Rissa Mae Reforba G9-Victoria

Community Health
Community health is a major field of study within the medical and clinical sciences which
focuses on the maintenance, protection and improvement of the health status of population
groups and communities as opposed to the health of individual patients.
It is a distinct field of study that may be taught within a separate school of public
health or environmental health.
The term "community health" refers to the health status of a defined group of people, or
community, and the actions and conditions that protect and improve the health of the
community.
Those individuals who make up a community live in a somewhat localized area under the
same general regulations, norms, values, and organizations. For example, the health status
of the people living in a particular town, and the actions taken to protect and improve the
health of these residents, would constitute community health.
History of Community Health Practice.

In all likelihood, the earliest community health practices went unrecorded. Recorded
evidence of concern about health is found as early as 25,000 b.c.e., in Spain, where cave walls
included murals of physical deformities. Besides these cave carvings and drawings, the earliest
records of community health practice were those of the Chinese, Egyptians, and Babylonians. As
early as the twenty-first century b.c.e., the Chinese dug wells for drinking.

Factors that Affect Community and Population Health.

There are four categories of factors that affect the health of a community or population.
Because these factors will vary in separate communities, the health status of individual
communities will be different. The factors that are included in each category, and an example of
each factor, are noted here.
1. Physical factorsgeography (parasitic diseases), environment (availability of natural
resources), community size (overcrowding), and industrial development (pollution).
2. Social and cultural factorsbeliefs, traditions, and prejudices (smoking in public places,
availability of ethnic foods, racial disparities), economy (employee health care benefits),
politics (government participation), religion (beliefs about medical treatment), social norms
(drinking on a college campus), and socioeconomic status (number of people below poverty
level).
3. Community organizationavailable health agencies (local health department, voluntary
health agencies), and the ability to organize to problem solve (lobby city council).
4. Individual behaviorpersonal behavior (health-enhancing behaviors like exercising, getting
immunized, and recycling wastes).

Three Tools of Community Health Practice.

Much of the work of community health revolves around three basic tools:

Epidemiology
o Judith Mausner and Shira Kramer have defined epidemiology as the study of the
distribution and determinants of diseases and injuries in human populations. Such
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data are recorded as number of cases or as rates (number per 1,000 or 100,000).
Epidemiological data are to community health workers as biological measurements
are to a physician. Epidemiology has sometimes been referred to as population
medicine.

Community Organizing
o Herbert Rubin and Irene Rubin have defined community organizing as bringing
people together to combat shared problems and increase their say about decisions
that affect their lives. For example, communities may organize to help control
violence in a neighborhood.
Health Education.
o Health education involves health promotion and disease prevention (HP/DP)
programming, a process by which a variety of interventions are planned,
implemented, and evaluated for the purpose of improving or maintaining the health
of a community or population. A smoking cessation program for a company's
employees, a stress management class for church members, or a community-wide
safety belt campaign are examples of HP/DP programming.
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1. Environmental Health

Environmental health is the branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of
the natural and built environment that may affect human health. Health is the science, practice, and
study of a human's well-being and their health and preventing illnesses and human injuries. Other
terms referring to or concerning environmental health are environmental public health,
and public health protection / environmental health protection. Environmental health
and environmental protection are very much related. Environmental health is focused on the
natural and built environments for the benefit of human health, whereas environmental protection
is concerned with protecting the natural environment for the benefit of human health and the
ecosystem. Research in the environmental health field tries to limit the harmful exposures through
natural things such as soil, water, air food, etc. [1]

Environmental health is the study of how environmental factors can harm human health and
how to identify, prevent, and control such effects.
Environmental health professionals work to:
maintain a safe supply of food and drinking water
discover mechanisms of diseases caused by environmental exposures
treat and dispose of solid and toxic wastes
reduce air, water, food, and noise pollution
control workplace hazards

Environmental exposures cause hundreds of thousands of illnesses each year, including

asthma and cancers. This interdisciplinary program addresses public health issues associated
with exposures to human-caused and naturally occurring chemical and microbial contaminants in
air, water, soil, and food. Graduates become professionals who work to identify, evaluate, and
control exposures to environmental contaminants.

Why Is Environmental Health Important?

