DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

PUBLIC HEALTH & WATERBORNE DISEASES NOTES (NBP 437)

ONE-YEAR BTECH (Top UP) PLUMBING AND GAS TECHNOLOGY
(Block/Trimester II: 2022/2023)
Session 1: Public Health Concepts, Definitions, & Terminologies
Outline of Notes
➢ Essential Life Processes & Basis of Life
➢ Classification of Living Organisms
➢ Definitions: Health, Public Health, and Other Concepts
➢ Differences: Public Health versus Curative/Clinical Health
➢ Dimensions of Health
➢ Determinants of Health
➢ Measurement of Population Health Status
➢ Directed Reading Assignment & Group Project Presentations

1. Essential Life Processes and Basis of Life

a) Origin of Life
The basic unit of every living organism is the CELL. The cell contains the unique
universal genetic code of every specie of living organisms called Deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA, double stranded) and ribonucleic acid (RNA, single stranded). All the 7
life processes functionally occur at the cellular level through to the other levels of
organization of a living organism. Most organisms are multicellular and are therefore
made up of different types of cells. There are five basic levels of organization of
multicellular organisms, these are:
Cells → Tissues → Organs → Organ Systems → Organism

Cell is the basic structural and functional unit of every living organism. Plant and
animal cells are the two main model cells studied in biology. Fungi, protoctists, and
prokaryotes also have unique features of interest for study in biology, medicine, and
public health.

Tissues are groups of specialized similar cells that perform the same function. E.g.:
bone, nerve tissues, epidermis, photosynthetic tissues, etc.

Organs are groups of different tissues which perform the same function. E.g.: leaf,
flowers, stem, eye, skin, heart, kidney, etc.

An organ system consists of two or more organs working together to perform a

specific function. E.g.: reproductive system, digestive system, circulatory system etc.

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Organism consists of all the different organ systems working together for a common
goal of life sustenance.

b) The Life Processes (Meaning, Purpose & Types)

Life processes are activities or characteristics shown by living organisms or living
things that sustain their existence. These 7 essential life processes include
Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity/irritability, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion,
Nutrition (MRS GREN). Man is the most complex living organism.

Non-living things do not have these characteristics to sustain life. However, non-
living things can mimic or copy these behaviors or activities of living organisms. Non-
living things, such as a piece of rock, a car, a robot, or a crystal, may show
characteristics similar to those of living organisms but these do not make them living
organisms. For instance,
✓ Burning of fuel in a car engine (oxygen + petrol to release mechanical energy)
is similar to respiration in living organisms (oxygen + food to release energy).
✓ Headlights that switch on automatically (response to dim light stimulus) in
the dark is similar to closing of the eyelids when exposed to highlight
(sensitivity/irritability).
✓ Filling a car’s tank with fuel is similar to eating or taking in food (nutrition).
✓ Release of waste gases from the car exhaust is similar to releasing waste
products (excretion: feaces, urine, etc) from the body of man.
✓ After release of mechanical energy from the engine into the wheels, the car
moves which is similar to the movement of parts (or whole) of the body of a
living organism when energy is made available to it.
NB: Living things and non-living things differ in shape, colour, size and many other
features. However, living things become non-living things when they die. Living
things also need non-living things in order to survive. For example, some organisms
feed on other dead organisms (non-living) and waste materials to obtain nutrients
such as mineral salts, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrate, fats & oils, and water to
survive on. Plants need carbon dioxide produced by animals from respiration whiles
animals make use of oxygen produced by plants after photosynthesis.

i. Nutrition: Taking in food or manufacturing food or obtaining/acquiring food

that serves as a source of energy for sustenance, growth, and repair
materials in order to carry out and regulate other life processes.
Plants are autotrophic (feed themselves by photosynthesis) whiles animals are
heterotrophic (feed on plants and other organisms including animals).
Herbivores: Animals that feed on only plants.
Carnivores: Animals that feed on only animals (flesh-eating).
Omnivores: Animals that feed on both plants and animals.

