Reference no: EM132611352

Environmental epidemiology focuses on the health effects of environmental factors that are beyond the immediate control of an individual. Epidemiologists frequently deal with exposures that are very large, at low concentrations, and in complex mixtures. In addition, environmental exposures often do not differ greatly among individuals within one geographical area. These characteristics are challenging for epidemiologists when it comes to measuring exposure and linking exposure to a specific health problem.

In environmental epidemiological surveillance, methods of monitoring environmental exposures range from self-report to objective measurements. Assessment of exposure is highly dependent on the accuracy of the instrument used. Epidemiologists must consider both the accuracy and the feasibility of using the instrument on a large scale.

For this Discussion,. Select an article from the Library concerning an environmental health issue that impacts your community. Think about other instruments that might have been used for surveillance of the exposure.