CANCER AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2
CS, Cancer and environmental health
The rate of individuals being diagnosed with cancer has risen in the recent years. This
has also been seen in the country of France. This is show in the book ‘Culture, Health, and
Illness, Fifth edition,’ written by Helman and Cecil G. From the study carried out, most of the
factors causing cancer are from external factors which can be prevented or controlled to stop
the disease from affecting many individuals. The study also shows the interaction not from
the doctor patient perspective but from the aspect of how the diet and other external factors
affect the growth level of cancer in the society.
From the study shown in the book on the effects of cancer, we find out that most of
the measures put in place only concentrated on the kind of items that the individuals used
while in real sense even other activities which are not within the reach of the individual
affects them. With connection to this discussion, the author discusses on how the
environmental pollution also affects the level of growth in the society. Using the illustration
of France, she highlights how the presence of polluted air and the surrounding being dirty is
also another factor that leads to an increase in the level of cancer growth in the society
(McKenna, 2008).
In the discussion from Philadelphia, the lay community refused to be advised by
health educators on their smoking habits, on improving their diet and scheduling for frequent
screening for cancer. Instead they blamed the industrial sector for the emission of polluted
substances into the society. This in turn will lead to an increase in the number of individuals
with cancer in the society. In the case that one does not want to get screened or checked up
for such diseases such as cancer, the moment it gets to critical stages, the chances of an
individual to survive reduces drastically.
