Oral

Multiple aspects of the environment in which we live, learn, work, and play impact our health. However, it is the general practice of governmental agencies/policy makers responsible for protecting public health and the environment to focus on one factor at a time, more specifically one environmental contaminant at a time. For many years, the environmental justice movement and local communities have advocated for the consideration of multiple exposure and cumulative impacts in environmental policy and decisions. Further the social context/real word context in which exposures to environmental contaminants occur also needs to be considered as new evidence is showing that social and contextual factors may enhance the toxic effects of both single and multiple environmental contaminant exposures. Science is finally catching up with community wisdom. This session will feature new efforts by researchers working with communities, academics, governmental and non-governmental scientists and policy makers to move from health impact assessments based on simple chemical mixtures to assessments that incorporate social and other physical factors (susceptibility and vulnerability). The real test, however, is the extent to which our existing regulatory and public policy systems can and are willing to handle this new information to make decisions based on cumulative impact assessments. Policy barriers will be debated.

Session Objectives: Compare various conceptual frameworks, definitions and metrics for assessing cumulative environmental health risks and impacts Describe how social epidemiologic methods and concepts can be applied to assess cumulative risks and impacts Examine potential policy approaches and challenges to preventing and reducing cumulative impacts.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)