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Review
. 2012 Aug;9(8):2894-909.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph9082894. Epub 2012 Aug 16.

Epidemiologic methods lessons learned from environmental public health disasters: Chernobyl, the World Trade Center, Bhopal, and Graniteville, South Carolina

Erik R Svendsen  1 , Jennifer R Runkle, Venkata Ramana Dhara, Shao Lin, Marina Naboka, Timothy A Mousseau, Charles Bennett
Affiliations
Review

Epidemiologic methods lessons learned from environmental public health disasters: Chernobyl, the World Trade Center, Bhopal, and Graniteville, South Carolina

Erik R Svendsen et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Environmental public health disasters involving hazardous contaminants may have devastating effects. While much is known about their immediate devastation, far less is known about long-term impacts of these disasters. Extensive latent and chronic long-term public health effects may occur. Careful evaluation of contaminant exposures and long-term health outcomes within the constraints imposed by limited financial resources is essential.

Methods: Here, we review epidemiologic methods lessons learned from conducting long-term evaluations of four environmental public health disasters involving hazardous contaminants at Chernobyl, the World Trade Center, Bhopal, and Graniteville (South Carolina, USA).

Findings: We found several lessons learned which have direct implications for the on-going disaster recovery work following the Fukushima radiation disaster or for future disasters.

Interpretation: These lessons should prove useful in understanding and mitigating latent health effects that may result from the nuclear reactor accident in Japan or future environmental public health disasters.

Keywords: accidents and injuries; chemical safety; environmental health; epidemiology; occupational health.

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