Project Summary (2006-2010)

The Community Outreach Core (COC) is working with the Research Translation Core (RTC), with the program's Advisory Boards in East Chicago, Indiana and Columbus Junction, Iowa and with school principals in Chicago to address their environmental concerns through measurements of airborne PCBs in their communities, integration of these activities with ongoing educational programs, and dissemination of the findings to the communities at large. The Community Advisory Board in Indiana has for several years felt that PCB contamination from industrial sources in its community is a potential health problem. Projects within the ISBRP are outgrowths of these concerns. The detailed exposure measurements in families, homes, schools and around the proposed storage site for the dredging of the Indiana Harbor directly address these issues. Although PCB contamination is of less concern to the communities in Columbus Junction and Chicago, both these groups have a long history of working with project investigators on asthma related projects and are enthusiastic about extending their involvement to examination of airborne PCBs. Measurements in these communities build upon well developed existing infrastructures, utilizing the resources of the schools and mobile vans in Chicago that regularly visit 43 schools in the city. Core staff are hiring community residents to assist in data collection and educational programs, which are being integrated into existing activities at local schools and community agencies. The Advisory Boards meet regularly throughout the project, assist in organizing related activities, serve as liaisons with the communities at large, and work with the investigators to disseminate project findings.