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© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
R. Chandrappa, D. B. Das, Environmental Health - Theory and Practice,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64484-0_4
Chapter 4
Environmental Health Planning
Abstract Governance cannot operate in a vacuum. Governing organizations should
have guidance from the citizens they serve. Environmental health is driven by several driving forces and exposures and effects. Environment and health are also
closely related. The human health cannot be improved or assured without a healthy
environment. The plan shall aim to achieve the maximum reduction of illness as
well as injury from all causes and consider analysis of environmentally induced illnesses/injuries. The planning exercise shall assess existing environmental conditions that affect the health of the population in areas of concern. The planning shall
not just aim to cater demand for treatment-oriented services but should also look
into preventive activities and reduction of environmentally induced illnesses/injuries in the home, recreational besides work environments. Environmental factors
that intrude upon human health shall be given consideration in the master plans.
This chapter discusses the principles of health planning and many usual deviations
observed in practice.
4.1 Introduction
Governance cannot operate in a vacuum. Governing organizations should have
guidance from the citizens they serve. All agencies need to know information that
needs to be collected to protect and conserve environment. Policymaker direction
should provide foundation as well as catalyst for the work of the governing agency
from which laws, guidelines and state budget would arise.
Figure 4.1 shows the driving forces, pressure exposures and effects that affect
environmental health. Environmental health is affected by a series of driving forces
(WHO 1997) such as population, urbanization, poverty, technology and scientific
development. The population multiplies the environmental impact due to consumption of natural resources besides generation of wastes.
The migration due to various reasons from rural to urban settings as well as semiurban to metropolitan cities augments stress on the environment. Poverty influences
on the environmental and living conditions. Technological or scientific developments may bring a new set of environmental health hazards. In reality, decisions are
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
R. Chandrappa, D. B. Das, Environmental Health - Theory and Practice,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64484-0_4
Chapter 4
Environmental Health Planning
Abstract Governance cannot operate in a vacuum. Governing organizations should
have guidance from the citizens they serve. Environmental health is driven by several driving forces and exposures and effects. Environment and health are also
closely related. The human health cannot be improved or assured without a healthy
environment. The plan shall aim to achieve the maximum reduction of illness as
well as injury from all causes and consider analysis of environmentally induced illnesses/injuries. The planning exercise shall assess existing environmental conditions that affect the health of the population in areas of concern. The planning shall
not just aim to cater demand for treatment-oriented services but should also look
into preventive activities and reduction of environmentally induced illnesses/injuries in the home, recreational besides work environments. Environmental factors
that intrude upon human health shall be given consideration in the master plans.
This chapter discusses the principles of health planning and many usual deviations
observed in practice.
4.1 Introduction
Governance cannot operate in a vacuum. Governing organizations should have
guidance from the citizens they serve. All agencies need to know information that
needs to be collected to protect and conserve environment. Policymaker direction
should provide foundation as well as catalyst for the work of the governing agency
from which laws, guidelines and state budget would arise.
Figure 4.1 shows the driving forces, pressure exposures and effects that affect
environmental health. Environmental health is affected by a series of driving forces
(WHO 1997) such as population, urbanization, poverty, technology and scientific
development. The population multiplies the environmental impact due to consumption of natural resources besides generation of wastes.
The migration due to various reasons from rural to urban settings as well as semiurban to metropolitan cities augments stress on the environment. Poverty influences
on the environmental and living conditions. Technological or scientific developments may bring a new set of environmental health hazards. In reality, decisions are