The impact of the environment on human potential: the health dimension

Health is an essential characteristic of human potential. It has been greatly influenced by the natural environment since the middle of the last century due to the rapid growth of harmful emissions from industrial enterprises. The dependence of health on environmental factors is investigated in the article in a theoretical aspect. Health is characterized by indicators of morbidity, life expectancy, and natural population growth. The results of construction of medical-environmental-economic models including matrices of environmental factors impact on population health are considered. Proven examples of the effects of environmental pollution on incidence of various diseases and mortality are given.