Health problems caused by respiratory diseases due to air pollution in Soacha,

Cundinamarca.

Geopolítica y Medio Ambiente

Tarea 4 Evaluación Final

Presentado por

Maribel Serna González

Katerine Rodriguez

Jessica Pamela Mora

Anatilde Reyes Reyes

Group 151021_40

Tutor

Carolina Jaime Rodríguez

Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia UNAD

Escuela Ciencias de la Salud ECISA

Mayo de 2022
Environmental factors as determinants of the health status of residents in the
municipality of Soacha

1. Basic information: A statement of the issues chosen in their context, which includes
the relationships between geopolitics and the environment and the impacts on health
and human development. Description of the context and issues and impacts on
health and human development, in terms of causes, mortality and morbidity. Use
subtitles for each theme.

The physical factors of the environment, the quality of the air and industrialization cause
effects on the public health of citizens, especially respiratory diseases that occur more
and more frequently, harming children and older adults, without taking the necessary
measures in this regard.

 Health impacts of poor air quality

Exposure to high levels of air pollution can cause a variety of adverse health outcomes:
it increases the risk of respiratory infections, heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer, all
of which will come out in greater proportion to the vulnerable population.

 Impacts on human development

Taking into account the high number of people who have informal jobs in the
municipality and who see the opportunity to get their daily livelihood on the highway
where a large number of vehicles circulate that pollute the environment, and that in turn
harm their health and deteriorate your quality of life because the conditions are not the
best to satisfy their basic needs
  Mortality and morbidity

The Uniminuto – Soacha station and the Colegio Mayor de Soacha – Soacha station
show high concentration levels of PM2.5, which, according to national standards and
international provisions, is considered a pollutant with a high impact on health. There is
evidence of regional transport processes of pollutants that have contributed to the
increase in the concentration levels of pm2.5 in the municipality.

there are all other diseases, when performing analysis by subgroup of causes, it was
found that within this group of causes, the majority correspond to chronic diseases of the
respiratory tract lower with a rate of (27.38 x 100,000 inhabitants). The group of
communicable diseases is in fifth place as a cause of death when performing analysis
by subgroup of causes, it was found that the majority corresponds to acute respiratory
infections, with a rate of 12.48 x 100,000 population

the group of pathologies that causes the greatest number of deaths in men in the
municipality are respiratory infections acute, although they show a downward trend,
going from a rate from 15.60 deaths per 100,000 in 2015 to 15.39 per 100,000 in 2019,
for all the observed period constitute the first cause of death.

2. Justification: It supports the reason for which it chose this problematic and not
another one with data of the context of occurrence and bibliographical
argumentation. It is a bibliographic review of background, mínimum 2 (two) scientific
articles in English language and 4 (four) scientific articles in Spanish language.

 Choosing the theme of the air is important because the quality of it when we
breathe is essential to have a healthy life and lower incidence and severity of
different frequent diseases.
 According to Contamination by heavy metals in the sediments accumulated
in the Bogotá-Soacha Road corridor, Road sediments accumulated in dry
weather carry metallic elements that affect not only water resources but also air
quality when they are suspended by wind and rain. traffic-induced turbulence.
 According to the authors of Assessment of the institutional capacity to
respond to poor air quality in the municipality of Soacha, the poor air quality
that has occurred in recent years in the municipality of Soacha has led to the
decreeing of exceptional levels of air quality on more than one occasion, which
generates health problems for the inhabitants and even more so for the sensitive
groups. The municipality only has two stations currently active for monitoring air
quality, which are: Colegio and Uniminuto, which belong to the CAR monitoring
network, both present concentrations that exceed the maximum levels allowed by
Colombian legislation., for this reason, the assessment of the institutional
capacity to respond to states of poor air quality in the municipality of Soacha is
planned.
 Environmental factors are one of the main sources of contamination that directly
influence the appearance of respiratory diseases in the population, since they
produce toxic particles that are inhaled when breathing the already contaminated
atmosphere, triggering diseases such as bronchial asthma. Soacha, being a busy
road corridor, pollution from automobiles is higher, causing poor air quality . the
increase in levels of air pollutants, especially smoke, was associated with
an increase in hospital emergency visits for asthma. (Romero-Placeres M,
2044).
 The information on the Influence of traffic on the accumulation of heavy
metals on urban roads: Torrelavega (Spain)-Soacha (Colombia), Road users
and those who live in nearby environments are potentially exposed to high
concentrations of metals; Areas with the highest traffic density tend to have the
highest concentrations. In addition, the roads with a greater use as a parking line
tend to present higher concentrations, despite registering a lower traffic density.
In the research cities, Pb exceeds the limits established by the legislation used as
a reference.

