an extensive public health experience in helping state
describe health effects; pathways of human exposure;
and tribal governments and communities identify and
and the behavior of more than 250 hazardous
reduce exposures to contaminants in the environment.
substances in air, soil, and water at hazardous waste
sites. The toxicological profiles primarily are used as
ATSDR's Response to Mandate
a comprehensive resource by health professionals at
ATSDR formed an Alaska Traditional Diet Project
all levels. These profiles have been sent to requesters,
(ATDP) team to address the mandate from Congress.
including representatives of federal, state, and local
In consultation and collaboration with the Alaska De-
health and environmental departments; academic
partment of Health and Social Services, other state
institutions; private industries; and nonprofit
and federal agencies, Alaska Native organizations, and
organizations in Alaska. ATSDR also has developed
tribes, ATSDR provided funding to the ANHB. The
extensive resources for community members.
questionnaire (FFQ), and limited biota (food) sampling
for environmental contaminant testing.
The grant to ANHB, which begun in September 2001
and has been extended through fiscal year 2004,
includes training and monies to Alaska Native villages
to conduct the FFQ and analyze the data collected. The
FFQ provides information about food eaten seasonally
experts will provide information on the nutrients
present in these foods.
The project is being closely coordinated with Alaska
Natives and, through tribal input, will build capacity
within the native villages for future projects. Thirteen
villages were funded to collect FFQ data; these
villages are located in four broad, regional areas of
Alaska--the interior, the southeast, the west coast,
and the Arctic slope. All 13 communities and their
respective health corporations recently cleared the
FFQ results for release. The FFQ results were used to
of these communities. This limited food sampling is
ongoing.
Resource Materials
ATSDR develops materials for public health
professionals and medical care providers to use
to assess the public health impacts of chemical
exposures. These resources are available in print, on
the ATSDR Web site, and on CD-ROM. For example,
medical management guidelines are available for acute
chemical exposures to more than 50 chemicals. These
guidelines were designed to aid emergency department
physicians and other emergency health care
professionals, such as first responders, who manage
For more information, contact ATSDR toll-free
at 1-888-42ATSDR (1-888-422-8737) or visit the
acute exposures resulting from chemical incidents.
ATSDR Web site at www.atsdr.cdc.gov.
ATSDR's toxicological profiles comprehensively
April 2004
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