How much disease burden can be prevented by environmental interventions?
Annette Prüss-Ustün1, Carlos Corvalán
1Department of Public Health and the Environment, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. pruessa@who.int
Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.)
|September 15, 2006
Summary
Environmental risk factors contribute significantly to the global disease burden. Modifiable environmental factors account for 24% of all diseases, with interventions offering substantial health improvement potential.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Epidemiology
- Global Health
Background:
- Limited systematic data exists on environmental risk factors' impact on global disease burden.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a comprehensive assessment of environment-related disease burden.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically estimate the global burden of disease attributable to environmental risk factors.
- To highlight the potential of environmental interventions for improving human health.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review on environmental risks.
- Expert opinion survey using a modified Delphi method.
- Quantitative estimation of disease fractions attributable to the 'reasonably modifiable environment' for 85 diseases.
Main Results:
- Environmental risk factors account for 24% of the global burden of disease.
- Environmental factors contribute to 85 of 102 diseases studied, including diarrheal diseases (94%), lower respiratory infections (41%), malaria (42%), and unintentional injuries (42%).
- In children, 34% of disease burden is environmentally linked, disproportionately affecting developing countries.
Conclusions:
- A substantial portion of the environmental disease burden is preventable with existing, cost-effective interventions like clean water, air, and safety measures.
- Environmental interventions represent a significant opportunity to improve global public health.
- Addressing environmental factors is crucial, especially for vulnerable populations in developing nations.
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