Maintaining a healthy environment is central to increasing quality of life and years of healthy
life. Globally, 23% of all deaths and 26% of deaths among children under age 5 are due to
preventable environmental factors.1 Environmental factors are diverse and far reaching. They
include:
Exposure to hazardous substances in the air, water, soil, and food
Natural and technological disasters
Climate change
Occupational hazards
The built environment

Poor environmental quality has its greatest impact on people whose health status is
already at risk. Therefore, environmental health must address the societal and environmental
factors that increase the likelihood of exposure and disease.
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The 6 themes of the Environmental Health topic area draw attention to elements of the
environment and their linkages to health.

Outdoor Air Quality

Poor air quality is linked to premature death, cancer, and long-term damage to respiratory and
cardiovascular systems. Progress has been made to reduce unhealthy air emissions, but in 2008,
approximately 127 million people lived in U.S. counties that exceeded national air quality
standards.2 Decreasing air pollution is an important step in creating a healthy environment.

Surface and Ground Water

Surface and ground water quality concerns apply to both drinking water and recreational waters.
Contamination by infectious agents or chemicals can cause mild to severe illness. Protecting
water sources and minimizing exposure to contaminated water sources are important parts of
environmental health.

Toxic Substances and Hazardous Wastes

The health effects of toxic substances and hazardous wastes are not yet fully understood.
Research to better understand how these exposures may impact health is ongoing. Meanwhile,
efforts to reduce exposures continue. Reducing exposure to toxic substances and hazardous
wastes is fundamental to environmental health.

Homes and Communities

People spend most of their time at home, work, or school. Some of these environments may
expose people to:
Indoor air pollution
Inadequate heating and sanitation
Structural problems
Electrical and fire hazards
Lead-based paint hazards

These hazards can impact health and safety. Maintaining healthy homes and communities is
essential to environmental health.

Infrastructure and Surveillance

Preventing exposure to environmental hazards relies on many partners, including state and local
health departments. Personnel, surveillance systems, and education are important resources for
investigating and responding to disease, monitoring for hazards, and educating the public.
Additional methods and greater capacity to measure and respond to environmental hazards are
needed.

Global Environmental Health

Water quality is an important global challenge. Diseases can be reduced by improving water
quality and sanitation and increasing access to adequate water and sanitation facilities.
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Emerging Issues in Environmental Health

Environmental health is a dynamic and evolving field. While not all complex
environmental issues can be predicted, some known emerging issues in the field include:

Climate Change
Climate change is projected to impact sea level, patterns of infectious disease, air quality, and the
severity of natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and storms.3, 4

Disaster Preparedness
Preparedness for the environmental impact of natural disasters as well as disasters of human
origin includes planning for human health needs and the impact on public infrastructure, such as
water and roadways.5

Nanotechnology
The potential impact of nanotechnology is significant and offers possible improvements to:
Disease prevention, detection, and treatment
Electronics
Clean energy
Manufacturing
Environmental risk assessment
However, nanotechnology may also present unintended health risks or changes to the
environment.6

The Built Environment

Features of the built environment appear to impact human healthinfluencing behaviors,
physical activity patterns, social networks, and access to resources.7

Exposure to Unknown Hazards

Every year, hundreds of new chemicals are introduced to the U.S. market. It is presumed that
some of these chemicals may present new, unexpected challenges to human health, and their
safety should be evaluated prior to release.

These cross-cutting issues are not yet understood well enough to inform the development
of systems for measuring and tracking their impact. Further exploration is warranted. The
environmental health landscape will continue to evolve and may present opportunities for
additional research, analysis, and monitoring.

Blood Lead Levels

As of 2017, there are approximately 4 million houses or buildings that have children living in
them who are potentially being exposed to lead. Nearly half a million U.S. children ages 1 to 5
have blood lead levels at or above 5 micrograms per deciliter (g/dL), which is currently the
reference level at which CDC recommends public health actions be taken. Even blood lead
exposure levels as low as 2 micrograms per deciliter (g/dL) can affect a childs cognitive
function. Since no safe blood lead level have been identified for children, any exposure should
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be taken seriously. However, since lead exposure often occurs with no obvious signs or
symptoms, it often remains unrecognized. CDCs Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
Program is committed to the Healthy People 2020 goals of eliminating childhood lead
exposures and decreasing disparities in the differences in average risk of lead exposure based on
race and social class as public health concerns.
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2. Characteristics of a Healthy Community

Healthy Communities are based on the following principles:

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.
Social, environmental and economic factors are important determinants of human health and are
inter-related.
People cannot achieve their fullest potential unless they are able to take control of those things
which determine their well-being.
All sectors of the community are inter-related; sectors need to share their knowledge, expertise
and perspectives and work together to create a healthy community.

