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Commentary: environmental disease--a preventable epidemic.
1Department of Community Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10009.
American Journal of Public Health
|July 1, 1992
Summary
Toxic environmental diseases cause significant deaths and illnesses annually. Preventing these requires controlling toxic exposures through legislation, not just personal behavior changes.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Occupational Medicine
- Toxicology
Background:
- Toxic environmental diseases are a major preventable cause of death and illness in the US.
- Workplace toxic exposures result in 50,000-70,000 deaths and 350,000 new illnesses yearly.
- Significant public health crises include the asbestos pandemic and epidemic pediatric lead poisoning.
Discussion:
- Legislation and regulation are crucial for controlling common-source exposures to chemical toxins.
- Controlling environmental toxins is the primary method for preventing toxic diseases.
- Personal behavior modifications, like reducing tobacco and alcohol use, are complementary but insufficient alone.
Key Insights:
- Environmental toxins are a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality.
- Pediatric lead poisoning affects millions of children, risking long-term impairment.
- Asbestos-related diseases represent a substantial and ongoing public health burden.
Outlook:
- Future prevention strategies must prioritize robust legislative and regulatory frameworks.
- Continued monitoring and control of industrial and environmental toxins are essential.
- Public health initiatives should focus on reducing widespread toxic exposures.