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Preventing
Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
NCEH focuses on reducing the incidence of several major birth defects or
developmental disabilities.
- Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). To combat this completely preventable
disease, NCEH conducts public health surveillance and works cooperatively
with universities and state health departments.
- Poverty-associated mental retardation. NCEH is working with eight states
to develop a 5-year program to prevent loss of intellectual capacity due to
poverty among children at high risk for this disability.
- Spina bifida and other neural tube defects
(NTDs). NCEH works with the
states to develop programs for preventing NTDs through the use of folic
acid. In addition, NCEH is cooperating with the Chinese government on a
program to evaluate the effectiveness of folic acid in preventing spina
bifida and other neural tube defects.
NCEH monitors the incidence of 150 birth defects through two long-term public
health surveillance programs. Data gathered are used by government and private
researchers who study 1) causes and risks associated with birth defects and 2)
methods of preventing these defects.
All NCEH programs to reduce the incidence of birth defects directly support
the Healthy People 2000 goals for children's health.
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Reducing
Environmental Hazards and Their Adverse Health Effects
NCEH
investigators study ways to prevent an extraordinarily broad mix of complex
environmental problems such as the adverse health effects of natural and
technologic disasters, lead and radiation poisoning, and exposures to toxic
chemicals.
- Lead
poisoning among children. NCEH provides grants and technical assistance
to state and local health agencies for lead poisoning prevention programs.
- The
adverse health effects of natural disasters. NCEH identifies potential
health hazards, recommends and evaluates methods of preventing injuries, and
studies the aftermath of disasters such as tornadoes and earthquakes to
learn new ways of mitigating the effects of future disasters.
- Air
pollution and passive smoking. Studies are under way--in the United
States and other countries--on the effects of these irritants on people with
asthma.
- Nuclear
radiation. NCEH conducts dose reconstruction projects (estimations of
past exposure) at sites near nuclear weapons facilities in order to measure
health effects on local populations.
- Inadequate
data on death certificates. NCEH is working to improve the quality,
availability, and usefulness of the data gathered during death
investigations by medical examiners or coroners.
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Laboratory Services
NCEH develops and applies advanced laboratory
technology to improve 1) diagnosis of human exposure to toxic substances, 2)
treatment for persons whose exposure results in adverse health effects, and 3)
prevention of future adverse health effects. To these ends, NCEH's laboratory
has several ongoing programs.
- Quality-control and standardization.
NCEH works to standardize and improve the quality and reliability of
laboratory tests for measuring cholesterol and for screening newborns for
diseases such as PKU or hypothyroidism.
- National Health and Nutrition Examination
Surveys (NHANES). NCEH is the central laboratory for these long-term
surveys to measure vitamins, trace elements, and selected toxins in a large
sample of the U.S. population.
- Studies of exposure to heavy metals and
volatile organic compounds (VOCs). NCEH studies the health effects of
excessive exposure to VOCs and to metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and
nickel. NCEH also studies the pharmacokinetics of VOCs so that scientists
can interpret VOC measurements.
- Improvements of tests and measuring
instruments. NCEH is working:
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Other NCEH Programs
National Disabilities
Prevention Program.
NCEH's goals are to reduce the incidence and
severity of disabilities, to make people with disabilities more independent and
productive, and to integrate people with disabilities into the community. To
achieve these goals, NCEH uses several approaches:
- We coordinate disability prevention programs
throughout the United States.
- We establish disability surveillance
systems.
- We use epidemiologic methods to identify
risks and target interventions.
- We provide states with technical and
financial help to increase their disability prevention capacity.
Vessel Sanitation
Program.
The major goal is to lower the risk of
gastrointestinal disease among passengers and crew. Twice a year, NCEH inspects
cruise ships with 13 or more passengers and a foreign itinerary. The inspection
scores are published and sent to travel-related services every 2 weeks and to
individuals upon request.
Demilitarization of
Chemical Weapons.
NCEH reviews Department of Defense plans to
store, destroy, transport, or open-air test lethal chemical munitions and makes
recommendations to protect the public.
NCEH also works with communities near weapons'
storage sites to help improve their emergency response programs. NCEH trains
local medical personnel to diagnose chemical-related injuries and to treat
affected people.
Review of
Environmental Impact Statements.
NCEH serves as the Public Health Service's
clearinghouse for environmental impact statements drafted by other federal
agencies.
Emergency Response.
Within CDC, NCEH has primary responsibility for
responding to natural or technologic disasters:
- We generate CDC's emergency response plans.
- We support a technical emergency response
team.
- We assist states to prepare their emergency
plans.
- We participate with other federal and state
agencies in disaster exercises.
- We operate CDC's 24-hour emergency response
system.
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NCEH and the EIS
Program
Epidemic Intelligence Service
(EIS)
Officers assigned to NCEH participate fully in the center's activities,
including epidemiologic investigations, laboratory studies, public health
surveillance programs, and development of public health policies.
NCEH is committed
to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action.
Further information on
the National Center for Environmental Health is available from:
Office of the Director, NCEH
Mail Stop F29
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
4770 Buford Highway
Atlanta, GA 30341-3724
Contact NCEH
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