Twenty-fourth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

Introduction of harmful pollutants into the environment, whether natural or human made, can damage the quality of air, water, land, and built environment. Inequitable exposure to environmental pollutants (e.g., air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, noise pollution, radioactive pollution, and pharmaceutical pollution) among communities of color and marginalized populations nationally and globally fuels health disparities and threatens health equity. Social determinants of health are largely responsible for health inequities, or unfair and avoidable differences in health status between countries and between different groups of people within the same country. Addressing underlying determinants of health is necessary to overcome inequities that result in health disparities. Throughout the world, people that suffer the most from environmental pollution often contribute the least to the problem. Environmental conditions play a key role in producing and maintaining health disparities. Environmental pollution in the context of health disparities encourages the examination of how environmental racism and injustice intensifies inequities in exposure to environmental pollutants among communities of color and marginalized populations, increases risk for disease and mortality and threatens health equity. This paper discusses environmental injustice and health disparities with a focus on case study examples from around the world, including from Indigenous peoples and communities in North America and countries within Africa. Policy, public health, health system, and community-engaged approaches are also explored to address the inequitable sharing of environmental risk burdens and effects of environmental degradation and promote health equity.