BACKGROUND: The Navajo Nation suffers from a legacy of environmental pollution from historical uranium mining activities, resulting in adverse public health outcomes and continuous exposure. OBJECTIVE: Partner with a Navajo graduate student and community members in a field campaign to characterize the spatial distribution and geochemistry of uranium for a multipathway uranium exposure assessment under development by the Dine Network for Environmental Health (DiNEH) project. METHODS: Attend community meetings, acquire Navajo language skills, and integrate local knowledge into sampling approach of sediment, water, and vegetation. RESULTS: Navajo participation (1) helped to foster trust in research efforts during community interactions, (2) taught aspects of Navajo culture and language to maintain positive and respectful relations, and (3) conveyed information on Navajo culture that would impact sampling strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Community engagement helps to sustain equitable partnerships and aids in culturally appropriate, relevant data collection.
BACKGROUND: The Navajo Nation suffers from a legacy of environmental pollution from historical uranium mining activities, resulting in adverse public health outcomes and continuous exposure. OBJECTIVE: Partner with a Navajo graduate student and community members in a field campaign to characterize the spatial distribution and geochemistry of uranium for a multipathway uranium exposure assessment under development by the Dine Network for Environmental Health (DiNEH) project. METHODS: Attend community meetings, acquire Navajo language skills, and integrate local knowledge into sampling approach of sediment, water, and vegetation. RESULTS: Navajo participation (1) helped to foster trust in research efforts during community interactions, (2) taught aspects of Navajo culture and language to maintain positive and respectful relations, and (3) conveyed information on Navajo culture that would impact sampling strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Community engagement helps to sustain equitable partnerships and aids in culturally appropriate, relevant data collection.
Entities:
Keywords:
Environmental health; community health partnerships; community-based participatory research; disorders of environmental origin; environmental illness
Authors: Goran Gajski; Višnja Oreščanin; Marko Gerić; Robert Kollar; Ivanka Lovrenčić Mikelić; Vera Garaj-Vrhovac Journal: Environ Sci Pollut Res Int Date: 2014-08-05 Impact factor: 4.223
Authors: Jamie L deLemos; Doug Brugge; Miranda Cajero; Mallery Downs; John L Durant; Christine M George; Sarah Henio-Adeky; Teddy Nez; Thomas Manning; Tommy Rock; Bess Seschillie; Chris Shuey; Johnnye Lewis Journal: Environ Health Date: 2009-07-09 Impact factor: 5.984
Authors: Leona F Davis; Mónica D Ramirez-Andreotta; Jean E T McLain; Aminata Kilungo; Leif Abrell; Sanlyn Buxner Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2018-10-09 Impact factor: 3.390