Epidemiology and Public Health

Environmental Epidemiology

The study of disease distribution and environmental determinants is known as environmental epidemiology. This observational science is based on events that occur within human populations, known as natural experiments, from which inferences are drawn to identify disease causes. Environmental epidemiology is a branch of epidemiology that studies how environmental exposures affect human health. This field studies how various external risk factors can predispose to or protect against disease, illness, injury, developmental abnormalities, or death. These factors may occur naturally or be introduced into environments where people live, work, and play.