Environmental Health Basics

Biologists, epidemiologists, and other scientists have confirmed what many people know from life experience: everyday conditions have big impacts on health and healthy development.  Environmental health research has transformed understanding about how pollutants worsen health outcomes, both individually and in combination with genetic and socioeconomic factors.  Such information creates new opportunities to prevent exposures and disease.

HEFN members are helping expand basic knowledge about environmental health and catalyzing health-protective actions based on this knowledge:

• Funding science and "translation" of science for the public, health care professionals, and policymakers.
• Enabling groups with a stake in environmental health and justice to learn, organize, and engage.
• Developing resources, models, and policies for healthier environments.

Recommended First Reads:

Philanthropy Invests in Environmental Health, an article in the peer-reviewed journal Health Affairs, co-authored by HEFN staff and funder leaders.

Healthy Environments, Healthy People:  A Funder Guide on Improving Environmental Conditions for Health, a HEFN issue brief