Toxicology and Epidemiology 1st of 10 Lectures on Toxicologic Epidemiology

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Toxicologyand Epidemiology(1st of 10 Lectures
onToxicologic Epidemiology)
? readings

• Michael H. Dong
• MPH, DrPA, PhD

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Taken in the early1990s, when desktop computers
were still a luxury.
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Learning Objectives

• Learn the mission of public health and the
  concept of health risk assessment.
• Study or revisit the scope and definition of
  toxicology and of epidemiology.
• Recognize the close link between toxicology and
  epidemiology, and hence the being and the growing
  of toxicologic epidemiology.

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Performance Objectives

• Interrelate public health with health risk
  assessment.
• Interrelate toxicology with epidemiology.
• Accept and appreciate the existence and the
  career opportunities of toxicologic epidemiology,
  by interrelating the scopes, missions, and
  concepts just learned.

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In Theory . . . .
Public Health
Health Risk Assessment
Epidemiology
Toxicology
Other Areas
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In Practice . . . .
Public Health
Health Risk Assessment
Epidemiology
Toxicology
Other Areas
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The mission of public health is to fulfill
societys interest in assuring conditions in
which people can be healthy.
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as a core function of public health . . . .
Assessment and monitoring of the health of
communities and populations at risk to identify
health problems and priorities.

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Health Risk Assessment The process by which the
potential adverse health effects of human
exposure to etiologic agents (usually chemicals)
are characterized.
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Health Risk Assessment Components
Hazard Identification
Risk Characterization
Dose-Response Assessment
Exposure Assessment
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Hazard Identification What adverse effect(s)
does the agent cause, if any?

• Epidemiologic studies.
• Toxicologic studies.
• Biological, medical, physical science, and other
  studies.

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Dose-Response Assessment What is the correlation
between dose and incidence in humans?

• Epidemiologic studies.
• Toxicologic studies.
• Physiological and statistical modeling.

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Exposure Assessment What are the current and
anticipated human exposures?

• Epidemiologic studies.
• Biological and toxicologic studies.
• Physiological and statistical modeling.

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Risk Characterization What is the estimated risk
of the adverse effect(s) in a population?

• Epidemiologic studies.
• Toxicologic studies.
• Public health laws and interests.

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Epidemiology The study of factors that modify
or influence the distribution of diseases (or of
adverse health effects) in a (human) population.
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Toxicology The science that deals with toxic
agents and their adverse health effects.
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The Hybridization of Epidemiology and Toxicology
As a Sub-Discipline

• Not quite here to an appreciable extent.
• Epidemiology faculties and studies are more
  medical-, less bioassay-oriented.
• Toxicology faculties and studies are more lab-,
  less medical-oriented.

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The Hybridization of Epidemiology and Toxicology
As a Sub-Profession

• Is gradually surfacing.
• Regulatory health laws for health risk
  assessment journals.
• Professionally-related sharing the same job
  duties, and health problems/issues.

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Examples of Shared Interests and Responsibilities

• Use of biomarkers in human exposure assessment
  cancer epidemiology, etc.
• Chemical accidents the Minimata Bay incident
  the Seveso accident the Itai-Itai disease, etc.
• Medical incidents diethylstilbesterol
  thalidomide, etc.

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Impact of Health Policies on Health Risk
Assessment
FDCAct TSCAct OSHAct FQPAct CAAct FIFRAct
SDWAct CPSAct FHSAct CWAct, etc.
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Impact of Health Risk Assessment on Toxicology

• Risk assessment included in toxicology textbooks,
  journals, societies, etc.
• Toxicology issues/studies included in risk
  assessment journals, textbooks, societies, etc.

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Impact of Health Risk Assessment on Epidemiology

• Risk assessment included in epidemiology
  textbooks, journals, societies, etc.
• Epidemiology issues/studies included in risk
  assessment journals, textbooks, societies, etc.

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In Practice . . . .
Public Health
Health Risk Assessment
Epidemiology
Toxicology
Other Areas
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Overview of Next Lecture
Public Health (PH) and Risk Assessment (RA)
Revisit of Mission of PH and concept of RA RA
and health policies/acts RA and environmental
health impact assessment (EHIA) monitoring and
mitigation of exposure.