New frontiers for environmental epidemiology in a changing world

Area of Science:

• Environmental epidemiology
• Public health
• Population health science

Background:

• The next 25 years will bring transformative changes, including rapid technological development and increased data availability.
• Environmental epidemiologists must prioritize research efforts to maximize population health improvements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map key driving forces shaping environmental epidemiology over the next 25 years.
• To identify necessary adaptations for the field to leverage opportunities and address challenges.

Main Methods:

• The study is an essay projecting future trends and adaptations in environmental epidemiology.
• It involves identifying key driving forces and proposing strategic responses for the field.

Main Results:

• Future environmental epidemiology will contend with longer lifespans, increased chronic disease burdens, population shifts, and global environmental change.
• Opportunities lie in rapidly evolving technologies like sensors and OMICs.
• The field should focus on healthy aging, evidence gaps (especially in vulnerable populations and low-income countries), and managing complexity.

Conclusions:

• Environmental epidemiology remains crucial for disease prevention but requires adaptation to stay relevant.
• Research must be driven by public health importance and capitalize on new technologies.
• Future environmental epidemiologists need refined interdisciplinary skills for a data-rich world.