 Hay efectos de la contaminación del aire sobre la salud a corto y largo plazo,
siendo la exposición a largo plazo y de larga duración la más significativa para la
salud pública. La mayoría de las muertes atribuibles a la contaminación
 atmosférica en la población general están relacionadas con las enfermedades no
transmisibles. En efecto, el 36% de las muertes por cáncer de pulmón, el 35% de
la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (COPD), el 34% de los accidentes
cerebrovasculares y el 27% de las cardiopatías isquémicas son atribuibles a la
contaminación atmosférica. Sin embargo, el mayor impacto es sobre la
mortalidad infantil, ya que más de la mitad de las muertes de niños menores de 5
años por infecciones agudas de las vías respiratorias inferiores (ALRI) son
debidas a partículas inhaladas por la contaminación del aire interior producto del
uso de combustibles sólidos (Balakrishnan  et al., 2014).

 Hay una abundante evidencia científica que subraya la necesidad urgente de

mejorar la calidad del aire. El programa de investigación en entorno urbano y
contaminación del aire de ISGlobal ha realizado numerosos estudios acerca de
cómo la polución afecta nuestra salud. David Rojas, médico investigador del
equipo, nos lo explica:

 Muchas veces no es visible, pero la contaminación del aire, en particular la

procedente del tráfico, es la causa de algunas de nuestras enfermedades más
comunes. Cáncer de pulmón, ictus, enfermedades respiratorias y un largo
etcétera son causadas por esta asesina invisible. Más allá de la polución, el
entorno urbano en el que vivimos impacta directamente en la salud y el
bienestar.

3. Relationships cause - effect of the problematic situation: Make a diagram showing

the causal chain and effects of the problematic situation (problem tree, fishbone or
whatever you choose) from geopolitics to the environment and showing the effects
on individual and collective health and human development. Write a research
question.
• Definition of problem solution alternatives: Propose and describe at least two intra-
sectoral alternatives and two inter- sectoral alternatives to solve the problem in the
strategic framework of the Environmental Dimension of the Ten Year Public Health Plan
and/or in the framework of sustainable human development.

Intersectoral programs for all sectors dedicated to production, health authorities and
environmental authorities seeking to control air pollution, which are prepared by the
territorial entities.

Clear and specific policies regarding the renewal of vehicles that have already
completed their useful life, better fuel quality and better technology

Question:
What are intersectoral and intrasectoral strategies that allow me to mitigate health

problems due to air pollution that affects the inhabitants of Soacha, Cundinamarca.

Especially children and older adults.

4. Description and development of the intra-sectorial and intersectoral alternatives:

Make a diagram or outline for each alternative, with the objectives, goals and
resources needed. Make a description of the diagram by expanding the information
and description of the alternatives presented.

Intrasectoral strategy Intersectorial strategy

Description of the Prioritize public health

strategy
surveillance aimed at
epidemiological efficiency
aimed at understanding the
behavior of public health
events related to air
pollution and its relationship
with asthma in the
population.
By 2021, the country will
have studies on the
environmental burden of
disease and health costs
of prioritized events related
to water, air, basic
sanitation, chemical safety,

• Identify and address biological and

events of interest in public technological risk, with

health, related to intervention strategies in

environmental factors. the territorial scope.

