288323
Global environmental health: Using niehs science to help address the major environmental causes of death and disease around the world
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
: 1:30 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
John Balbus, MD, MPH,
Office of the Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
The recent Global Burden of Disease and Comparative Risk Assessment study published in the Lancet in December 2012 again confirmed the significant burden of death, disease and disability associated with environmental exposures around the world. Previous analyses have estimated that roughly 23% of the total global burden of disease can be attributed to environmental factors. In recognition of this, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has given global environmental health issues a prominent place in its new strategic plan. A new Global Environmental Health (GEH) Program has been created to coordinate activities across the Institute and provide a focal point for external partnerships. This presentation will review the major environmental causes of death, disease and disability around the world and highlight research initiatives underway to increase understanding of the environmental role and effective interventions. It will also describe ongoing work to develop science-based indicators of health risk and progress towards solutions for upstream sectors whose activities influence health globally, such as energy, transportation and agriculture. Finally, the presentation will examine the linkages between environmental exposures and non-communicable diseases and NIEHS efforts to inform effective environmental interventions for non-communicable diseases.
Learning Areas:
Environmental health sciences
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Identify the major environmental determinants of the global burden of disease
Describe the role of environmental health indicators in global economic development
Describe the strategic elements of NIEHS’s Global Environmental Health Program
Keyword(s): Environmental Health, International Public Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I coordinate global environmental health activities at NIEHS and co-lead the global environmental health implementation team.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
