Document type
ArticleVersion
Published versionPublication date
Publication license
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/110868
New frontiers for environmental epidemiology in a changing world
Journal Title
Director/Tutor
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Related resource
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In the next 25years, transformative changes, in
particular the rapid pace of technological development and data
availability, will require environmental epidemiologists to
prioritize what should (rather than could) be done to most
effectively improve population health. OBJECTIVES: In this
essay, we map out key driving forces that will shape
environmental epidemiology in the next 25years. We also identify
how the field should adapt to best take advantage of coming
opportunities and prepare for challenges. DISCUSSION: Future
environmental epidemiologists will face a world shaped by longer
lifespans but also larger burdens of chronic health conditions;
shifting populations by region and into urban areas; and global
environmental change. Rapidly evolving technologies,
particularly in sensors and OMICs, will present opportunities
for the field. How should it respond? We argue, the field best
adapts to a changing world by focusing on healthy aging;
evidence gaps, especially in susceptible populations and
low-income countries; and by developing approaches to better
handle complexity and more formalized analysis. CONCLUSIONS:
Environmental epidemiology informing disease prevention will
continue to be valuable. However, the field must adapt to remain
relevant. In particular, the field must ensure that public
health importance drives research questions, while seizing the
opportunities presented by new technologies. Environmental
epidemiologists of the future will require different, refined
skills to work effectively across disciplines, ask the right
questions, and implement appropriate study designs in a
data-rich world.
Subject
Subject (English)
Citation
Collections
Citation
TONNE, Cathryn, et al. New frontiers for environmental epidemiology in a changing world. Environment International. 2017. pags. Ahead of print. ISSN 0160-4120. [consulted: 9 of August of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/110868