Participant Experiences with Human Biomonitoring in Communities Affected by Chronic PFAS Environmental Contamination in the Veneto Region (Italy)

Marialuisa Menegatto (), Andrea Bobbio, Gloria Freschi, Francesca Celeste Conti, Maria Cristina Cola, Michela Zamboni and Adriano Zamperini ()
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Marialuisa Menegatto: FISPPA Department, University of Padova, Via Venezia 14, 35131 Padova, Italy
Andrea Bobbio: FISPPA Department, University of Padova, Via Venezia 14, 35131 Padova, Italy
Gloria Freschi: FISPPA Department, University of Padova, Via Venezia 14, 35131 Padova, Italy
Francesca Celeste Conti: FISPPA Department, University of Padova, Via Venezia 14, 35131 Padova, Italy
Maria Cristina Cola: Mamme NO PFAS Vicenza, Padova and Verona, 36045 Italy
Michela Zamboni: Mamme NO PFAS Vicenza, Padova and Verona, 36045 Italy
Adriano Zamperini: FISPPA Department, University of Padova, Via Venezia 14, 35131 Padova, Italy

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 8, 1-18

Abstract: This exploratory study investigated how health concerns related to chronic environmental contamination and how satisfaction with the human biomonitoring (HBM) process influence the perceived quality of life in the context of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in the Veneto Region (Italy). We administered a questionnaire to 84 residents of the Red Area, where PFAS exposure is classified as most severe. The main findings revealed that satisfaction with HBM was positively correlated with perceived quality of life and showed a statistically significant but modest moderation effect on the relationship between PFAS-related health concerns and quality of life (explaining 17.4% of the variance). Particularly, it attenuates the negative effect that PFAS health concerns have on quality of life. Differences between subgroups revealed heightened concern regarding PFAS health risks among women vs. men and participants with children vs. those without. These results underscore the central role of relational and communication aspects of HBM programs to mitigate psychological distress and possibly contribute to higher perceived well-being. The study highlights the need for tailored public health interventions, including transparent communication, empathetic support, and community engagement, to address the psychosocial dimensions of environmental contamination.

Keywords: risk communication; participatory research; environmental health; public health; social psychology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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