Return-Path: <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i8RGGh813100; Mon, 27 Sep 2004 12:16:43 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 12:16:43 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <s158041f.073@mail.jsi.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Laurie Sheridan" <laurie_sheridan@worlded.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:4548] Re: Communicating Environmental Risks X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise Internet Agent 6.5.1 Status: O Content-Length: 3951 Lines: 104 The Mass. Coalition for Occupational Health (MassCOSH) has lots of accessible materials on this, at (617) 825-7233. I used to work there for many years, which is how I know this--though much of it is focused on toxics in the workplace, much of it applies to community envirionmenst as well. They can also steer you to other good sources--e.g., Healthy School Network (for indoor air quality), particular toxic substances, etc. There are also good curricula there. Other states also have similar organizations, particularly on the east and west coasts and the midwest. They prepare materials and training curricula for unions and community groups. MassCOSH has the list of those in other states, if you ask them. Toxics Action Center at 37 Temple Pl. in Boston MA 02111 also has good popular info. So does TURI (Toxics Use Reduction Institute) at U. Mass. Lowell, who fund and network with a lot of community environmental projects. Hope this helps. Laurie Sheridan World Education >>> mslaurie29@yahoo.com 9/27/2004 9:55:20 AM >>> Linda- I can try to offer some information. I used to work for ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, a sister-agency of CDC that works specifically on environmental health issues) and did a lot of work in environmental health communication. (The thing is that it's been a while since I did this work so there may be more updated stuff than mine). Anyway, I did a few fact sheets to help communities understand environmental / risk issues. Our communities were concerned about "Exposures", particularly regarding relation to possible health effects. The perception seemed often to be that if a chemical is existent in a nearly landfill, field, or industry, people are taking it in and sickness results. This can happen but is not necessarily the case. Our fact sheet explained that 'exposure' means that the chemical must not only be present but have a means by which to get into one's body; and there are precise mechanisms (that toxicologists) go by to confirm this has occurred, like dose, pathway, etc. All of this was explained in the fact sheet in simple language. I also did a fact sheet about Cancer because that was always a big concern. I think I have a copy of each and could send to you if you'd like. I would recommend that you contact CDC, Office of Communications (sorry I don't have a phone #), as I think that they have done a lot of things in plain language. Finally, if a training is within your means, I recommend Peter Sandman for the quintessential lesson on communicating environmental risk. My contact info for him is 8 yrs old, so you'd probably do better with a google search, he was located in Newton Centre, Mass. Also, there's Vince Covello, another master on the subject. He used to be in Maryland and the contact ph # I have from him is 410-643-8310, tho it's a few years old. Again, you may do better with a google search. I was pretty active in this area for a little while and during my search for things for this e-mail, I found articles, papers, guidelines for communicating env health and risk info. You can contact me direct at mslaurie29@yahoo.com and maybe I could send you specific info dependent on what you're looking for, that would be most helpful. Laurie Ann Columbo "Linda S. Potter" <lspotter@att.net> wrote: Hello. I am looking for information on how to convey environmental risks, certainly a major public health issue, in plain language. Have any of you worked on this or know of literature on the subject? Thanks very much. Linda ******************************************* Linda S. Potter, Dr.P.H. Family Health Research 56 N. Mill Road Princeton Junction, NJ 08550 tel: 609-716-6365 fax: 609-947-4972 lspotter@att.net ******************************************* _______________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today! http://vote.yahoo.com
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