Reporting Results of a Community-Based In-Home Exposure Monitoring Study: Developing Methods and Materials

Schollaert, Claire; Alvarez, Marty; Gillooly, Sara; Tomsho, Kathryn S.; Bongiovanni, Roseann; Chacker, Stacey; Aguilar, Temana; Vallarino, Jose; Adamkiewicz, Gary

doi:10.1353/cpr.2021.0011

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…This report-back effort reflects the joint work of the Home-based Observation and Monitoring Exposure (HOME) Study and Community Engagement Core members within the Center for Research on Environmental and Social Stressors in Housing across the Life Course (CRESSH) [ 36 ]. The HOME Study collected indoor air quality data in the homes of 78 participants living in Dorchester, Massachusetts.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A process for creating data report-back tools to improve equity in environmental health

et al. 2022

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Background Although there is increasing interest in reporting results of environmental research efforts back to participants, evidence-based tools have not yet been applied to developed materials to ensure their accessibility in terms of literacy, numeracy, and data visualization demand. Additionally, there is not yet guidance as to how to formally assess the created materials to assure a match with the intended audience. Methods Relying on formative qualitative research with participants of an indoor air quality study in Dorchester, Massachusetts, we identified means of enhancing accessibility of indoor air quality data report-back materials for participants. Participants (n = 20) engaged in semi-structured interviews in which they described challenges they encountered with scientific and medical materials and outlined written and verbal communication techniques that would help facilitate engagement with and accessibility of environmental health report-back materials. We coupled these insights from participants with best practice guidelines for written materials by operationalizing health literacy tools to produce accessible audience-informed data report-back materials. Results The resulting data report-back materials had a 7th -grade reading level, and between a 4th -8th grade level of overall document complexity. The numeracy skills required to engage with the material were of the lowest demand, and we incorporated best practices for risk communication and facilitating understanding and actionability of the materials. Use of a rigorous assessment tool provides evidence of accessibility and appropriateness of the material for the audience. Conclusions We outline a process for developing and evaluating environmental health data reports that are tailored to inspire risk-reduction actions, and are demonstrably accessible in terms of their literacy, numeracy, and data visualization demand. Adapting health literacy tools to create and evaluate environmental data report-back materials is a novel and evidence-based means of ensuring their accessibility.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A process for creating data report-back tools to improve equity in environmental health

et al. 2022

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“…The plan for data communication and dissemination should also be covered during the consenting process. While methodologies are still developing for the appropriate evaluation of the reporting back results, it is essential that we understand how communities are using this information to advance the environmental health and justice [ 98 , 99 ].…”

Section: Environmental Justice Framework Components and Principlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

An applied environmental justice framework for exposure science

Horne

Alcala

Peltier

et al. 2022

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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On the 30th anniversary of the Principles of Environmental Justice established at the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit in 1991 (Principles of Environmental Justice), we continue to call for these principles to be more widely adopted. We propose an environmental justice framework for exposure science to be implemented by all researchers. This framework should be the standard and not an afterthought or trend dismissed by those who believe that science should not be politicized. Most notably, this framework should be centered on the community it seeks to serve. Researchers should meet with community members and stakeholders to learn more about the community, involve them in the research process, collectively determine the environmental exposure issues of highest concern for the community, and develop sustainable interventions and implementation strategies to address them. Incorporating community “funds of knowledge” will also inform the study design by incorporating the knowledge about the issue that community members have based on their lived experiences. Institutional and funding agency funds should also be directed to supporting community needs both during the “active” research phase and at the conclusion of the research, such as mechanisms for dissemination, capacity building, and engagement with policymakers. This multidirectional framework for exposure science will increase the sustainability of the research and its impact for long-term success.

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“…Report-back for HOME consisted of general and individualized information which characterized common routes of exposure to indoor air contaminants, as well as numerical, text, and graphical representations of participants’ in-home air concentrations of these contaminants. The study team completed the report-back for Chelsea without MCR in summer 2018, manually creating individualized reports for each participant [ 26 , 27 ]. For the report-back in Dorchester (winter 2020), the study team used MCR to generate reports using numerical, text, and graphical results prepared in R and Microsoft Excel.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

MCR: Open-Source Software to Automate Compilation of Health Study Report-Back

Polka

Childs

Friedman

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Sharing individualized results with health study participants, a practice we and others refer to as “report-back,” ensures participant access to exposure and health information and may promote health equity. However, the practice of report-back and the content shared is often limited by the time-intensive process of personalizing reports. Software tools that automate creation of individualized reports have been built for specific studies, but are largely not open-source or broadly modifiable. We created an open-source and generalizable tool, called the Macro for the Compilation of Report-backs (MCR), to automate compilation of health study reports. We piloted MCR in two environmental exposure studies in Massachusetts, USA, and interviewed research team members (n = 7) about the impact of MCR on the report-back process. Researchers using MCR created more detailed reports than during manual report-back, including more individualized numerical, text, and graphical results. Using MCR, researchers saved time producing draft and final reports. Researchers also reported feeling more creative in the design process and more confident in report-back quality control. While MCR does not expedite the entire report-back process, we hope that this open-source tool reduces the barriers to personalizing health study reports, promotes more equitable access to individualized data, and advances self-determination among participants.

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Reporting Results of a Community-Based In-Home Exposure Monitoring Study: Developing Methods and Materials

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

A process for creating data report-back tools to improve equity in environmental health

A process for creating data report-back tools to improve equity in environmental health

An applied environmental justice framework for exposure science

MCR: Open-Source Software to Automate Compilation of Health Study Report-Back

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