Community Assessment: Air Pollution in Bakersfield - Assignment Example

?Community assessment: Air pollution in Bakersfield Introduction There are many health problems in our communities today. These problems put the lives of the residents in danger. One of the most serious health problems facing our communities today is air pollution. Despite measures that have been taken to reduce air pollution, people are still breathing in contaminated air. Air pollution is caused by engine exhausts, burning of fossil oils in factories, petroleum refineries, pesticides, mining activities, and agricultural activities, among others. People contract and die from air pollution related ailments every day. This assessment aims to discuss the problem of air pollution and how it impacts on the health of the community. Community Bakersfield lies south of the San Joaquin Valley. It is one of the communities seriously affected by ozone and particle pollution. Many people die every year because of pollution related ailments. Pollution in Bakersfield mostly comes from San Joaquin Valley where petroleum refining activities and agricultural activities like agricultural burning take place. Pollution in this community is also caused by emissions from diesel trucks and buses which are used for transporting goods. These activities impact negatively on the health of the community residents. Demographic and Epidemiological data According to the 2010 census report, Bakersfield has a population of about 347,483 people. It marked a 41 percent growth to become the ninth largest city in California. 48.6 percent of the population is male while 51.4 percent is female. The greatest number of the population is between 35 to 44 years while the least is from 85 years and above. The population consists of people from different races including whites, Blacks, Asians Hispanics, among others. Whites constitute the largest number of the population. There are about 88,262 housing units in Bakersfield.94.5 percent of them are occupied while 5.5 percent are vacant. Out of the occupied housing units, 60.5 percent are occupied by their owners while 39.5 percent are rented. The quality of life index in Bakersfield is 180 while that of California is 156 and that of USA is 100. The air pollution index is 87 for Bakersfield, 98 for California and 100 for USA. Bakersfield has the highest rate of air pollution compared to other cities in the United States. This city had the second highest rate of ozone pollution after Los Angeles. These high levels of pollution put Bakersfield residents at a higher risk of contracting respiratory ailments than those in other cities in the United States. Residents of Bakersfield often suffer from valley fever, which is caused by inhaling of contaminated soil and dust. This disease also affects animals. The contamination of the air results from the agricultural activities that go on in the San Joaquin Valley. When the ground is disturbed, the dust rises in the air and is inhaled by people and animals leading to the infection. New infections occur seasonally and are motivated by the temperature, humidity, rainfall and wind. The highest rates of infection occur during the hot and dry season when dust storms occur. Infections also occur when the ground is disturbed during agriculture, mining, and other activities. The disease has more serious effects on people with weak immune systems and those in late stages of pregnancy. This disease is most common in Bakersfield because of its close proximity with the San Joaquin Valley. This infection is more prevalent in San Joaquin valley than in any other place in the United States. Therefore, there is a serious air pollution problem in this community which needs to be addressed in order to stop putting the lives of the residents in danger. Windshield Survey In Bakersfield there are several facilities in the community including schools, churches, health facilities and recreational facilities. Houses are affordable to the residents. The average cost of houses is about $263,000 and the monthly rent is about $732. Bakersfield community has several education facilities. There are 56 elementary schools, 15 high schools and 17 junior high schools. There are also vocational schools, an adult school, two continuation high schools, one state university and one community college. There are about 300 churches in Bakersfield. They are of different types including Anglican, Apostolic, Baptist, Baptist-Independent, Baptist-missionary, Episcopal, full gospel, Roman Catholic, and Lutheran churches, among others. These facilities provide an avenue where the members of the community can be enlightened about the causes, impacts and strategies of reducing air pollution. There are various recreational facilities in Bakersfield including parks and community centers. There are approximately 581 health and medical facilities in Bakersfield. They constitute hospitals, blood banks, pharmacies, drugstores, medical laboratories, hospices, among others. Therefore, the residents have access to medical attention whenever they have health problems. They can also get information from the health facilities about the implications of air pollution on their health. The Bakersfield residents are exposed to various health and environmental hazards. Firstly, the high rate of air pollution in the area puts the residents at the risk of getting respiratory problems. There are also many risks involved in petroleum mining including fires and inhaling of toxic fumes. Problem Air pollution is a very serious problem for the residents of Bakersfield community. The economic activities that take place in San Joaquin Valley like agriculture, petroleum extraction and transportation have led to high rates of pollution of the air in this community. This problem needs to be addressed in line with the Healthy People 2020 objective of environmental health. The aim of this objective is to ensure that we live in a healthy environment in order to promote health. This is because our environment determines the years of healthy life and quality of life that we live. One of the themes of the environmental health objective is the quality of outdoor air. Air pollution brings about various health problems like cancer, premature death and cardiovascular and respiratory ailments. The valley fever which is common in people from this neighborhood is also caused by air pollution. Therefore, these goals need to be embraced and implemented in order to improve the health of the community (Holgate, 1999). Historical significance Bakersfield is one of the most polluted cities in the United States. This is mostly caused by agricultural operations and fuel emissions from vehicles in the San Joaquin valley. Air pollution has been a serious problem in this community for along time. The problem of smog was detected in 1943 which impaired visibility and caused symptoms like vomiting, respiratory discomfort, and stinging eyes, among others. In 1947, the Air Pollution Control Act was enacted in California and it authorized the adoption of air pollution control measures in all the counties. In 1955, the Federal Air Pollution Control Act was endorsed and it authorized for research to be carried out so that people could get a proper understanding of the causes and impacts of air pollution. By 2000, the total nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbon emissions from vehicles in California were approximately 1.2 million tons per year. In 2004 rules were adopted to ensure the manufacture of vehicles with low greenhouse gases emissions. By 2007 rules had been adopted to ensure air quality through reduced diesel emissions, reduced greenhouse emissions, banning of indoor cleaners that emitted high amounts of ozone, and labeling of vehicles emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases. Even though steps have been taken to combat the problem of air pollution, statistics show that the problem has been increasing over time (Lipfert, 1994) Summary Air pollution is one of the most serious community health problems that we are facing today. Access to quality air is important because it impacts on the general health of the community. The community living in Bakersfield is at a risk of acquiring many health complications related to air pollution. This problem is caused by the farming, petroleum mining and emissions from diesel fueled transportation vehicles. Air pollution should be eliminated as it causes many health problems to the victims. Some of the short-term effects include irritation of the throat and eyes, allergic reactions, pneumonia, headaches, bronchitis and nausea. Air pollution also has serious health effects like lung cancer, chronic respiratory conditions, heart diseases, and damage to the liver, brain or kidneys. Several Acts have been passed to ensure the reduction of air pollution. However, the problem is still rampant and more effective measures need to be taken in order to ensure that the residents of Bakersfield live in a clean environment. This will impact positively the quality of their health. Reference List Holgate, S.T. (1999). Air Pollution and Health. London: Academic Press. Lipfert, F.W. (1994). Air Pollution and Community Health: A Critical Review and Data Sourcebook. USA: John Wiley and Sons. Read More