Grantee Research Project Results
2018 Progress Report: Center for Indigenous Environmental Health Research
EPA Grant Number: R836151Center: Center for Indigenous Environmental Health Research
Center Director: Burgess, Jefferey L.
Title: Center for Indigenous Environmental Health Research
Investigators: Burgess, Jefferey L. , Harris, Robin B. , Ingram, Jani Cheri , Teufel-Shone, Nicolette I. , O’Rourke, Mary Kay
Current Investigators: Burgess, Jefferey L. , Harris, Robin B. , O’Rourke, Mary Kay , Ingram, Jani Cheri , Teufel-Shone, Nicolette I. , Hadeed, Steve , Blohm, Jonathan , Shammari, Modhi Al , Carl, Adam , Yuan, Nicole , Teufel-Shone, Nicky , Mayer, Brian , Clichee, Dominic , Whitewater, Shannon , Chico-Jarillo, Tara
Institution: University of Arizona , Northern Arizona University
Current Institution: University of Arizona
EPA Project Officer: Callan, Richard
Project Period: July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2020 (Extended to June 30, 2021)
Project Period Covered by this Report: July 1, 2017 through June 30,2018
Project Amount: $1,500,000
RFA: NIH/EPA Centers of Excellence on Environmental Health Disparities Research (2015) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Human Health
Objective:
This progress report covers the major activities and accomplishments during the first year of funding for the Center for Indigenous Environmental Health Research (CIEHR) at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. This project will partner with American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities to build tribal capacity to determine the contribution of chemical and other environmental exposures to health inequities and support effort to address these threats. This goal will be accomplished through community based participatory research, strengthening community resilience, increasing environmental health literacy (EHL), and informing AI/AN health and environmental policies to develop novel and sustainable strategies for reducing environmental health disparities and improving community wellness.
The Center is comprised of two research projects - Health and Wellbeing Impact of Contamination of Traditional Food and Water on the Navajo (RP1); and Cumulative Environmental Effects - Expanding Research with the Hopi Tribe (RP2), that are supported by four cores: 1) Administrative, 2) Community Engagement, and 3) Exposure Science and Pilot.
Progress Summary:
During this third year of funding, a significant portion of time and effort has been dedicated toward supporting and fostering the infrastructure that was established in the first reporting period. This Center infrastructure facilitates communication and collaboration within CIEHR (between cores and research projects) and between CIEHR and its internal and external partners.
The CIEHR Management Team, comprised of core and research project leads and co-leads has maintained monthly meetings. One quarterly meeting of the internal advisory board (IAB) was held in this funding year. Following this meeting, in an effort to diversity board membership, increase participation and enthusiasm, the CIEHR CD/CDI suggested the merger of the CIEHR IAB with UA UA Partnership for Indigenous Environmental Strategies (UA PIES) group. An in-person, on-site External Advisory Board (EAB) meeting, comprised of five individuals, selected by both the Management Team and Internal Advisory Board members was held in September 2017. A combination of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) and non-AI/AN individuals were selected to serve on CIEHR EAB to represent both academic and non-academic expertise in environmental health and indigenous issues.
Training and financial support of CIEHR's first indigenous early stage investigator or career development investigator, Dr. Stephanie Carroll Rainie continued in this reporting period. Dr. Rainie was promoted to serve as the Co-Director of CIEHR, providing direct assistance to the Administrative Core and direct activities and partnership building in the Pilot Projects Core.
Training and financial support of CIEHR's first Diversity Supplement Grant Trainee, Jenny Richards (Navajo) began in January 2017 (last reporting period) and continued into this reporting period. Additionally, CIEHR investigators, specifically the team from Research Project 1, submitted application materials for a second diversity supplement grant trainee in August 2017. Training and financial support of CIEHR's second Diversity Supplement Grant Trainee, Jonathan Credo began in January 2018.
