Many unanswered questions exist about how and why people get sick. Is there something in our homes, workplaces, or communities that may serve as causal factors for adverse health outcomes? To assess how and why we become sick, it is essential to consider environmental exposures. Since health care professionals are often the first resource people turn to when they do not feel well, it was decided to focus attention in these areas. Two preliminary studies conducted by health educators have determined that health care professionals know little about environmental exposures. To address this lack of knowledge, a multidisciplinary approach was created by a local environmental health collaborative. This half-day health education symposium was designed to address: environmental exposures faced by communities in the Delaware Valley; strategies for communicating environmental risks to patients with specific symptoms relating to environmental problems; and methods to communicate their concerns and needs to health care providers, specifically information about their exposures to potentially harmful substances. More than 100 people attended the session including health care professionals, public health officials, community activists, and environmental groups. Specific recommendations were advanced by the participants and will be detailed in the presentation. The importance of the symposium was three-fold: 1) using a multidisciplinary group to design and implement the program allowed for different stakeholders to meet and discuss their concerns; 2) time was allotted to develop a concrete series of "next steps;" 3) the symposium addressed concerns that help to eliminate health disparities in local communities.
Learning Objectives: By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to: - describe the scope of the Women's Health & Environmental Network - Discuss exposure history-taking practices - Identify limitations of occupational and environmental health curricula - Discuss the roles of health educators as advocates and facilitators of environmental health communications
Keywords: Environmental Health, Health Communications
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Women's Health & Environmental Network
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: The Women's Health & Environmental Network is the group that convened, organized, and implemented this symposium. The author is part of this collaborative.