A Healthy Communities process involves:

Equitable community engagement
Intersectoral partnerships
Political commitment
Healthy public policy
Asset-based community development

Qualities of a Healthy Community include:

Clean and safe physical environment
Peace, equity and social justice
Adequate access to food, water, shelter, income, safety, work and recreation for all
Adequate access to health care services
Opportunities for learning and skill development
Strong, mutually supportive relationships and networks
Workplaces that are supportive of individual and family well-being
Wide participation of residents in decision-making
Strong local cultural and spiritual heritage
Diverse and vital economy
Protection of the natural environment
Responsible use of resources to ensure long term sustainability
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3. Improper Waste Disposal

Waste disposal can be defined as any method used to discard unwanted substances or
materials. Poor waste disposal activities engender severe environmental problems on a
location. Factors such as a rising population, industrial development, growing consumerism
and technological advancement have strengthened the waste management problem in
Trinidad and Tobago. For instance, according to the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste
Management Company Limited (SWMCOL) (2011), the typical person creates roughly 4
pounds of waste per day which totals almost 1,000 tonnes of unwanted trash that is
transported to landfills. Also, masses of waste are inappropriately discarded, which
consequently pollutes rivers, streets, beaches, drains and all other areas in the environment.
Suitable waste management practices are important to treating this issue. Waste
management encompasses every function in dealing with waste namely collection from the
waste producer, transference to a processing site, and selection of disposal methods (Helicon,
2016). These processes should have minimum impacts on the environment. Correct waste
management practices are vital to achieving sustainable development objectives.
Methods
Some of the main waste disposal methods include:
Incineration- The burning of waste materials at high temperatures to transform them into gases or
residue.
Landfill- A cost effective method of waste disposal that involves burying the waste in the land.
Recycling- The conversion of waste material into new products. It aims to reduce strain on the
environment by minimizing the waste that is added to the water, air and land.
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Open Dumping- A simple and inexpensive method which involves the deliberate disposal of
garbage in an open space.
Ocean Dumping- Occurs when sewage, garbage, construction debris, hazardous chemicals etc.
are intentionally discarded at sea by ships, aircrafts and other man made machines. Incineration
of trash at sea is also included in this definition.

CAUSE
1. IGNORANCE
People are unaware of consequence of their unwise acts. They do not think what will be the
effect of their every action concerning Mother Nature. This is related to selfishness for they dont
think about how it will affect others.
2. LAZINESS
People are not following correct rules of proper waste disposal. They throw their waste in what
place they want carelessly thinking what will be the effect of that one indisposed properly trash.
They arent able to give time in finding bins for their garbage.
3. GREED
Instead of keeping or trading excess things to maximize uses, they bought new one for only like
not a need.

EFFECT
1. HEALTH
Lung diseases, heart problems, skin irritation, problem or abnormality in breathing, and more are
examples of diseases due to pollution caused by improper waste disposal.

2. COASTAL AND MARINE ENVIRONMENT

Dangerous wastes if dumped into the environment leeches the ground and the ground water
where some communities get their drinking water. In marine environment, improper waste
disposal kills aquatic animals due to the excretion of chemicals.

3. CLIMATE
As some waste decomposes, it releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere trapping of heat
affecting weather condition.

4. AIR POLLUTION
It was caused open burning of waste (e.g. rubber and plastic). It produced methane gas which is
one of the main components of landfill gas and much more effective than carbon dioxide as a
greenhouse gas.
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5. SOIL CONTAMINATION
It is causes by presence of man-made chemicals (e.g. petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents,
pesticides, lead and etc.), leaching of wastes from landfills or incorrect disposal of industrial
wastes. It is observable by the softness of the ground, having smelly soil vapour, and other
alteration in the natural soil environment.

