Advancing Environmental Health Literacy through Interactive, Hands-on Science Kits for Community Use

Session: Beyond Peer Review: Why You Must Connect Your Science to Stakeholders (and how to do it) (4)

Katrina Korfmacher, University of Rochester, [email protected]
Dina Markowitz, University of Rochester, [email protected]
Caitlin Fallone, University of Rochester, [email protected]

Abstract
Funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has supported the development of environmental education materials by four university-based community engagement programs; University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Columbia University, We Act in West Harlem, NY and the University of Rochester Medical Center. These community environmental health (CEH) kits provide an engaging, hands-on resource for diverse community audiences to build environmental health literacy. The CEH kits cover a range of topics, including drinking water quality from private wells and municipal sources, lead poisoning testing and prevention, healthy homes, breast cancer, and skin cancer and UV radiation exposure. They are graphically rich, story-based, involve limited reading, and integrate hands-on activities that take approximately 20 minutes. CEH kits contain all materials and instructions packaged in a zip-top bag, they require no preparation by a facilitator, making them accessible and easy to use in a wide variety of community settings. Addressed in this presentation are the process of developing the CEH kits and possible applications of the kits with diverse community audiences. We will also present challenges to developing these kits, as well as best practices that were identified during this process.