Chapter 8 - Environmental Context of Health Flashcards
(36 cards)
Miasma theory of disease vs germ theory
focus in the 19th century
Spontaneous generation of disease
Urban crowding lack of sanitation
19th – > 20th century
Environmental health shifted from social and environmental risk factors to focus on infectious agents and genes
20th century –> 21 century
Exploration of many social, behavioral, environmental, and biological contributors to health and disease
What killed more children every year than AIDS, malaria, and measles
Dirty water
Drinking water.
Access to water requires:
Quality Quantity Proximity Reliability Cost
Minimum water per person per day FOR SURVIVAL
4/5 gallons = 15-20 liters
How many liters for drinking?
1-3 liters
how many liters for food prep?
2-3 liters
how many liters for cleanliness
6-7 liters
how many liters for laundry?
4-6 liters
How many gallons per person per day for HEALTHY LIVING
13 gallons
Improved drinking water sources
Piped water into home or yard Borehole/ tube well Standpipe/ public tap Protected dug well Protected spring Rainwater collection
Unimproved drinking water sources
Unprotected well Unprotected spring Surface water Water from vendors Some bottled water ***
Water source
only 2.5% of world’s water is fresh water
2/3 of freshwater is in glaciers
70% of fresh water is used for agricultural use
Sanitation
About 1/2 of the people in low-income countries practice open defecation
Factors contributing to diarrhea
Fingers, field, flies, fluid, feces, food
Improved sanitation facilities
connection to a public sewer system connection to a septic system pour-flush lactrine Ventilated-improved pit lactrine Composting toilet Simple pit latrine
Unimproved sanitation
Open pit latrine Pour/flush toilet that drains to the street Public or shared latrine Bucket or bag Open defecation
Open defecation
About 50% of people who live in developing countries
Access to electricity
Only 80% of the world’s population have electricity in their homes
Proportion of the rural and urban population with access to electricity in 2008
Kenya, Sierra Leone and India has lower proportion than other countries
Global work environment
Each year, nearly 300 mil workers miss at least 4 days due to on job injury
How many people die as a result of job-related diseases and injuries?
2 mil/year
Toxicology
Study of harmful effects that chemicals and other environmental hazards have on living things
