Abstract
The results of an environmental perception study about a contaminated watercourse in Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico are presented. Percept and opinions of residents were collected by direct interview from a random sample of 370 out of 8 900 dwellings and statistical reliability of 95%. Main results highlighted complains about sewage dumping and related displeasing odor (39.3%), as well as the presence of mosquitoes (17.6%) as disease vectors. At most impacted sites (P3, P4, P6, P8) common reported signs and symptoms were irritation to organs of the respiratory system and headache. Thus, finding a very significant association (chi-square test, P<0.0000) among prevailing environmental conditions and reported symptoms at 95% confidence interval. Finally, 90% of interviewee qualified the channel´s environmental quality as very bad, since the benefits they can get from a natural stream like landscape beauty, microclimate regulator or water supply, are limited by the unhealthy state of water.
Highlights
The state of the environment is crucial when studding peoples wellness, there are many factors conditioning relationships between wellness and illness processes
The most common environmental problems reported by responders were sewage and associated displeasing odor (Fig. 3d)
Most relevant problems referred by interviewee were related to the presence of sewage and displeasing ODOR with a 39.3% as well as the presence of mosquitoes 17.6%
Summary
The state of the environment is crucial when studding peoples wellness, there are many factors conditioning relationships between wellness and illness processes. A science that relates societal and environmental factors is Environmental Health. It considers that humans interact with the environment constantly and these interactions affect quality of life, years of healthy life lived and health disparities. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines environment, as it relates to health, as “all the physical, chemical and biological factors external to a person and all the related behaviours” (WHO, 2016). Environmental Health consists of preventing or controlling disease, injury and disability related to the interactions between people and their environment (Rojas et al, 2013).
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