Table of Contents
Healthcare administrators in Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) have an obligation of identifying human risk factors to develop an action plan that would guarantee the safety of the staff, patients, and the visitors to the facilities (CTCA, 2017). The exposure to chemical contaminants and other health hazards to humans are of great concern. The findings of this assessment can be used in human impact assessment (HIA) to forecast health effects arising from individual exposures (EPA, 2016). Human health risk assessment (HHRA) refers to the evaluation of the risk posed by specific pollutants to human health both qualitatively and quantitatively (EPA, 2016). Inhalation of harmful gasses, contact with polluted soils or water, and eating of certain foods can all contribute to the risk factors. Exposure to these health hazards is a recipe to some of the health complications such as cancer in this particular paper. It is necessary for CTCA administrators to have a plan on how to prevent and manage these potential human health risks. The areas that HHRA evaluates are discussed in detail as well as their roles in risk management. The following are the areas of assessment for evaluation:
Hazard Identification
It is an important area of assessment at the CTCA because it entails examining whether the hazard or stressor has the potentiality to cause human harm or negative ecological effect. It also identifies the possibility of such a circumstance. Some of the specific adverse health effects attributed to the hazard may be cancer or birth complications. The identification stage ascertains the degree to which the hazard can increase the incidence of a particular human health risk. In the case of a chemical agent, there is need to examine its scientific components to determine its side effects (EPA, 2016). The importance of this area of assessment is that it aids in the provision of qualitative information regarding the source and the nature of the hazard. Also, regarding risk management at CTCA, the administrators will be able to determine the origin of potential dangers and the exposure pathways (Northern Health, 2015). This assessment area will also be useful in formulating a problem statement and plan on the way forward to deal with the potential effects of the hazard identified.
Dose-Response Assessment
In this area of assessment, the CTCA administrators will be in a position to determine the numerical connection between the effects and the exposure. It is vital that the evaluation can define the adverse health severity effects and the amount or dosage exposed by the hazard. It also refers to the concentration-response relationship (EPA, 2016). Notably, when the dosage is high, the measured response will also be high. Some of the expected responses may be death, and in this particular case, cancerous tumors can also be one of the possible situations. Apparently, this area of assessment is essential in preventing the critical effect of the identified hazard.
After a comprehensive assessment of this area, the exposure assessment follows. Issues like the frequency, timing and the amount of exposure to the health hazard are examined (Northern Health, 2015). The importance of this area is that it provides the information concerning human exposure with reference to the magnitude, duration, and the frequency of the health hazard identified or its future potential. The CTCA management can find out how much of the pollutant or agents are the population members exposed to especially if they are likely to be associated with cancer.
Risk characterization
This assessment area is significant since it determines the increased risks of the health concern that the population exposed is liable to encounter (EPA, 2016). The assessment team ascertains the nature and presence or absence of the risks associated with the hazard. Any assumptions made are also deliberated upon by the CTCA management. Then, they make policies regarding the next action. The role of this area in risk management is that it applies to every component of the assessment process from the hazard identification to exposure assessment (EPA, 2016). Each of these areas has a risk characterization that may include the assumptions or the findings. Besides, this area of assessment provides a fundamental analysis of the entire evaluation process. Issues such as the scope, findings, and assumptions are revealed. The CTCA management can come up with a policy formulation based on the analysis of risk characterization.
In conclusion, the HHRA at the CTCA has been examined based on the assessment areas for evaluation starting from hazard identification to risk characterization. The entire process requires proper planning by the CTCA administrators for effective risk management. The potential risk of some of these pollutants or hazards in causing cancerous cells are high and hence the need to prevent or manage them in an HHRA action plan.
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). (2017). About Us. Retrieved from http://www.cancercenter.com/about-us/
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2016). Human Health Risk Assessment. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/risk/human-health-risk-assessment
- Northern Health. (2015). Guidance on Human Health Risk Assessment. Health Resource Development, Version 1. Retrieved from https://northernhealth.ca/Portals/0/Your_Health/Programs/Public%20Health/OfficeHealthResourceDevelopment/Guidance%20on%20Human%20Health%20Risk%20Assessment.pdf