Week 10 - Environmental Health

Question 1

What is Environmental Epidemiology?

Answer 1

• study of diseases and conditions linked to environmental factors (occurring in a population)

Question 2

What is Occupational Epidemiology?

Answer 2

• study of diseases and conditions linked to occupational or work-related factors (occurring in a workforce)

Question 3

What are 5 common health effects associated with work environment?

Answer 3

1. Risks for pregnant workers and unborn fetus
2. Various lung diseases
3. Dermatologic problems
4. Bladder cancer among dye workers
5. Leukemia among workers exposed to benzene

Question 4

What are 4 common health effects attributed to environmental exposures?

Answer 4

1. Cancer
2. Chronic disease (e.g. COPD)
3. Reproductive impacts
4. Infectious diseases (e.g. malaria)

Question 5

What is the Health Worker Effect?

Answer 5

• employed populations tend to have lower mortality than general population
• May reduce measure of effect for an exposure that increases morbidity or mortality

Collection of exposure data:

• employment records include: personal identifiers, demographic characteristics, work history, info about potential compounding variables