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 ii. Growth: Irreversible increase in size and/or weight/biomass of an organism.
Development of more cells, tissues, etc.
iii. Respiration: It is the process by which an organism breaks down or burns or
combusts food substances (carbohydrate, protein, and fats/oils, etc) in their
simplest forms in order to release energy for its life activities. There are two
types of respiration.
Anaerobic respiration takes place in the absence of oxygen producing lactic acid
from the intermediate product pyruvic acid.
Aerobic respiration takes place in the presence of oxygen producing carbon dioxide
and water from the intermediate pyruvic acid. Aerobic respiration produces more
energy than anaerobic respiration.
iv. Excretion: It is the process whereby an organism removes metabolic waste
products from the body. These metabolic wastes may include urine, sweat,
and feces in human beings or most animals and metabolic cell sap by plants.
v. Movement: This refers to a change in position and/or direction of the whole
or parts of an organism’s body. Animals move part or the whole of their body
by swimming, flying, walking, and crawling, etc. Plants usually move parts of
their body such as the branches and roots. Microorganisms usually move
their whole body.
vi. Irritability/Sensitivity: It is the ability of an organism to detect, perceive, or
respond to stimulus or environmental changes/signals i.e. sensitive to
changes in its environment or surroundings and respond to them. Examples
of stimuli are light, heat, sound, vibration, smell/odor, wind, cold, touch,
water, pressure, food, etc.
vii. Reproduction: It is the process whereby an organism produces its offspring
or gives rise to new individuals or species of the same kind (produce after its
likeness).
There are two main types of reproduction.
Sexual reproduction involves the coming together of the female and male sex cells
called gametes to form a zygote. The sex cells are ovum (eggs) and sperm in most
animals. This zygote grows to become a new individual through metamorphosis.
Asexual reproduction which involves organisms producing their offspring from only
one adult parent such as unicellular organisms (organisms with a single cell) splitting
into two or more individuals through binary fission, fragmentation, budding, etc.
Example is amoeba which reproduces by binary fission. Also in plants new offspring
can be produced from branches of existing plants such as plantain suckers, cassava
stems, etc from either a male or female plant.

Metabolism: Is defined as all the biochemical break-down and build-up processes

involved in the maintenance of life of living organisms. It is also defined as the total
or combination of all chemical reactions by which nutrients or food substances are

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used by the body of a living organism to produce energy and materials for growth,
repair, and maintenance.
It is a combination of catabolism (break-down processes of large molecules to
smaller molecules) and anabolism (build-up processes of smaller molecules used to
synthesize larger molecules) in living organisms. These biochemical reactions are
able to occur speedily/quickly due to the help of biological catalysts called enzymes
which are themselves proteins.
An example of catabolic reaction is respiration resulting in energy production. An
example of anabolic reaction is protein synthesis resulting in larger body mass or
growth.
Other important processes that take place in living organisms may include transport,
homeostasis, regulation/control, storage, etc but these are not considered as life
processes but rather help the seven (7) life processes to take place.

Debates, Further Reading, Intriguing Questions:

a) Which of the life processes is the most important?
b) Which of the life processes is used as a basis for classifying a living organism
as dead (non-living)?
c) Are viruses living organisms?
d) What is the origin of life?

2. Classification of Living Organisms

a) Definition: Classification is the grouping of objects whether living or non-
living things according to their common features.
b) Importance/Reasons for Classification of Living Things
✓ It helps scientists in their research work such as identifying new organisms
for classification.
✓ It helps in easy identification and studying of known organisms by observing
the differences and similarities among the organisms.
✓ It enables scientists to communicate easily with one another. For instance,
the binomial name (nomenclature) of an organism gives information about
them for communicating amongst botanists, zoologists, etc.
✓ It helps in understanding and recalling the characteristics of organisms when
classified into common groups.
A good classification system is one that allows exiting information to be sorted, new
information to be added, and patterns/characteristics to be observed and studied.
c) Binomial System of Nomenclature
There is a way of naming organisms in biology which is known as binomial system
of nomenclature, where binomial means two ways. This system was also introduced
by Carlos Linnaeus. According to the system, every organism is given:
i) Two-part Latin name

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 ii) The first part of the name is the Genus to which the organism belongs, and it
begins with a capital letter.
iii) The second part of the name is the species to which the organism belongs.

This name always begins with a small letter. You will normally see this kind of name
written in italic in books. But when writing the name, it should be underlined.
Genus Species Common Name
Homo sapiens Man
Canis familiaris Domestic dog
Magnifera indica Mango
Gallus domesticus Domestic fowl
Zea mays Maize
Aedes aegypti Mosquito (Yellow Fever)
Salmonella typhi Typhoid fever bacteria
Plasmodium falciparum Malaria parasites
Note !! there are several species of organisms that belong to the same Genus but
different species. Therefore, note that there are for instance several species of the
malaria parasite which causes different types of diseases.

d) General Characteristics of Organisms in the Five Kingdoms

All living things or organisms are grouped into five kingdoms, which is the first stage
in classifying living things. These are PROKARYOTAE, PROTOCTISTA, FUNGI,
PLANTAE, AND ANIMALIA. Prokaryotic organisms are however further grouped into
ARCHAEBACTERIA AND EUBACTERIA.

