environmental health Flashcards
it is the totality of circumstances surrounding an organism or group of organisms, especially the combination of external physical conditions that affect and influence the growth, development and survival of organisms.
environment
environment broadly includes everything external to ourselves, including the ____, ____, ____and ____ environments.
physical, natural (air, water, soil, climate, weather and other natural resources)
social (relationships, interactions and cultural aspects)
behavorial (respond to changes, actions, habits)
briefly explain environment in simple terms
enviro is the total of all external conditions
living being has to adjust to the surrounding in order to survive and live properly
according to WHO,
environmental health addresses all the ____, ____and ____factors external to a person and all the related factors impacting behaviours.
physical (air, water, soil, pollutants etc)
chemical (toxic subs, hazardous materials)
biological (harmful microorganisms, pests, infectious agent etc)
what does it mean to be “all external conditions”
includes everything that is outside of and surrounding the organism itself
External means not part of the organism’s own body or self.
Conditions refers to the collective circumstances, factors, and elements that exist around the organism.
how does the factors in environmental health can be transmitted to the organism or human beings
inhalation - breathing
digestion - eat/drink
absorption - through the skin
what is the main focus of the environmental health
to assess, understand and control these factors that can negatively impact one’s health
how does the environment impacts our health [CCCROBAAI]
climate change
community noise
chemical
radiation
occupational risk
built environments
air pollution
agricultural practices
inadequate water, sanitation
give examples for the following factors
biological:
social:
chemical:
physical:
biological: viruses, bacteria, disease-causing organism
social: lifestyle
chemical: harmful natural and artificial chemicals
physical: natural disasters and uv radiation, airborne particles
briefly explain the determinants of health and well being in our neighbourhood
- global ecosystem
- biodiversity
- climate stability
the health and well being of our neighbourhood are closely tied to those 3.
maintain a healthy balance in these aspects can ensure
-clean and sustainable environment -access to natural resource
-protection from the potential effects of environmental change
social determinants of health
are conditions where people born, grow, live, learn, work and play.
these conditions can either help them stay healthy or put them in great risk of getting sick
examples of social determinants of health
access to healthy food
safe housing
good schools
clean air and water
job opp
why do we have to be defendant to protect our environment?
they play a vital role in our life as we need safe, healthy and supportive enviro for good health
depend on energy (electricity, gas) sources to power infrastructure
depend on materials to sustain life (protect enviro = protect essentials)
what is the percentage of global deaths are due to modifiable environmental factors
24% (28% of deaths among children under 5)
true or false:
People with low income are more likely to live in polluted areas.
true
true or false:
Children and pregnant women are at high risk of having health problems related to the pollution.
true
how many people around the world die every year because they live/ work in unhealthy environments
more than 12 million
what are the some examples that in the past, diseases that affected the most people
diarrhea from contaminated water
respiratory infection - air pollution
malaria - mosquitoes breeding in stagnat water
what is the major disease that is a burden in many parts of the world during these days
non-communicable disease (ex: heart disease, cancer, respiratory illness)
how can our health may be affected in the long run?
even if we do not get sick right away, these hazards can build up over time and potentially lead to diseases later in life
why do particular population groups may be more vulnerable. (give examples of particular population)
(children, pregnant woman, elderly)
their bodies may be less able to handle or recover from exposures compared to healthy adults
give examples on how health effects may vary with the seasons and time of day
summer - heat waves lead to heat stroke
winter - cold temps worsen respiratory conditions like asthma
air pollution levels tend to be high in the morning and evening hours when more people are commuting which can trigger breathing issues
give examples on health effects may be localized, community-based, city wide, national or even transitional
localized:
leaking industrial plant can contaminate a soil and water supply nearby = affect those living nearby but environmental health impacts can be wider in scale
community and city:
air pollution form vehicle emission or smoke from wildfires = affect entire city or region, impacting many communities
national/ transitional:
climate change & global spread of infectious disease = national or worldwide effects (transitional) on human health
give examples of health effects for outdoor air pollution
respiratory disease
lung cancer
cardiovascular disease
give examples of health effects for unsafe drinking water
diarrheal (gastrointestinal) illness
give examples of health effects for contaminated recreational water (ex: swimming pools that have been polluted by the presence of harmful organisms)
diarrheal (gastrointestinal) illness
eye, ear, nose and throat infections