US EPA

11234 

Journal Article 

Environmental epidemiology - strengths and weaknesses 

Paddle, GM; Harrington, JM 

2000 

Yes 

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
ISSN: 0340-0131
EISSN: 1432-1246 

73 

1 

7-14 

10672486 

10.1007/PL00007941 

WOS:000084843700002 

CONCLUSIONS: This report has attempted to provide non-specialists with a simple, readable text on environmental epidemiology, so that they will be aware of the methodology, will understand the strengths and weaknesses, and will be able to cope with the rapidly expanding volume of publications. The major strengths of environmental epidemiology are that it has immediate relevance, because it studies the relevant species at relevant exposures, and the wide range of problems it can tackle. The major weakness is that investigators have no control over the populations and exposures being studied. The difficulties imposed by the observational approach mean that more, rather than less, care has to be taken in setting clear objectives for studies, and that the interpretation has to match the objectives and not be based on incidental findings that may not be true in general.