Chapter 19: Environmental Health: The Role of the Primary Care Physician
Katherine M. Shea, MD, MPH, Sophie J. Balk, MD, 2016. "Environmental Health: The Role of the Primary Care Physician", American Academy of Pediatrics Textbook of Pediatric Care, Thomas K. McInerny, MD, FAAP, Henry M. Adam, MD, FAAP, Deborah E. Campbell, MD, FAAP, Thomas G. DeWitt, MD, FAAP, Jane Meschan Foy, MD, FAAP, Deepak M. Kamat, MD, PhD, FAAP, Rebecca Baum, MD, FAAP, Kelly J. Kelleher, MD, MPH, FAAP
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Health is determined by complex and ongoing interactions between genes and the environment—the classic nature/nurture dialog in pediatrics. Throughout history, the most dramatic advances in population health have been associated with improving the environment—safe drinking water, safe and abundant food, adequate shelter, clean indoor and outdoor air. In the 20th century, progress in microbiology, biochemistry, and genomics produced advances in combating many diseases, simultaneously causing an overemphasis on the “nature” of disease and a neglect of the “nurture” of health in the form of safe and healthy environments. Since the maturation of a robust movement of pediatric environmental health (PEH)...