Harrison County, Ohio

Environmental Health in Harrison County, Ohio

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviors. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted toward preventing disease and creating healthsupportive environments. This WHO definition excludes behavior not related to environment, as well as behavior related to the social and cultural environment and genetics.

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has several programs addressing environmental health spread throughout all three ODH divisions, but most reside in the Bureau of Environmental Health in the Division of Prevention. This bureau also works closely with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) , as well as local, federal and other state partners. Harrison County has numerous programs addressing environmental health. The following is a list of these programs and a brief description.