Medical Geology Of Africa

Medical Geology of Africa explores the connection between geological materials, processes and the health of humans and animals. The book fosters an improved understanding of the ways in which the geological environment impacts the geographical distribution of health problems and how they contribute to better diagnoses and therapy. Africa’s unique geoenvironmental condition gives added relevance to such studies, underlining the need for geoscience and public health students and practitioners to understand new principles and applications. Chapters in the book provide extended enquiry-based investigations and examples that employ real geochemical datasets, epidemiological records, public health statistics and visualizations. Provides a suggested interdisciplinary curriculum for departments interested in designing a medical geology program Includes more than 250 full-color illustrations and photographs Features extended inquiry-based investigations and examples that employ real geochemical datasets, epidemiological records, public health statistics and visualizations

This edited volume provides a framework for integrating methods and information drawn from geological and medical sciences and provides case studies in medical geology to illustrate the usefulness of this framework for crafting environmental and public health policies related to natural materials. The relevance of medical geology research to policy decisions is a topic rarely discussed, and this volume attempts to be a unique source for researchers and policy makers in the field of medical geology in addressing this gap in practical medical geology applications. The book's four sections establish this framework in detail using risk assessment, case studies, data analyses and specific medical geology techniques. Following an introduction to medical geology in the context of risk assessment and risk management, the second section discusses specific methods used in medical geology in the categories of geoscience, biomedicine, and data sources. The third section discusses the medical geology of natural materials, energy use, and environmental and workplace impacts. This section includes specific case studies in medical geology, and describes how the methods and data from the previous section are used in a medical geology analysis. The fourth section includes a guide to the medical geology literature and provides some examples of medical geology programs in Asia and Africa.

Medical Geology is a rapidly growing field concerned with the relationship between natural geological factors and human and animal health, as well as with improving our understanding of the influence of environmental factors on the geographical distribution of health problems. This book brings together the work of geoscientists and medical/public health researchers, which addresses health problems caused, or exacerbated by geological materials (rocks, minerals, atmospheric dust and water) and processes (including volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Among the environmental health problems discussed in this book are: exposure to toxic levels of trace essential and non-essential elements such as arsenic and mercury; trace element deficiencies; exposure to natural dusts and to radioactivity; naturally occurring organic compounds in drinking water; volcanic emissions, etc. The text also deals with the many health benefits of geologic materials and processes. This wide-ranging volume covers issues in medical geology all over the world with each author covering their respective region. It provides examples from different continents as well as a state-of-the-art review of the latest developments in the discipline. The authors are all recognized geoscientific and medical experts working in the field. The book is written for a wide variety of specialists from geologists, geochemists, pathologists and medical doctors to veterinarians and biologists.

Medical Geology The key to understanding the relationship between the geological environment and human health Medical geology deals with of the impact of environmental factors on the health of individual human beings and communities. In particular, it studies environmental exposure to both macro- and micronutrients in the geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere—respectively, soil, water, and airborne dust—which may positively or negatively impact human growth, development, and overall health. The insights contributed by this burgeoning field can aid not only in individual medical cases, but also in assessing disproportionately impacted communities and addressing global medical inequality. Medical Geology: En route to One Health is among the first books to address this vital subject by summarizing recent research in this field. It also serves as an introduction to the multidisciplinary One Health methodology, which unites medical, geological, and environmental insights in one continuous approach to public health. Medical Geology readers will also find: An explanation of the influence of the environment on nutrient availability Case studies of well-documented links between endemic diseases and environmental conditions A systematic analysis of the causes of essential element deficiencies in different world regions Medical Geology is an essential overview of the field, for advanced students as well as medical, environmental, or geological researchers who wish to understand the complex relationship between the geological environment and human health.

This authoritative reference volume emphasizes the importance and interrelationships of geological processes to the health and diseases of humans and animals. Its accessible format fosters better communication between the health and geoscience communities by elucidating the geologic origins and flow of toxic elements in the environment that lead to human exposure through the consumption of food and water. For example, problems of excess intake from drinking water have been encountered for several inorganic compounds, including fluoride in Africa and India; arsenic in certain areas of Argentina, Chile, and Taiwan; selenium in seleniferous areas in the U.S., Venezuela, and China; and nitrate in agricultural areas with heavy use of fertilizers. Environmental influences on vector borne diseases and stormflow water quality influences are also featured. Numerous examples of the environmental influences on human health from across the globe are also presented and discussed in this volume. * Covers recent advances and future research topics at the intersection of environmental science and public health * Developed by 60 experts from 20 countries and edited by professionals from the International Working Group on Medical Geology * Includes 200+ color photographs and illustrations * Organizes information in a highly structured format for easy reference * Written for a broad audience, ranging from students, researchers, and medical professionals to policymakers and the general public

Geology, one of the basic natural sciences, is proving to be of outstanding importance in solving problems relating to: agriculture exploitation of the Earth's mineral resources environmental issues soil preservation water energy and other resources protection against natural disasters (landslides, floods, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes) as well as human health. The main objective of the book Medical Geology: Effects of Geological Environments on Human Health is to show how the geological environment affects human health and to explore preventative methods for improvement. This monograph consists of the following five segments: Introduction Geological and other factors and their influence on the human health Subject, tasks and methods of geomedical discipline Regional medical geology Applied medical geology The topics covered in this book will be of interest to a wide circle of readers, including geologists, doctors, biologists, ecologists, planners and many others who are dedicated to the quality and protection of human health.

Essentials of Medical Geology reviews the essential concepts and practical tools required to tackle environmental and public health problems. It is organized into four main sections. The first section deals with the fundamentals of environmental biology, the natural and anthropogenic sources of health elements that impact health and illustrate key biogeochemical transformations. The second section looks at the geological processes influencing human exposure to specific elements, such as radon, arsenic, fluorine, selenium and iodine. The third section presents the concepts and techniques of pathology, toxicology and epidemiology that underpin investigations into the human health effects of exposure to naturally occurring elements. The last section provides a toolbox of analytical approaches to environmental research and medical geology investigations. Essentials of Medical Geology was first published in 2005 and has since won three prestigious rewards. The book has been recognized as a key book in both medical and geology fields and is widely used as textbook and reference book in these fields. For this revised edition, editors and authors have updated the content that evolved a lot during 2005 and added two new chapters, on public health, and agriculture and health. This updated volume can now continue to be used as a textbook and reference book for all who are interested in this important topic and its impacts the health and wellbeing of many millions of people all over the world. · Addresses key topics at the intersection of environmental science and human health · Developed by 60 international experts from 20 countries and edited by professionals from the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) · Written in non-technical language for a broad spectrum of readers, ranging from students and professional researchers to policymakers and the general public · Includes color illustrations throughout, references for further investigation and other aids to the reader

Over two billion people live in tropical lands. Most of them live in intimate contact with the immediate geological environment, obtaining their food and water directly from it. The unique geochemistry of these tropical environments have a marked influence on their health, giving rise to diseases that affect millions of people. The origin of these diseases is geologic as exemplified by dental and skeletal fluorosis, iodine deficiency disorders, trace element imbalances to name a few. This book, one of the first of its kind, serves as an excellent introduction to the emerging discipline of Medical Geology.