Survey of health department-based environmental epidemiology programs.

A survey of state epidemiologists in all 50 states and New York City was conducted between October 1982 and January 1983 to determine which states had existing programs in environmental epidemiology. We identified 29 environmental epidemiology programs with at least one full-time state-funded staff member. The most common areas of responsibility included investigations of indoor air pollution (96 per cent), exposures to toxic or hazardous substances (93 per cent), and pesticide exposures (93 per cent).