Resources for Healthcare Providers about Children's Environmental Health
The Children’s Environmental Health (CEH) resources listed below are available free-of-charge online. The list was developed as an informal starting point for healthcare providers (HCP) to learn more about pediatric environmental health. We have confined our list to materials that are:
- Produced in the United States or in the North American Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) Network
- Accessible in electronic format on the Web
- Derived from U.S. Government sources, PEHSU’s, and other non-governmental organizations partnering with the U.S. Government on CEH issues
We invite other countries or international organizations to add to this list to create a global directory of educational materials for healthcare providers. Choose from the topics below for resources related to that topic.
General Information
U.S. Government Resources
- Online Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit Training
- From the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's (ATSDR) Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of California San Francisco Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, and Physicians for Social Responsibility, Greater Boston
- Description: A free online continuing education course on pediatric environmental health. Physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, and other health professionals can use this interactive course to increase their knowledge base of common pediatric environmental health issues. Features include anticipatory guidance and environmental health, taking an environmental health history, environmental health case studies, animated well child visit cases, and how to use the Pediatric Toolkit in clinical practice.
- Case Studies in Environmental Medicine
- From the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
- Description: Self-instructional publications designed to increase the primary care provider's knowledge of hazardous substances in the environment and to aid in the evaluation of potentially exposed patients.
Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) Resources
Websites for most of the North American PEHSUs are listed below. Following the PEHSU list are specific Web-based materials from the PEHSUs.
- Canada: Pediatric Environmental Health Clinic AOEC Clinic Directory: Misericordia Child Health Centre
- United States of America:
- Region 1: New England Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
- Region 2: Mount Sinai Pediatric Environmental Health Unit
- Region 3: Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health & the Environment
- Region 4: Southeast Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
- Region 5: Great Lakes Center for Children's Environmental Health
- Region 6: Southwest Center for Pediatric Environmental Health
- Region 7: MidAmerica Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
- Region 8: Rocky Mountain Regional Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
- Region 9: Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit/University of California
- Pediatric Environmental Health History
- From the Pediatric Environmental Health Unit of Cambridge Hospital and Children's Hospital, Boston
- Description: PowerPoint presentation by Rose H. Goldman, MD MPH Michael Shannon, MD MPH, Alan Woolf, MD MPH
- Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs)
- Description: Portal page to all Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units in North America
- Story of Health
- From Western States PEHSU, University of California, San Francisco.
- Case-based learning has long been used in medical education. This eBook grounds the science of health in stories of fictional people, their families, and communities to enable readers to explore the risk factors for disease as well as how to prevent disease and promote health and resilience. Using the setting of a family reunion as a backdrop, this book explores how multiple environments influence health across the lifespan.
Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been funded or partially funded by the U.S. Government)
- Video on Pediatric Environmental Health
- From the International Pediatric Environmental Health Leadership Institute
- Description: An introductory video about children's health and the environment that draws attention to the effects of environmental contaminants on children's health and encourages healthcare providers to "take the next step" to identify and help protect children from these contaminants.
- Training Package for Healthcare Providers
- From the World Health Organization
- Description: A collection of over 30 modules with internationally harmonized information and peer-reviewed materials to enable healthcare workers to be trained, and also to become trainers of their peers and colleagues. The modules include extensive notes and references, case studies and self-evaluation tools, backed up by manuals and guidelines. A selected team of experienced professionals from over 15 countries, the International Paediatric Association (IPA) and selected NGOs are participating in its preparation.
- Toolkit by the PEHSUs and PSR
- From the Physicians for Social Responsibility and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics
- Description: A clinical tool that includes reference and anticipatory guidance materials for providers and patients including desk and pocket references for providers, and "Rx for Prevention" slips, magnets, and posters for patients.
- In Harm's Way
- From the Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility (GBPSR)
- Description: Training materials
Resources for Nurses
All resources provided on this page are good sources of information for medical and nursing professionals. The following resources are targeted specifically to nursing education and practice.
- EnviRN
- From the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
- Description: Resources list and links for environmental nursing.
Air Quality
U.S. Government Resources
- Ozone and Your Patients’ Health
- From the U.S. EPA
- Description: An online training with clinical scenarios.
