Course Syllabus: Online section of EOH 353 - Global Perspectives of Environmental Health

Faculty: Professor Anita Slechta, REHS, MS, BSRT(R)(M)

Home page Getting Started Course Overview email to Professor Anita Slechta

EOH 353
Department of Health Science
California State University, Northridge
Office: ENG. 2207

OFFICE HOURS at CSUN in EN2207:

Monday 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Tuesday 9:30 - 11:00 am

Wednesday 12:30 - 1:00 pm

Or online by appointment (email me)

Phone #: 677-2475 EMAIL address: anita.slechta@csun.edu
Home page for BSRT: www.csun.edu/~vchsc02t/

EOH 353 GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

TEXT:

Nadakavukaren, Anne. Our Global Environment (Fifth edition). Prospect Heights, Illinois. 2000.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE HEALTH OF HUMAN POPULATIONS.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course each student will have a basic understanding of: 1) the environmental processes that affect human health, and 2) current and future environmental concerns from a consumer perspective.

COURSE OUTLINE

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

I. Identifying the Environment and Definitions

• The "sensitive population"

II. Caretaker of the Environment

• Home Toxics--your effect on the environment.

III. Solid and Hazardous Waste Disposal

• Methods of Refuse Disposal
• Hazardous waste crisis
• Environmental concerns
• Household Hazardous wastes

IV. Water Resources and Water Pollution

• Hydrologic Cycle
• Surface H₂0---Rivers, Lakes
• Ground water formations--zones, aquifers
• Water quality
  • Impurities--groups, the law
  • Tests--Physical, Chemical, Biological
• Water Treatment
• Well water/Spring water
• Southern California's water dilemma
• Sewage--Types, Decomposition
  • BOD-- Biochemical Oxygen Demand
  • Disposal Systems
  • Municipal Treatment
    • 1^o. (primary), 2^o. (secondary), 3^o (tertiary)

V. The Atmosphere and Air Pollution

• The Atmosphere
• Smog--Definition, History
• Classification of Pollutants>
  • primary
  • secondary
• Effects of Air Pollution
  • plants and animals
  • inert materials
  • human health?? Maladies/Sensitivities/Classifications
• Eastern classical vs. Photochemical smog
  • Acid rain
• The Automobile
• Air Pollution Control
  • air quality standards
  • pollution control strategies

VI. Foodborne Illness

• Microorganisms
  • Definitions
  • Bacteria vs.toxin
  • The "sensitive population"
• Infections
  • Salmonella
• Intoxications
  • Botulism
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Clostridium perfringens
• Non-bacterial parasites
  • Tapeworms-beef, pork, fish
  • Roundworms-Trichinosis
• Chemical Hazards-additives, pesticide residues, toxic metals
• Poisonous plants -paralytic shellfish poisoning
• Food preparation and preservation
  • Concepts--Delay vs. Hindrance
  • Methods--Canning, Temp.,Moisture, pH, Oxy/Red
  • Freezing Foods -- fast/slow, shelf life
• Milk
  • History of diseases causes by milk
  • Diseases--In the cow/ On the cow
  • Pasteurization
  • Current dilemma of Raw milk consumption

VII. Insect Vector and Rodent Control

• Spiders, lice, ticks, mite, flea.
  • Diseases and control mechanisms
• Mosquitoes
  • Life cycle
  • Diseases
  • Control measures:
    • drainage, clearing, larviciding, natural enemies adult mosquito control
• Flies
  • Types
  • Breeding cycle
  • Control
• Cockroaches
  • Types
  • Characteristics/Infestation recognition
  • Control
    • Vertebrate Hazards
      • Cats, bats and rats
      • Control

VIII. Pesticides **

• Route of absorption
• Toxicity/Classifications
• IPM (Integrated Pest Management)/Herbicides

IX. Radiologic Health

• Atomic Structure
  • isotopes
  • stability
  • radioactivity
• Ionizing Radiation
  • decay particles alpha, beta
  • x-ray, gamma ray
• Biological Effects of Radiation
• "Your" annual radiation dose--From where does it come?
• Nuclear Power **
  • plant design
  • environmental hazards
• Control of Radiation Hazards

GRADING POLICIES

The course evaluation will be based on the following assessment items:

The standard grading system will be used (i.e., not the plus(+) / minus(-) grading system). Letter grades will be assigned according to the following percentages:

Grading Scale:

A = 85 - 100%
B = 75 - 85%
C = 65 - 75%
D = 55 - 65%
F = less than 55%

The exam material will come from all assignments/discussions that are required for the course.

Extra Credit Opportunities:

1. Synchronous discussion (chat room): Chat Room discussions will be scheduled once during the semester. In other words, the students will be online at the same time in an assigned WebCT chat room and will participate in an assigned discussion.These discussions will center around reading material that will be emailed to the class. Students may request the week before the chat room discussion to participate. Dates will be posted on the WebCT calendar.

A maximum of 2% points for this chat room participation may be accrued toward the final grade. And a maximum of 5% total can be accrued through extra credit.

2. Field Trip. You may schedule an approved field trip to an environmentally related site such as a landfill, water treatment plant, waste water treatment plant, Health department inspection etc. Upon receipt of mailed verification of this field trip, the student will receive +3% toward the final grade! Remember to have your extra dredit field trip approved by me before attending.

ALL TESTS MUST BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A GRADE IN THE CLASS.

MAKEUP EXAMS WILL NOT BE GIVEN. Therefore, The student must take the midterm and final at the assigned time for credit to be received.

If the CSUN server goes down during these mandatory tests, the instructor is notified by the University of the outage and an alternative time will be assigned through the email list serve. If any outages occur on the student´s site, the student´s backup computing resources should be used.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY (i.e., cheating and plagiarism) WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AND WILL RESULT IN THE GRADE OF "F" FOR THE CLASS.