An analysis of the associations between chemical threats in the physical environment and human health outcomes in Soweto,South Africa

• Main Author: Stokes, Shereitte C., IV
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center 2004
• Subjects: International and Area Studies
• Online Access: http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/1552; http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3186&context=dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between chemical threats in the physical environment and adverse health conditions among the residents of Soweto, South Africa. The chemical threats that were used in the analysis included lead, nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (S02), and a chemical compound composed of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and various metal cations (asbestos). The adverse health outcomes and symptoms included heart attack or angina, stroke, emphysema/bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis, cancer, less breath, short of breath, wheezing or tightness of chest, wheezing only with a cold, sleep interrupted by coughing, sleep interrupted by wheezing with cough and phlegm, and phlegm everyday for three months. The study demonstrated that, based on the available data, there are no statistically significant associations between exposure to chemical threats in the physical environment and adverse health outcomes in Soweto, South Africa. The study also demonstrated the importance of contributing factors and how limitations of the data on exposure to chemical threats and human health outcomes impacted statistical analysis. Further areas for investigation include analyzing exposure to agrichemicals and other chemicals; the role of the social environment and its impact on human health conditions; and the availability of data on chemical threats in the physical environment and adverse health conditions among the residents of Soweto, South Africa.