- Radon: The Health Threat with a Simple Solution - A Physician’s Guide
- From the U.S. EPA
Asthma
U.S. Government Resources
- Asthma and Indoor Environments: Healthcare Professionals
- From the U.S. EPA
- Description: Includes an In-Home Assessment Checklist to help healthcare plans incorporate in-home environmental management into their comprehensive asthma care programs.
- Asthma - A Speakers Kit for Public Health Professionals
- From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Environmental Health
- Breath of Life
- From the National Library of Medicine
- Description: Contains resources, research, interactives.
- Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures. 2000.
- From the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine
PEHSU and Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)
- Pediatric Asthma Initiative
- From The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation
- Description: Includes an environmental history form, guidelines for environmental management of pediatric asthma, etc.
Climate Change
Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)
- Global Climate Change and Children's Health Policy Statement
- From the American Academy of Pediatrics
- Description: This policy statement is supported by a technical report that examines in some depth the nature of the problem of climate change, likely effects on children's health as a result of climate change, and the critical importance of responding promptly and aggressively to reduce activities that are contributing to this change.
Lead
U.S. Government Resources
- Case Studies in Environmental Medicine: Lead Toxicity
- From the Agency for Toxics Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
- Video: Lead Medical Grand Rounds
- From the Agency for Toxics Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
- Description: The goal of the video is to increase the viewer's knowledge of lead toxicity and their ability to evaluate potentially exposed patients.
Mercury
U.S. Government Resources
- Health Effects of Exposure to Mercury
- From the U.S. EPA
- EPA/Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advice about Eating Fish and Shellfish (including information about mercury)
- From the U.S. EPA
PEHSU and Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)
- Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury
- National Research Council
Mold
U.S. Government Resources
- Online Course: Introduction to Mold and Mold Remediation for Environmental and Public Health Professionals
- From the U.S. EPA
- Description: This course contains information on mold prevention and remediation and is designed primarily for environmental and public health professionals. If you would like to take a short quiz on your current mold knowledge, you can begin with the Pre-Test. The Mold Course has nine chapters; these chapters are further divided into smaller lessons. At the end of each chapter there is a voluntary quiz to test your understanding of the material covered. Each chapter may be accessed at any point in the course using the menu on the left side of the page.
- Indoor Mold and Children’s Health Paper Abstracts
- From the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Description: Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 107, Supplement 3. 1999. Peer-reviewed papers presented at work- shop on Indoor Mold and Children’ s Health. Scroll down to Table of Contents; then scroll down to Indoor Mold and Children’s Health
Non-Governmental Organization Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)
- Guidance For Clinicians on the Recognition and Management of Health Effects Related to Mold Exposure and Moisture Indoors (PDF), 2004
- From the University of Connecticut Health Center
- Fungal References
- From the University of Minnesota, Environmental Health and Safety
- Description: Includes an airborne fungal glossary, health effects, and photos.
Pesticides
U.S. Government Resources
- Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings
- From the U.S. EPA
- Protecting Children's Health - The National Pesticide Program (PDF)
- From the U.S. EPA.
PEHSU and Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)
- Organophosphate Pesticides and Child Health: A Primer for Healthcare Providers
- From the Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health (PNASH) Center and the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) in Seattle, Washington
- Description: An educational activity to: 1) increase the knowledge of healthcare providers about the special susceptibilities of children to organophosphate pesticides; and 2) increase competency to recognize and respond to childhood pesticide-related illness.
- National Strategies for Healthcare Providers: Pesticides Initiative
- From the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation (NEETF) and U.S. EPA
- Description: Includes National Pesticides Competency Guidelines for Medical and Nursing Education, National Pesticide Practice Skills Guidelines for Medical and Nursing Practice.
- National Pesticide Information Center
- From the Oregon State University and the U.S. EPA
- Description: Science-based pesticide information on wide range of topics. Also has list of state and regional poison control centers.
Water
U.S. Government Resources
- Tap into Prevention: Drinking Water Information for Health Care Providers (PDF)
- From the U.S. EPA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and its Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases Registry (ATSDR)
- Description: 30-page booklet accompanies the continuing education video.
Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)
- Recognizing Waterborne Disease and the Health Effects of Water Contamination: A Review of the Challenges Facing the Medical Community in the U.S.
- From the U.S. National Library of Medicine, NIH