Development and successful application of a "Community-First" communication model for community-based environmental health research.

Objectives: Effectively communicate results from a community exposure study to meet predetermined community priorities, maintaining ethical principles of autonomy, empowerment and justice.

Methods: The community established principles for the communications and a plan to inform study participants, community and other stakeholders of results and recommendations in a novel sequence: the "Community-First" communication model.

Results: The communications resulted in positive actions including company sponsored free bottled water, accepted by 77.

Community exposure to perfluorooctanoate: relationships between serum levels and certain health parameters.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether certain biomarkers of toxicity and/or a past diagnosis of liver or thyroid disease were associated with serum perfluorooctanoate concentrations (PFOA) in a community with longstanding environmental exposure to PFOA.

Methods: Serum (PFOA), hematologic and biochemical biomarkers, and a questionnaire were administered to 371 residents selected by stratified random sampling and a lottery among volunteers. Median PFOA was 354 ng/mL (interquartile range, 181-571 ng/mL).

Community exposure to perfluorooctanoate: relationships between serum concentrations and exposure sources.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine serum (perfluorooctanoate [PFOA]) in residents near a fluoropolymer production facility: the contributions from air, water, and occupational exposures, personal and dietary habits, and relationships to age and gender.

Methods: The authors conducted questionnaire and serum PFOA measurements in a stratified random sample and volunteers residing in locations with the same residential water supply but with higher and lower potential air PFOA exposure.

Results: Serum (PFOA) greatly exceeded general population medians.