بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Foundations in Medicine
Lec - 5-Man & Environment
The study of disease is really the study of man and his environment. The term environment implies all the external factors living and non- living , material and non-material -which surround man. Environment,according to modern concepts ,includes not only the water,air and soil that form our environment but also the social and economic conditions under which we live.II.Biological component This include plant and animal life including bacteria,viruses, insects,rodents and animals.
III.Social componentThis include customs,culture,habits,income ,occupation ,religion,…etc.
Environment has been divided into three closely related components:-
I.Physical component This include water ,air ,soil ,housing, wastes, radiation,..etc.
Much of man’s ill-health can be traced to adverse environmental factors such as water pollution, soil pollution ,air pollution,poor housing conditions , presence of animal reservoirs and insect vectors of diseases which pose a constant threat to man’s health. Man is responsible for the pollution of his environment through urbanization, industrialization and other human activities.
The key to man’s health lies largely in his environment.
Sanitation:-Dictionary meaning :- Sanitation is the science of safeguarding health. National Sanitation Foundation of USA definition: Sanitation is a way of life .It is the quality of living that is expressed in the clean home , the clean farm,the clean business , the clean neighbor hood and the clean community.
WHO definition:-
In actual facts sanitation doesn't mean sanitary disposal of human excreta alone ,but it covers the whole field of controlling the environment with a view prevent disease and promote health.Environmental sanitation is the control of all those factors in man’s physical environment which exercise or may exercise a deleterious effect on his physical development,health and survival.
Man has already controlled a number of factors in his environment, e.g. food,water housing ,clothing,sanitation.These controllable factors are those included in the “Standard of Living “ .It is the control of these factors that has been responsible for considerable improvement in the health of people during the past century in the developed countries.
However,man’s mastery over his environment is not complete .As old problems are being solved , new problems are arising .Air pollution is of growing concern in many urban centres.
Advances in nuclear technology have produced the problem of radio-active pollution of the environment.
The demographic growth and fast urbanization all over the world are bringing profound social and environmental changes.
Thus, the attainment of a healthy environment is becoming more and more complex.
Industrial growth has given rise to the problem of environmental pollution industrial wastes.
Proper environmental health now requires the services of the public health qualified doctor,the epidemiologist,the public health engineer,the town planner , the sociologist , the economist,and the health inspector.
A combined multi-disciplinary programme of action is needed to active a healthy environment.
The purpose of environmental health is to create and maintain ecological conditions that will promote health and thus prevent disease.
The term environmental sanitation is now being replaced by environmental health.
Much of the ill-health is due to poor environmental sanitation .i.e. unsafe water,polluted soil,unhygienic disposal of human excreta and refuse,poor housing,insects and rodents.
The high death rate,infant mortality rate,sickness rate and poor standards of health are in fact largely due to defective environmental sanitation.
Changes needed to achieve Health For All are concerned with a healthy environment and healthy lifestyle and require initiatives by the individual,the family and the community.
1.Physical factors. 2.Biological factors. 3.Social & Cultural factors . 4.Economic factors. 5.Sanitary factors. 6.Urbanization and industrialization.
The first step in any health programme is the elimination through environmental control of those factors which are harmful to health.
Ecological Factors:-
The End7.Demographic factors. 8.Political and administrative factors. 9.Heriditary factors. 10.Medical care.