There are many factors in the work environment that can influence an individual's health, including air and water quality, chemical exposures, radiation, and mental or physical stress. Poor air quality from pollutants, allergens, and pathogens can increase risks of respiratory illness, while workplace stress can negatively impact mental health. Interventions like emissions regulations, smoking bans, and employer wellness programs have helped improve environmental health risks. However, more can still be done to educate people and reduce health impacts from their environments.

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Fitness and How the Work
Environment Affects Health
Human Variation and Adaption in Living Populations
Shayla McCaffery
Winter 2015

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Fitness and How the Work
Environment Affects Health
Human Variation and Adaptation in Living Populations
Abstract:
There are many factors that influence ones health that a personis exposed to in
different work environments. Stressors in the environment can cause a wide range
of health problems. Some environments have more environmental risk than others.
Among these environmental factors include one’s fitness, physical environment,
air or water hazards and exposures. In addition, electromagnetic exposure,
chemical, biological, social, financial, climate, and politics may have a large
influence on the healthiness of an environment.

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“In Britain in 1995 it was estimated that 2 million people suffered from work
related illnesses with around 20 million working days being lost to ill health (DoH,
1999)” (Fitness Through Exercise). There are many factors that influence one’s
health that a personis exposed to in different work environments.These factors can
cause a range of health complications and problems. There are also different
mediums in which the environment can affect a person. For instance, personal
fitness condition, physical environment, social, finical, climate, politics, and
maternity. All of these cause the employee to go through stress and our bodies
respond in different ways depending on the stressor. Stress causes the bodyto go
through a series of different reactions as a response. These reactions are different
based on the stress, but one’s bodywill have an increased heart rate, muscle
tension, etc when under stress. When stress is over our bodyreturns to
homeostasis. During chronic stress one’s bodyis unable to return to homeostasis.
Chronic stress is harmful to the bodyin a variety of ways, many of which make a
personal more susceptible to illness. According to TheBuilt Environment and
Health: Introducing Individual Space-Time Behavior, “Human behavior depends
on the environment in which it takes place, while in turn people also influence the
environment by their presence and activities. As a part of the environment, people
behave in responseto both physical and social settings. In fact, every individual
not only adapts to his or her physical and social environment but also makes up

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part of the social environment of other individuals. Obviously, there are more
forces affecting both individuals and the environment. Forinstance, businesses and
organizations located in the environment will influence where people travel, while
governments and institutions exercise rules and mechanisms that affect the
behavior of individuals, households, businesses, and organizations. An
understanding of this multi-layered network of interactions is required when
environmental design is intended as an instrument to established desired behavior,
e.g.., to encourage walking and cycling, or to create safer places” (Kim, Searloos,
Timmermans. 2009).
Physical hazards also include exposures to gas and other harmful substances.
Health risk associated with these environmental factors include a variety of cancers
and respiratory diseases. Health problems arise on two levels: first the individual
and secondly environmental which slowly shape a species and the changes in the
species slow evolve (agius.com). The first environmental factor that can influence
one’s health is the individuals current health state. One’s current health is
important to assess, becausethere are some environmental factors that can increase
the risk of certain health complications. For instance, a personwith asthma can
have more difficulty in jobs with poorair quality and high physical demand.
According to agius.com, “Health effects of concernare asthma, bronchitis and
similar lung diseases, and there is good evidence relating an increased risk of

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symptoms of these diseases with increasing concentration of sulphur dioxide,
ozone, and other pollutants” (angis.com). Another example of the importance of
the person’s current health is important when considering a personwho has
obesity. Obesity can cause many additional help problems that make them
susceptible to harmful environmental factors. For instance, the physical demand
and the environments size. Diet, adequate sleep, and adequate housing can also
impact the way environmental factors affect one’s health. Humans function
properly and are able to adapt to stress better when in ideal health. Being in a
better physical shape allows people to adapt to the changes in their environment
better. Forinstance, in high stress situations (Weir, 2011).
Next, there are many environmental factors that cause health problems.
Environmental problems include air quality, water quality, chemical exposure, UV
exposure, and radiation exposure. According to the journal; Indoor Environments
and Health:Moving into the 21st century, “The quality of our indoor environments
affects well-being and productivity, and risk for diverse diseases are increased by
indoor air pollutants, surface contamination with toxins and microbes, and contact
among people at home, work, in transportation, and in many other pubic and
private places” (Kim, Samet, Spengler. 2003). There are many work environments
that increase the risk of health problems due to air quality. Forexample, tobacco
smoke, mold, dust, polyvinyl chloride from construction material, and

