Community and Environmental Health

1. Community and Environmental Health

2. Community Health • Primary care physician- medical doctors who provide physical checkups and general care • Specialists- medical doctors trained to handle particular kinds of patients or medical conditions • Ex: Allergist, Dermatologist, Gynecologist, Neurologist, Oncologist, Ophthalmologist, Orthodontist, Orthopedist, Pediatrician, Psychiatrist, Urologist

3. Facilities • Private Practice- Physicians work for themselves, have an office and see people on outpatient basis • Clinics- Community base clinic and see patients on outpatient basis • Group Practice- same as private just two or more share office • Hospice- provide care for terminally ill

4. Facilities • Hospitals- inpatient and out of patient care, some physicians work in, and private and group practices only there when needed • Emergency rooms- located in hospital, provide care for life-threatening illnesses or injuries • Urgent Care Centers- handle emergencies that are not life threatening, go here if don’t have a primary care physcian

5. Medical History • Medical history- complete and comprehensive information about your immunizations and any health problems you have had up to date, and family history • Doctor needs to know medical history to provide the best possible care • 3 things patient should do to receive best care is write down reason for going, ask questions about diagnoses, and inform them of allergies

6. Health Agencies • Public health- community wide effort to monitor and promote the welfare of the population, live a healthier longer life due to this • Local level is the health departments- focus on disease prevention, oversee water, sewage, waste disposal, and sanitation at restaurants • Nonprofit agencies- provide health promotion services in communities EX: March of Dimes, Red Cross

7. Health Agencies • National Level: • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- responsible for protecting the country’s air, water, and land; regulates disposal of hazardous waste, municipal water supplies, and treatment and discharge of waste water • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)- works to prevent injuries at work • United States Department of Agriculture- leads federal antihunger effort with food stamps and school lunch programs • National Institute of Health- conduct medical research and provide funding for medical research

8. Health Agencies • National Level- • Food and Drug Administration (FDA)- Ensures the safety of food, drugs, and cosmetics • International organization that provides emergency aid is Red Cross • World Health Organization (WHO)- function at global and international level and provide programs to explain prevention and warning signs of communicable diseases

9. Environmental Health • Air quality Index (AQI)- an index reporting daily air quality; 0 to 50 is no health risk, 51 to 100 is moderate risk, 101-150 unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151-200 unhealthy, 201-300 very unhealthy, 301-500 hazardous • Air pollution- contamination of the earth’s atmosphere by substances that pose a health threat to living things • Air pollution is linked to 50,000 to 120,000 premature deaths each year • Smog- yellow-brown haze that forms when sunlight reacts with air pollution • Ozone- is the gas component of 30 atoms is major component of smog at ground level

10. Environmental Health • Asbestos- fibrous mineral that has fireproof properties; found in old insulation usually causing indoor air pollution • Radon- odorless, radioactive gas; it is produced by the natural breakdown of soil, rocks, and water; this usually seeps through cracks in foundation to the house • Household radon levels can’t be reduced by decreasing amount of indoor-outdoor air exchange • Indoor air pollution also comes from household cleaning products • Lead poisoning causes damage to kidney, liver, brain, and nerves • Noise pollution measured in decibels • Decibel- unit used to express the relative intensity of loudness of sound

11. Environmental Health • Biodegradable waste- able to be broken down by microorganisms in the environment • Hazardous waste- substance that is explosive, corrosive, highly reactive, or toxic to humans or other life forms; created by everyone, ex: paint, batteries, motor oil; most of these banned from landfills and must be disposed of at special collection sites

12. Environmental Health • 40% of water is unsafe for recreation • Water discharged into lake or river that has increased temperature than normal causes thermal pollution • Urban sprawl can cause increased air pollution, increased water pollution, and increased runoff • Leakage from landfills can seep into and contaminate ground water supplies • Turning off the water while brushing teeth or shaving can save 4.5 gallons of water per minute • Deforestation- destruction of forests • Wastewater- water that comes from homes, communities, farms, and businesses

13. Environmental Health • Donating unneeded household goods is precycling • Recycling conserves resources, energy, and raw materials • Conservation can be promoted by individuals, government agencies, and organizations • Protection and preservation of environment by managing natural resources is conservation

14. Environmental Health • Paper, plastic, aluminum are all recyclable • Precycling is reducing waste before it is generated • Processing waste material to use again in another form is recycling • Precycling and recycling conserve natural resources • Reusing a product is an example of precycling • Making a can from recycled aluminum uses less energy than making from raw materials • How does recycling help the environment? • Reduce landfills, conserves resources, protects environmental health