Occupational and Environmental Health: Recognizing and Preventing Disease and Injury, 5th Edition

ISBN: 9780781755511
ISBN-10: 0781755514
Copyright: 2006
Edition: 5th
Editors: Levy, Barry S., Wegman, David H., Baron, Sherry L., Sokas, Rosemary K.,
Doody's Expert Review    Score: 97
Reviewer: John Pierce,  MBBS(MD) PhD  (Navy Environmental Health Center)
Description
This book offers a thoughtful look at the means of addressing significant hazards arising from work and extending in presence and consequence throughout the community. The book is rather complete in is treatment of common occupational injuries, their diagnosis and treatment, and preventive measures. These are made applicable to the workplace and community as a whole.
Purpose
In the preface, the editors note this edition is intended to reflect important changes ranging from global warming health issues to the recognition of new work hazards. In the process of reflecting these changes, the editors and author panel find occupational health relevant to the sense of community well-being. They posit an integrated relationship existing among employment, environment, and health. Perhaps they have finally answered the quintessential question surrounding environmental health.
Audience
Given the book's integrated, holistic viewpoint, the nursing profession will make special use of it. It has appeal to a broad range of professionals, certainly including occupational and environmental medicine physicians. The book should also be recommended to primary care physicians as well as to toxicologists and industrial hygienists.
Features
The book is organized into five major sections: work, environment, and health; recognition, assessment, and prevention; hazardous exposures; adverse health effects; and an integrated approach to prevention. Each section is subsequently divided into individual chapters, which make it easy to find a particular topic.
Assessment
Given a six-year span since the fourth edition, the update includes new material on the application and integration of occupational and environmental health principles. It appears it is also acquiring a more international perspective. This is now a rather lively book for a scholarly topic. Beyond its carefully crafted text, it includes Earl Dotter photographs and the superb drawings of Nick Thorkelson. As a personal recommitment to the principles of occupational and environmental health, I sat and read most of it in an evening. I now find myself opening its pages to help "recognize and prevent disease in a changing world." These are large tasks, indeed.
Review Questionnaire
Range Question Score
1-10 Are the author's objectives met? 10
1-10 Rate the worthiness of those objectives. 10
1-5 Is this written at an appropriate level? 5
1-5 Is there significant duplication? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 5
1-5 Are there significant omissions? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 5
1-5 Rate the authority of the authors. 5
1-5 Are there sufficient illustrations? 5
1-5 Rate the pedagogic value of the illustrations. 5
1-5 Rate the print quality of the illustrations. 5
1-5 Are there sufficient references? 5
1-5 Rate the currency of the references. 5
1-5 Rate the pertinence of the references. 4
1-5 Rate the helpfulness of the index. 5
1-5 If important in this specialty, rate the physical appearance of the book 5
1-10 Is this a worthwhile contribution to the field? 8
1-10 If this is a 2nd or later edition, is this new edition needed? 10