Community Health Nursing Department

1 2021-2022
 Rules

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 Objectives
By the end of this lecture, each student will be able to:

1. Define fundamental terms related to environmental

studies.

2. Enumerate the objectives of environmental studies.

3. Identify the scope of environmental studies.

4. Explain the importance of environmental studies.

5. Determine the environmental hazards.

6.
3 Discuss the current environmental problems.
 Outlines
Fundamental terms related to environmental studies.

Objectives of environmental studies.

Scope of environmental studies.

Importance of environmental studies.

Environmental hazards.

Current environmental problems.

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 Introduction
The air we breathe, the water we drink, and the
food we eat, the places we work, and the homes we
live in all aspects of our natural and man-made
environment have an impact on our health. Complex
interactions between human genetics and our physical
surroundings can give rise to a variety of diseases and
health conditions.

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 Definition of Health
 Is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-
being and not merely the absence of disease or illness.

 Health is only possible where resources are available to

meet human needs and where the living and working
environment is protected from life-threatening and health
threatening pollutants, pathogens and physical hazards.

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 What is Environment?
 The term environment comes from the French

word (environ) and means every thing that

surround us.

 Environment is the area in which we live.

 The totality of the surrounding conditions for

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comfortable living of organism.
 Environment: the total of our surroundings
All the things around us with which we
interact:
 Living things:
Animals, plants, forests, fungi, etc.
 Non-living things:
Continents, oceans, clouds, soil, rocks.
 Our built environment:
Buildings, human-created living centers.
 Social relationships and institutions.
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 Definition of Environment
 [All] that which is external to individual human host. [It]
can be divided into physical, biological, social cultural, any
or all of which can influence health status in populations.’

 The sum total of water, air and land, their interrelationship

among themselves and with the human beings, other living
beings and property.

 The aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or

influences.
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The 7 Core Concepts related to the environment
 Toxicity

• Toxic: means poisonous or dangerous.

• Toxicology: is the study of poisons.

• Toxicity: is a measure of how dangerous

a chemical is. Or specific degree of being

11 toxic or poisonous.
Exposure is the total amount of a hazard that
comes in direct contact with your body.
The 3 parts of exposure
The The The
Source Environmental Contact
of the hazard Pathway (inhaled fumes)
(bus exhaust) (air)
 X
X
X
Exposure
X
X
X X Dose X
X X
X

X X

X = hazard

Dose is the amount of a hazard that actually

enters your body.
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 Dose can depend on…
Duration of Frequency of Body Size:
Exposure: Exposure: How big or
How long? How often? small are you?

M L
S S
 Individual Susceptibility
“At risk of infection by a pathogen”.

Pregnant women Elderly people

and their whose defense
developing babies mechanisms are
less efficient

Infants and
Sick people who
children who
have weakened
are still
immune systems
developing
 Risks and benefits is a comparison between
the risks of a situation and its benefits.
Ex: Risks and Benefits of using pesticides :
Risks Benefits
 People & animals  Better looking
ingest pesticides and fruit that is more
get sick. visually
appealing.
 Pesticides get into
air and water.  Bigger crops so
farmers can make
more profit.

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• Environmental Justice (EJ) means that

everyone has a right to live in an environment

that doesn’t make them sick, regardless of their

race, culture, or income.

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Community action includes a broad range of

activities and is sometimes described as ‘social

action' or ‘community engagement'. These

activities can vary in their objective, the role the

community plays, the types of activities

involved.
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Definition of Environmental Health

Air Environmental Health Sunlight

is the field of science
that studies how the
Food Noise
environment influences
human health and

Water disease. Soil

 Environmental hazards

Hazard is anything in the environment that can

hurt you or make you sick.
1. Biological hazard.

2. Chemical hazard.

3. Psychological hazard.

4. Social hazard.

5. Physical hazard.
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 Biological hazards
living organisms, or their products, that
increase the risk of disease or death in humans.
Source of biological hazards may include
(bacteria , viruses, insects, animal ……..)

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 Chemical hazards
 Are those that result from mismanagement of
chemicals. The common sources of chemical
exposure that commonly affect health:( Pesticides,
Lead, Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).)

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 Psychological hazard

 Are environmental factors that produce

psychological changes expressed as stress,
depression, and anxiety.

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 Sociological hazards

• Are those that result from living in a

society where one experiences noise, lack
of privacy and overcrowding. Population
growth may be a sociological hazard.

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 Physical hazards
“A factor within the environment that can harm the
body”

• Physical hazards include electricity, humidity,

equipment and environmental design and radiation.

• The two most physical hazards involve radiation

from radon gas and ultraviolet light.

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 Environmental Science

 It deals with the scientific study of

environmental system (air, water, soil and
land), the inherent or induced changes on
organisms and the environmental damages
incurred as a result of human interaction with
the environment.
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 Definition of Environmental studies

 Environmental studies is the interdisciplinary

field which systematically studies human
interaction with the environment in the interests
of solving complex problems.
 Provide an approach towards understanding
the environment of our planet and the impact
of
27 human life upon the environment.
Objectives of Environmental Studies
1. Creating the awareness about environmental
problems among people.

2. Giving basic knowledge about the

environment and its related problems.

3. Developing an attitude of concern for the

environment.
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Objectives of Environmental Studies (cont.,)

4. Motivating public to participate in environment

protection and environment improvement.

5. Acquiring skills to help the concerned individuals

in identifying and solving environmental problems.

6. Develop the ability to evaluate measures for the

improvement and protection of environment.

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 Scope of Environmental Studies

1. Conservation and management of natural

resources like forest, water, air, mineral, etc.

2. Control of environmental pollutions like

air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution,
solid waste pollution, noise pollution,
electronic waste pollution.

3. Control of human population.

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The importance of environmental studies

 Understand the impacts of development on

environment.

 Utilize natural resources efficiently.

 Learn and create awareness about

environmental problems at local, national
and international levels.
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Major Current Environmental Problems

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 ANY QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU
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 Question Example
 The field that studies how the environment
influences human health and disease is:
a. Environmental studies.
b. Environmental Health.
c. Environmental justice.
d. Environmental Science.

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