title: Communicating methylmercury risks and fish consumption benefits to vulnerable childbearing populations.
abstract: Methylmercury is a known neurotoxin especially harmful to the fetus, infant, and child. Preventing exposure to this environmental toxin is best accomplished through consumer messages specifically adapted for local populations. Health care providers play an important role in the dissemination of information. The purpose of this article is to review the benefits and risks of fish consumption and identify strategies for presenting effective risk communication messages to vulnerable groups, particularly women of childbearing age.
authors.affiliation: Robert Wood Johnson Nurse Faculty Scholar and an assistant professor at Montana State University, College of Nursing, Missoula, MT.. Electronic address: skuntz@montana.edu.
authors.forename: Sandra W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kuntz
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota.
authors.forename: Jason A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ricco
authors.affiliation: Montana State University, College of Nursing, Bozeman, MT.
authors.forename: Wade G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Robert and Kathleen Scanlon Endowed Chair for Values Based Health Care in the School of Nursing and Health Studies, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Anderko
mesh_terms: D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D020407:Internet; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000506:poisoning*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D018456:Reproductive Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D017747:Seafood / Q000506:poisoning*; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency; D035862:Vulnerable Populations; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds