COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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