CHAPTER FOUR: HEALTH EDUCATION AND PROMOTION
former municipal landfill that was developed, in part, for residential use. To
address the residents' health concerns, ATSDR distributed environmental
health information to all 462 health care providers who serve the community.
In addition, ATSDR provided a training seminar that 165 of these health care
providers attended -- a group who collectively serves more than 90 percent of
the community. More than 300 community residents responded to an
environmental health questionnaire. Clinical evaluations were conducted
during September, October, and November 1999.
ATSDR also conducts a number of health promotion activities that are not
site specific, but may be used at a number of sites, including developing case
studies for training health care professionals and developing other educational
materials.
Case Studies Developed for Health Care Professionals
The ATSDR series Case Studies in Environmental Medicine continues to be
one of the most sought-after tools for training health care professionals who
practice near communities affected by hazardous waste sites, attend
undergraduate medical schools and residency programs, or take
environmental courses at schools of public health. These documents are
intended to increase the knowledge base of primary care providers with
information about hazardous substances in the environment and to aid in their
evaluation of potentially exposed individuals.
During FY 1999, a web-based interactive case study, Immunological
Disorders, was developed for the agency by the Eastern Research Group and the
American College of Medical Toxicology. This is the first interactive case study
developed for the agency. The Immunological Disorders case study will be the
highlight of a Web site developed exclusively for case studies. Two other new
case studies were developed by the American College of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine: Children and Environmental Hazards and
Environmental Asthma. These case studies will be printed in limited numbers
and also posted on the Internet.
Hazardous Substances and Public Health Newsletter
ATSDR's free, quarterly newsletter Hazardous Substances and Public Health
(HSPH) is distributed in print and Internet versions. Its goal is to increase
awareness and educate environmental and public health professionals and
others about (1) the effects of hazardous substances on health, (2) means of
preventing or mitigating exposure to hazardous substances, and (3) effectively
communicating and using information about hazardous substances and
environmental health. Almost 10,000 copies of each issue of the newsletter's
printed version were distributed. The newsletter was also available on the
Internet through ATSDR's Web site. The newsletter's presence on the Internet
increases reader response, requests, and queries regarding general
environmental health issues. In FY 1999, the home page for the electronic
version of the newsletter was accessed approximately 69,116 times.
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