The Pilot Project Core staff and all three of the Pilot Project awardees, Swinomish, Sitka and San Carlos Pilot Projects, completed work started last year to develop research concepts and proposals based on CBPR principles. Additionally, the CIEHR PPC team awarded funding for two pilot projects, Swinomish and Sitka, in the first half of this reporting period. The final pilot project, San Carlos, is expected to be awarded funding by the final month of this reporting period, May 2018. Additionally, this year we began work toward creating combined indigenous and academic teams to carry out the research proposed by all pilot projects and we plan on continuing this work into Years 4 and 5. The CIEHR PPC team and the academic teams selected for each pilot project have started work to ensure that all projects engage community resilience, improve EHL and support policy development.
The CIEHR Community Engagement Core (CEC) have worked with CIEHR research projects to ensure that research activities conducted in collaboration with the Navajo and Hopi communities effectively engage community-based stakeholders through the use of a community resilience approach and translate the research findings into culturally-relevant materials. In particular, the CEC has started collaborating with NAU researchers on the Traditional Foods Contamination on Navajo Nation Study (RP1) on analysis and interpretation of results from the mutton intake frequency questionnaire that incorporates the cultural significance of mutton.The CECs work with the UA researchers and community partners on the Hopi Environmental Health Study (RP2) has centered around providing guidance, education, and training on effective Community Advisory Boards. For the RP1, RP2 and the Gold King Mine Spill projects, the CEC is actively working with research teams to develop materials to share with the community that disseminate initial findings. The CEC have made commitments to providing consultation and support to all Pilot Projects that commenced in this reporting period.
The CIEHR Exposure Science Core (ESC) have worked to provide professional development and training to CIEHR personnel and community research partners in support of the CIEHR research projects and projects. In particular, the ESC has worked extensively with the UA and Hopi community researchers on RP2 during this reporting period. The ESC provided extensive training to members of the Hopi Research Teams, specifically the Hopi Environmental Technicians, related to the operation and maintenance of the TEOM-1405-DF, the regional air monitoring equipment being utilized by RP2. Training sessions on collection of body measurements and field techniques in quality assurance and quality control measured were also conducted for other members of the Hopi Research Team (including Community Health Representatives, recruiters and interviewers).. The ESC has also provided extensive consultation and aid to the Swinomish and San Carlos pilot projects.
Dr. Jani Ingram and her RP1 research team, which includes a cadre of undergraduate and graduate student researchers, have made progress toward characterizing the extent of contamination in culturally significant food (mutton) and water of the Navajo communities of Leupp and Cameron, and of the off-reservation control site, Eagar, AZ. Processing and analysis of tissue and organ samples of sheep from each community was completed during this reporting period. Jonathan Credo, the 2018-2019 Diversity Supplement awardee, has been working to characterize water chemistry in the region as part of a larger aim to characterize water quality issues across Navajo Nation. The RP1 team has continued work with the CEC to analyze and interpret the results of a mutton frequency questionnaire that was developed last reporting period and administered during this reporting period. In this reporting period, Dr. Michael Lerma, RP1 Co-Investigator, has held several meetings and consultations with Navajo Knowledge Holders to gain insight on cultural and spiritual understanding of uranium contamination.
Drs. Robin Harris and Mary Kay O'Rourke, along with their UA team of graduate student researchers, Steve Hadeed, Connor Kelly, and Modhi Alshammari and undergraduate students have made several successful trips to the Hopi Reservation in northern Arizona to meet with Hopi community partners to troubleshoot issues with the air quality equipment and household sampling and to continue facilitating discussion and collaboration on research design, methods and implementation. The RP2, with the assistance of the ESC, continued to provide extensive training to community research partners, including Hopi environmental technicians on the maintenance and calibration of the equipment. The RP2 is working to manage and provide solutions to considerable staffing change-over of tribal technicians and staff. As a result, the RP2 teams has worked considerably this year to recruit, hire, and train community researchers as recruiters and interviewers to execute household sampling. Household recruiting, sampling and data collection commenced this year, and preliminary analysis has begun. In this reporting period, tribal and University of Arizona IRB approvals for household sampling, including recruitment, outreach and questionnaire materials, have been maintained and updated as needed.
Future Activities:
In the next reporting period, continued efforts will be made by CIEHR personnel and its affiliated partners on activities in pursuit of all Center aims. Particular efforts will be made in pursuit of Aims 1 and 2. Additionally, as many aspects of the research plans for RP1, RP2 and the pilot projects are continuing to be implemented in the next reporting period, we will also begin work in pursuit of Aim 3.
