Envirnomental Health
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Browsing Envirnomental Health by Author "Abdallah Omer Hamdouna"
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- ItemThe Impact of Medical Wastes Incineration at Governmental Hospitals on the Households in the Surrounding Areas(Al-Quds University, 2011-02-08) Abdallah Omer Hamdouna; عبدالله عمر حمدونةThis study titled “The Impact of Medical Wastes Incineration at Governmental Hospitals on the Households in the Surrounding Areas” was conducted in the year 2010 in the Gaza Strip. The study aimed at assessing the adverse health impacts on the health status of the population on targeted areas due to the exposure to gases and emissions from medical wastes incinerators. A descriptive analytic cross sectional study design was used. A self-administered questionnaire was proportionally distributed according to the population density in the study areas to a total sample of 176 subjects. The response rate was 71.5% (126 subjects of 176). About two thirds (80 subjects) of the sample were living around Al-Shifa Hospital area, and one third (46 subjects) near Nasser Hospital area. The SPSS Statistical Package was used to analyze the collected data, in which frequency distribution, Chi square test, medium and stander deviation were used for analyses. The results revealed that the percentage of fetuses' deaths just before delivery in the targeted areas was 10.3%. Infants' deaths after delivery without knowing the reason in the targeted areas represented 16.7%. The prevalence of chronic diseases represents about 52.4%. The prevalence of congenital anomalies had reached 4.8%. In about 83.3% of the reported congenital anomalies, the conditions were visible, while in 16.7% it was invisible. Chronic diseases presented as follows; Diabetes mellitus ‘25.2%’ of the surveyed population, hypertension ‘31.7%’, heart diseases ‘15.4%’, and the other chronic diseases ‘27.7%’. Respiratory diseases were reported by 76.2% of the surveyed population as follows; bronchial asthma accounts for 8.6%, chronic bronchitis 10% and allergy accounts for 81.4% of the respiratory diseases cases. Eye diseases reported by 77.8% of all the study population. From all cases affected with eye diseases, 15.8% suffered from redness, 73% suffered from sensitivity and irritation, 11.2% suffered from increase eye secretion. Skin diseases were reported by 30% of the study population. Kidney diseases were reported by 13.5% of study population while liver diseases were reported by 7.1%. In addition, problems in immune system were reported by 6.3%. Smelling unpleasant odors in their place of residence were reported by 88.9% of the subjects. Around 70% of all participants claimed that there is no specific time for emissions and odors and they reported smelling it continuously. Almost all respondents reported experiencing exaggeration of their diseases with the exposure to the smells and emissions that arise from the incinerators. Also, 89.7% of all study population claimed that there are flying ash and dust around their houses. The study concluded that the current incinerators produce negative impacts on the health of the people living nearby the hospitals. There is a great need to monitor the health status among those population and to replace the current incinerators with more advanced ones that are environmentally friendly and/or to move them to other areas away from densely populated places.