Water(safe drinking water or ambient/environmental water)
 Sanitation (wastewatercontrol)
 Air quality (indoor oroutdoor)
 Solid wastemanagement
 Hazardous/toxic substances
 Noise
 Disasters
 Food safety
 Traffic accidents
 Vector-borne disease
 Climate andgeography
 Housing and the builtenvironment
Please address the following:
Part 1: Use the WHO (1999) DPSEEA framework (http://www.who.int/wssd/resources/
indicators/en/ Chapter 7) to describe the Driving forces, Pressures, State changes, Exposures,
and Effects relevant to the public health problem faced by the population living in your chosen
geographical area.
In your explanation, consider any populations that are disproportionately affected by the
problem, and any social, political or economic influences on the issue that aren’t captured by
the DPSEEA framework.

Part 2: Write a summary that describes:
• How the environmental health issue is currently being managed.
• What are the legislative and regulatory measures intended to control this health
risk at the federal and state level?
• What is the role of existing health agencies and other agencies, key stakeholders
including community groups, critical infrastructure?

• Evidence-based recommendations for addressing gaps in current policy, regulation and
management for this environmental health issue.

Assessment Criteria:
Assignments will be assessed in terms of the extent to which students demonstrate:
• Knowledge and understanding of evidence-based approaches to environmental risk
assessment and management (25%)
• Critical analysis of the driving forces (economic, social, political, institutional,
developmental) behind the environmental determinants; the impact of the environmental
risk on the geographic population; and equity issues associated with the environmental
risk (30%)
• Understanding of current policies, regulation, and management of the issue, and use of
evidence to make recommendations for improvements (25%)
• General Assessment Criteria (20%)
o Provides a lucid introduction
o Shows a sophisticated understanding of the key issues
o Shows ability to interpret relevant information and literature in relation to
chosen topic
o Demonstrates a capacity to explain and apply relevant concepts
o Shows evidence of reading beyond the required readings
o Justifies any conclusions reached with well-formed arguments and not merely
assertions
o Provides a conclusion orsummary
o Correctly uses academic writing, presentation and grammar:
▪ Complies with academic standards of legibility, referencing and
bibliographical details (including reference list)
▪ Writes clearly, with accurate spelling and grammar as well as proper
sentence and paragraph construction
▪ Uses appropriate APA style for citing and referencing research