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formaldehyde which is also used in construction. According to To the Center for
Spirituality and Healing, “Mold and dust can exacerbate and contribute to the
development of chronic conditions like asthma and allergies. Secondhand smoke in
homes and workplaces poses a significant risk; in fact, the National Cancer
Institute states that of the chemicals identified in secondhand smoke, more than 50
have been found to cause cancer. Poorly ventilated fireplaces and stoves contribute
to your pulmonary disease risk. Common construction materials such as polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) can cause asthma, and formaldehyde (also employed in
homebuilding) can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing;
fatigue; skin rash; serve allergic reactions, and possibly cancer” (Meadows).
According to aguish.com, “Important issues concerning physical hazards include
those relating to health effects of electromagnetic radiation and ionizing radiation.
If one excludes the occupational environment, than nice and other physical hazards
may present a nuisance to many inhabitants, and impair general well being”
(agius.com). All air pollutants are harmful to humans. “Undoubtedly tens of
thousands of deaths have resulted from acute pollution episodes (e.g. the smogs in
large cities in early 1950s). Nowadays some people e.g. asthmatics can be
adversely affected by excursions in levels of urban air pollution (notably ozone) in
some major cities” (agius.com). Places where pollution is more common, inner city
areas and large cities; the more exposure to pollution in the environment.

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According to the journal; Indoor Environments and Health:Moving into the 21st
century, over time there have been changed to reduce the risk of health problems
by changing building ventilation and such. (Samet, Spangler. 2003). There have
also been laws that have been put into place by the Environmental Protection
Agency, to try and improve the horrible condition of pollution in the United States.
For instance, the Clean Air Act, which has put emission regulations on businesses,
cars, plant, essentially anything that releases toxins into the air by creating smoke,
smog, and other air borne chemicals (EPA).
In addition to pollution, there have been recent scares with the spread of
airborne infections. Since the 2001 bioterrorism episodewith Anthrax. This has
increased the awareness that is crucial for improvement.(Samet, Spengler. 2003).
Samet and Spengler’s study that is described in their journal: Indoor Environments
and Health:Moving into the 21st century, “This study yielded the then startling
conclusion that indoor pollution sources are generally a far more significant
contributor to total personal exposures to toxic volatile organic compounds than
are releases by some industrial sources into outdoorair” (Samet, Spengler. 2003).
In addition, Samet and Spengler state “The single most pervasive and harmful
indoor air problem worldwide is the oldest: smoke from fires. Domestic cooking
and heating with biomass fuels of wood, crop residues, dried animal dung, or
charcoal and coalcan producesubstantial indoor concentrations of particles,

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carbonmonoxide, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Accordingto the World
Health Organization’s 2002 report on global burden of disease, the almost daily
exposure to smoke among billions of people, primarily women and young children,
is the 8th leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost, accounting for nearly
3% of the world’s total burden of disease… The current concern about
intentionally introduced viruses and other infections organisms was acts of
bioterrorism will advance research on the role of building ventilation and air
cleaning in the transmission of pathogenic organisms” (Samet, Spengler. 2003).
As we know the climate in which you live in also changes your environment
greatly bothwith the physical atmosphere one lives in but also the choices that a
personmakes. As we know there are different areas where people are exposed to
more UV rays from the sun. Human bodies adapt for the heat and the sun
differently, but people also have to be educated choice in certain environments. For
instance, wearing sunscreen or sunglasses. According to Indoor Environments and
Health: Moving into the 21stCentury, “Even in temperate climates, including that
of the United States, people spend most of their time indoors: at home, at work, in
transportation, and in many other public and private places. The quality of these
environments affects well-being and productivity, and risk for diverse diseases are
increased by indoor air pollutants, surface contamination with toxins and microbes,
and contactamong people in these places” (Samet, Spengler. 2003). Climate can

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also influence one’s behavior in colder environment. In places where there is a lack
of UV exposethere can be certain vitamin deficiencies because the environment
does not allow the necessary amount of exposure.
One’s work environment can have adverse impacts to health. This is due to
the exposure of toxins like smoke, radiation, air borne illness, etc. These risk are
exposed through different mediums like air and water. Environment is not only
physical but also is influenced by the social experiences and but also what stress
you encounter during the daily experiences of daily work. This includes mental
health. According to Out of The Shadows:TheHealth and Well-Being of Private
Contractors Working in Conflict Environments; “Contractors working in conflict
environments are exposed to many of the same combatstressors as military
personnel…These contractors were hired for basesupport, maintenance, logistical
support, transportation, intelligence, communication, construction, and security”
(Burns, Dunigan, Farmer, Hawks, Setodji. 2013). These contractors under went
some of the stressful experiences that soldiers went through. For instance, IUDs
and other combat. United State contractors returned with PTSDjust like soldiers.
“In addition to mental health stressors, contractors may be exposed to physical
health dangers, ranging from respiratory problems to serious, life- changing
injuries” (Burns, Dunigan, Farmer, Hawks, Setodji. 2013). According to How the
environment affects Mental Health, by Michael Rutter: tells that traumatic