Community Engagement Core
Aim 1. CAB Guidelines
- The CEC will pilot the CAB Guidelines with 1-2 CABs (not associated with CIEHR) to gain feedback for refinement and establish the usability of the materials (narrative and worksheets). Once vetted, the CEC will make these Guidelines available accompanied by a feedback survey through an on-line portal. A synthesis of the use and feedback will be reported to the EHD Centers Community Engagement workgroup and a manuscript for designed for publication submission. Other strategies for marketing and disseminating the documents widely will be discussed with the CIEHR management team and the EHD Centers Community Engagement workgroup. Strategies may include promotion on various listservs and websites focused on academic-community partnerships and related best practices.
Aim 2. Environmental Health Literacy
- The CEC has begun work in Year 3 and will continue in Year 4, with PIs of RP1 and RP2 to develop lay appropriate articles publishable in tribal newsletters disseminating progress and outcomes of CIEHR projects.
- The CEC has proposed to the CIEHR Executive Management Team, a collective impact workshop that will engage multi-sectorial teams from the partnering tribal communities to review and perhaps develop communication strategies and potential plans to collaboratively address adverse and chronic environmental adversity in their communities.
Aim 3. Tracking and Strengthen Community Capacity
- Drawing on community collaborations and a literature review to be completed in Year 3, the CEC is working to expand published frameworks and measures for identifying indigenous specific socio-cultural determinants linked to community health, capacity and resilience. CEC will obtain feedback on proposed measures of community resilience from partnering communities to improve cultural-relevance and assess feasibility of administering in tribal communities. If this process is productive, the CEC will develop a manuscript for publication describing these measures.
- The CEC has submitted an abstract to present this work at the 2018 Annual Meeting for the American Public Health Association in San Diego, CA.
Aim 4. CEC Activities and Contributions to the Mission of the Center
- The CEC will continue to work with the RP1 CAB to document qualitative and quantitative feedback on the role of the CAB Guidelines in facilitating the community's ability to guide approaches to data collection and dissemination of research process and findings.
- The CEC has analyzed the responses to the mutton consumption and cultural role survey designed to estimate exposure through consumption frequency and provide a foundation to assess the acceptability of proposed recommendation for modifying parts of sheep to consume, preparation techniques and consumption frequency.
Exposure Science Core
In the next reporting period, the ESC personnel plan to accomplish the following activities in pursuit of all research aims:
Aim 1. Providing service to projects within CIEHR:
For Project 1: Navajo Mutton Project
- Continued outreach to the Navajo project to provide project support as requested
- Consultation in the calculation of exposures from mutton
- Modeling support as requested
For Project 2: Hopi Environmental Health Project
- The project is equipment intensive. The ESC will continue to provide training in two realms: equipment maintenance/calibration/repair and technician/CHR training as needed.
- Public service sampling in support of project recruitment and participant retention.
- Repeat the school outreach modules for radon and As. Develop two additional STEM related projects for the Hopi junior/Senior High School. Current plans (1) exposures through food (microbial and metals), and (2) Solid waste generation and disposal.
- Continue development and review of study results for return to participants.
- Training of project staff and other departmental employees on the interpretation and risk associated with exposures to the measured pollutants.
- Contribution to development of health literacy in conjunction with efforts proposed by the CEC.
- Review of community project information disseminated in the community for scientific accuracy.
- Work with Tribal departments to identify notification pathways and marshalling of resources for locations needing remediation.
For Gold King Mine (GKM) Spill Project
- Continued outreach and response to needs identified by the project including training.
- Modeling support as requested.
- Editorial review as requested.
Aim 2. To provide service to pilot projects proposed by AI/AN communities.
- Swinomish Mold Project: The tribe has eliminated objective assessment of mold from the proposal. The ESC will continue to participate on conference calls and provide guidance. If requested, we will help with data collection and analysis.
- Navajo Water Project: The investigator is doing this project as part of a dissertation. Her committee has specific ideas of how the project should progress. The ESC is available to offer expertise.
