Characterizing Children’s Exposures to Hazardous Environmental Chemicals: A Case Study in Communicating Personalized Risk Information. T. A. Louis and K. Sexton, The RAND Corporation, and University of Minnesota
Today, improvements in measurement technology and analytical methods afford opportunities for practical and affordable exposure assessments based on in-depth and broad-based monitoring of adults and children. The extent of exposure-related information that can be collected for each research participant is unprecendented, both in terms of breadth (10s to 100s of individual chemicals) and depth (environmental, personal, and biological measurements). Although these measurements effectively characterize short-term exposures, they are not necessarily valid surrogates for long-term exposures. Therefore, translating measured values into "personalized" risk profiles and communicating results to study participants and other interested parties raises important risk communication issues for both Government and Industry. We use the Minnesota Children’s Pesticide Exposure Study (MNCPES) as a case study to explore two important and interrelated questions. How should the health significance of personalized exposure information be evaluated, interpreted, and summarized? How should these assessments be communicated to ensure accuracy, scientific credibility, and privacy, while at the same time providing recipients with easy-to-use and easy-to-understand information? Our focus is on examining how different answers to these questions can affect the long-term credibility of the risk communication process. Based on the MNCPES experience, we outline a strategy and identify practical approaches for conveying personalized health risk information to children, their families, and other stakeholders.
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