4. Pollution
Pollution occurs when pollutants contaminate the natural surroundings; which brings about
changes that affect our normal lifestyles adversely. Pollutants are the key elements or
components of pollution which are generally waste materials of different forms. Pollution
disturbs our ecosystem and the balance in the environment. With modernization and
development in our lives pollution has reached its peak; giving rise to global warming and
human illness.
Pollution occurs in different forms; air, water, soil, radioactive, noise, heat/ thermal and light.
Every form of pollution has two sources of occurrence; the point and the non-point sources. The
point sources are easy to identify, monitor and control, whereas the non-point sources are hard to
control. Let us discuss the different types of pollutions, their causes and effects on mankind and
the environment as a whole.
Pollution is the process of making land, water, air or other parts of the environment dirty
and unsafe or unsuitable to use. This can be done through the introduction of a contaminant
into a natural environment, but the contaminant doesn't need to be tangible. Things as
simple as light, sound and temperature can be considered pollutants when introduced
artificially into an environment.

Toxic pollution affects more than 200 million people worldwide, according to Pure Earth, a
non-profit environmental organization. In some of the worlds worst polluted places, babies
are born with birth defects, children have lost 30 to 40 IQ points, and life expectancy may be
as low as 45 years because of cancers and other diseases. Read on to find out more about
specific types of pollution.

Land pollution

Land can become polluted by household garbage and by industrial waste. In 2010,
Americans produced about 250 million tons (226.8 million kilograms) of garbage, consisting
of product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers,
appliances, paint and batteries. That's about 4.3 pounds (1.95 kg) of waste per person per
day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A little over half of the waste
54 percent is gathered in landfills. Only about 34 percent is recycled, which is about
double the amount recycled in 1980, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Food is a big contributor to landfill waste. Up to 40 percent of food produced in the United
States is trashed each year, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
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Commercial or industrial waste is a significant portion of solid waste. According to the

University of Utah, industries use 4 million pounds (1.8 million kg) of materials in order to
provide the average American family with needed products for one year. Much of it is
classified as non-hazardous, such as construction material (wood, concrete, bricks, glass,
etc.) and medical waste (bandages, surgical gloves, surgical instruments, discarded needles,
etc.). Hazardous waste is any liquid, solid or sludge waste that contain properties that are
dangerous of potentially harmful to human health or the environment. Industries generate
hazardous waste from mining, petroleum refining, pesticide manufacturing and other
chemical production. Households generate hazardous waste as well, including paints and
solvents, motor oil, fluorescent lights, aerosol cans, and ammunition.

Water pollution

Water pollution happens when chemicals or dangerous foreign substances are introduced to
water, including chemicals, sewage, pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural runoff, or
metals like lead or mercury. According to the EPA, 44 percent of assessed stream miles, 64
percent of lakes and 30 percent of bay and estuarine areas are not clean enough for fishing
and swimming. The EPA also states that the most common contaminants in the United States
are bacteria, mercury, phosphorus and nitrogen. These come from the most common sources
of contaminants, which include agricultural runoff, air deposition, water diversions and
channelization of streams.

Water pollution isn't just a problem for the United States. According to the United Nations,
783 million people do not have access to clean water and around 2.5 billion do not have access
to adequate sanitation. Adequate sanitation helps to keep sewage and other contaminants
from entering the water supply.

According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 80 percent of the

pollution in marine environments comes from the land through sources such as runoff.
Water pollution can severely affect marine life. For example, sewage causes pathogens to
grow, while organic and inorganic compounds in water can change the composition of the
precious resource. According to the EPA, low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water are also
considered a pollutant. Dissolved oxygen is caused by the decomposition of organic materials,
such as sewage introduced into the water.

Warming water can also be harmful. The artificial warming of water is called thermal
pollution. It can happen when a factory or power plant that is using water to cool its
operations ends up discharging hot water. This makes the water hold less oxygen, which can
kill fish and wildlife. The sudden change of temperature in the body of water can also kill
fish. According to the University of Georgia, it is estimated that around half of the water
withdrawn from water systems in the United States each year is used for cooling electric
power plants.

