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Course module: BMB506809
BMB506809
Exposure Assessment in Epidemiology
Course info
Course codeBMB506809
EC3
Course goals
After completing the module the student:
  1. knows the principle routes of exposure (inhalation, dermal uptake, ingestion) and is able to qualify and quantify their  significance in different exposure settings, and different types and patterns of exposure (e.g. environmental/occupational, occasional/continuous, etc.);
  2. knows the principles of emission estimation and source‐pathway‐receptor relationships in exposure assessment;
  3. is able to take the impact of patterns of use (frequency, duration, application methods) and risk management measures (PPE, RPE, engineering controls, human factors affecting exposure) into account when assessing  (non )occupational exposure;
  4. Is acquainted with different direct (i.e. measurement) means of assessing human exposure to hazardous substances, the strengths and limitations of the different techniques and applicability to different settings;
  5. knows methods for assessing exposure retrospectively (e.g. questionnaires, interviews, use of records for assessing exposure) including their strengths and limitations and can select the appropriate method in a given situation;
  6. is acquainted with stochastic and deterministic modeling tools, and is aware of their limitations;
  7. knows the relevance of validation, and knows how to design validation studies;
  8. is acquainted with new developments in exposure assessment methods.
Content
Period (from – till): 26 September 2016 - 7 October 2016
 
Faculty
Dr Gerard Hoek, DGK, IRAS/EEPI
Prof Hans Kromhout, DGK, IRAS/EEPI
Dr Mieke Lumens, DGK, IRAS/EEPI
Dr Inge Wouters, DGK, IRAS/EEPI

Course description
In order to fully appreciate risks that arise from industrial activities and environmental emissions, it is essential to quantify chemical and biological agents that are emitted into general environment. The MSc programme ‘Toxicology and Environmental Health’ provides training to develop the necessary skills to measure and model the extent to which human populations come into contact with toxic agents. In risk assessment, this is achieved through what is known as ‘exposure assessment’.
In this course, students will learn to relate environmental conditions to actual exposures experienced by human populations. They will learn how to directly measure exposure levels, how to decide on the best way to obtain representative exposure measurements, and how to analyse data that is obtained during exposure measurement surveys. Students will also be introduced to fundamentals of exposure modelling, which allow investigators to infer exposure levels in absence of direct measurements of exposures. The module includes exercises that will allow students to assess exposures in different environments. The module is organically linked to topics, covered in subsequent courses, of identifying exposure-disease relationships (course “Health effects of chemical and biological agents”) and evaluating at what levels of exposure unacceptable risks are expect to occur (course “Risk Assessment and Risk Management”).

Literature/study material used
Before the start of the course the following articles must be read:
  • Zartarian VG, Ott WR, Duan N (1997) A quantitative definition of exposure and related concepts. Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology 7(4): 411-437.
  • Zartarian V, Bahadori, McKone T (2005) Adoption of an offical ISEA glossary. Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology 15:1-5.
During the course the book “Exposure assessment in occupational and environmental epidemiology”, edited by Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen (Oxford University Press, 2003) will be used. The book is bought by the course organizers, and will be sold at day 1 of the course.
During week 1 students must study chapters 1 and 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. During week 2 chapters 2,3, 4 and 12 must be prepared.
A reader with relevant background information and Powerpoint presentations will be provided as well.

Registration
Apply via the studyguide.

Mandatory
TXEH students

Optional for students in other GSLS Master’s programme:
Yes

Prerequisite knowledge:
Students should have a BSc in Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or Environmental Sciences.
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