Environmental Sociology And The Effects Of Environmental Hazards On Women And Their Health

Abstract

Environmental hazards including droughts, floods, heatwaves, air pollution, and inadequate sanitation disproportionately endanger women's physical and mental health, particularly in developing nations like India. This study, grounded in environmental sociology, examines the gendered dimensions of environmental risk by investigating how structural inequalities amplify women's biological and social vulnerabilities to ecological threats. The primary objectives are to document the differential health burden borne by women during environmental hazard events and to identify the socio-structural determinants driving this disparity. A systematic secondary data analysis design was adopted, drawing from established national and international databases including NFHS-5, WHO, IPCC, and peer- reviewed literature published between 2018 and 2025. The hypothesis posits that women in environmentally stressed regions experience statistically higher rates of adverse health outcomes than men due to intersecting gender-based inequalities. Results confirm significant disparities in maternal mortality, reproductive health, vector-borne disease vulnerability, mental health disorders, and sanitation-related illness. Discussion reveals that patriarchal institutional frameworks, limited resource access, and caregiving burdens structurally expose women to compounded hazard risk. The study concludes that gender-responsive environmental and public health policies are urgently needed.