• Determine the • By 2021, the National

environmental burden of Intersectoral Plan for

 priority diseases in public Strengthening Health and

health related to Environmental Quality

environmental factors, at the Laboratories will have

national and territorial been designed and will be

levels. under development in

• Formulate and implement conjunction with the

strategies to carry out National Institute of

studies of the environmental Metrology INM, the

load of priority diseases in National Accreditation

public health. Body ONAC and the

• Identify and prevent new Institute of Hydrology,

threats to health from Meteorology and

environmental factors. Environmental Studies.

IDEA.

• By 2021, establishments

of health interest

monitored and controlled,

80% for those at high risk,

and 40% for those at low

risk, according to the

national and/or territorial

census.

Goals Publish air quality monitoring

and tracking protocols.
 Develop diagnostics of national
and existing air quality
conditions.
Establish the determinants of
environmental (air) pollution.
Resources -Education and -Implementation of health
management of solid waste surveillance brigades
$10.000.000 $12.000.000
-Construction and Health personnel in charge
adaptation of sewers. $15.000.000
$100.000.000 -Equpis for air quality
-Epidemiologic field measurements
research $16.000.000
Studies to improve air - New laser type sensor
quality equipment to measure air
$15.000.000 $30.000.000
$10.000.000
-Air pollution studies
$16.000.000
-Health personnel in charge
15.000.000

• Conclusions: Explain 5 (five) conclusions on the relationship between geopolitics and

the environment and their effects on 3 health and human development and a conclusion
on the alternatives to solve this type of problem in the context where you live and/or
work.
  The geopolitics of biodiversity and sustainable development not only prolongs

and intensifies the previous processes of destructive appropriation of natural

resources, but also changes the forms of intervention and appropriation of nature

and takes the logic of economic rationality to its limit.

 Since the origins of Western civilization, the disjunction of being and entity that

metaphysical thought operates has paved the way for the objectification of the

world. The economy affirms the meaning of the world in production; nature is

reified, denatured from its ecological complexity and converted into raw material

for an economic process; natural resources become simple objects for the

exploitation of capital.

 Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by recurrent attacks of shortness of

breath and wheezing, and affects people of all ages, most often children exposed

to precursor conditions of the disease. environmental health is paramount to

improve the health condition of the population of soacha cundinamarca; health

care and support against diseases. the two concepts allow Colombia to change

the form of intervention and appropriation of nature and bring the logic of

economic rationality to its limits, providing a healthy environment, improving the

quality of life of the population.

.
 Bibliography: APA standards

Declarado nivel de prevención en Soacha por calidad del aire

https://www.car.gov.co/saladeprensa/declarado-nivel-de-prevencion-en-soacha-por-calidad-
del-aire

Rodriguez, M. X. G., Plazas, D. E. G., Quinche, J. E. P., Saad, A. P., & Gutiérrez, B. E.
O. (2021, November). Assessment of the institutional capacity to respond to poor air
quality in the municipality of Soacha. In 2021 Congreso Colombiano y Conferencia
Internacional de Calidad de Aire y Salud Pública (CASAP) (pp. 1-3). IEEE.

Zafra Mejía, Carlos Alfonso, Peña Valbuena, Nancy Ángela, & Álvarez Prieto, Santiago.
(2013). Contaminación por metales pesados en los sedimentos acumulados sobre el
corredor vial Bogotá - Soacha. Tecnura, 17(37), 99-108. Retrieved May 23, 2022, from
http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0123-
921X2013000300010&lng=en&tlng=es.

Zafra Mejía, C. A., Luengas Pinzón, E. C., & Temprano González, J. (2013). Influencia
del tráfico en la acumulación de metales pesados sobre vías urbanas: Torrelavega
(España)-Soacha (Colombia). Revista Facultad de Ingeniería Universidad de Antioquia,
(67), 146-160.

Organización Panamericana de la Salud – OPS- y Organización Mundial de la Salud

Oficina Regional para las Américas –OMS- (2013). Seminario 3, Cambio climático y
salud. En: Salud, ambiente y desarrollo sostenible: hacia el futuro que queremos.
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option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=22830&Itemid=