Environmental Health Principles

Study Notes

Environmental health is a branch of public health that focuses on the natural and built environment's impact on human health.
It aims to prevent human injuries and promote well-being by identifying and evaluating sources of environmental exposures that may be hazardous.

Examples of current environmental health issues include:
- Climate change
- Pollution
- Deforestation
- Disease

Environmental health factors are aspects of the environment that affect human health.
These factors can come from human development and industrialization, including:
- Agricultural activities
- Mining operations
- Landfills
- Underground storage tanks
- Shipping and transportation
- Carbon emissions

Physical hazards are processes that occur in the natural environment and can harm human health.
Examples of physical hazards include:
- Electricity
- Heat
- Heights
- Noise
- Vibration
- Body stressing
- Confined spaces
Heat strain: working in extreme temperatures can cause physical harm.
Natural disasters, such as tornados, are also physical hazards.

Chemical hazards are non-biological substances that can harm human health.
Examples of chemical hazards include:
- Toxins
- Carcinogens
- Teratogens
- Irritants
- Sensitizers
Chemical hazards can enter the body through:
- Absorption (through skin or eyes)
- Inhalation (through lungs)
- Ingestion (through mouth)
- Injection (through skin or wounds)

Biological hazards are harmful impacts from the interaction between organisms and the natural environment.
Examples of biological hazards include:
- Bacterial infections
- Viruses
- Diseases
- Malaria
- Tuberculosis
- Influenza
- Mold
- Fungi
Biological hazards originate from ecological interactions and are transported by biological vectors.

Cultural hazards, also known as lifestyle hazards, refer to harmful outcomes from daily living.
Examples of cultural hazards include:
- Place of residency
- Socioeconomic status (SES)
- Occupation
- Behavioural choice (e.g., smoking)

Indoor hazards refer to harmful impacts from indoor pollution that affect the lungs.
Examples of potential indoor health hazards include:
- CO2 build-up
- Too dry or humid air
- Dust
- Tobacco smoke
- Burning fuel
- Toxic fumes from cooking
- Asbestos
- Cleaning materials and solvents in the air
- Smoke build-up
- Odourless gases such as radon
Radon gas is a toxic indoor hazard that can cause lung damage.
Asbestos is an environmental hazard that can cause lung damage due to its fibrous structure.