Fish Consumption Advisories and Outreach Programs for Southeast Asian Immigrants

Abstract

Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees, in particular the Hmong people of Laos, have settled in large numbers in metropolitan areas of Minnesota. These communities, accustomed to hunting and fishing for food in Laos, now fish in some of the most contaminated waters of Minnesota. Fishing and fish-preparation customs of their homeland emphasize using all fish caught and discarding very little waste. These practices result in a potentially high exposure to PCBs and mercury. Educational outreach efforts to inform this population of the potential health hazards from consuming the fish are hindered by language and cultural barriers. While most Hmong anglers welcome information about contaminants and fishing, the typical press releases and mailings that convey fish advisory information to the public do not reach this community. The Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources collaborated to determine the health messages and communication methods that would best meet the needs of these communities. Using the results of interviews and a behavioral survey, the Minnesota Department of Health has tailored fish consumption advisories to meet the unique needs of Southeast Asian anglers. Over the past four years, educational programs involving specialized advisories, translations, signs, a Hmong language video, and workshops have been used to inform Hmong anglers and other Southeast Asians about fish contaminants.

Asian American and Pacific Islander seafood consumption — a community-based study in King County, Washington

“…Hmong (n ¼ 30) who fished the Mississippi River near Minneapolis averaged 3.373.0 fish meals/month (selfharvested during summer months) (Shubat et al, 1996). Fish was eaten one or more times/week by 34%; one time/ week by 35%; less than one time/week by 15%; and zero times/week by 16% of Samoans (n ¼ 204) living in American Samoa (recall of diet over last 1 month) (American Samoa, 1995).…”

Hazards Associated with the Consumption of Sea Turtle Meat and Eggs: A Review for Health Care Workers and the General Public

“…A public health campaign in a country such as Mexico should utilize common communication tools like comics. Press releases may not be effective for all audiences; finfish consumption advisories for immigrants in the US include translations, signs, educational videos, and workshops (Shubat et al, 1996).…”

Framing Scientific Analyses for Risk Management of Environmental Hazards by Communities: Case Studies with Seafood Safety Issues

“…In the context of fish contamination issues, community involvement is often limited to informing activities. There is a growing literature describing, evaluating, and improving these activities, most related to the issuance of fish advisories (Burger et al 2003; Connelly and Knuth 1998; Jardine 2003; Knuth et al 2003; Shubat et al 1996). A common theme from many of these studies is the need for two-way communication and earlier involvement by communities.…”

“…The issuance of advisories tends to be a top-down process, as decisions about acceptable risks and alternatives are often made without including affected parties. Such top-down processes may not be appropriate for all consumption and cultural groups [Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) 1994; Sechena et al 1999; Shubat et al 1996; Suquamish Tribe 2000; Toy et al 1996]. This is reflected in the increasing number of fish advisory evaluations calling for early involvement (Jardine 2003).…”