 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Scott D. Wright, Gerontology Center, University of Utah, 10 South 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5880, 801-585-9542, scott.wright@nurs.utah.edu
While discussion has begun on the pervasive economic, social, and political effects of an "aging society," there has been little discussion about the impact of the "age wave" in relation to natural resources and environmental quality. We also know very little about the specific effects of "external" (i.e., hazards outside and beyond the home) environmental hazards on older adults that are "socially vulnerable" due to, e.g., living alone, low economic status, living in higher crime rate areas, membership in race/ethnic group, suffering chronic health conditions, and/or residing in institutional settings. This presentation will examine ecological impact and social vulnerability in the context of the "New West" (intermountain west and southwestern states) where rapid population growth, especially associated with in-migration of retired older adults, is projected to continue with aging baby-boomers. In the New West, issues of environmental quality, growth and development, preservation and sustainability, and exposure to environmental hazards form a matrix for understanding public health issues into the 21st century. Specific examples of environmental impact due demographic aging are presented in the context of the proliferation of retirement and "gateway" communities in the New West. Environmental hazards resulting in place-based risk for socially vulnerable older adults and potential mitigation strategies are presented for a metropolitan area in the New West.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Aging, Environmental Health Hazards
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.