National
Center for Environmental Health
Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects
Our Mission:
Investigate the relation between
human health and the environment
Our Goals:- Increase knowledge
- Develop, implement, and evaluate
policies and programs to prevent
and control disease
Our Tools:
- Research
- Education
- Partnership
CDC’s Division of Environmental Hazards & Health
Effects (EHHE) focuses primarily on the following:
Air Pollution and Respiratory Health
EHHE researches and investigates the effects of airborne
environmental agents on respiratory diseases.
Focus areas include asthma and mold.
Asthma
Despite some evidence of stabilizing
death rates and declining hospitalization
rates, asthma remains an important cause
of illness and death in the United States.
Rates of emergency department visits
have continued to slowly increase and
large disparities persist, with African
Americans having rates of emergency department visits,
hospitalizations, and death three times higher than those
for whites.
Through its National Asthma Control Program, EHHE
works with state grantees to reduce the number of
deaths, hospitalizations, emergency department visits,
school days or workdays missed, and limitations on
activity due to asthma. The program has three components:
(1) tracking: collecting and analyzing data on an
ongoing basis to understand when, where, and in whom
asthma occurs; (2) interventions: ensuring that scientific
information is translated into public health practices and
programs to reduce the burden of asthma; and (3) partnerships:
ensuring that all stakeholders have the opportunity
to be involved in developing, implementing, and
evaluating local asthma control programs.
Mold
Mold exposure does not always present a
health problem indoors; however, people
who are allergic to mold may commonly
experience allergic symptoms when exposed
to it. Certain people with chronic respiratory
disease may have trouble breathing, although mold does
not appear to represent a major public health burden in
terms of illness and death. Because we know that mold
can cause illness in some persons, EHHE is developing
an agenda for research, service, and education related to
mold. EHHE has funded the Institute of Medicine to
conduct a study on the relation between damp or moldy
indoor environments and the manifestation of adverse
health effects. EHHE also is working with the Council
of State and Territorial Epidemiologists to develop an
inventory of state indoor air quality programs.
Chemical and Radiologic Terrorism
EHHE is developing guidelines for emergency department
management of casualties following a radiologic
event. EHHE participates regularly in emergency
response drills, working closely with other federal,
state, and local agencies to develop, test, and implement
extensive national radiologic emergency response plans.
EHHE will coordinate federal, state and local partners
in assessing human health risks from chemical threats
to water, air, and food.
Environmental Public
Health Tracking
The environment plays a significant
role in human development
and health. Some links between
environmental exposures and disease,
such as lead and impaired
cognitive development in children,
are well documented. Others, such
as a possible link between disinfectant
byproducts and bladder
cancer are suspected but not yet
proven.
EHHE defines environmental public
health tracking as the ongoing
collection, integration, analysis,
and interpretation of
data on environmental
hazards, exposure
to environmental
hazards, and health
effects potentially
related to exposure
to environmental hazards. EHHE
is leading creation of the National
Environmental Public Health
Tracking Network. The standards-based
network will allow direct
electronic data reporting and linkage
within and across health
effect, exposure, and hazard data
and will interoperate with other
public health systems. EHHE also
develops innovative methods and
tools for tracking environmental
hazards and associated health
effects, disseminates environmental
public health information to
diverse audiences, and studies the
links between environmental hazards,
exposures, and health effects.
Health Studies
EHHE investigates the human
health effects of exposure to environmental
hazards ranging from
chemical pollutants to natural,
technologic, or terrorist disasters.
The results are used to develop,
implement, and evaluate strategies
for preventing or reducing harmful
exposures. The following are
examples of current health study
subject areas:
Cancer Clusters
A cancer cluster is a greater-than-expected
number of cancer cases
that occurs within a group of people
in a geographic area over a
period of time. EHHE provides
cancer cluster information and
resources through its Web site,
responds to inquiries about cancer
clusters, and works with state
health departments to address public
health concerns about potential
cancer clusters.
Confined Animal Feeding
Operations
EHHE is working with states to
define routes of exposure and
potential human health effects
from exposures to wastes and
residues from confined animal
feeding operations.
Disasters
EHHE conducts research related
to acute and chronic health effects
from exposures to extreme heat
and cold and to hazards related to
natural (e.g., earthquakes, floods,
hurricanes, tornadoes) and other
(e.g., industrial chemical accidents,
terrorism) disasters.
Pesticides
EHHE evaluates the
public health impact
of nonwork-related
exposures to pesticides,
investigates outbreaks,
and conducts prevention activities.
Harmful Algal Blooms
EHHE is supporting surveillance
programs, epidemiologic studies,
and laboratory research to further
define the relation between exposure
to organisms involved
in harmful algal blooms, such
as Pfiesteria piscicida, and
human illness.
Water, Air, and Food
EHHE works with laboratory partners to determine
whether human exposure to environmental pollutants in
water, air, or food has occurred; to measure the extent
of exposure to chemicals or toxins; and to assess ground
and surface water contamination.
Radiation Studies
EHHE identifies potentially harmful environmental
exposures to ionizing radiation
and associated toxicants, conducts energyrelated
health research, and responds to
protect the public’s health in the event of an emergency
involving radiation or radioactive materials.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH)
Division of Environmental Hazards & Health Effects
Organizational Chart
- Office of the
Director
- Air Pollution & Respiratory Health Branch
- Asthma Program Section
- Field Epidemiology & Data Analysis Section
- Environmental Health Tracking Branch
- Systems Development Team
- Program Services Team
- Health Studies Branch
- Disaster Epidemiology & Assessment Team
- Environmental Toxins & Chemicals Team
- Emerging Environmental Threats Team
- Radiation Studies Branch
- Program Support Team
- Radiological Assessment Team
- Education & Communications Team
How to contact the Division:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
NCEH/EHHE, MS E19
1600 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30333
1-888-232-6789
EHHEinq@cdc.gov
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/divisions/ehhe.htm
January 2003,
NCEH Pub. No. 02-0750
Back
to EHHE Home Page
|
