Winter Semester 2010/2011

Goals and Objectives:

1. Knowledge of environmental factors affecting population’s health.
2. Knowledge of means of protection from environmental diseases.
3. Knowledge of capabilities needed in protection from diseases and in health promotion in the practice of a physician.
4. Knowledge of rules of nutrition of healthy people in different stages of life.
5. Knowledge of rules of dietetic therapy supporting the pharmacological treatment.

Workshops: 24 hours (2 hours per each subject):

 

1.  Hospital hygiene.

The principles of hygiene in hospital environment. Methods of cleaning, disinfection and sterilization. Disposal of waste. Protective barriers. The rules of decontamination. Hand washing techniques. Measures to be taken following occupational exposure to potentially infectious biological material.

Workshop:

Preparation of disinfectant for disinfection of instruments.  Preparing and conducting the aseptic and antiseptic procedure concerning wound cleaning and disinfecting. Decontamination of blood split on the floor. Waste disposal (biological and non-biological material). Decontamination of instruments. Discussing                         the management of occupational blood exposure and creating the exposure protocol.

 

2. Measurements and their hygienic interpretation of noise level.

Definition of noise. Basic parameters describing noise exposure (sound pressure, sound pressure level, sound intensity, sound power, duration). Classification of noise. Allowable noise levels for houses and the environment. Auditory and non-auditory effects of excessive noise. Nomogram of human ear sensitivity. Methods of hearing protection. Analysis of audiograms showing Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL).

Workshop:

Measurement of noise level with the use of Sound Level Meter (SLM): measurement of noise level in the silent room, measurement of noise level from vacuum cleaner, determination the acoustic pattern of vacuum cleaner noise – estimation the possible effects on worker. Analysis of audiograms.

 

3. Measurements and their hygienic interpretation of microclimatic factors.

The impact of climate and climate change on public health. The health effects of exposure to low and high atmospheric pressure. Exposure to heat and cold: burns and frostbites (classification). The influence of microclimatic factors (solar radiation, air temperature, air humidity, air velocity) on human health and comfort. Indices and methods of evaluation of the integrated microclimate effects (cooling power, effective temperature).

Workshop:

Cold and heat stress evaluation: calculation of Wind Chill Index (WCI) and Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). Measurements and interpretation of temperature and relative humidity. Calculation and interpretation of some chosen microclimate indices in a seminar room: effective temperature (ET), Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD).

 

4. Occupational hygiene: light and lighting assessment.

The electromagnetic spectrum, visible radiation and light. Terms and definitions associated with lighting: daylight factor, illuminance, luminance, candela, lux, lumen. Types of lamps and luminaries. Daylight factor. Lighting systems. Hygienic requirements and indices of natural and artificial lighting. Illuminance meter (luxmeter). The effects of colors.

Workshop:

Measurements and interpretation of parameters of natural and artificial lighting. 

 

5. Occupational hygiene: ergonomic assessment of energy expenditure, ergonomic evaluation of computer workstation.

Rules of safe heavy objects’ lifting. Definitions of and domains within ergonomics. Ergonomics and occupational hygiene. Risk factors associated with the development of work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs). Control measures: workplace design, workplace layout (4 basic principles)

Workshop:

Performing the PWC 170 test with the use of cycle ergometer. Calculating energy expenditure in the work of physician. Ergonomic evaluation of computer workstation in the seminar room.

 

6. The assessment of exposure to particulate matter: industrial dusts. Assessment of exposure to chosen environmental allergens.

Particulate matter: definition, classification. The state of particulate matter pollution.  Definitions of allergens. Sources of aeroallergens. Features of allergenic pollen. House dust mites as a source of common indoor allergens.

Workshop:

1.  Microscopic evaluation of chosen pollen grains and the preparation of one’s own listing of  pollens.
2. Making one’s own recommendations regarding limiting/minimizing the exposure of hypersensitive people to aeroallergens of plant origin.
3. The evaluation of exposure to feces of house dust mites with the use of ACAREX test.
4. Of the given list of methods limiting the exposure to allergens of house dust mites students choose methods which are:

• a) essential,
  
• b) desirable 
  
• c) of questionable effectiveness.

 

7.  Environmental and occupational toxicology.

Terms and definitions associated with toxicology: dose, threshold dose, toxicity, LD50, dose-effect , dose-response, NOEL, LOEL, NOAEL, LOAEL. Hygienic norms for some chosen toxic substances. Toxicity of mercury, pesticides, carbon monoxide and nitric compounds. Risk assessment procedure. Reference dose (RfD). 

Workshop:

Determinations of reference doses for chosen toxic substances.

 

8. Chemical and biological pollution of water. The effectiveness of water treatment.

Water from physiological point of view. Water from ecological point of view. Stages of public water treatment. Acceptable levels of chemicals in the drinking water. Water-related infectious disease. Water contaminants and cancer.  Physical, chemical and biological parameters of drinking water.

Workshop:

Determination of nitrates, nitrites, chlorine, chlorides, copper, water hardness, pH and total dissolved solids (TDS) in a given water samples.

 

9. Food hygiene and safety.

Rules of proper nutrition. Basic nutritional elements: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, macro- and microelements and vitamins. Protein composition and quality. Recommended norms for daily food intake. Artificial substances in food and their influence on health status.

Workshop:

Calculation of energy requirements for individuals in relation to age, sex and physical activity.

 

10. Analysis and evaluation of some chosen diets.

Types of diets. Dietetic therapy supporting the pharmacological treatment. Nutrition and civilisation diseases. Sanitary supervision on food quality and outdoor feeding.

Workshop:

Quantitative method for evaluation of different diets.

 

11. Biological hazards.

Blood-borne pathogens. Other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) HCV,HBV,HIV. Risk identification, clinical course of infection,routes of contamination, preventive protocols. Vaccinations

Workshop:

assessment of individual risk of a health care workers exposed to blood-borne patrhogens.Reporting protocol. Preventive procedures. Different scenarios.

 

12.       Health promotion programs. Evaluation of students’ projects.

 

The results of teaching the subject:

1. Knowledge of the principles of hygiene in hospital environment.
2. Knowledge of methods of examination and of evaluation of factors creating microclimate. Knowledge of cold and heat stress indices.
3. Knowledge of health effects of noise exposure. Methods of prevention.
4. Knowledge of main outdoor and indoor air pollutants, their effects on human health and methods of exposure assessment.
5. Capability for the assessment of human’s exposure to harmful substances present in drinking water and of evaluation of water for drinking purposes.
6. Knowledge of hygienic requirements and indices of daylight and artificial lighting.
7. Knowledge of influence of workplace environment on human health. Capability of ergonomic evaluation of workplace.
8. Knowledge of hazardous factors in workplace environment. Knowledge and use              of basic toxicological definitions. Toxicological risk evaluation.

 

References:

1. Kerry Gardiner, J. Malcolm Harrington: Occupational Hygiene. Third Edition. Blackwell Publishing, 2005.
2. Cassens BJ.: Preventive Medicine and Public Health.