Environmental Health

Environmental Health

Environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, biological, social and psychological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviors.
It encompasses the assessment, correction, control and prevention of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing disease

Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution is the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment Pollution causes instability, disorder, harm and discomfort to the ecosystem Pollution can exist in 2 forms

Chemicals

Type of Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution can be further divided into 3 major categories

Air

pollution Water pollution Noise pollution

Air Pollution

Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials into the atmosphere

Causes of Air Pollution There are many

ways of causing air pollution

Some of the major contributors to air pollution

Modern transportation Urban factories / industries Deforestation

Air Pollution Related Problems

Some of the important conditions concerning air pollution

Asthma Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Chronic bronchitis Emphysema

Asthma

Chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory airways The lining of the airways becomes inflamed and may produce more mucous The muscles that surround the airways become sensitive and start to twitch and tighten Anyone can get asthma, although it's usually first diagnosed

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Narrowing of the airways in the lungs causing airflow limitation

Slight different comparing to asthma

The narrowing is poorly reversible and progressively worse over time

COPD includes diseases such as

Chronic bronchitis Emphysema

Chronic Bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis is the chronic inflammation of the bronchi, the main airways in the lungs
Persistent cough that produces more sputum and mucous Cigarette smoking is the main cause for chronic bronchitis, secondhand smoke and air pollution may result in chronic

Emphysema

Emphysema is the loss of elasticity of the lung tissue Destruction of supporting structure of the alveoli and capillaries feeding the alveoli ultimately damaging the alveoli Most common cause is cigarette

Water Pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater which can be harmful to the ecosystem

Causes of Water Pollution

There are many agents which contribute toward water pollution. However, the main contributors for water pollution are as follow:
Industrial waste Radioactive waste Oil pollution Marine dumping

Water Pollution Related Problems

Generally, all types of water pollution are harmful to health and different forms of pollutants affect health differently
Heavy metals from industrial processes are toxic to marine life and humans resulting in birth defects and carcinogenicity Microbial pollutants from sewage is a major problem with diseases such as cholera and

Cholera

It is cause by Vibrio cholerae

Causes exhaustive diarrhea

In severe forms, cholera is a rapid fatal illness

Typhoid Fever

It is cause by:
Salmonella

typhi Salmonella paratyphi

The patient will encounter:

Fever

(39/40C) Headache Diarrhea

Noise Pollution

A type of energy pollution where distracting, irritating or damaging sounds are freely audible

The causes of noise pollution

Transportation

system Factory machineries

Noise pollution related problems

Noise pollution may cause a series of problems:

Stress Lost

of hearing Increase risk of mortality