közegészségügyi

Közegészségügyi refers to the field of public health concerned with how environmental factors influence human health. It covers the assessment, prevention, and control of hazards in air, water, soil, food, housing, and workplaces, as well as exposure to chemicals, radiation, noise, diseases transmitted by vectors, and climate-related risks. The goal is to reduce illness and improve well-being by anticipating hazards, reducing exposures, and informing policy.

Key activities include environmental surveillance and monitoring of pollutants; exposure assessment and risk analysis; epidemiological studies linking environmental factors to health outcomes; risk communication and community engagement; and regulatory development for standards in air, water, food, waste, chemicals, and workplace safety. Practitioners include public health authorities, environmental health officers, industrial hygienists, researchers, urban planners, and engineers, collaborating with international organizations such as the World Health Organization and European bodies.

Historical context: environmental health as a public health discipline emerged from sanitation and occupational health efforts in the 19th and 20th centuries, expanding to address industrial pollution, hazardous waste, and later climate change and sustainable development challenges. In many countries, közegészségügyi is governed by national and local agencies and integrated with broader health systems and environmental protection laws and guidelines.