Air, Ventilation, Housing

1
& Health
By Aroona Javed
Jr Lecturer
RN BScN

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Objectives 2

By the end of the presentation students will be able to

• Define ventilation
• Discuss importance of air and ventilation
• Explain the effects of poor ventilation on health
• Describe types, standard and needs of housing
• Discuss effects of poor housing on health

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 Air 3

• Air is essential for maintenance of life

• Air has two important functions, i.e. interchange of gases during
respiration and regulation of body temperature
• Air is a mechanical mixture of gases
• It consists of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 0.03% carbon
dioxide and traces of other gases like argon, neon, xenon and
helium

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Air pollution 4

Contamination of air with the pollutants which interfere with

human health, safety or comfort
It affects the quality of life
Sources of air pollution
Automobiles
Industries
Domestic sources
Most direct (tobacco smoke)
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Effects of air pollution 5

Health aspects
• Immediate (acute bronchitis, suffocation)
• Delayed (chronic bronchitis,lung cancer, bronchial asthma,
respiratory allergies)
Social & economic aspects
• Destruction of plant and animal life
• Corrosion of metals
• Visibility in towns
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Ventilation 6

• The constant replacement of foul air by supply of fresh outdoor air

with control of quality of temperature, humidity and purity of the
incoming air
• The standards of ventilation have been based on the efficiency of
ventilation in removing body odour
• Standard of ventilation
• Cubic space 3000 cft per person per hour
• Air change 2 to 3 air changes in an hour

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Types of ventilation 7

Natural Artificial
ventilatio ventilatio
n n
Wind Exhaust
Diffusion Plenum
Inequality of Balanced
temperature Air conditioning
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Importance of air/ventilation 8

• Vital for the individual and family health

• Prevents air pollutants and bad foul smell to reside in home
• To make a healthier living environment and reduce diseases
• To lessen the impact of volatile organic compounds
• Reduce condensation

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Effects of poor ventilation on Health 9

• Suffocation
• Headache, drowsiness and inability to concentrate
• Risk of droplet infections
• Discomfort
• Allergies
• Psychological effects

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Housing 10

• It is the physical structure that man uses and the environs of the
structure including all necessary services, facilities, equipment
and devices needed or desired (WHO)
• Residential environment is a part of total environment affecting
the health of an individual and community
• A good house provide protection from bad weather and accidents
• Good houses help us to meet physiological and psychological needs

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Needs of housing 11

• Physiological needs:
• Living room according to number of people
• Odour free and noise free environment
• Adequate light, good drainage for water
• Damp proof rooms, proper place for disposal of waste, sanitary
latrine, pucca floor and protected from sun, rain animals.

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 12

• Psychological needs:
• privacy
• Family and community cleanliness
• Satisfaction in the house
• Good location and open space

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Housing Standards 13

• Family income
• Family size and composition
• Standard of living
• Life style
• Education
• Cultural factors
• Because of cultural diversity, climate and social traditions
standard of housing vary from country to country
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Types of Housing 14
Two living
rooms

Sanitary well
within
quarter of a Verandhah
mile from
house

RURAL HOUSING

Built up area
Sanitary not more
latrine than one
third

Separate
kitchen with 12/14/2020
sink
Type of Housing 15
Site should be
elevated from
surroundings

Open space all

Proper place for
round the house
bathing,
for proper
washing
lightening and
disposal of
ventilation ..
waste
(set back)

Urban housing

Walls should be
Rooms should strong, low
not be less than heat capacity,
two weather
resistant

Roof should not

be less than 10 12/14/2020
feet
Effect of poor Housing on Health 16

• Physiological effects :
• The ill ventilated, dirty and over crowded houses are responsible
for various diseases
1. Respiratory ( cold, TB, influenza, diphtheria, bronchitis,measles)
2. Skin infections(scabies, ringworm, leprosy)
3. House flies (mosquitos, rats and flies spread diseases)
4. Threadworm due to sleeping together

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 17

• Psychosocial effects :
• Sense of isolation living in upper floors of high buildings
• Lead to behaviour disorders

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Reference 18

• Basavanthapa,BT.(1999).Community Health Nursing(2nd ED.)Jaypee New

Delhi:Jaypee Brothers

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