Citation:

Benedict, K., D. Lobdell, AND A. Rappold. Translation of EPA Research: Data Interpretation and Communication Strategies. ISES 2017, RTP, North Carolina, October 15 - 19, 2017.

Impact/Purpose:

This presentation will provide examples of risk communication tools and indices being developed at the EPA such as communication strategies for wildfires and air sensors and indices incorporating various environmental domains (chemical and non-chemical stressors).

Description:

Symposium Title: Social Determinants of Health, Environmental Exposures, and Disproportionately Impacted Communities: What We Know and How We Tell Others Topic 3: Community Engagement and Research Translation Title: Translation of EPA Research: Data Interpretation and Communication Strategies Kristen Benedict, Danelle Lobdell, and Ana Rappold Translation and communication of scientific findings will enable communities and individuals to limit exposure and reduce risks of adverse health effects. This presentation will provide examples of risk communication tools and indices being developed at the EPA such as communication strategies for wildfires and air sensors and indices incorporating various environmental domains (chemical and non-chemical stressors). Low-cost, portable air quality sensors that report air pollutant measurements in increments as short as one minute are becoming readily available. As availability and use increases, so does the need to help people interpret and communicate the relationship between a short-term sensor reading and health effects that may be experienced after longer exposure time periods. This presentation will provide a brief overview of a “sensor scale” designed to make instantaneous outdoor air quality data useful for the public pilot project and a summarize feedback received to date. The impacts of wildfire smoke exposure on the cardiopulmonary hospitalizations and doctor visits are well documented; but less is known about the health burden due to the less severe outcomes, which affect a wider population. This presentation will introduce the Smoke Sense Study – a crowd sourced study of wildfire smoke impacts on health. This study improves understanding of the low severity health impacts in populations and determines health risk communication strategies that reduce the public health burden. The EPA has also developed an Environmental Quality Index that includes five domains: air, water, land, sociodemographic and built environments. This presentation will include information on accessing the publically available data and how US EPA has used this index in research efforts. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this abstract do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Record Details: