Population Health Screening after Environmental Pollution

Stewart, Alex G ORCID: 0000-0002-4931-5340 and Wilkinson, Ewan (2020) Population Health Screening after Environmental Pollution. GEOSCIENCES, 10 (12). p. 477.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10120477

Abstract

<jats:p>Following environmental pollution exposure, calls to screen the population for disease or disease markers are often made. Population screening is a cross-sectional review of a population to find latent cases or biomarkers of disease that indicate the possibility of disease development; it differs from environmental screening or an epidemiological survey. Recognized standard approaches have been developed over 60 years to ensure quality and effectiveness in complex programs. We surveyed the literature for papers on health screening following environmental exposures and checked them for reference to accepted criteria such as those of Wilson and Jungner. We applied these criteria to three situations covering source/hazard (arsenic contaminated land), pathway/exposure (radiation release), and receptor/disease (lead poisoning). We identified 36 relevant papers. Although across the papers the whole range of criteria were addressed, no paper or program utilized recognized criteria. Issues and gaps identified included limited strategic approaches, lack of treatment, environmental prevention being seen as the screening outcome instead of treatment of identified individuals, and programs which did not fit the World Health Organization screening description. Robust discussion in the literature is needed to consider the organization and role of health screening following environmental exposures.</jats:p>

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	chemical pollution, mental stress, environmental toxins, potentially harmful elements, principles of screening, Wilson and Jungner, arsenic, lead, radiation
Divisions:	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Population Health
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	29 Apr 2022 07:43
Last Modified:	17 Mar 2024 13:43
DOI:	10.3390/geosciences10120477
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10120477%20http...
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3154049