Bombing effects on the environment and consequentlyon human health

BOMBING EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND CONSEQUENTLY ON HUMAN HEALTH
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Bombing effects on the environment and consequently on human health
The environment remains a vital component when matters of health are discussed; indeed, the substances in the environment will directly impact on the human population living there. For instance, cases of brown teeth have been found to be the case in areas where the water drank in the area is contaminated with excessive fluorides. The health risk increases when the substances in the environment are hazardous to the human populations. Even though, there is increased awareness on environmental health matters over the last decades, environmental pollution still poses health challenges for the nursing profession. Nursing professionals have the burden of dealing with environmental related illnesses with regards guidance, treatment and provision of information to patients. However, few health care practitioners receive training on environmental health. But, there has been a shift towards integrating environmental related issues in the nursing profession by taking into account the effect of the environment on the health status of patients. Nursing professionals are taking steps to bridge the gap on environmental health through education and sensitization on environmental health hazards. These measures also include communicating to the communities, since the members expect nurses to offer guidance on how to reduce the risk of environmental hazards. This paper critically tackles bombing effects on the environment and consequently on human health. In addition, it establishes the arguments of Florence Nightingale and more particularly on the effects of pure air, pure water and pure/clean immediate environment on human health.
Florence Nightingale’s contribution to the field of nursing and particularly on the impact of the environment provides insights on the relation between the environment and health. Though, there is no specific theory that guides nurses, the writings of Nightingale led to the call for the development of professional practices that could be adhered to by all nursing professionals. In her writing, Nightingale focused on the role of an appropriate environment in facilitating the recovery of patients. Thus, the interaction of self care, the environment and nursing profession were all relevant to the recovery process. Essentially, there is a need to minimize environmental health hazards and provide hygienic conditions for patients (McRae & McRae, 2007).
Nightingale also highlighted on the role of water, noise, air quality and nutrition on influencing on influencing health status. With regards to the influence of water quality, Nightingale was of the opinion that clean and pure water was vital in promoting health status. In most cases nurses know that hydration is essential for patients, but it is rare for nursing professionals to be in the forefront of water protection at there places of work or at home (Nightingale & Skretkowicz, 2010). Thus, it is important for nurses to sensitize the communities on the need for clean and safe drinking water, because of numerous chemicals entering the water supply (Mc Rae & McRae, 2007). Furthermore, studies focusing on the impact of contaminated water on both humans and fetal development are limited (McRae & McRae, 2007).
Guresic et al. (2012) looked into the implications of use of uranium a radioactive material during the Balkan war. Natural uranium typically has less percentage of high radioactive components, but through enrichment artificial uranium becomes more radioactive. Uranium is a highly toxic substance that can cause cancer and have cumulative effects (Parkes & Phil, 1973) as quoted by (Guresic, et al. 2012). Depleted uranium (DU) which is a waste product during uranium enrichment product had devastating effects in Kosovo. Because of the potency of the metal, most weapons were coated with aluminium for the safety of handlers of the weapons. In addition, the weapons using depleted uranium had higher penetration capacity than conventional missiles.
The use of DU missiles had devastating consequences on the environment in which the components of the uranium are typically stored as metal pieces, dust and in the form of oxide uranium powder (Guresic, et al. 2012). Approximately, a third of the penetrators disintegrate into uranium and oxides dust which contaminates both objects and the soil. Furthermore, the wind causes the movement of these particles further contaminating the environment. The penetration of these missiles is more toxic because uranium contamination can remain intact in the soil for a long time. The presence of depleted uranium can also be harmful through contamination with dissoluble aerosols (Guresic, et al. 2012). Pollution of underground water is also possible through reaction of water with the uranium which presents big ecological problems when whole penetrators disintegrate.
Even though, the initial exposure to DU may be from the inhalation of dust particles and the air, DU mainly impact negatively on the environment through soil and water contamination. Water contamination is in most cases long term, but the extent of this exposure depends on the structure and composition of rocks, soil, water and the atmospheric conditions. In the long term both water and air, transport components of the uranium which may then enter into the food chain. In the food chain exposure is through the ingestion of contaminated food produce and water supply, which makes DU a toxic chemical agent for both the environment and the health status of people (Nightingale & Skretkowicz, 2010).
According to Reza et al. (2013) in the article “incidence of cancer in Iranian sulfur mustard exposed veterans: a long-term follow-up cohort study” the civilians and the military came into contact with Sulphur Mustard (SM) from the environment and the bombs in the Iraq – Iran 1980’s war. The exposure of the persons...