Environmental Health Indicators Bridging the Chasm of Public Health and the Environment: Workshop Summary (2004) / Chapter Skim
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5 The Challenges Ahead
5 The Challenges Ahead
Pages 71-80
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From page 71... ...
Not having access to reliable information in a usable, understandable format often creates confusion when trying to answer health questions during times of crisis. Some workshop participants pointed to the use of health monitoring as an essential tool to better understand environmental health risks, to guide responses to such risks, and to assist in preventing adverse health outcomes.
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From page 72... ...
agreed and noted that if we define environmental disease too narrowly, we miss a number of important conditions such as chronic diseases, where rates are currently rising. Carol Henry of the American Chemistry Council further noted that in addition to the importance of a strong definition of environmental health, we need a better understanding and agreement as to what constitutes "good" environmental health and greater knowledge of the relative importance of environmental factors in promoting health.
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From page 73... ...
Workshop participants discussed some of the current monitoring efforts to monitor aspects of health in the United States. For example, cancer registries represent one of the best health monitoring efforts in this country.
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From page 74... ...
For example, in the State of California, environmental health data have been collected that have not been used fully because they have not been analyzed or interpreted, noted Lynn Goldman of Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health. As the national monitoring effort progresses, policy makers must make sure that resources are allotted not just for collecting information but also for making use of it and for connecting it to the research conducted by the nation's research communities.
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From page 75... ...
The gaps in surveillance data are not in one particular area of environmental health, but rather exist in many facets, including the occupational sector, stated Kathleen Rest of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
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From page 76... ...
Thus, if air toxics data and asthma attack data are sound, an association can be made with some confidence, noted Hearne. According to the Pew Environmental Health Commission, human exposure could be measured directly for most priority air toxics (Pew Environmental Health Commission, 2001)
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From page 77... ...
The Multitude of Agencies Involved in Environmental Health Monitoring -- Eliminating the Stovepipes As we plan for a nationwide health monitoring system, an essential question is whether we have the capacity to implement it, stated Hearne. Several core agencies are at the heart of health monitoring and establishing the defense network needed to address environmental health threats: the CDC and ATSDR, NIH, EPA, NIOSH, and the Office of Surgeon General.
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From page 78... ...
This would range from scientists involved in the research effort, to statisticians and epidemiologists, to health officers at the local level. Hearne noted that environmental health investigators for chronic diseases are in short supply in this country, and 24 states did not have a single CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officer affiliated with them in 2000.
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From page 79... ...
Jackson echoed these remarks and further stated that the environmental health monitoring program has to be built from the bottom up. It has to make sense to local public health departments and be keyed to local public health actions.
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From page 80... ...
The nation has reached a pivotal time for establishing a national monitoring system. The Pew Commission report of 2000 (Pew Environmental Health Commission, 2000b)
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