Jordan University of Science and Technology
Faculty of Medicine
Department of Public Health
Second Semester, Academic year 2006/2007
Course InformationCourse Title / Environmental Health
Course Number / P.H. 720
Prerequisites / None
Course Website
Instructor / Dr. Atallah Rabi
Office Location / Department of Public Health 4th floor M
Office Phone / 23803
Office Hours / Sunday and Tuesday 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Monday and Wednesday 3:30 - 5: 00 pm
E-mail /
Teaching Assistant / No teaching assistance is available
Course Description
Text Book
Title / Environmental Health
Author(s) / Morgan, Monroe
Publisher / Morton Publishing Company
Year / 1997
Edition / 2nd edition
Book Website
References / 1. Basic Environmental Health, WHO Publication, 1993.
2. Environmental Health, 2nd edition, Purdom, Walton edit., Academic Press, Inc., 1980
Assessment Policy
Assessment Type / Expected Due Date / Weight
First Exam / Fifth week of the start of the Semester / 20 %
Second Exam / 10th week of the start of the Semester / 20 %
Final Exam / As scheduled by the admission office / 40 %
Assignments / Term paper is due 2 weeks before the end of the semester / 10 %
Class participation / Through all of the course / 10 %
Course Objectives / Weights
1. Understand the basic relationship between environmental factors, and health including an application of the interrelationship among economic development, the environment and health in an ecosystem framework / 10%
2. Describe and discuss the basic requirements for a healthy environment / 5%
3. Appreciate and understand the basic issues and methods to identify, measure and evaluate exposures and health effects. / 15%
4. Appreciate and understand the basic issues and methods to control environmental hazards. / 15%
5. Discuss the importance of the workplace for environmental health. / 10%
6. Appreciate and understand the basic issues and methods to protect health and environment / 10%
7. Understand the relationship between global ecological changes and health and the global health concerns / 15%
8. Understand and discuss the global environmental health problems, their health effects and methods of their control. / 10%
Teaching & Learning Methods
Lectures
Group Discussion
Power point presentation
Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to
Related Objective(s)
1. Understand the basic relationship between environmental factors, and health including an application of the interrelationship among economic development, the environment and health in an ecosystem framework.
2. Describe and discuss the basic requirements for a healthy environment.
3. Appreciate and understand the basic issues and methods to identify measure and evaluate exposures and health effects.
4. Appreciate and understand the basic issues and methods to control environmental hazards.
5. Discuss the importance of the workplace for environmental health.
6. Appreciate and understand the basic issues and methods to protect health and environment.
7. Understand the relationship between global ecological changes and health and the global health concerns.
8. Understand and discuss the global environmental health problems, their health effects and methods of their control
Reference(s):
1. Basic Environmental Health, WHO Publication, 1993.
2. Environmental Health, 2nd edition, Morgan, Monroe, Morton Publishing Company, 1997.
3. Environmental Health, 2nd edition, Purdom, Walton edit., Academic Press, Inc., 1980.
Useful Resources
1. Text book
2. Hand outs
3. Journal articles
4. assigned readings
5. References
Course Content
Week / Topics / Chapter in Text (handouts)
1 / Overview of Environmental health:
1. Health and the Environment
2. Basic requirements of a healthy environment
3. Measuring environmental quality
4. Impacts of environmental factors d health
5. Obstacles of resolving environmental health problems / 1
2 / Nature of Environmental health hazards:
1. hazards and risks
2. Types and categories of Hazards
a. Biological
b. Chemical
c. Physical
d. Mechanical
e. Psychosocial / 2
3 / Environmental health risk assessment
1. Risk assessment importance and framework
2. Steps and Methods of risk assessment
3. Hazard identification
4. Dose –response relationship
5. Hazard Evaluation
6. Hazard characterization / 3
4 / Environmental health risk management
1. Risk management approach
2. Factors affecting risk perception and acceptance
3. Risk Communication
4. Risk monitoring
5. Special problems in Managing health risks
6. Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-benefit of interventions / 4
5 / First Midterm Exam
5 + 6 / Air Pollution
1. overview of air pollution
2. Types, sources
3. Health effects of common air pollutants
4. Industrial air pollution
5. Ambient and occupational air quality standards
6. Measuring air quality
7. Air pollution control procedures / 5
7 / Water and sanitation
1. why water is essential
2. links between water quality and health
3. adequacy of fresh water supply to meet the world’s needs
4. drinking-water quality criteria
5. drinking-water supply and monitoring
6. sanitation
7. water pollution control
8. recreational water quality guidelines
9. Implementation strategies to ensure a safe and sufficient water supply. / 6
8 / Food Hygiene
1. health and nutrition
2. food borne diseases and food poisoning
3. food quality criteria
4. food quality standards
5. food quality assurance
6. global food production capacity and food security
7. environmental and occupational health hazards in agriculture / 7
9 / Human settlement and urbanization
1. the nature and requirement of human settlement
2. housing and health
3. factors causing increased urbanization
4. rural economic and social development
5. urbanization and health
6. the healthy cities program
7. The healthy village program / 8
10 / The second midterm exam
10 / Health and energy use
1. human energy needs
2. definition and Health effects of:
a, biomass fuels
b. fossil fuels
c. hydropower
d. nuclear power
3. alternative energy sources
4. comparing risks
5. priorities for action / 9
11 + 12 / Industrial hygiene and chemical safety
1. extent of industrial pollution
2. public exposure from industrial sources
3. hazards by industry
4. major chemical contaminants of concern in the general environment and the work place
5. the social context of occupational health and safety dimensions and types of occupational health problems (Heat, noise, radiation and vibration).
6. industrial environmental accidents
7. Occupational health standards and regulations
8. approaches to prevention of occupational hazards. / 10
13 / Transboundary and global health concerns
1. introduction
2. health consequences of war
3. ozone depletion and ultraviolet radiation
4. climate change
5. health effects of ozone depletion and climate change / 11
14 / Actions to protect Health and Environment
1. From Knowledge to Action
2. Ethical Issues
3. Role of Environmental health professionals
4. Environmental justice
5. Environment impact assessment / 12
15 / Course review
Additional Notes
Assignments:
Term Paper / Each students is supposed to pick a national or local environmental health problem or topic and write about it a term paper of about 2000 – 3000 words describing: 1. Why is it an environmental health problem, 2. Causes of that problem 3. Magnitude of the problem. 4. Direct and indirect health hazards and other effects of that problem, 5. Magnitude of hazards. 6. Groups of society at risk, 7. Methods of evaluation of hazards, and 8. Control measures that should be taken to prevent such problem. Term paper is due one week before the final exam. Students may discuss the subjects and contents of the term paper with the instructor during his office hours or by sitting appoint.
Exams / There are 2 midterm exams and the final
Cheating / Cheating is not tolerated and it is against the university rules . Cheating will result in failing the course and reporting the incidence to the dean.
Attendance / Attendance is obligatory; student is allowed to miss at 20% of the contact time.
Workload
Graded Exams / Term Paper : 10 points
First term Exam : 20 points
Second term Exam : 20 points
Class participation : 10 points
Final Exam : 40 points
Participation / Participation is highly appreciated and encouraged
Laboratory / Students will be introduced to methods of measuring and evaluating environmental hazards.
Exams / Term Paper : 10 points
First term Exam : 20 points
Second term Exam : 20 points
Class participation : 10 points
Final Exam : 40 points.