Environmental risk factors can affect health through various mechanisms:
- Direct Exposure: Direct contact with harmful substances, such as inhaling polluted air or consuming contaminated water, can lead to immediate health effects like respiratory issues or gastrointestinal diseases. - Long-term Exposure: Chronic exposure to low levels of harmful substances can lead to long-term health effects such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and developmental disorders. - Indirect Effects: Environmental factors can also have indirect effects on health. For example, climate change can increase the prevalence of vector-borne diseases by expanding the habitat of vectors like mosquitoes.
