It is important for health care provider to know what exposures to potentially hazardous materials your patients have had in their life. To do this your patients need to tell about workplace exposures, exposures at home, and others they may have had.

Unless an exposure history is pursued by the clinician, the etiologic diagnosis might be missed, treatment therefore may be inappropriate, and exposure can continue.

Be sure to ask information about all past jobs, and chemicals and other exposures they may have had in those jobs. Also share information about household and neighborhood exposures.

There are many sources of information about materials to which your patients have been exposed, or to which your patients are currently exposed. There are many Federal government agencies with such information including ATSDR, NIOSH, OSHA and EPA. Universities and poison control centers may also be able to supply information about potential health hazards.

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