Environmental medicine

Environmental medicine, is a multidisciplinary field involving medicine, environmental science, chemistry and others. The scope of this field involves studying the interactions between environment and human health, the cause of disease as caused by environmental factors including chemical, physical and biological agents.

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Current focuses of environmental medicine

Environmental medicine is a broad field, but there are a few issues that are currently prominent which include:

• The effects of ozone depletion and the resulting increase in UV radiation on humans with regards to skin cancer.
• The effects of nuclear accidents or the effects of a terrorist dirty bomb attack and the resulting effects of radioactive material and radiation on humans.
• The effects of chemicals on humans, such as dioxin, especially with regards to cancer.
• Radon gas exposure in individuals' homes.
• Air and water pollution on the health of individuals.
• Mercury poisoning and exposure to humans though including fish and sea life in their diet.
• Lead poisoning from leaded gasoline, paint, and plumbing.

Beyond the scope of environmental medicine

The fields of virology, which studies viruses, and epidemiology, which studies patterns of disease and injury, although are environmental in nature often are not within the scope of environmental science. As well, any disease with a large genetic component usually falls outside the scope as well.

See also

• Clinical ecology