162523 A 21st century approach to a World War I military legacy: Tracking health and environment in the Spring Valley community of Washington, DC

Tuesday, November 6, 2007: 1:30 PM

Mary A. Fox, PhD, MPH , Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Frank C. Curriero, PhD , Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Ramya Chari, MPH , Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Erik Janus, MPH , Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Kathryn Kulbicki , Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Roni Neff, PhD, SM , Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Joanna Zablotsky, MPH , Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Beth Resnick, MPH , Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Thomas A. Burke, PhD, MPH , Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
        
From 1917 to 1918, the War Department conducted chemical warfare research on the American University campus and surrounding areas. Agents tested included arsenicals (such as Lewisite), phosgene, nitrogen and sulfur mustard gasses, among others. The environmental legacy of these activities was discovered in 1993 when, while digging a utility trench, a contractor unearthed ordnance. Ordnance and lab materials containing chemical weapons and their degradates have been found. The community now consists of about 1200 residences in northwest Washington, DC. Remediation of soil arsenic is underway and exposure and health investigations have been conducted. Community health concerns remain. An environmental health scoping study is underway to: (1) Describe Spring Valley's community health status; (2) Identify health risks of past and present activities; (3) Identify the data gaps in the existing health and environmental information; and (4) Recommend health, exposure or environmental monitoring studies to fill remaining gaps. Four analyses will be conducted: assess community health status through vital statistic and registry data; identify hazards; spatial analysis of exposure and outcomes; and health risk assessment and characterization including cumulative risks. Preliminary findings revealed a healthy community, however, the hazard characterization identified cancers, blood disorders, respiratory and neurological effects as potential outcomes of concern. Final results will be presented and discussed. In addition, we will address how this study will shape future environmental health tracking, epidemiologic and exposure assessment efforts. The approach will also provide a methodological framework for evaluating communities burdened with a legacy of chemical contamination throughout the world.

Learning Objectives:
1) List the chemical contaminants of concern for residents of Spring Valley 2) Describe the health risks posed by certain chemicals 3) Describe the components of a comprehensive community environmental health approach

Keywords: Environmental Health, Risk Assessment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Environmental Public Health Tracking: Information to Guide Practice and Policy
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