Environment and health in South Africa: Gains, losses, and opportunities

South Africans face a range of preventable environmental hazards to their health, many of which are rooted in the country's colonial and apartheid past, and ongoing poverty and inequality. Since the advent of democracy in the country, government has made considerable progress in improving livin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of public health policy 2011, Vol.32 (Suppl 1), p.S37-S43
Main Author: Mathee, Angela
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Apartheid
Chronic diseases
Commentaries
Commentary
Democracy
Disease
Environment
Environmental Exposure - history
Environmental Exposure - prevention & control
Environmental hazards
Environmental health
Environmental legislation
Environmental policy
Equality
Equality and Human Rights
Health
Health Policy
Health promotion
History, 19th Century
History, 20th Century
History, 21st Century
Housing
Humans
Inequalities
Inequality
Lead content
Living conditions
Medical research
Medical Sociology
Mortality
Outdoor air quality
Poverty
Public Health
Publishing industry
Sanitation services
Social Justice
Social Policy
Social Sciences
Sociology
South Africa
Sustainable development
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Summary:South Africans face a range of preventable environmental hazards to their health, many of which are rooted in the country's colonial and apartheid past, and ongoing poverty and inequality. Since the advent of democracy in the country, government has made considerable progress in improving living conditions and in developing the legal framework to prevent and manage environmental contamination. Considerable, under-exploited potential also exists in South Africa to prevent disease, including infectious and chronic diseases, and to promote health through a more holistic and public health approach. This article summarizes the main environmental health concerns and reflects on mechanisms and opportunities to improve public environmental health.
ISSN:0197-5897
1745-655X
DOI:10.1057/jphp.2011.21