Oral

Following on the discussion of the public health impacts from the Deepwater Horizon Disaster addressed at the 2010 APHA meeting session, this session will share lessons learned from a diverse group of public health practitioners who have been working with federal and state agencies, policymakers, and communities across Southern Louisiana to respond and recover from the disaster. Practitioners will share innovative health impact surveillance tools and means for improving transparency and pathways of communication among diverse stakeholders as well as address the challenges that exist in data collection and analysis. The panel will also discuss the pre-existing social, health and ecological context in which the Deepwater Horizon Disaster occurred. Southern Louisiana will serve as a case study for understanding the relationships between industry, resource management, ecosystem services, and community health. The panel will help participants understand the struggle to achieve healthy communities in the context of historic toxic burden, economic dependence on extractive industries, and an impaired ecosystem.

Session Objectives: 1. Explain how participatory platforms can be used to respond and document exposure to toxic pollutants and track environmental health indicators. 2. Assess the role ecosystem services can play in supporting healthy communities. 3. Describe 3 ways to improve information flow among diverse stakeholders in disaster settings.

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