Essentials of Environmental Health

by Robert H. Friis

Environmental threats are occurring on a worldwide scale. Dramatic pictures of the devastating effects of natural disasters lead the nightly news. Stories of chemical spills and contaminated groundwater, deforestation and suburban sprawl, depleted fisheries and exploding human population, litter the pages of the newspapers daily. National and international policymakers are concerned about the potential impact on the health of the world’s population and on the global environment and, as a result, much progress has been made in informing the public and introducing regulations for the control of these hazards. As the first in the Essential Public Health series, Essentials of Environmental Health is a clear and comprehensive study of the major topics of environmental health Background of the field and “tools of the trade” (environmental epidemiology, environmental toxicology, and environmental policy and regulation). Environmental diseases (microbial agents, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation). Applications and domains of environmental health (water and air quality, food safety, waste disposal, and occupational health). In a straightforward, non-technical approach, the author has included many examples and illustrations of environmental health issues. Perfect for the beginning student as well as the experienced health professional, each chapter concludes with study questions and exercises to engage the reader in further study.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Science, Grad School, Textbooks, School

390 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2006

Reviews

[Mya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was required to read this book for class. I think this is the book to read if you want to know the basis of environmental health. This book explained things in a great level of detail. However, it can get really boring and the chapters are rather long. However, it still was a great read.

[Emb127 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Text within chapters was often disorganized or not laid out in logical order, pictures are all in black/white and poor quality (and don't even appear in the digital copy due to copyright issues). Examples all feel out of date even though the second edition was published in 2012.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up for an introductory course on environmental health, and ended up reading every single chapter. The text is organized superbly, concepts are explained clearly, and the material is presented in a way so as to stimulate further research. Definitely one of the best texts I have had the pleasure of reading.