- Sitka Marine Mammal Project: The ESC stands ready to provide expertise on dietary exposure assessment if requested. Requests of this group relate to CEC expertise in communication of results.
- San Carlos Apache Garbage Burning Project: The project has been approved and will use the ESC to provide equipment and sampling expertise to quantify population exposures to identified contaminants. We expect to aid with collection and calculation of exposures.
Aim 3. To work with the CEC, pilot project grantees and the community to translate data into action(s).
- The ESC is working with the HEHP to identify
- Tribal entities that should be informed of household hazards. The goal is to identify all resources that can be used by study participants to remediate home health risks.
- The ESC will participate with the HEHP in efforts instigated by the CEC to focus tribal efforts on remediation and potential policy change if desired by the Tribe.
- The ESC will participate in a workshop of tribal collaborators organized by the CEC to identify common issues and explore potential solutions.
Future Activities for the Pilot Project
At this time, Pilot Project Core (PPC) staff and applicants have nearly completed all work toward Aim 1 of the Pilot Core/Pilot Projects to develop research concepts and proposals. By the end of year 3, we will have initiated for two pilot projects (Year 3 Pilot Projects - Swinomish and Sitka). We anticipate full funding for all three pilot projects, Swinomish, Sitka and San Carlos (Year 4 Pilot Project) by the first quarter of year 4. All of these projects will be funded for two years.
In funding year 4, the PPC team will continue work began in year 3 to address Aims 2 and 3.
Specifically, the PPC will continue to ensure that all pilot project teams are convening for quarterly check-in phone meetings. The CIEHR teams assembled to assist the Swinomish, Sitka and San Carlos tribal/community research team will continue to provide guidance and expertise as needed to fulfill project objectives.
Specifically, the CEC leads will assist the pilot projects in development of community advisory boards (Aim 2), engaging community members in the research process (Aim 2), identifying sources of community strengths and resilience (Aim 3) and providing strategies to increase environmental health literacy (Aim 3). The ESC leads will work with the pilot project to identify and recruit and train community members to collect, interpret and analyze data gathered for each project (Aim 2).
Research Project 1
In the next reporting period, the Research Project 1 personnel plan to accomplish the following activities in pursuit of all research aims:
- Increase household sampling numbers. Work with the Hopi team members to identify additional strategies for sampling households more efficiently. For various cultural and community reasons, it has been difficult to get team members to work on weekends or after regular work hours; we have seen some movement on these issues as the team has become more invested in the project.
- Assure all QA/QC procedures are being implemented in the field and during data entry. Review results to assure that the field equipment and procedures are being performed as necessary.
- Assure that all team members remain trained and confident. Identify back-up interviewers and environmental technician so that team can remain in the field when one person is sick or has to leave the community for a period of time.
- Revise participant results reports and process, working with Hopi CAB and team members and ESC.
- Develop and implement training or continuing medical education for local health providers about interpretation of lung function test results
- Develop preliminary analysis reports both for community, the CAB, and for national presentations.
Research Project 2
In the next reporting period, the Research Project 2 personnel plan to accomplish the following activities in pursuit of all research aims:
- Increase household sampling numbers. Work with the Hopi team members to identify additional strategies for sampling households more efficiently. For various cultural and community reasons, it has been difficult to get team members to work on weekends or after regular work hours; we have seen some movement on these issues as the team has become more invested in the project.
- Assure all QA/QC procedures are being implemented in the field and during data entry. Review results to assure that the field equipment and procedures are being performed as necessary.
- Assure that all team members remain trained and confident. Identify back-up interviewers and environmental technician so that team can remain in the field when one person is sick or has to leave the community for a period of time.
- Revise participant results reports and process, working with Hopi CAB and team members and ESC.
- Develop and implement training or continuing medical education for local health providers about interpretation of lung function test results
- Develop preliminary analysis reports both for community, the CAB, and for national presentations.
