Environmental Health Specialist
March 29, 2024
Updated May 18, 2025
17 minute read
A Comprehensive Guide to Becoming an Environmental Health Specialist
An Environmental Health Specialist is a professional dedicated to identifying, evaluating, and mitigating environmental factors that can negatively impact human health and well-being. These individuals work at the intersection of science, public health, and regulatory affairs to protect communities from various hazards. Their work is crucial in ensuring safe drinking water, clean air, wholesome food, and healthy living and working environments.
Working as an Environmental Health Specialist can be deeply rewarding. You might find yourself investigating the source of a foodborne illness outbreak one day and developing strategies to reduce community exposure to pollutants the next. The role often involves a mix of fieldwork, laboratory analysis, data interpretation, and community education, making it a dynamic and engaging career path. Furthermore, with growing public awareness of environmental issues and their health consequences, the demand for skilled specialists in this field is on the rise.
What is an Environmental Health Specialist?
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Find a path to becoming a Environmental Health Specialist. Learn more at:
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Reading list
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This comprehensive textbook provides a global perspective on environmental health, covering topics such as air and water pollution, climate change, and the impact of chemicals on human health. It is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and professionals in the field.
Focuses on the effects of climate change on human health. It provides a detailed overview of the current state of knowledge on this topic. It is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and policymakers in the field.
Environmental Health is an excellent reference for professionals involved in public health that covers the latest research on the negative health impacts of environmental pollution.
Provides a comprehensive review of the health consequences of climate change, covering heat-related disorders, infectious diseases, malnutrition, mental health impacts, and more. It also discusses mitigation and adaptation strategies and policies. With contributions from numerous experts and a recent publication date, it's an essential resource for understanding a critical contemporary environmental health issue.
Written from a physician's perspective, this book clarifies the science and potential health threats of climate change in an accessible way. It covers a range of health impacts, making the concept of climate change relatable through its effects on human well-being. This valuable book for gaining a contemporary understanding of a major environmental health challenge.
This textbook provides a comprehensive overview of the principles and methods of epidemiology. It valuable resource for students and professionals who are interested in learning more about the science of public health.
This textbook provides a comprehensive overview of the principles and methods of health policy and politics. It valuable resource for students and professionals who are interested in learning more about the political process and how it affects health policy.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the principles and methods of global public health. It valuable resource for students and professionals who are interested in learning more about the health challenges facing the world today.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the ethical issues that arise in public health practice. It valuable resource for students and professionals who are interested in learning more about the ethical dimensions of public health.
Provides a comprehensive introduction to environmental health, covering a wide range of topics from traditional areas like air and water quality to broader issues such as climate change and the built environment. It is commonly used as a textbook in academic institutions and is suitable for gaining a broad understanding of the field. The book offers a multi-faceted view with global and local perspectives.
Examines environmental racism and the disproportionate impact of industrial pollution on marginalized communities in the United States. It uses case studies to illustrate how race and class influence environmental exposures and residential patterns. This crucial book for understanding the social determinants of environmental health and contemporary environmental justice issues.
This textbook focuses on the intersection of public health and the environment, providing a detailed overview of the environmental factors that can impact human health. It valuable resource for students and professionals in public health, environmental health, and related fields.
Provides comprehensive reviews of current research and trends in public health. Covers topics such as environmental health, infectious diseases, and health promotion.
This monthly journal publishes research on the association between environmental risks and human health. It is published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics provides a comprehensive overview of the field of pharmacology, covering a wide range of topics from the history of pharmacology to the current debates over drug development.
Examines environmental injustices in the current political and environmental climate, highlighting mobilizations and movements for environmental justice. It explores dispossession, deregulation, privatization, and inequality in relation to environmental health. This highly relevant book for understanding contemporary environmental justice struggles and their roots.
This textbook comprehensive resource on the unique susceptibilities of children to environmental hazards and the profound impacts of chemical, biological, physical, and societal factors on child health. It covers new discoveries and guides effective interventions. This crucial book for anyone focusing on the specific environmental health concerns of children.
This textbook provides a comprehensive view of environmental risk assessment with a toxicological approach, covering problem formulation, exposure, toxicity, and risk characterization for both human health and ecological risk. The second edition includes updated information and new software/platforms. It's a core text for those needing to develop, conduct, and interpret risk assessments, crucial for deepening understanding in this applied area.
This text offers a clear and comprehensive study of the major topics in environmental health, including environmental epidemiology, toxicology, policy, and specific environmental diseases and applications. It's designed as an introductory textbook, making it excellent for students and professionals seeking foundational knowledge to solidify their understanding of the field's core concepts and tools.
This textbook provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of environmental justice, a dynamic field in environmental politics. It explores the foundations, concepts, debates, and historical milestones, including issues like climate justice and energy justice. It's an ideal introductory text for understanding the social and equity dimensions of environmental health.
Offers a visionary and practical approach to addressing the climate crisis by weaving together solutions that consider justice, climate, biodiversity, equity, and human dignity. It describes the burgeoning regeneration movement and provides actions for individuals and communities. It's a compelling read for understanding contemporary solutions and movements in environmental health and sustainability.
Drawing on multiple disciplines, this comprehensive text introduces the principles and methods for assessing and managing environmental health risks. It provides an overview of the scientific basis of environmental health hazards, risk assessment, and risk management, and discusses the link between environmental health and sustainable development. is valuable for gaining a broad, interdisciplinary understanding.
Explores the fundamentals of environmental health with a global perspective, incorporating real-life readings and data sets from both developed and developing countries. It is geared towards undergraduate and graduate students, providing a solid grounding in current issues and controversies. The case studies help illustrate concepts in different contexts, adding breadth to understanding.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
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