I. Prokaryotae
a) Archaebacteria
Organisms: Methanogens, Halophiles, Thermophiles, Psychrophiles
Cell Type: Prokaryotic
Metabolism: Depending on species - oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, sulfur,
sulfide may be needed for metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Depending on species - nutrition intake may by absorption,
non-photosynthetic photophosphorylation, or chemosynthesis.
Reproduction: Asexual reproduction by binary fission, budding, or fragmentation.
b) Eubacteria
Organisms: Bacteria, Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), Actinobacteria
Cell Type: Prokaryotic
Metabolism: Depending on species - oxygen may be toxic, tolerated, or needed for
metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Depending on species - nutrition intake may by absorption,

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photosynthesis, or chemosynthesis.
Reproduction: Asexual reproduction

II. Protoctista
Organisms: Amoebae, sporozoans, flagellates, ciliates, green algae, brown algae,
diatoms, euglena, slime molds, etc.
Cell Type: Eukaryotic
Metabolism: Oxygen is needed for metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Depending on species - nutrition intake may be by absorption,
photosynthesis, or ingestion.
Reproduction: Mostly asexual reproduction.

III. Fungi
Organisms: Mushrooms, yeast, molds
Cell Type: Eukaryotic
Metabolism: Oxygen is needed for metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Absorption
Reproduction: Asexual and/or sexual reproduction occurs.

IV. Plantae
Organisms: Mosses, angiosperms (flowering plants), gymnosperms, liverworts, ferns
Cell Type: Eukaryotic
Metabolism: Oxygen is needed for metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Photosynthesis
Reproduction: Mostly exhibit sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction.

V. Animalia
Organisms: Mammals, amphibians, sponges, insects, worms
Cell Type: Eukaryotic
Metabolism: Oxygen is needed for metabolism.
Nutrition Acquisition: Ingestion
Reproduction: Sexual reproduction mostly

3. Definitions of Health and Public Health Conceptsand Terms

✓ Health:
Health, according to the World Health Organization (1948), is "a state of complete
physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and
infirmity".

This agrees with the biopsychosocial model of health, which considers anatomical,
physiological, psychological, and social factors in health and illness, and
interactions between these factors. It differs from the traditional medical model,

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which defines health as the absence of illness or disease and emphasizes the role of
clinical diagnosis and intervention (medicine or clinical health).

Another definition states that health is a state of balance, an equilibrium that an

individual has established within himself and between himself and his social (biotic)
and physical (abiotic) environment. How individuals and indeed different groups of
people view health is also influenced by their culture, philosophies, beliefs, norms,
etc. A plumy-looking person may be viewed as unhealthy in one culture whiles the
other may consider that as unhealthy. Dimples are universally considered a physically
attractive feature. Contrary to this positive perception, it actually results from a
genetic defect that gives rise to a double or bifid zygomaticus muscle underlying the
cheeks. Would you consider this healthy or not?
✓ Public Health:
According to the American Public Health Association, “Public Health is the practice
of preventing disease and promoting good health within groups of people, from
small communities to entire countries.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Public health refers to all
organized measures (whether public or private) to prevent disease, promote health,
and prolong life among the population as a whole. Its activities aim to provide
conditions in which people can be healthy and focus on entire populations, not on
individual patients or diseases.”

The Public Health System - According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), “Public health systems are commonly defined as ‘all public,
private, and voluntary entities that contribute to the delivery of essential public
health services within a jurisdiction." Jurisdiction = defined population or area.

Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of people and
their communities. This work is achieved by promoting healthy lifestyles,
researching disease and injury prevention, and detecting, preventing, and
responding to infectious diseases. Overall, public health is concerned with
protecting the health of entire populations. These populations can be as small as a
local neighbourhood, or as big as an entire country or region of the world.
✓ Disease:
A disorder of structure (anatomy) or function (physiology) in a human, animal, or plant,
especially one that has a known cause and a distinctive group of symptoms, signs,
or anatomical changes.

Any harmful deviation from the normal structural or functional state of an organism,
generally associated with certain signs and symptoms and differing in nature from

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physical injury. A diseased organism commonly exhibits signs or symptoms indicative of its
abnormal state. Thus, the normal condition of an organism must be understood in order to
recognize the hallmarks or characteristics of disease. Nevertheless, a sharp demarcation
between disease and health is not always apparent.

