PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Irena Buka AU - Lesley Brennan AU - Jamal Tarrabain AU - Sadra Aghazadeh AU - Marie Noel Brune Drisse TI - Need for global core competencies in Child Health and the Environment: a Canadian perspective AID - 10.1136/jech-2019-213148 DP - 2020 Dec 01 TA - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health PG - 1056--1059 VI - 74 IP - 12 4099 - http://jech.bmj.com/content/74/12/1056.short 4100 - http://jech.bmj.com/content/74/12/1056.full SO - J Epidemiol Community Health2020 Dec 01; 74 AB - Children are the planet’s most valuable resource. Mortality rates and longevity in children are improving; however, morbidity related to early-life exposures is increasing and with it health spending. A focus on identifying and addressing environmental components related to not only chronic childhood illnesses but also major adult mortalities would help contain current healthcare budgets. Child Health and the Environment (CHE) is an emerging discipline dedicated to managing early-life exposures (prenatal and childhood) on health outcomes throughout life. In Canada, as well as around the world, recognition of this area is growing, but progress has been slow and training of physicians is lacking. The WHO works closely with the Children’s Environmental Health Clinic in Canada as well as collaborating centres around the world to build awareness of environmental health issues and promote improved care of children. Core competencies in CHE for physicians would provide an important step forward.