Rogge Mary E, Combs-Orme Terri
College of Social Work, University of Tennessee, Knoxville 37996-333, USA.
Soc Work. 2003 Oct;48(4):439-50. doi: 10.1093/sw/48.4.439.
Evidence suggests that the combinations of over 70,000 to 75,000 chemicals in air, land, water, and food to which children are exposed daily are instrumental in increasing the rates and severity of preventable childhood illness from asthma, leukemia, and other diseases. This article defines chemical contamination and reviews data regarding the ubiquity of toxic chemicals in the United States. It describes major risk pathways to fetuses and children at different developmental stages and discusses evidence regarding exposure and harm to children from chemical contamination. The adequacy of national social welfare and environmental policies is assessed and policy-level interventions are recommended to address the unique vulnerability of children--especially children who are poor and children of color-to toxic chemicals. The authors review the roles for social workers in protecting current and future generations from environmental contaminants.
有证据表明，儿童日常接触的空气、土地、水和食物中的70000至75000种化学物质的组合，在增加可预防的儿童疾病（如哮喘、白血病和其他疾病）的发病率和严重程度方面起到了作用。本文定义了化学污染，并回顾了美国有毒化学物质普遍存在的数据。它描述了不同发育阶段胎儿和儿童面临的主要风险途径，并讨论了化学污染对儿童的接触和危害的证据。评估了国家社会福利和环境政策的充分性，并建议采取政策层面的干预措施，以应对儿童——尤其是贫困儿童和有色人种儿童——对有毒化学物质的独特脆弱性。作者回顾了社会工作者在保护当代和后代免受环境污染物影响方面的作用。
