%0 Journal Article
%T Epidemiologic methods lessons learned from environmental public health disasters: Chernobyl, the World Trade Center, Bhopal, and Graniteville, South Carolina
%J International journal of environmental research and public health
%D 2012
%A Svendsen, Erik R.
%A Runkle, Jennifer R.
%A Dhara, Venkata Ramana
%A Lin, Shao
%A Naboka, Marina
%A Mousseau, Timothy A.
%A Bennett, Charles
%V 9
%N 8
%P 2894-2909
%X 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: environmental health; epidemiology; accidents and injuries; chemical safety; occupational health<p />
%G 
%I MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
%@ 1661-7827
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph9082894