DEFINITION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
According to the World Health Organisation, health is more than the absence of disease and infirmity, it is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.

In the broad context, environmental health comprises those aspects of human health and disease that are determined by factors in the environment which in turn are influenced by demographic and socio economic factors.The discipline of environmental health emerged with prominence in the 1980s with increasing recognition that efforts at environmental improvement and protection could have a positive effect on disease prevention.

• Population growth and distribution
• Age distribution
• Population growth rate

• Income levels
• Employment
• Education
• Status of women
• Health care facilities

• Poverty in Greater Johannesburg

• Mortality rates
• Morbidity rates
• Life expectancy
• Poverty levels
• Gross fertility rates
• Housing quality
• Crime levels

Environmental Factors that impact on the health status of a community
The impact of the environment on a community normally correlates with their socio economic status against the background of the demographic profile. For example it is normally the poor who are marganalised to live in areas with high pollution levels, increasing their risk for diseases. In turn it is normally the young, old and fragile who are effected which coupled with poverty will result in poor health status.

Greater Johannesburg is furthermore faced with great differentiation in terms of service delivery among various racial groups based on the previous system. This furthermore increases the burned and risk of environmental health related diseases. Environmental health related diseases occur in the form of various pressures that impact on the health status of a community, namely:

• Air pollution and quality
• Water pollution and quality
• Noise pollution
• Waste management
• Land pollution
• Presence of hazardous waste
• Presence of pesticides
• Occupational safety
• Occurrence of accidents
• Safe food
• Unsafe and inadequate housing