Community Health

a field within
public health
concerned
with the study
and improvement of the health
of biological communities.
 Three Broad Categories
of Community Health
1. Primary Health Care- refers to
the intervention that focus on the
individual or family.
2. Secondary Health Care- focus
on the environment.
3. Tertiary Health Care- focus on
the hospital.
 Major Comunity Health
Problems
1.Pollution-
contamination of
environment by
means of
pollutants which
maybe harmful to
public health.
2. Improper Disposal of
Human Excreta and Sewage-
it has been
responsible
for many
epidemics.
 Excreta- waste
matter discharge from
the body
Sewage- liquid or solid
waste from sewers and
drains.
3. Improper Refuse Storage and
Disposal-it is also responsible
for the spread
of communicable
diseases
4. Food Sanitation- deals largely
with the health hazards and
sanitary features of food
handling.
5. Control of Rodents and Insects-
also the
causes of
the spread
of
communicable
diseases.
Kinds of
Pollution
1. Water Pollution -
introduction into water sources of
chemicals, physical and
biological materials that degrade
the quality of water.
 Causes of Water Pollution
• Sewage- food and human waste from
home offices and factories.
• Industrial Wastes-chemicals and oils
• Toxic Chemicals- often discarded in
steel drum that may leak into ground
waters.
2. Air Pollution -
act of introducing into the
atmosphere of harmful
substances or pollutants.
 Sources of Common Air Pollutants
• Sulfur Oxides- from burning coal
and oil.
-strong-smelling, colorless gases that
irritates the eyes, nose, throat and
lungs.
- can cause attacks of emphysema,
bronchitis and asthma
• Carbon Monoxide- often discarded in
steel drum that may leak into ground
waters.
• Carbon Monoxide- from
automobile and truck exhausts.
-an odorless and colorless gas that
can cause serious health problems
-It replaces some of the oxygen
carried by the red blood cells.
• Nitrogen Oxides
- from automobile and truck
exhausts.
-create brown haze often seen over
cities.
-these pollutants irritate the eyes,
nose and lungs and lower a
person's resistance to disease.
• Hydrocarbons
- from incomplete burning of
gasoline, evaporation of fuels,
solvents and paints.
-group of chemical compounds
made up of hydrogen and carbon.
-some hydrocarbons are known to
cause certain types of cancer.
• Photchemical Smog
-forms when nitrogen and
hydrocarbons reacts.
- irritates the eyes throat and
lungs
• Particles in the Air- from
industrial operations,
gasoline and diesel engines
and wind blown dust.
3. Noise Pollution -
composite of
sounds generated
by human activities
that can damage
ears and contribute
to health problems.
Decibels (dB)- unit of loudness
of sound
 Intensity of Some Common Sounds
Intensity
Sound Sources
Decibels
Human Whisper 30
Normal Conversation 60
City Traffic 80
Garbage Disposal Unit 80
Alarm Clock 80
Domestic Quarrel 80
Vacuum Cleaner 85
 Intensity of Some Common Sounds
Intensity
Sound Sources
Decibels
Garbage Truck 85
Food Blender 93
Jack Hammer 95
Printing Press 97
Motorcycle 110
Rock Band 114-140
Jet Airplane 135-150
Rocket 170
 Effects of Noise Pollution
• contribute to stress
• cause the heart to beat faster
• emotional problems
4. Soil or Land Pollution -
contamination
of the soil
that prevents
natural growth
and balance.
 Causes of Soil/Land Pollution
• hazardous waste
• sewage spills
• non sustainale farming ( heavy use of
inorganic pesticides)
• strip mining
• deforestation
• household dumping
• littering
 Deforestation
It is the
destruction of
big areas of our
forest because
of agriculture,
urbanization,
illegal logging,
mining and
forest fires.
 Soil Erosion
It happens
when soil and
rock are moved
from one place
to another by
water and
gravity. It is
brought by
natural and
human
activities.
 Causes of Soil Erosion

Human Activities
– Deforestation
– Building of Roads
– Agriculture
– Urbanization- Creation of towns and
cities
– Mining
Natural
– Strong Winds
– Heavy Rains
 Various Type of Refuse
Refuse- general term applied to solid
and semi-solid waste materials other
than human excreta.
a.Garbage- left over vegetble, animal and
fish material from kitchen and food
establishments.These materials have
atendency to decay giving off foul odors.
b. Rubbish- wase materials such as bottles,
broken glasses. tin cana, waste papers,
discarded porcelain wares, pieces of metal
and other wrapping materials.
 Various Type of Refuse
c. Ashes - left over from burning of wood and coal.
d. Dead Animals-dead dogs, cats, rats, pigs
usually run over by vehicles on the streets and
public highway.
e. Stable Manure- animal manure from stable
f.Street Sweeping- dust,manure leaves, cigarette
butts, waste papers and other materials that are
sweep from the streets.
g. Night Soil- Human waste normally wrapped and
thrown into sidewalks and streets.
h. Yard Cuttings-leaves, branches, grass and
other similar materials produced during cleaning
of gardens and also after storm.
House Storage-referring to storage of waste
materials or refuse which is very important
to prevent flies, rats and other insects.

Refuse Collection-it involves two procedures:

1. pick-up or gathering refuse from houses,
institutions, and other establishments.
2. Transportation of the collected refuse to
final disposal site.
Refuse Disposal
Home Refuse Disposal Methods
1. Burial- refuse is deposited in pits and
covered with soil.
2. Burning- it may create smoke or air
pollution problems.
3. Feeding to Animals
4. Composting
5. Grinding and Disposal to Sewer-using of
machines known as garbage grinders.
6. Sanitary Landfill-also known as the cut and
cover.
Recycling
• means to reclaim
by using in the
manufacture of new
products.
• recovery and reuse of any waste
material for some useful purposes.
• recovery and reprocessing for re-
use of discarded materials.
Garbology
• it is the study of garbage.
Ten Commandments of Garbology
1. Do not mix your waste
2. Compost biodegradable
3. Recycle the non-biodegradable
4. Set up physical center for
composting and recycling in every
barangay.
5. Total Segregation. No
segregation. No collection.
6. Two Destinations: Back to mother
earth back to father factory.
7. Decentralize! Small is Beautiful.
8. An ecology officer a point person.
9. Sue those who defy the law
especially public officials
10. Take care of LAHAT ( Lupa,
Araw, Hangin , Ako at Tubig)
Some Facts about Plastic

Enough plastic is thrown away each year to circle the earth four times.
We currently recover only five percent of the plastics we produce.

Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. More than
one million bags are used every minute.
46 percent of plastics float (EPA 2006) and it can drift for years before
eventually concentrating in the ocean gyres.

It takes 500-1,000 years for plastic to degrade.

One million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed annually from
plastic in our oceans.

Plastic chemicals can be absorbed by the body

Some of these compounds found in plastic have been found to alter hormones
or have other potential human health effects.