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Research the effects of the environment on human health. Does the health of
the environment affect the health of the human beings within it?
Determinants of human health are impeccable. Even in the ancient eras, different dimensions to

understand the influential factors that can have an impact on the human health were listed

according the zeitgeist of that period. For instance, blaming the supernatural forces for

explaining ailments; relying on exorcism or magical cures poured from magical shrines, and

even the natural and physical forces which may include the environmental factors - has been the

common trend (Thirer, 2019). After all, health, as defined by the World Health Organization:

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence

of disease or infirmity." (WHO, 1948)

This inevitably conveys the utmost importance of one's physical environment, because,

undoubtedly, one way or the other, environmental factors do affect the human health. For

example, extreme climatic conditions, such as cold or hot coupled with slight carelessness can

lead to physical symptoms of ailments such as coughing or even heat stroke respectively.

Likewise, similar climatic conditions can also lead to a social isolation; for example, snowfall

disrupts the entire continuity and rhythm of one's life. Hence, this leads to the exhibition of

symptoms of abnormality psychologically and socially (Vrijheid, 2014). 

For example, to vividly elaborate on this, consider the current situation worldwide, when the

viral infection of COVID-19 is prevailing in our environment and snatching away our claim of

healthy lifestyle in either domain of our lives; be it social, psychological or physical. The

maintenance and the sustenance of healthy lifestyle has inevitably become difficult these days

because the uptake of balanced and nutritious food, engagement in physical activities and

exercising as well as staying psychologically fit, is quite a challenge these days. Rapid

lockdowns, made it difficult to ensure fresh and healthy intake of food that can boost our
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immunity and help us stay fit. Similarly, due to the halt on social interactions, it is hindering

people to stay physically active. Altogether, these are all as the result of devastating impacts of

environment on the human health. This, is because, at the end of the day, the absence of essential

basic necessities has imperative effects on the human mortality. Apart from this, other

environmental pollutants also result in chronic pathological diseases, for instance, environmental

factors have been found to contribute to risk of developing skin diseases, asthma, heart diseases

as well as, surprisingly, cancers (Renalds, Smith, & Hale, 2010). This ultimately denotes that the

health of the environment has impeccable effects on the health of the human beings within it.

Therefore, it is inevitably important to focus on improving our environment because the

interaction between our internal and external factors altogether contributes to the maintenance of

human health. This was impactful relationship was even identified and eventually, proposed by

Hippocrates too in the Medieval period. Hence, as Ted Schettler, science director of the non-

profit Science and Environmental Health Network, dictates that “We shouldn’t pretend that

clinical medicine is really doing primary prevention because it’s not — and it’s not particularly

interested in it” (Thirer, 2019). Ultimately, a greater emphasis is required for the enhancement of

environment for the eventual improvement of human health.

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Bibliography

Renalds, A., Smith, T. H., & Hale, P. J. (2010). A Systematic Review of Built Environment and

Health. Family & Community Health , 68-78.

Thirer, L. (2019). Beyond the Patient. Orion Magazine .

Vrijheid, M. (2014). The exposome: a new paradigm to study the impact of environment on

health. Thorax , 876-878.

WHO. (1948). International Health Conference. New York: Constitution of WHO .