251676 Highlighting ethical issues in communicating about environmental exposures when the health effects are uncertain

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Julia Green Brody, PhD , The Silent Spring Institute, Newton, MA
Important new technologies enable environmental health scientists to measure ever-lower concentrations of a growing list of contaminants in people's blood, urine, and everyday environments. For example, recent studies have reported on urine levels of BPA and phthalates from food packaging, and blood levels of perfluorinated compounds from drinking water. The early exposure measurements inherently precede clear understanding of the health implications. At this table we will discuss ethical and effective methods for reporting on exposures to emerging contaminants, particularly in the context of community-based participatory research.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Ethics, professional and legal requirements

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe how the values of community-based participatory research complement and strengthen the Common Rule ethical principles that guide human research protections. 2. Develop at least one message that is appropriate for conveying exposure results when the health implications are uncertain. 3. Describe at least one model for reporting individual exposure results to study participants. 4. List at least three strategies for reporting aggregate exposure results to community members.

Keywords: Health Communications, Environmental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to discuss ethical considerations in reporting individual exposures to study participants, because I have published several peer-reviewed articles on this topic and am the PI for ongoing NIH-funded research in this field.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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: Can you hear me now? Contemporary models and strategies in environmental health communication
See more of: Environment