“They Kept Going for Answers”: Knowledge, Capacity, and Environmental Health Literacy in Michigan’s PBB Contamination

Erin Lebow-Skelley (), Brittany B. Fremion, Martha Quinn, Melissa Makled, Norman B. Keon, Jane Jelenek, Jane-Ann Crowley, Melanie A. Pearson and Amy J. Schulz
Additional contact information
Erin Lebow-Skelley: HERCULES Exposome Research Center, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Brittany B. Fremion: Department of History, World Languages and Cultures, Central Michigan University, 1200 S. Franklin St., Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
Martha Quinn: Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Melissa Makled: Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Norman B. Keon: Mid-Michigan District Health Department, 151 Commerce Dr, Ithaca, MI 48847, USA
Jane Jelenek: PBB Leadership Team, Alma, MI 48801, USA
Jane-Ann Crowley: PBB Leadership Team, Alma, MI 48801, USA
Melanie A. Pearson: HERCULES Exposome Research Center, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Amy J. Schulz: Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-26

Abstract: The Michigan PBB Oral History Project documented community residents’ descriptions of a large-scale chemical contamination—the PBB contamination—that occurred in Michigan in 1973. These oral histories document residents’ and others’ experiences during and after the contamination. We conducted a grounded theory qualitative analysis of 31 oral histories to examine the experiences of community members, researchers, lawyers, and others who actively sought out and contributed essential information about the contamination and its impacts. Our findings highlight several challenges encountered in the development of this knowledge including four central themes—contested knowledge, community skills, inaction, and uncertainty. Integrating environmental health literacy, community capacity, and contested illness frameworks, we examine the contributions of community residents, scientists (from inside and outside the community), and others to the development of knowledge to inform decisions and sustain action regarding this large-scale contamination. We close with a discussion of lessons learned regarding efforts to build environmental health knowledge within uncertain and often contested contexts and for promoting environmental health and action related to large-scale chemical contaminations. Our findings suggest the importance of integrated frameworks for examining and promoting the critical role of community skills, leadership, participation, sense of community, and community power in promoting environmental health.

Keywords: contested knowledge; contested illness; PBB; oral histories; community mobilization; environmental health literacy; community capacity; community engagement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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