Unit 1
Introduction to
Environmental Health
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Introduction to Environmental health
• What is environment?
• What are the components of the environment?
• How the environment affect human being?
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Definition of the environment
• The circumstances, objects, or
conditions by which one is surrounded
or
• The complex of climatic, edaphic (soil-
based), and biotic factors that act upon
an organism or an ecologic community
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Public Health Definition of “The
Environment”
• All that which is external to the
individual host.
• It can be divided into physical,
biological, social, and cultural factors,
any or all of which can influence
health status in populations.
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Definitions: Health
• A state of complete physical,
mental, and social well-being
and not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity − WHO.
(1948).
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Definitions: Disease
• Trouble or a condition of the
living animal or plant body or
one of its parts that impairs
the performance of a vital
function
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Definitions: Safe
• Free from harm or risk;
Secure from threat of danger,
harm, or loss; Zero risk
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Definitions: Risk
• Possibility of loss or injury, peril.
The chance of loss; the degree
of probability of such loss.
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What Is Environmental Health Sciences?
• “The study of those factors in the
environment that affect human health”
− Factors (“pollutants” or “toxicants”) in air,
water, soil, or food
− Transferred to humans by inhalation, ingestion,
or absorption
− Production of adverse health effects
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Contributors to the “Environment”
• Chemical − Air pollutants, toxic wastes,
pesticides
• Biologic − Disease organisms present in food
and water
• Insect and animal allergens
• Physical − Noise, ionizing and non-ionizing
radiation
• Socioeconomic − Access to safe and sufficient
health care
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WHO Definition of Environmental Health
• Environmental health comprises those aspects
of human health, including quality of life, that
are determined by physical, biological, social,
and psychosocial factors in the environment.
• It also refers to the theory and practice of
assessing, correcting, controlling, and
preventing those factors in the environment
that can potentially affect adversely the health
of present and future generations.
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WHO Definition of Environmental Health
• Environmental health comprises those aspects
of human health, including quality of life, that
are determined by physical, biological, social,
and psychosocial factors in the environment.
• It also refers to the theory and practice of
assessing, correcting, controlling, and
preventing those factors in the environment
that can potentially affect adversely the health
of present and future generations.
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Facets of Environmental Health
• Environmental epidemiology − Associations between
exposure to environmental agents and subsequent
development of disease
• Environmental toxicology − Causal mechanisms between
exposure and subsequent development of disease
• Environmental engineering − Factors that govern and
reduce exposure
• Preventive medicine − Factors that govern and reduce
disease development
• Law − Development of appropriate legislation to protect
public health
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Components of Hygiene and
environmental health
Description Concerns
Personal hygiene Hygiene of body and clothing
Water supply Adequacy, safety (chemical, bacteriological, physical) of
water for domestic, drinking and recreational use
Human waste disposal Proper excreta disposal and liquid waste management
Solid waste management Proper application of storage, collection, disposal of
waste. Waste production and recycling
Vector control Control of mammals (such as rats) and arthropods
(insects such as flies and other creatures such as mites)
that transmit disease
Food hygiene Food safety and wholesomeness in its production,
storage, preparation, distribution and sale, until
consumption
Healthful housing Physiological needs, protection against disease and
accidents, psychological and social comforts in residential
and recreational areas
Institutional hygiene Communal hygiene in schools, prisons, health facilities,
refugee camps, detention homes and settlement areas
Water pollution Sources, characteristics, impact and mitigation
Occupational hygiene Hygiene and safety in the workplace
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An environment :is all that is external to the individual human
host. It may be:
physical,
chemical,
biological,
social, and
cultural etc….all these may influence the health of
population.
Environmental health refers to characteristics of all
environmental conditions which affect the quality of health.
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State of human health influenced by
• Hereditary factors
• Nutritional factors
• Environmental factors
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• Quality of health have direct relation with
quality of environment. it involves
• Work place
• House we live
• Recreation place etc…
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• Hygiene: a science of preventive medicine and
preservation of health.
• A science of preserving and promoting the
health of both individual and community.
• Maintenance of healthful practice.
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Aspects of hygiene
• Personal hygiene: proper living habit, cleanliness of body and
cloth, balance diet, rest and exercise.
• Domestic hygiene: sanitary preparation of food, cleanliness and
ventilation of home.
• Public hygiene: safe water and food supply, proper disposal of
garbage and sewage, control of air and water pollution.
• Industrial hygiene: measures minimum occupational disease
and accident.
• Mental hygiene: recognition of mental and emotional factors in
healthful living.
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Determinant of health
• Hereditary /biological factors: e.g.
• Hemophilia
• Diabetes mellitus
• Medical care: e.g.
• Early treatment avert the cause of disease.
• Life style: e.g.
• Inadequate sleep and rest reduce resistant to infection.
• Smoking, heavy alcoholism and poor diet also determine our
health.
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• Environment: affect people health more strongly.
• Water we drink
• Food, house, air etc
Environmental threat/problems to human health
• Inadequate basic sanitation
• Lack of safe drinking water accessibility
• Inadequate solid waste disposal
• Indoor air pollution
• Water pollution from pollutant area
• Housing appliance such as refrigeration, electric, transportation
etc…
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Principles of environmental health
In order to easily prevent occurrence of disease we
have to know the principles of environmental health.
• The agent
• The reservoir
• Its portal of exit
• Its mode of transmission
• Its portal entry
• Susceptible host
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Levels of prevention
Primary prevention
• Prevent people from sick
• Reduce exposure for susceptible individual
• Prevent the exposure of
» Inadequate and unsafe water supply
» Improper waste disposal
» Vector and rodent infestation
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Secondary prevention
• Early detection or treatment.
• Possible to cure disease or slow its progress
• Prevent complication and limit disability
Tertiary prevention
• After permanent damage set in.
• Patient who can’t cured.
• Treatment to prevent further disability and death
• Used for training or special education.
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Thank you
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