Development and successful application of a "Community-First" communication model for community-based environmental health research.
OBJECTIVE
Effectively communicate results from a community exposure study to meet predetermined community priorities, maintaining ethical principles of autonomy, empowerment and justice.


METHODS
The community established principles for the communications and a plan to inform study participants, community and other stakeholders of results and recommendations in a novel sequence: the "Community-First" communication model.


RESULTS
The communications resulted in positive actions including company sponsored free bottled water, accepted by 77.6% of eligible households. Over 95% of participants in a follow-up survey had made some change to residential water supplies. Serum perfluorooctanoate levels were reduced. Government agencies acted on the results.


CONCLUSIONS
The unique communication approach generated workable solutions to the problem investigated, raised community awareness and modified behaviors. Information generated a "free market" of community-level solutions. Each major stakeholder voluntarily adopted a "precautionary principle."
Emmett
Edward Anthony
EA
Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. emmetted@mail.med.upenn.edu
Zhang
Hong
H
Shofer
Frances Susan
FS
Rodway
Nancy
N
Desai
Chintan
C
Freeman
David
D
Hufford
Mary
M
D003142:Communication; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004782:Environmental Health; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D009820:Ohio; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012107:Research Design; D012308:Risk Management; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D014881:Water Supply
D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C018959:hexadecafluoro-nonanoic acid