Perspective Chapter: Application of Environmental Epidemiology for Exposure and Health Risk Assessment

Abstract

Environmental epidemiology seeks to understand how various external risk factors may cause or protect against disease, illness, injuries, abnormalities, or death. Environmental epidemiology evidences suggested that there is the links between COVID-19 pandemic and environmental exposures. Environmental epidemiology provide information that can contribute to rational decision-making and resource allocation by providing quantitative estimates of risks. The environmental health issues are increasing attention and emerging globally, thus raising the environmental epidemiology concept as preventive medicine. Exposure can be assessed by using direct and indirect method approaches. Exposure assessment is important for the identification, evaluation, and control of health risks in the workplace and in the general environment. Ingenstion, inhalation, and skin contact are the main pathways for individuals to be exposed to hazardous contaminants. Exposure to biological, physical, and chemical agents in the environment can cause a wide range of adverse health consequences. Health risk assessment is the process used to estimate the nature and probability of adverse health effects in the past, current, and in the future about certain pollutants. Health risk assessment is conducted in accordance with hazard identification, dose–response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessments are used to estimate health effects due to exposure to pollutants.