Table 5: Matrix of Possible Community- and Household-Level Interventions
for Reducing Incidences of Diarrhoea, Malaria and ARIs
Inhibiting generation of disease agents Interrupting transmission of disease agents Reducing exposure to disease agents
Preventing diarrhoeal disease * Proper maintenance of water supplies
* Protection of food supply
* Proper food storage
* Excreta disposal
* Protection of drinking water
* Disposal of food that might be contaminated
* Hand washing
* Reduction of solid waste
* Corralling livestock to limit transmission
* Reduction of fly breeding sites
* Purification of drinking water
* Proper cooking time and temperature
* Proper infant feeding practices
* Personal protection, e.g. wearing shoes
Preventing malaria * Application of larvicide
* Reduction of breeding sites
* Appropriate agricultural practices
* Proper maintenance of water supplies
* Vector diversion
* Residual spraying
* Surveillance/early treatment to reduce disease reservoir
* Domestic protection, e.g. screening
* Personal protection, e.g. bed nets, protective clothes, repellents
Preventing ARIs * Use of alternative clean energy and fuels
* Reduction of burning of solid waste
* Reduction of agricultural burning
* Improvement in household ventilation
* Use of efficient, vented household stoves
* Street sweeping
* Reduction of activity on high pollution days
* Transfer of cooking fires outdoors
* Keeping children away from smoky cooking stoves



Note: This chart lists environmental health contributions to an integrated approach to child and maternal health. Other components not mentioned include immunizations, oral rehydration, breastfeeding, safe delivery, birth spacing, micronutrients, and prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Source: Environmental Health Project (sponsored by United States Agency for International Development), “Prevention: Environmental Health Interventions to Sustain Child Survival”, Applied Study No. 3. Environmental Health Project, Washington, D.C., 1997.

 

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