1.3 Binary Relations
1.3.1 Graph Theory
Sofoluwe documented the relationship between good housing and environmental health as follows;
“Good housing forms an important aspect .of environmental health.
According to World Health Organisation experts, houses should provide as few opportunities as possible for the direct transmission of disease and should encourage healthful habits-among the occupants, (WHO, 1961). All public health authorities and experts agree that the standard of housing in a community affects the quality of health within the community. It is however very difficult to say specifically, what are the effects of housing on health.
That is, it is not possible to say with certainty that a particular man has a particular disease because he lives in a bad house, just as one can do for bad water or bad waste disposal. This is because many other interrelated _factors are often present with bad housing ((Lun, 1961).
Reports from the literatures have not helped the situation much (Willie 1959), Benjamin 1953). These factors are particularly important in the developing countries ‘where poverty, malnutrition, lack of education and medical care together with lack of knowledge relating to disease prevention and personal hygiene, play important role on the health of the people. Many research workers and writers like Mackintosh (1965), Sofoluwe (1969). Salvato (1958) Wilner et al. (1962) Haddock (1961)
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Stockwell (1962), Halli-day (1928), Wright & Wright (1942), have related certain ill health to specific poor conditions of housing. Studies in the United States of America quoted by Salvato (1958) and others like Schorr (1970), Britten (1942) and Fisher & Pierce (1967) showed that when people live in slum areas, the rate at which they have communicable diseases is about 65 per cent higher than national average. Also during the cholera outbreak in Ibadan in 1970-1971, the people who live in built-up slum areas reported more cases than those in planned areas. The studies in the U.S.A. also show that tuberculosis rate is about eight (8) times as high in slum areas as the national average that infant death rate is five times higher, juvenile delinquency is two (2) times higher and life expectancy is about 6.7 years shorter among slum dwellers than the national average. It was also reported that the frequency of fire outbreak was 1.5 times more in slum areas than the national average.
To determine scientifically further, the effects of housing factors on health, the WHO commission studies and found relationship between some conditions/elements that have direct negative effect on the health of its occupants as shown in the table below;
Table 2.1: WHO Technical Report on Inadequate Housing (2006) Housing Factor Health Effect
CO, NO2, Formaldehyde Respiratory effects and poisoning Pesticides and chemical household
products
Allergies, respiratory effects, poisoning
Cockroaches Allergic effects
Accessibility Accidents and social effects
Home fires / fire detectors Fire-related injuries and mortality Sanitation and hygiene equipment Infectious diseases,
diarrhoea, etc.
4.0 CONCLUSION
In the above discuss, we have discussed the relationship between sanitary housing that support the needs of its dwellers and their health.
Sanitary or healthy housing has all facilities, equipments, services and devices needed or desired for healthful living; we have seen that all houses are shelters but not all shelters are houses.
A “house” which does not have all the facilities, equipments, services and devices needed or desired for healthful living is not a house but a mere shelter and therefore may not support the desired growth and
175 development. Human practices in a house also determine its quality, hence good sanitation, cleanliness; good maintenance culture will increase the lifespan of a house and enable it to support healthful living.
The specifications in the unit are mostly that of WHO and each environment is allowed to adapt it to its own needs and circumstances and therefore are not cast on a stone.
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit you learnt the principles related to health needs which concerns the interactions of man with housing, i.e., man’s use of the house and its influences on human health, Principles related to health action which suggests appropriate health actions (steps) that can be taken to increase the protective qualities of housing against health hazards. It discussed the principles of health action that is those actions and practices that may affect the quality of a house such as poverty which is considered as a major barrier to improved housing and, hence, to a country’s socio economic development, some government policies and decisions that are highly decentralised and fragmented, i.e., government agencies, house builders, and families are involved and the role house plays in health promotion are poorly understood and not considered in government, community and family decisions. Individuals concentrate on the beauty of a house rather than its specification, government is concerned about space management and cost while families and communities are very interested in their homogeneity and cultural values of their dwellings. The most important of all is the ability to take cognisance of all the above and ensure the house has facilities and structures that support healthful living. This is the main concern of an environmental health practitioner.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
List two (2) principles each of health needs and health action in housing.
Enumerate five relationships between housing and environmental health.
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
Amadi, A. N. (2011). ABC of Environmental Health. Readon Publishers Ltd, in collaboration with Ugooma Printing and Publishing Co.
Nigeria Owerri, Imo State.
Park, K. (2007). Parts Textbook on Preventive & Social Medicine. India:
Banarsides Bharrot Publisher Jabaipar. pp. 606-609.
Schaefer, M. (1987). “Health Principles of Housing, World Health.”
WHO, July pp.18-19. ‘
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Sridhar, M. K. C. (2008). “The Role of Environmental Health in Achieving the Millenium Development Goals in Health.” 5(2);
pp. 94-102.
WHO (1967). “Appraisal of the Hygienic Quality of Housing and its environment.” Tech. Report Series No. 353; Genera.
WHO (2001). “Core Questions on Drinking Water & Sanitation for Household Survey.”
WHO (2004). “Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Links to Health (WSH) Facts and Figures Updated.”
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