Which of the following describes the steps of an environmental health risk assessment?

• A. Data triangulation; risk communication; monitoring and evaluation; program planning.
• B. Hazard identification; exposure assessment; dose-response assessment; risk characterization.
• C. Immunization coverage measurement; data collection; sampling; regression analysis.
• D. Social determinants analysis; quality improvement; policy evaluation; outreach.

Answer: (B)

Evaluating environmental health risk follows a logical sequence that starts by identifying hazards that could cause adverse health effects, then assesses how people are exposed to them, examines how exposure levels relate to health outcomes, and finally combines all this information to characterize the overall risk and its uncertainties. Hazard identification asks: could this agent or situation cause harm? Exposure assessment looks at who is exposed, how much, how often, and through which routes. Dose–response assessment explores the relationship between the amount of exposure and the chance or severity of effects. Risk characterization integrates hazard, exposure, and dose–response data to estimate risk and communicate its magnitude and uncertainties. Other public health activities described in the other options relate to program planning, monitoring, data analysis, or policy work rather than the specific four-step risk assessment framework.