Disease Hazards and Health Effects
Hazardous substances in the environment can have negative public health effects. The environment includes properties of the natural environment such as food, drinking water, water used for recreational purposes, the soil, and the air. The manmade environment includes buildings such as schools, hospitals, and homes. The manmade environment also includes landfills and Brownfields. These locations can act in combination or act alone to produce a variety of disease hazards and health effects.
The Agency of Toxic Substances & Disease Registry Website was started by a mandate from Congress. The agency has information on the public health effects of waste sites, specific information on hazardous and toxic substances, and many other related resources. Information at this agency includes information on public health threats, the route of exposure of the substances, how the body metabolizes the substances, and how the substances interact.
Links to Specific Agencies of Toxic Substances & Disease Registry Website Resources
Toxicological Profiles is a list of toxic substances and information on their toxicity.
Exposure and Disease Registries
Health Education and Special Initiatives
Special Initiatives in Environmental Health
Other Agencies Providing Information on Diseases and Health Effects
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hosts the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) and the Environmental Health
websites. These CDC divisions are charged with the task of controlling or preventing diseases that result from the public's interaction with the environment.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducts research into work related disease hazards and health effects and makes recommendations to ensure safer and healthier work environments.
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has a more research and scientific approach to determining the relationship between the environment, hazards, and disease progression. Information on specific substances and their biomarkers can be found at this website.
World Health Organization (WHO) Environmental Health provides related information on the global level.
Professional Associations Involved In Disease Hazards and Health Effects
American Public Health Association (APHA) Environmental Public Health is an association dedicated to revitalizing environmental public health.
Children are the most susceptible when faced with disease hazards. Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN) promotes information on children's health issues related to environmental disease hazards and health effects.
