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Toxicology and Epidemiology (1st of 10 Lectures on Toxicologic Epidemiology). Michael H. Dong MPH, DrPA, PhD. readings. Taken in the early1990s, when desktop computers were still a luxury. Learning Objectives. Learn the mission of public health and the concept of health risk assessment.
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Toxicologyand Epidemiology(1st of 10 Lectures onToxicologic Epidemiology) Michael H. Dong MPH, DrPA, PhD readings
Taken in the early1990s, when desktop computers were still a luxury.
Learning Objectives • Learn the mission of public health and the concept of health risk assessment. • Study or revisit the scope and definition of toxicology and of epidemiology. • Recognize the close link between toxicology and epidemiology, and hence the being and the growing of toxicologic epidemiology.
Performance Objectives • Interrelate public health with health risk assessment. • Interrelate toxicology with epidemiology. • Accept and appreciate the existence and the career opportunities of toxicologic epidemiology, by interrelating the scopes, missions, and concepts just learned.
In Theory . . . . Public Health Health Risk Assessment Epidemiology Toxicology Other Areas
In Practice . . . . Public Health Health Risk Assessment Epidemiology Toxicology Other Areas
The mission of public health is to “fulfill society’s interest in assuring conditions in which people can be healthy.”
as a core function of public health . . . . “Assessment and monitoring of the health of communities and populations at risk to identify health problems and priorities.”
Health Risk Assessment: The process by which the potential adverse health effects of human exposure to etiologic agents (usually chemicals) are characterized.
Health Risk Assessment Components Hazard Identification Risk Characterization Dose-Response Assessment Exposure Assessment
Hazard Identification: What adverse effect(s) does the agent cause, if any? • Epidemiologic studies. • Toxicologic studies. • Biological, medical, physical science, and other studies.
Dose-Response Assessment: What is the correlation between dose and incidence in humans? • Epidemiologic studies. • Toxicologic studies. • Physiological and statistical modeling.
Exposure Assessment: What are the current and anticipated human exposures? • Epidemiologic studies. • Biological and toxicologic studies. • Physiological and statistical modeling.
Risk Characterization: What is the estimated risk of the adverse effect(s) in a population? • Epidemiologic studies. • Toxicologic studies. • Public health laws and interests.
Epidemiology: The study of factors that modify or influence the distribution of diseases (or of adverse health effects) in a (human) population.
Toxicology: The science that deals with toxic agents and their adverse health effects.
The Hybridization of Epidemiology and Toxicology: As a Sub-Discipline • Not quite here to an appreciable extent. • Epidemiology faculties and studies are more medical-, less bioassay-oriented. • Toxicology faculties and studies are more lab-, less medical-oriented.
The Hybridization of Epidemiology and Toxicology: As a Sub-Profession • Is gradually surfacing. • Regulatory health laws for health risk assessment; journals. • Professionally-related; sharing the same job duties, and health problems/issues.
Examples of Shared Interests and Responsibilities • Use of biomarkers in human exposure assessment; cancer epidemiology, etc. • Chemical accidents: the Minimata Bay incident; the Seveso accident; the Itai-Itai disease, etc. • Medical incidents: diethylstilbesterol; thalidomide, etc.
Impact of Health Policies on Health Risk Assessment FD&CAct; TSCAct; OSHAct; FQPAct; CAAct; FIFRAct; SDWAct; CPSAct; FHSAct; CWAct, etc.
Impact of Health Risk Assessment on Toxicology • Risk assessment included in toxicology textbooks, journals, societies, etc. • Toxicology issues/studies included in risk assessment journals, textbooks, societies, etc.
Impact of Health Risk Assessment on Epidemiology • Risk assessment included in epidemiology textbooks, journals, societies, etc. • Epidemiology issues/studies included in risk assessment journals, textbooks, societies, etc.
In Practice . . . . Public Health Health Risk Assessment Epidemiology Toxicology Other Areas
Overview of Next Lecture: Public Health (PH) and Risk Assessment (RA) Revisit of Mission of PH and concept of RA; RA and health policies/acts; RA and environmental health impact assessment (EHIA); monitoring and mitigation of exposure.