Journal Articles: 14 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other center views: | All 76 publications | 14 publications in selected types | All 14 journal articles |
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Coksey E, Verhousgstraete M, Sneed S, Joseph C, Blohem J, Pakugana M, Joshwesonma L, Sheongva G, Hadeed S, Harris R, O'Rourke M. Drinking water and health assessment in a Northern Arizona community. HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT 2022;. |
R836151 (Final) |
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Hadeed S, O'Rourke M, Canales R, Joshweseoma L, Sehongva G, Paukgana M, Gonzalez-Figureroa E, Aslhmmari M, Burgess J, Harris R. Household and behavioral determinants of indoor PM2.5 in a rural solid fuel burning Native American community. INDOOR AIR 2021;31(6):2008-2019. |
R836151 (Final) |
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Corlin L, Rock T, Cordova J, Woodin M, Durant JL, Gute DM, Ingram J, Brugge D. Health effects and environmental justice concerns of exposure to uranium in drinking water. Current Environmental Health Reports 2017;3(4):434-442. |
R836151 (2017) R836151 (2019) R836151 (2020) |
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Mayer B, Joshweseoma L, Sehongva G. Environmental risk perceptions and community health:arsenic, air pollution, and threats to traditional values of the hopi tribe. Journal of community health 2019;44(5):896-902. |
R836151 (2020) |
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Carroll SR, Rodriguez-Lonebear D, Martinez A. Indigenous Data Governance:Strategies from United States Native Nations. Data Science Journal 2019;18(1)3; doi:10.5334/dsj-2019-031. |
R836151 (2020) |
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Credo J, Torkelson J, Rock T, Ingram JC. Quantification of elemental contaminants in unregulated water across western Navajo Nation. International journal of environmental research and public health 2019;16(15):2727. |
R836151 (2020) |
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Rock T, Camplain R, Teufel-Shone NI, Ingram JC. Traditional sheep consumption by Navajo people in Cameron, Arizona. International journal of environmental research and public health 2019;16(21):4195. |
R836151 (2020) |
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Jones MC, Credo JM, Ingram JC, Baldwin JA, Trotter Jr RT, Propper CR. Arsenic concentrations in ground and surface waters across Arizona including native lands. Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education 2020;169(1):44-60. |
R836151 (2020) |
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Yuan NP, Mayer BM, Joshweseoma L, Clichee D, Teufel-Shone NI. Development of Guidelines to Improve the Effectiveness of Community Advisory Boards in Health Research. Progress in Community Health Partnerships:Research, Education, and Action 2020;14(2):259-69. |
R836151 (2020) |
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Jones L, Credo J, Parnell R, Ingram JC. Dissolved uranium and arsenic in unregulated groundwater sources–Western Navajo Nation. Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education 2020;169(1):27-43. |
R836151 (2020) |
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Rock T, Ingram JC. Traditional Ecological Knowledge Policy Considerations for Abandoned Uranium Mines on Navajo Nation. Human Biology 2020;92(1):19-26. |
R836151 (2020) |
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Ingram JC, Jones L, Credo J, Rock T. Uranium and arsenic unregulated water issues on Navajo lands. Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A:Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films 2020;38(3):031003. |
R836151 (2020) |
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Hadeed SJ, O'Rourke MK, Burgess JL, Harris RB, Canales RA. Imputation methods for addressing missing data in short-term monitoring of air pollutants. Science of The Total Environment 2020:139140. |
R836151 (2020) R836151 (Final) |
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Nanibaa'A G, Barton KS, Porter KM, Mai T, Burke W, Carroll SR. Access and management:indigenous perspectives on genomic data sharing. Ethnicity & Disease. 2019 Dec 12;29(Supp):659-68. |
R836151 (2020) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
American Indian/Alaska Native, indigenous, environmental health, health disparities, community-based participatory research, resilience, capacity-building, social determinants of health, environmental health literacy, health policy, community strategies, community-research partnerships, environmental exposures, chemical contaminantsRelevant Websites:
Center for Indiginous Environmental Health Research Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original Abstract Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R836151C001 Health and Wellbeing Impact of Contamination of Traditional Food and Water on Navajo
R836151C002 Cumulative Environmental Effects: Expanding research with Hopi Tribe
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.
Project Research Results
- Final Report
- 2020 Progress Report
- 2019 Progress Report
- 2017 Progress Report
- 2016 Progress Report
- Original Abstract
14 journal articles for this center