Popular epidemiology and toxic waste contamination: lay and professional ways of knowing

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Journal of Health and Social Behavior; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/2137356· OSTI ID:6913158

Brown, P ^[1]

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1. Brown University, Providence, RI (United States)

Building on a detailed study of the Woburn, Massachusetts, childhood leukemia cluster, this paper examines lay and professional ways of knowing about environmental health risks. Of particular interest are differences between lay and professional groups' definitions of data quality, methods of analysis, traditionally accepted levels of measurement and statistical significance, and relations between scientific method and public policy. This paper conceptualizes the hazard-detection and solution-seeking activities of Love Canal, Woburn, and other communities as popular epidemiology: the process by which lay persons gather data and direct and marshal the knowledge and resources of experts in order to understand the epidemiology of disease, treat existing and prevent future disease, and remove the responsible environmental contaminants. Based on different needs, goals, and methods, laypeople and professionals have conflicting perspectives on how to investigate and interpret environmental health data.

• OSTI ID: 6913158
• Journal Information: Journal of Health and Social Behavior; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Health and Social Behavior; (United States) Vol. 33:3; ISSN 0022-1465; ISSN JHSBA5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
ATTITUDES
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
EPIDEMIOLOGY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDUSTRY
LEGAL ASPECTS
MAMMALS
MAN
MASSACHUSETTS
MATERIALS
PRIMATES
RISK ASSESSMENT
TOXIC MATERIALS
VERTEBRATES
WASTES