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experience, even one’s associated with the job can create or influence different
mental health problems and risk. We know this is true in certain cases like
Soldiers, police, or those injured on the job (Rutter). To second that opinion, the
journal Theimportance of low control at work and homeon depression and
anxiety: do these effects vary by genderand social class?, by Griffen, Fuhrer,
Marmot, and Stansfeld: also tell how the environment and stress impacts mental
health. “…the lack of control in the home and work environments affect depression
and anxiety differently for women and men across three social class groups”
(Griffen, Fuhrer, Marmot, Stansfeld. 2002). This article also mentioned how the
stress of the environment varies due to other social stressorin one’s environments,
these stresses are related to a higher rate of mental and physical illnesses like
depression or anxiety. As mentioned in the previously, stress in one’s environment
can be caused by social factors that one has to live and work in. Forinstance, their
socioeconomic status has associated stressors. Fromthis research stated above, it is
apparent there is a connection between the environments stress and one’s health.
There have been interventions that have occurred in order to make our
environment a healthier place for people to enjoy. For instance, changes to tobacco
laws have reduced the amount of second hand smoke other’s are exposed to. The
Clean Air Act and the associate laws are another example of interventions that
have occurred to help reduce pollution into the environment. As for worker’s

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current health state when beginning a job is being stressed by employers, making
sure their employees are physically fit for the job. Many employers also offer
health and wellness services, for example: massage therapy, gym memberships,
and counseling. According to TheBuilt Environment and Health: Introducing
Individual Space-Time Behavior, “…Choosing the most effective intervention
strategy requires an explicit understanding of how individuals will respond. It is
the task of academic researchers to build up a comprehensive knowledge base of
this individual behavior to inform and influence policy and practice. Given the
documented impacts of the built environment on health behaviors, various
interventions can be considered to influence the way people behave in responseto
the environment in which they live, work, and play. These include actual changes
to the built environment (e.g., providing more opportunities for recreation,
improving access to healthy food, and creating places to accommodate social
events for community members), interventions that address the individuals aimed
at improving attitudes to physical activity, nutrition and social interactions, or
increasing awareness of the health benefits or risk involved), and interventions to
encourage social activities (e.g., community programs to promote physical activity
and healthy food consumption). To support decision-making about health
promotion interventions, studies will need to aim at understanding and predicting
how such interventions will change individual health behaviors in space and time,

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and how this aggregates to population-level health outcomes” (Kim, Searloos,
Timmermans. 2009). In order to make more changes people need to be educated
and aware of the way their environment influences their health and how our
choices also affect our environment.
In conclusion, there are many work environmental factors that influence an
individuals health. Not only with the pollutants, chemicals, and toxins people are
expose to through the air or in the water, or come in close contact with. Radiation,
UV exposure, and other toxins also influence ones health in a work environment.
An individual’s health is also influenced by the mental stress or physical stress that
one is put through regularly, sometimes causing states of chronic stress that causes
additional health problems because one’s bodynever returns to homeostasis.
Interventions have happened through out history, but there is still more to be done
to improve the risk of exposure to certain health risk. Educating people on health
and getting people to improve their current health state also helps them improve
the way they are affected by the environment around them.

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References:
Braedley, S. (2009). How do Work Environments Affect Women's Maternal
Health. Lessons from Canada.
Curry, G. (n.d.). Environmental Influences on Health, Exercise and Fitness.
Retrieved from http://fitnessthroughexercise.com/enviornmental-inflences-health-
fitness.htm
Dunigan, M., & Farmer, C. (n.d.). Out of the shadows: The health and well-being
of private contractors working in conflict environments.
Fowler, L. (2014). Assessing The Framework Of Policy Outcomes:The Case Of
The U.s. Clean Air Act And Clean Water Act. Journal of Environmental
Assessment Policy and Management, 1450034-1450034.

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Griffin, J., Fuhrer, R., Stansfeld, S., & Marmot, M. (n.d.). The Importance Of Low
Control At Work And Home On Depression And Anxiety: Do These Effects Vary
By Gender And Social Class? Social Science & Medicine, 783-798.
Samet, J., & Spengler, J. (n.d.). IndoorEnvironments and Health: Moving Into the
21st Century. American Journal of Public Health, 1489-1493.
Saarloos, D., Kim, J., & Timmermans, H. (n.d.). The Built Environment and
Health: Introducing Individual Space-Time Behavior. International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health, 1724-1743.
The Exercise Effect. (n.d.). American Psychological Association. Retrieved March
12, 2015, from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/12/exercise.aspx
Meadows, C. (n.d.). How Does Your Personal Environment Impact Your
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2015, from http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-your-
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environment-impa
What effects can the Environment have on Health. (n.d.). Retrieved March 12,
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