One area of great public health concern is reducing the burden of environmentally induced disease in populations that may be more susceptible to the effects of exposures to contaminants, particularly those common to Superfund sites. These populations may be defined as having unique characteristics that make them more susceptible to the effects of pollutants. Two populations with unique susceptibilities are women and children.
Women's unique vulnerabilities may be attributed, to a great extent, to the influence of their hormones and reproductive years on cellular processes. As a result, women have particular environmental diseases related to their gender such as breast cancer, endometriosis, and osteoporosis. Furthermore, some diseases involve women's role in reproduction and in the bearing and nursing of children; a contributing factor is that women tend to carry more fat. Substances that accumulate in fat (lead, PCBs, etc.) become bioavailable during times of high metabolic activity, such as pregnancy. As a result, when these chemicals are released into the woman's circulation, they may affect not only the woman's health, but may affect the developing fetus or nursing child.
In addition to the exposures that occur in utero, children continue to be vulnerable to exposures as they grow and develop. According to the National Research Council, children's unique susceptibilities to environmental insults are based on the following factors:
Children have greater exposures to environmental toxicants than adults because pound for pound they eat, drink and breathe more, they play closer to the ground and exhibit hand to mouth activity.
Children's metabolic pathways are immature and in many cases are less able to metabolize toxic chemicals.
Children are growing and developing very rapidly - during in utero, first months and early years of life their organ systems are not well adapted to repair damage.
Children have more future years of life therefore they have more time to develop chronic diseases that may be triggered by early exposures.
The SBRP has been at the forefront of women's and children's health studies throughout its history. Notably, through the outreach component of the SBRP, the Program contributed to the national awareness of particular vulnerabilities of children. Ultimately, this awareness led to a national research agenda to protect the environmental health of children.
Use the search tools below to find additional information about SBRP-funded research addressing susceptible populations.
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