St.

Bridget School1
QUEZON CITY

Health 9

SY 2021 - 2022
First Quarter

Community and Environmental Health Problems

What is the module about:

This module introduces the concept of community and environmental health to make you
appreciate the importance of having a healthy community, and living in a healthy environment. It
will discuss the characteristics of a healthy community according to the World Health
Organization and some examples of community health problems.

Objectives:
At the end of the module you are expected to describe a healthy community and environment as
per the World Health Organization. You are also expected to describe several community health
problems and suggest possible solutions to them.

Week 1

Definition of terms:
Community - refers to the people of a district or country considered collectively, especially in the
context of social values and responsibilities; society.

Environment: everything that surrounds an individual including the air we breathe, the water
we drink and use, the land that surrounds us - all of the natural as well as human-made
conditions that influence the quality of lives

Environmental Health - includes preventing disease and creating health – supportive

environments; examines the interaction between the environment and our health.

Healthy community - one where people have the opportunity to make healthy choices, in
environments that are safe, free from violence, and designed to promote health.
(Vitalyst Health Foundation)

Health - the condition of having freedom from illness and injury

To start this module, you will answer the question What makes a Community Healthy?
Importance of Environment to Human Health
We need safe, healthy and supportive environments for good health. The environment in which
we live is a major determinant of our health and wellbeing. We depend on the environment for
energy and the materials needed to sustain life, such as:
● clean air
● safe drinking water
● nutritious food
● safe places to live

Characteristics of a healthy community according to the World Health Organization

1. Is physically clean and safe
2. Has different and innovative economy
3. Understands local health and environmental issues
4. Promotes and celebrates historical and cultural heritage
5. Provides accessible and appropriate healthy services and facilities
6. Promotes social harmony
7. Has members who participate in identifying solutions to local problems
8. Enriches experiences through interaction and communication

Ways by which a healthy community can improve people’s health

1. Increasing physical activity and reducing injury
2. Increasing access to healthy food
3. Improving the quality of air and water
4. Minimizing the effects of climate change
5. Decreasing mental health stresses
6. Strengthening the social fabric of the community
7. Providing fair access to livelihood, education, and resources

Samples of the community health problems

1. Water Supply - used in households, agriculture and industry
- to be safe it has to be free from dangerous bacteria and chemicals
- water pollution is caused by chemical, biological, and physical pollutants that
degrade the quality of water; may also be caused by waste treatment facilities,
mining, oil spill, animal wastes, and household chemicals like soap
- pollution results to eutrophication or excessive richness of nutrients in a body of
water which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack
of oxygen
2. Solid Waste - a major challenge in the Philippines especially in urban areas like Metro
 Manila
- the dominant concerns in the country’s solid waste management are improper wastes
disposal, inefficient wastes collection and lack of disposal facilities
- this problem leads to health hazards and serious environmental impacts such as
ground and surface water contamination, flooding, air pollution, and spread of
diseases
- Solid waste may be discarded household, commercial waste, non-hazardous
institutional and industrial waste, street sweepings, construction debris, agricultural
waste, and other non-hazardous/non-toxic waste
3. Food Sanitation and Safety - food safety is the assurance/guarantee that food will not
cause harm to the consumers when it is prepared and/or eaten according to its
intended use
- food and water-borne diseases is a group of illness caused by any infectious
(bacteria, viruses and parasites) and non-infectious agents (chemical, animal and
plant toxins)
- Common Causes of Food and Water Borne Diseases
- unsafe sources of drinking water
- improper disposal of human waste
- unhygienic practices like spitting anywhere, blowing or picking the nose
- unsafe food handling and preparation practices i.e. street vended foods
- Five Keys to Safer Food (Source: WHO)
1. Keep Clean.
2. Separate raw and cooked foods.
3. Cook foods thoroughly.
4. Keep food at safe temperatures.
5. Use safe water and raw materials.
4. Disease Control - epidemic is the occurrence of an illness that is clearly in excess of
what is expected in a community or region which demands an immediate
attention and control measure
- pandemic is defined by WHO as “an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a
very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large
number of people”
- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as biohazards is an infectious disease caused
by a newly discovered coronavirus unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan,
China, in December 2019.
- The Philippines is being dealt a particularly fierce blow by the coronavirus by
having tens of thousands infected individuals
- social distancing is impossible in cramped urban areas
 - outbreak of diseases usually happens after natural disasters like diarrhea,
leptospirosis, malaria, dengue fever, and influenza

You will complete The Frayer Model Organizer below.

Frayer Model Organizer

End of Module

References:
MAPEH for Today’s Learners
Quennie S. Miranda et al., Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.

Health - Grade 9
Alternative Delivery Mode
Iris Coleen E. Burlat
Department of Education – Division of Iligan City