"In nearly all cases, 90 percent of this water is returned to its source, where it can raise the
water temperature in an area immediately surrounding the water discharge pipe. Depending
on water flow, the water temperature quickly returns to ambient temperatures that do not
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harm fish." Donn Dears, former president of TSAugust, a not-for-profit corporation focused
on energy issues, told Live Science.

Nutrient pollution, also called eutrophication, is another type of water pollution. It is when
nutrients, such as nitrogen, are added into bodies of water. The nutrient works like fertilizer
and makes algae grow at excessive rates, according to NOAA. The algae blocks light from
other plants. The plants die and their decomposition leads to less oxygen in the water. Less
oxygen in the water kills aquatic animals.

Air pollution

The air we breathe has a very exact chemical composition; 99 percent of it is made up of
nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor and inert gases. Air pollution occurs when things that arent
normally there are added to the air. A common type of air pollution happens when people
release particles into the air from burning fuels. This pollution looks like soot, containing
millions of tiny particles, floating in the air.

Another common type of air pollution is dangerous gases, such as sulfur dioxide, carbon
monoxide, nitrogen oxides and chemical vapors. These can take part in further chemical
reactions once they are in the atmosphere, creating acid rain and smog. Other sources of air
pollution can come from within buildings, such as secondhand smoke.

Finally, air pollution can take the form of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide or sulfur
dioxide, which are warming the planet through the greenhouse effect. According to the EPA,
the greenhouse effect is when gases absorb the infrared radiation that is released from the
Earth, preventing the heat from escaping. This is a natural process that keeps our
atmosphere warm. If too many gasses are introduced into the atmosphere, though, more heat
is trapped and this can make the planet artificially warm, according to Columbia University.

Air pollution kills more than 2 million people each year, according to a study published in
the journal Environmental Research Letters. The effects of air pollution on human health
can vary widely depending on the pollutant, according to Hugh Sealy, professor and director
of the environmental and occupational health track at the Department of Public Health and
Preventive Medicine, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada. If the pollutant is
highly toxic the effects on health can be widespread and severe. For example, the release of
methyl isocyanate gas at Union Carbide plant in Bhopal in 1984 killed over 2,000 people, and
over 200,000 suffered respiratory problems. An irritant (e.g. particulates less than 10
micrometers) may cause respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular disease and increases in
asthma. "The very young, the old and those with vulnerable immune systems are most at
risk from air pollution. The air pollutant may be carcinogenic (e.g. some volatile organic
compounds) or biologically active (e.g. some viruses) or radioactive (e.g. radon). Other air
pollutants like carbon dioxide have an indirect impact on human health through climate
change," Sealy told Live Science.

Noise pollution
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Even though humans cant see or smell noise pollution, it still affects the environment. Noise
pollution happens when the sound coming from planes, industry or other sources reaches
harmful levels. Research has shown direct links between noise and health, including stress-
related illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference and hearing loss. For example, a
study by the WHO Noise Environmental Burden on Disease working group found that noise
pollution may contribute to hundreds of thousands of deaths per year by increasing the rates
of coronary heart disease. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA can regulate machine and plane
noise.

Underwater noise pollution coming from ships has been shown to upset whales navigation
systems and kill other species that depend on the natural underwater world. Noise also makes
wild species communicate louder, which can shorten their lifespan.

Light pollution

Most people can't imagine living without the modern convenience of electric lights. For the
natural world, though, lights have changed the way that days and nights work. Some
consequences of light pollution are:

Some birds sing at unnatural hours in the presence of artificial light.

Scientists have determined that long artificial days can affect migration schedules, as they
allow for longer feeding times.
Streetlights can confuse newly hatched sea turtles that rely on starlight reflecting off the
waves to guide them from the beach to the ocean. They often head in the wrong direction.
Light pollution, called sky glow, also makes it difficult for astronomers, both professional
and amateur, to properly see the stars.
Plant's flowering and developmental patterns can be entirely disrupted by artificial light.
According to a study by the American Geophysical Union, light pollution could also be
making smog worse by destroying nitrate radicals that helps the dispersion of smog.
Turning on so many lights may not be necessary. Research published by International
Journal of Science and Research estimates that over-illumination wastes about 2 million
barrels of oil per day and lighting is responsible for one-fourth of all energy consumption
worldwide.

