Indigenous people of Alaska, who depend in many ways on their local environment for food, water, and other forms of sustenance for their health, have raised concerns about the changing quality of their perception of well-being. While international efforts have documented the movement of contaminants to the Arctic, there has been little effort to work in partnerships with Alaska Natives to understand their perception of environmental risk. In the past five years there have been significant changes in the roles of Alaska Native groups in the research design and delivery of environmental health programs. Federal, State, local and academic institutions are having to forge new types of working partnerships in collecting, researching, and disseminating information to address community based perceptions of environmental health risks. Efforts, starting with the 1984 APHA "The National Arctic Health Science Policy," will be outlined for successful components that have lead to the award of NIEHS research projects to Alaska Native organizations and the expansion of co-management as a means to utilize traditional knowledge.
Learning Objectives: 1. Recognize the importance of cultural diversity in establishing environmental health research endeavors. 2. Articulate methods to foster environmental health research in multi-cultural settings. 3. Apply Alaskan experiences to locally developing environmental health reserch programs.
Keywords: Culture, Risk Communication
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.