Websites on Environmental Studies - Essay Example

Websites on Environmental Studies http www.apha.org/ The American Public Health Association website works towards the health interests of every individual member of the public in the United States of America. Its aim is to promote better health policies, create a platform for members of the medical profession to work under and deals with environmental issues like smoking and pollution that affect health. I am impressed with the simple presentation provided by the wealth of information that such an association has to deal with. Color-coded links grouped together describe how simple and easily-readable information can be navigated. APHA is very active in promoting the causes which drive it through various forms of media, e.g. journals, books, newspapers and science programs. http://www.healthypeople.gov/ As the name suggests, this website handles a futuristic approach of enabling the people of today to be healthier people for tomorrow. I am impressed by the awareness among the American society who wish to improve the health of their people by reaching their target goal by year 2010. The objectives proposed allow businesses, schools, health care providers and other interest groups to implement their goals apart from doing so themselves. Detailed information on healthy improvement options for an individual and his/her loved ones is available in the ‘Be a healthy person’ section. The website provides factual and updated health related information and tips from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency. http://www.osha.gov/ The Occupational Safety and Health Administration website gives more of a look and feel of a web portal than an ordinary website. The site’s layout contains the latest news information, compliance tools, OSHA related legal framework and cooperative state programs. Besides the search feature available, there is the users’ login option, to customize and personalize the way users would view the information when browsing the website. In addition to the work OSHA conducts, it also provides grants like the $10 million-Susan Harwood Training Grants awarded recently. The recipients were minority groups such as non-English speaking individuals and those working in highly-hazardous work areas. A one-stop site for all issues related to OSHA. http://www.epa.gov/ A directly-concerned environment protection website, EPA provides resources and links for the latest happenings in the environment to the dos and don’ts in making the earth a better place to live in. This site also has a ‘Quick Finder’ section, that is, a glossary of terms most often viewed by visitors. This has an eye-catching placement under the top title surely makes it a ‘quick finder’ for any person browsing. A very colorful ‘For KIDS’ section is available in the left-hand side bar that takes you into another world altogether once it has been opened. In keeping with its cause, the EPA site offers a map forecast of the air quality expected within the next 24 hours in and around the U.S. region. http://www.health.gov/ A simple text-based site is what Health.gov has to offer its citizens on its health initiatives and programs supported by federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The site is a portal in its truest sense as links to general health information, health news and special initiatives fill the opening page. The Healthy People 2010 has been listed as a special initiative as well as Steps to a Healthier US. The all-in-one resource healthfinder is the topmost general health information link as it provides online checkups, reliable health information apart from the daily health news. A separate National Women’s Health Information Center provides ample knowledge relating to women-specific issues. www.who.org The World Health Organization (WHO) is committed to solving issues of health at national and global levels. Complete coverage on the latest life-threatening diseases like the Avian Influenza and Dengue Fever keeps the WHO updated with current global information. The most attractive feature of this site was the WHOLIS or the WHO’s library database that contains archives of articles and publications dating back to 1948. I learned about the last century’s epidemics like the bubonic plague that haunts the corners of our societies even in the days of today. The recently celebrated World Sight Day has placed the people suffering from low vision and refractive errors in the limelight. WHO’s theme informs that such blindness is caused due late diagnosis and prevention measures that low to middle income groups do not have access to. http://www.nih.gov/ The National Institutes of Health is the primary Federal agency in conducting and supporting medical research. It works to improve men, women, children and teens’ health, the elderly and even minorities’ health standards. Research such as the Genetic Information Repository and Stem Cell Information are a few of the initiatives funded by this agency. Several institutes work closely under the NIH. They are the National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD). NIH offers its free radio service through a digitally-compressed sound format for members of the public as well as health professionals to be informed. This feature impressed me the most because the agency makes information publicly available as soon as current medical research studies are updated. www.phf.org A site that supports health and environment issues on national and international platforms is the Public Health Foundation (PHF). It aims to help systems and agencies concerned with health matters by improving their infrastructure with the result of achieving better results. In the ‘Products and Services’ section, you are able to learn about their performance improvement and workforce development tools they offer as even tailor-made products. It is difficult not to mention that PHF actively pursues researching on its clients’ requirements and performances through its public health systems research (PHSR). TRAIN is an example of their on site and distance learning training opportunities for those related to the medical field. http://www.asph.org/ A site devoted to the education of public health professionals within the American society. Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) stresses that it is the only national organization to represent deans, faculty members and students working in fully accredited schools and also those seeking accreditation. Apart from working for its shareholders, it is involved in conducting awareness programs for the public. Setting up blogs, fact sheets and pod casts for the recent Avian and Pandemic Influenza campaigns are some of the forms of eliciting better health information to the public. The Association provides employment, training and funding opportunities through fellowships and internships for its large member body. http://www.hrsa.gov/ An official website for the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HRSA is a subsidiary body for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agency provides its interested members seeking better health opportunities by funding their interests through available grants. The grants cater to the health professionals, HIV/AIDS Education, Primary and Rural Health Care systems are some examples of the available grants. An increase in faith and community-based organizational funding has been noticed during President Bush’s current regime. Works Cited: American Public Health Association (APHA). 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from American Public Health Association website: http://www.apha.org/ Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH). 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from Association of Schools of Public Health website: http://www.asph.org/ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration website: http://www.hrsa.gov/ Healthy People 2010 Home Page. 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from Healthy People 2010 website: http://www.healthypeople.gov/ National Institutes of Health (NIH). 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institute of Health website: http://www.nih.gov/ Public Health Foundation (PHF). 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from Public Health Foundation website: www.phf.org U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from Occupational Safety and Health Administration website: http://www.osha.gov/ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from Environmental Protection Agency website: http://www.epa.gov/ World Health Organization (WHO). 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from World Health Organization website: www.who.org www.health.gov. 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from http://www.health.gov/ Read More