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Environmental Epidemiology

Health Consultations

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What is a health consultation?

A health consultation is a report that provides advice on a public health issue related to human exposure to a hazardous substance. A health consultation is a response to an environmental public health question. It is not the same as a medical exam, community health study, or public health assessment. A health consultation is a way for the Tennessee Department of Health Environmental Epidemiology Program, to respond to a need for health information about a hazardous substance and to make recommendations to protect the public’s health.

Click here for a printable version of this fact sheet.

A Health Consultation considers:

  • how much (the concentration) of a hazardous substance is present at a site;
  • whether people have been or might become exposed the hazardous substance;
  • what exposure pathways such as breathing, touching, eating, or drinking, are present at the site or in the community;
  • what harm (the toxicity) a hazardous substance might cause to people;
  • whether living or working near a hazardous waste site might affect people’s health; and
  • other dangers to people, such as unsafe buildings, dangerous objects, abandoned mine shafts, or other physical hazards.

A Health Consultation often includes:

  • background
  • statement of Issues
  • discussion
  • child Health Considerations
  • conclusions
  • recommendations
  • public health action plan
  • references
  • tables and figures
  • maps and photos
  • certification

Assessments for Download

A list of public health assessments and consultations conducted by the Environmental Epidemiology Program can be viewed by clicking here.