Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) - USA

The purpose of the activities is to work closely with local residents in assessing community needs and concerns and then to respond to those needs by providing timely and accurate information. Strategies include: solicitation of community input into the design of health studies; informal public availability sessions to learn more about community concerns related to the site; personal contact between ATSDR staff and community members and community media for discussion and correction of scientific misinformation; and involvement of other government agencies to avoid conflicting messages due to misinformation.

Health, environment.

A preliminary public health assessment was prepared by ATSDR in 1988 and was completed in 1989. The community was skeptical of the study's findings because they were based primarily on environmental information provided to EPA by the manufacturer of the hazardous wood preservative. A second study attempted in 1989 was met with similar community distrust, even though the disease and symptom prevalence study was conducted in cooperation with the state's department of health. ATSDR is faced with challenges in health risk communication in the subject community on two major fronts: a) explaining to local residents the complex nature of the health studies of their community; and b) changing strongly held assumptions and attitudes in the community about alleged government malfeasance, the role of big business and environmental racism, the right health and health care, and a host of related concerns.