Faculty --
| John S. Evans, Sc.D.
Senior Lecturer in Environmental Health Environmental Science and Engineering Program Department of Environmental Health, HSPH 665 Huntington Avenue, Room 1308-C (Building I) 432-1259; jevans@hsph.harvard.edu |
James K. Hammitt, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Policy and Decision Sciences Department of Health Policy and Management Harvard Center for Risk Analysis 718 Huntington Avenue 432-4030; jkh@hsph.harvard.edu |
Teaching Assistants --
| T. J. Carrothers, MS
665 Huntington Avenue, Room 1308-B (Building I) |
Pamela Dziuban, SM
718 Huntington Avenue (Center for Risk Analysis) |
Both T. A.’s are doctoral students in the new joint program in Environmental Science and Risk Management,
| Class Participation | 20% |
| 4 Computer Workshop/Homeworks | 40% |
| Final Examination | 40% |
Course Overview –
This course introduces the methods of risk assessment
and decision analysis as used in environmental health.
Risk Assessment is a set of methods for estimating
the human health risks of environmental pollution by chemicals, radiation,
and other agents. It uses mathematical modeling to combine relevant information
from epidemiology, laboratory animal studies, and other sources.
Decision Analysis is a method for identifying the
best decision when the consequences are important and uncertain. It uses
judgmental probability to represent uncertainty and utility functions to
capture preferences about uncertain health and other outcomes.
Real life examples will illustrate the various methods of analysis introduced in the course. Students will participate in computer workshops where they will apply the quantitative tools learned in lectures. Two possible applications will be the risks of leukemia and breast cancer from routine medical x-rays and analysis of the key evidence supporting the recent change in ambient air quality standards. Work in the computer sections will be followed up in a connected homework assignment.
(NOTE: EHH500a Formerly numbered 240a)
Fall, 1997
KEY:
HO = Handed out in Class
CP = Contained in Course Packet
AD = Additional Useful Readings Not in Course Packet or Handouts
Tu Sep 16 Introduction to Risk Assessment and Environmental Decision Making
Masters GM. "Hazardous Substances and Risk Analysis," Ch. 5 in Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1991. (CP)
Wilson R and Crouch EAC. "Risk Assessment and Comparisons: An Introduction," Science 236: 267-270, 17 April 1987. (CP)
Wilson R. "Analyzing the Daily Risks of Life," MIT Technology Review, February 1979. (CP)
Forsythe GE, Malcolm MA, and Moler CB. "Numerical Integration," Ch. 5 in Computer Methods for Mathematical Computations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1977. Sections 5.1 and 5.3 only. (NOTE: This reading is for Homework 1.) (HO)
Harrington JJ. "The Use of Systems Analysis in Environmental Engineering," (pp. 49-54 only) in Cassel J et. al., The Education and Training of Engineers for Environmental Health. Geneva: WHO, 1970. (HO)
Ott L. An Introduction to Statistical Methods and Data Analysis. pp. 80-86, 100-106, 112-118, 265, 275-277, 289-291. Massachusetts: Duxbury Press, 1977. (CP)
USEPA. Guidelines for Exposure Assessment, Federal Register, 57: 22887-22938, May 29, 1992. (HO)
Mackay DM, Roberts PV, and Cherry JA. "Transport of Organic Contaminants in Groundwater," Environmental Science and Technology, 19: 384-392, 1985. (CP)
Travis CC and Arms AD. "Bioconcentration of Organics in Beef, Milk, and Vegetation," Environmental Science and Technology, 22: 271-274, 1988. (CP)
Hanna SR, Briggs GA, and Hosker RP. "Removal Mechanisms," Ch. 10 in Handbook on Atmospheric Diffusion. DOE/TIC-11223. US Department of Energy. 1982. (CP)
Morris RD et. al. "Chlorination, Chlorination By-products, and Cancer: A Meta-analysis," American Journal of Public Health. 82: 955-963, 1992. (CP)
Monson RR. Occupational Epidemiology. pp. 1-12, 29-32, 67-76, 93-103. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1980. (CP)
USEPA. Proposed Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment. April 1996. (HO)
Barnes DG and Dourson M. "Reference dose (RfD): Descriptions and Use in Health Risk Assessment," Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. 8: 471-486, 1988. (CP)
Baird SJS et. al. "Noncencer Risk Assessment: A Probabilistic Approach to Current Practice," Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. 2: 79-102, 1996. (CP)
Dourson ML, Knauf LA, Swartout JC. "On reference dose (RfD) and Its Underlying Toxicity Data Base," Toxicology and Industrial Health. 8: 171-189, 1992. (CP)
Dourson ML and Stara JF. "Regulatory History and Experimental Support of Uncertainty (Safety) Factors," Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 3: 224-238, 1983. (CP)
Cullen AS and Frey HC - Selections from Draft Manuscript of New Book. (HO)
Evans JS, Hawkins NC and Graham JD. "The Value of Monitoring for Radon in the Home: A Decision Analysis," Journal Air Pollution Control Association. 38: 1380-1385, 1988. (CP)
Hammitt JK and Cave JAK. "Research Planning for Food Safety: A Value of Information Approach," RAND R-3946-ASPE/NCTR. Santa Monica: RAND, 1991. (CP)
Thompson KM and Evans JS. "The Value of Inproved National Exposure Information for Perchloroethylene (Perc): A Case Study for Dry Cleaners," Risk Analysis. 17: 253-271, 1997. (CP)
Lave L and Omenn G. "Information Value of Rodent Bioassay,"
Nature 336: 631-633, 1988. (HO)
Recommended Book for Further Reading and Reference: