Other factors
Firearms
Just by watching the news, it is easy to see how much violence with handguns is occurring in our everyday lives. Of all the factors we have discussed, among young men, the use of firearms is actually the factor most contributing to deaths among that age group. While the debate goes on in Congress concerning gun control, much of the public are concerned about the safety of their children and of their neighborhoods. Among citizens of all ages, suicide is the ninth cause of death in the US and homicide is the tenth. The use of firearms is thought to account for approximately 14,000 deaths each year.
Pollutants and Toxins
Chemicals in the air and in the workplace can be risk factors that threaten our health. They can be difficult to identify and difficult to measure. However, workers who have worked near asbestos, for example, are at increased risk for lung disease including cancer. Environmental pollutants in the air can contaminate food and water over a period of time. Safety in the workplace and in the environment are areas needing more research and potentially, more regulation.