Final answer:
Environmental determinants of health include factors like access to safe drinking water, which is crucial for preventing diseases. While tobacco consumption, level of education, and genetic inheritance affect health, they are considered lifestyle, social, and biological determinants, respectively. In high-income nations, many deaths are linked to diseases related to environmental factors and personal behaviors rather than a lack of clean water.
Step-by-step explanation:
Environmental determinants of health refer to factors within the environment that can influence an individual's health positively or negatively. Some examples include access to safe drinking water, air quality, levels of noise, housing conditions, and climate change. These determinants can impact a range of health outcomes and disparities.
From the choices provided, access to safe drinking water falls directly under environmental determinants of health. Clean water is essential for health, and lack of access can lead to diseases. On the other hand, tobacco consumption, while being an environmental risk factor for many noninfectious diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, is more of a personal lifestyle choice that affects health. Level of education can influence health outcomes as well, but it is considered a social determinant rather than strictly environmental. Lastly, genetic inheritance is a biological determinant that affects health independently of environmental factors.
In high-income nations, many deaths are linked to noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, which can be influenced by both environmental factors and personal behaviors. Obesity is a significant health issue, often resulting from a combination of poor diet, physical inactivity, and additional environmental factors. Furthermore, mental illness is a growing concern with diverse underlying causes, including environmental stressors. However, deaths from lack of clean water are not typically a concern in high-income countries. Instead, this is a major issue in low-income nations where access to safe water and adequate sanitation is limited.