Environmental mapping as a health risk location tool

Abstract

This text presents the experience report about the environmental mapping in health linked to the “Extension interface project between the environment and the network of basic health care” that was developed between the months of April and December of 2017. For the development of the project was selected a Maués Neighborhood in the city of Vitória de Santo Antão, State of Pernambuco, Brazil, which presented several environmental problems. The health risks, due to the environment, were located and photographed, through visits to the territory. These data were the basis for the environmental mapping of the territory, using the Google Earth tool. Environmental problems were identified, such as sewerage without sanitation, solid waste accumulation, vacant lots, a clandestine slaughterhouse and inadequate housing, only in the outskirts of the neighborhood. The risks are closely related to the occurrence of various infectious and parasitic diseases. The clear identification of these problems was possible due to the use of the mapping tool, demonstrating the importance of this technique in the analysis of environmental and health problems and in decision making, in order to improve the quality of life of the population of the territory.