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Environmental health in the journals
R J McCunney1, R Boswell, J Harzbecker
1Boston University Medical Center, Occupational Health Program, Massachusetts 02118.
Environmental Research
|October 1, 1992
Summary
Environmental health topics are increasingly featured in medical journals, with air and water pollution being the most studied. This trend highlights growing importance in general medical practice, particularly occupational medicine.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Medical Literature Analysis
- Occupational Medicine
Background:
- Professional organizations increasingly recognize environmental health's importance in medicine.
- A growing body of research indicates a rise in environmental health topics within medical literature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the emphasis on environmental health issues in medical journals.
- To track trends in the publication of environmental health research over a 15-year period.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a Medline literature search of specialty and general medical journals.
- Analyzed articles indexed under environmental pollution, pollutants, and cancer headings from 1976-1990.
Main Results:
- Specialty journals showed a significant, consistent increase in environmental health articles.
- General medical journals also exhibited a continued rise in publications on these topics.
- Air pollution (dusts) and water pollution (chemical contamination) were the most indexed environmental issues.
Conclusions:
- Environmental health issues are gaining prominence in general medical practice.
- The specialty of occupational medicine shows a particular focus on environmental health.
- Medical literature reflects an increasing awareness and study of environmental impacts on health.