Other pollution facts:

Americans generate 30 billion foam cups, 220 million tires, and 1.8 billion disposable diapers
every year, according to the Green Schools Alliance.
According to the WHO, ambient air pollution contributes to 6.7 percent of all deaths
worldwide.
The Mississippi River drains the land of nearly 40 percent of the continental United Sates. It
also carries an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of nitrogen pollution into the Gulf of Mexico
each year, resulting in a dead zone each summer about the size of New Jersey.
Pollution in China can change weather patterns in the United States. It takes just five days
for the jet stream to carry heavy air pollution from China to the United States, where it stops
clouds from producing rain and snow.
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About 7 million premature deaths annually are linked to air pollution, according to WHO.
That is one in eight deaths worldwide.
About 56 percent of the trash in the United States is put in landfills. Half of landfill space
consists of paper. Recycling just 1 ton (907.18 kg) of paper can save 3 cubic feet (0.08 cubic
meter) of space, according to the EPA.
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5. Illegal Mining

Illegal mining is mining activity without state permission, in particular in absence of land
rights, mining license, exploration or mineral transportation permit.[1] Illegal natural resource
extraction becomes pressing when global mineral prices are soaring.[2]
Illegal mining can be a subsistence activity, as is the case with artisanal mining, or it can belong to
large-scale organized crime,spearheaded by illegal mining syndicates.[3] Despite strategic
developments towards "responsible mining", even big companies can be involved in (partially) illegal
mineral digging and extraction, if only on the financing side.
Illegal mining has been ravaging our planet for
decades. Not only is illegal mining riskier from a safety perspective for those who choose
to participate, but it encourages reckless behavior and leads to outcomes that have
negative long-term consequences. Illicit mining activities dont follow the same provisions
that legal mining does. While some may argue that all mining has dangerous
consequences, the implications of illegal mining are much worse.

EFFECTS OF ILLEGAL MINING

There is no doubt that Illegal mining activities have caused a great harm to our
environment.
This is because most of the minerals are found in rivers, as a result, the mining
companies often resort to Blasting of Rivers and their surroundings to enable
them access to the targeted minerals. This is done without caring about the
effects and dangers this may have on trees, birds, animals, and even individuals
in the various mining communities.
Sometimes the activities of these illegal miners also release toxic substances
into the rivers, causing a lot of diseases to many people, especially those who
fish from it.
Deforestation, is part of the damages mining causes to the environment. It
involves the clearing of the forest leading to cutting down of trees, to enable
miners accomplish their mission, of extracting minerals.
These illegal miners also do not put in place any measures that will safeguard
them from taking risk. With the fact that the illegal miners are mostly unskillful,
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they also uses unprotected tools and equipment making them a big threat to
the nation.
Therefore, for the mining sector to be successful, there is the need for
stakeholders to make sure that, they perform their social responsibilities
towards the various communities in which they operate, as a means of
compensation to them, for taking away their natural resources.
Provisions of facilities such as schools, hospitals, good roads, markets,
electricity and others, will not only improve upon the developmental projects in
the various mining communities, but the nation as a whole.

6. Cyanide Fishing
Cyanide fishing is a method of collecting live fish mainly for use in aquariums, which involves
spraying a sodium cyanide mixture into the desired fish's habitat in order to stun the fish. The practice
hurts not only the target population, but also many other marine organisms, including coral and
thus coral reefs.

Cyanide fishing, whereby divers crush cyanide tablets into plastic squirt bottles
of sea water and puff the solution to stun and capture live coral reef fish, is
widely practiced throughout Southeast Asia despite being illegal in most
countries of the region. The practice began in the 1960s in the Philippines as a
way to capture live reef fish for sale primarily to European and North American
aquarium ownersa market now worth some $200 million a year.
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7. Pesticide Drift
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8. Deforestation
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9. Oil Spill
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10. Coral Reef Degradation

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11. Climate Change

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12. Solid Waste Management

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13. Zero Waste Management

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14. Community Recycling

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15. Community Action Program