The study of disease is called pathology. It involves the determination of the cause (etiology)
of the disease, the understanding of the mechanisms of its development (pathogenesis), the
structural changes associated with the disease process (morphological changes), and the
functional consequences of those changes. Correctly identifying the cause of a disease is
necessary to identifying the proper course of treatment.

Humans, other animals, and plants are all susceptible to diseases of some sort. However,
that which disrupts the normal functioning of one type of organism may have no effect on
the other types.

✓ Injury:
An injury is any physiological and/or anatomical damage to living tissue, or organ caused by
immediate physical stress. An injury can occur intentionally or unintentionally and may be
caused by blunt trauma, penetrating trauma, burning, toxic exposure, asphyxiation,
or overexertion. Injuries can occur in any part of the body, and different symptoms are
associated with different injuries.

Breakage, tear, inflammation (swelling), bruise, etc

✓ Morbidity:
State of ill-health, sickness, or disease.…..sub-optimal health status.

✓ Disability:
Physical, mental, social, emotional condition that limits a person’s normal daily functions or
activities, temporally or permanently unless treated or compensated for medically.

✓ Deformity:
Alteration in or distortion of the natural form, shape, appearance, size, structure of a part
of an organ, an organ, or the entire body. This is related to the anatomy of the part or
whole of the body. Dimple, K-Leg, etc ..causes vary !

✓ Mortality: death.....state of loss of life, loss of breathe.

✓ Hospitalization: condition of ill-health that requires retention at a healthcare

facility…(IPD vrs OPD)

✓ Prevalence:
the proportion of a particular population found to be affected by a medical
condition at a specific time or period.

✓ Epidemiology:
Epidemiology is the study (scientific, systematic, and data-driven) of the distribution
(frequency, pattern) and determinants (causes, risk factors) of health-related states
and events (not just diseases) in a specified or defined population (neighbourhood,
school, city, state, country, global).

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 ✓ Risk Factors:

Conditions, situations, or factors that increase the chance of developing a disease or

medical condition.

✓ Health Status:
State of Health!!

This refers to the medical conditions (both physical and mental health), claims experience,
receipt of health care, medical history, genetic information, evidence of insurability, and/or
disability.

4. Difference between Public Health and Curative Health

Prevention is better than cure!

Public health (PH) is population-based, clinical or curative health is individual-based.

PH is oriented or directed at preventing disease occurrence whiles clinical health is

purposefully to treat infected or sick people.

5. Dimensions of Health

6. Determinants of Health
The health of humans can be influenced by the frequency and intensity of
exposures to risk factors (RFs). These factors, if not favorable to the life activities of
the person or people, would compromise or affect their health status or well-being.
Many factors combine together to affect the health of individuals and communities.
Whether people are healthy or not, is determined by their in-born traits, lifestyle,
circumstances, and environment. Factors such as where we live, the state of our
environment, genetics, our income and education level, and our relationships with
friends and family all have considerable impacts on our health, whereas the more
commonly considered factors such as access and use of health care services often

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have less of an impact. Protective factors (PFs) such as good nutrition, exercise,
good genes, good curative and public health systems, good education, good
economy, clean environments, and health-promoting lifestyles (non-smoking, no
alcohol, rest, relaxation, entertainment, etc) are regarded as PFs.

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7. Population Health Status Measurement
✓ Mortality
✓ Morbidity
✓ Hospitalization
✓ Injuries
✓ Disability
✓ Deformity
✓ Burden of Diseases (BoD): Prevalence of Diseases
✓ Quality of Life (QoL)
✓ Life Expectancy
✓ Level of Vaccination
✓ DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years)
✓ Capacity of Health Facilities or Resources: Availability of Medicines, Doctors,
Nurses, Medical Specialists, Vaccines, Diagnostics, Personal Protective Equipment
(PPEs), etc.

✓ The health status of individuals is assessed for the various clinical or

evidence-based indications of ill-health or physical anomaly (physiological
and anatomical), mentally, socially, psychologically, etc by medical doctors,
psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical/medical laboratory
scientists/technologists, nutritionists, dieticians, nurses, pharmacists, medical
imaging specialists, radiologists, physiotherapists, etc.
✓ However, the health of groups of people or a defined population is usually
based on aggregate metrics such as rate of: Mortality, Morbidity, Disability,
Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), Years Lived with Disability (YLD),
Quality of Life (QoL), Life Expectancy, etc. The global burden of disease
(GBD), injuries, and risk factors is a popular study that summarizes the
burden of various diseases, injuries, and risk factors globally.
✓ The international classification of diseases (ICDs) also helps in the
measurement of disease burden as a point of data collection on the causes of
death (CoD) of people.

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