Boston University Medical Campus

Community Environmental Health Research: Finding Meaning

David M. Ozonoff, M.D.
dozonoff@bu.edu

Project Description

Among the most frequently requested types of assistance from state health departments by distressed communities fearful they are threatened by toxic exposures are "health studies." Yet when studies are done, communities are often unhappy with the results. It seems clear there are vastly differing expectations and understandings among practitioners and community members about what a health study is and what it can provide. The investigators propose to work with four groups frequently involved in community health study initiation, implementation and interpretation. The groups are, 1) academic researchers; 2) public health officials; 3) activist organizations and 4) community members. The goal is to educate and train all four constituencies in the needs and expectations of the others and to come to some common understanding of what is involved when we embark on "community health study."

Specific Aims are as follows:

1. Obtain information about participants' knowledge about health impacts of environmental exposures, and perceptions about what community health studies can and cannot do to determine health impacts in specific communities.
2. Analyze the results focus of groups in our partner communities (Lawrence and Salem, Massachusetts) concerning their perceptions of environmental health studies, supplemented with review of historical material on environmental health studies.
3. Develop, test and produce new educational methods and materials for community groups regarding ethical and scientific challenges and opportunities in environmental health studies.
4. Establish mechanisms for forging new and on-going community-researcher relationships.