Ecology lec: 6

ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH

A safe and healthy environment is indispensable for human health. It is the

environment from where we, like every living organism, derive all our
requirements. Every component of environment plays role in our survival and
development in one way or the other.

World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete

physical, mental and social well-being”. Human health is, in general, influenced
by biological, nutritional, chemical, psychological and social factors present in
the environment where one lives. These factors may cause harmful effects on
human body or mind and the resultant condition is called a disease.

A healthy environment means an environment which is safer and suitable for

human growth and development. It must be free from any disturbances and
pollution which may have detrimental effects on human health.

Generally human health depends upon:

Genetic factors
Availability of basic facilities
Availability of food and nutrient requirements
Type, extent and utilization pattern of available natural resources
Hygiene and sanitation system
Awareness and education about health related issues
Healthcare system

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 Most of the health related factors listed above are, directly or indirectly, linked
with environment. Natural resources (such as forest, land, food, water etc) and
hygiene belong to environment which we live. Physical conditions like
temperature, rainfall, wind, etc directly affect human health.

Biosphere or living component of our environment is significant in determining

our health by fulfilling our basic requirements of varied nature. Social
environment is equally important in shaping our mental and physical health.

It is environment or its components through which pathogens spread from a

place to another. Pathogens survive in unhygienic conditions and unhealthy
environment. Various toxic substances or pollutants which enter environment
cause serious health problems among population which live in that environment.

Environmental Health is now

1- a popular term recognised to denote a branch of Public Health that deals with
environmental aspects and issues which may directly affect human health.

2- It is concerned with various aspects of natural or built environment for the

benefit of human health.

3- World Health Organisation (WHO) defines Environmental Health as “those

aspects of human health and disease that are determined by environmental
factors”.

4- It covers the assessment and control of those environmental factors which can
potentially affect human health.

5- According to WHO more than 30% of diseases in children are caused due to
environmental exposures. These diseases can effectively be prevented by
keeping the environment healthier.
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6- Better environment management greatly helps in reducing disease outbreak.
Better hygienic conditions, proper storage of food and water, use of
environmentally clean fuels, control of environmental pollution and adoption
of preventive measures surely reduces the risks of health related problems.

Environmental factors that can generally affect human health in one way or
the other include:

A. Physical factors: Various physical characteristics of the environment play

crucial role in general human health and occurrence or spread of diseases.
Temperature, humidity, precipitation, etc affect human health in both
positive and negative ways.

 In tropical regions where temperature and humidity is higher disease

causing organisms flourish more commonly.

 Floods and droughts also affect human health. In such stressful conditions
man becomes more susceptible to diseases.

 The general physic- chemical setup, housing, urban developmental aspect,

land use and transport systems at the place where one lives and the basic
facilities available considerably influence human health and occurrence
of diseases.

B. Biological agents: It refers to the pathogens or disease causing organisms

present in the environment. They survive and reproduce in environmental
components such as air, water and soil and pose great threat to human health.

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 Bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms cause infectious diseases in
humans and other animals.
 Water and food borne diseases are particularly common in developing
countries and are responsible for large number of deaths every year.
 Particularly bacteria, cause food poisoning by adding poisonous chemicals
in the contaminated food.
 Gastrointestinal diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, etc and
respiratory diseases such as influenza, pneumonia and tuberculosis are the
infectious diseases caused by microorganisms present in our immediate
environment under unhygienic conditions.
C. Chemicals: Human activities have released large number of chemicals in the
environment. These chemicals released from industrial activities,
transportation or domestic appliances are detrimental for health when come
into contact with human body.
 High levels of these chemicals cause innumerable environmental and
health problems for humans.
 Many of these pollutants are responsible for global warming (such as CO2)
and ozone depletion (such as CFCs) which indirectly cause human health
problems.
 Others are toxic in nature and causes serious health problems in humans.
Carcinogenic chemicals cause cancer where as many others cause various
types of allergies in skin and respiratory system.
 There are chemicals called neurotoxins which impact nervous system.
 Pesticides such as DDT, endosulphan, aldrin, etc enter food chain through
which it reaches human body and affects it adversely.

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 Heavy metals like Lead, Mercury and Arsenic are introduced into the
environment by industrial and other wastes. These substances are toxic and
causes various ailments when enter human body along with food or water.
 A disease called ‘Minmata disease’ caused deaths and permanent
paralysis of hundreds of people in Japan due to consumption of Methyl
Mercury through fish obtained from Minmata water body.
 Excess of Flouride consumed through contaminated water causes
Fluorosis –a disease of bones and teeth.
 Use of Arsenic contaminated ground water has caused different
abnormalities in humans in some areas of West Bengal and Punjab.
 Excess consumption of nitrate causes blue baby syndrome.

Minmata disease

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D. Noise: Unwanted sound in the environment causes various physiological and
psychological problems. Long-time exposure to high levels of noise results in
hearing loss. It also causes sleeplessness, heart problems and other
psychological issues such as mental fatigue, annoyance, lack of
concentration, etc.