Abstract
Background: On August 5, 2015, the Gold King Mine Spill (GKMS) resulted in 3 million gallons of acid mine drainage spilling into the San Juan River impacting the Diné Bikeyah (traditional homelands of the Navajo people). The Gold King Mine Spill Diné Exposure Project was formed to understand the impacts of the GKMS on the Diné (Navajo). Reporting individualized household results in an exposure study is becoming more common; however, materials are often developed with limited community input with knowledge flowing in one direction - from researcher to participant. In this study we examined the development, dissemination, and evaluation of individualized results materials. Methods: In August 2016, Navajo Nation Community Health Representatives (Navajo CHRs) sampled household water, dust, and soil, and resident blood and urine for lead and arsenic, respectively. From May–July 2017, iterative dialogue with a wide range of community partners and a community focus groups guided the development of a culturally-based dissemination process. In August 2017, Navajo CHRs reported individualized results and they surveyed the participants on the report-back process at that time. Results: All of the 63 Diné adults (100%) who participated in the exposure study received their results by a CHR in person and 42 (67%) completed an evaluation. Most of those participants (83%) were satisfied with the result packets. Respondents ranked the individual and overall household results as the most important information they received (69% and 57%, respectively), while information on metals exposures and their health effects were the least helpful. Conclusions: Our project illustrates how a model of environmental health dialogue, defined by iterative, multidirectional communication among Indigenous community members, trusted Indigenous leaders, Indigenous researchers, non-Indigenous researchers, can improve reporting individualized study results. Findings can inform future research to encourage multi-directional environmental health dialogue to craft more culturally responsive and effective dissemination and communication materials.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 116196 |
| Journal | Environmental Research |
| Volume | 231 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 15 2023 |
Keywords
- Diné (Navajo)
- Disaster
- Environment health dialogue
- Environmental justice
- Gold king mine spill
- Indigenous health
- Report back of research results
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Environmental Science(all)
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In: Environmental Research, Vol. 231, 116196, 15.08.2023.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Using environmental health dialogue in a Diné-centered approach for individualized results reporting in an environmental exposure study following the Gold King Mine Spill
AU - Van Horne, Yoshira Ornelas
AU - Carroll, Stephanie Russo
AU - Chief, Karletta
AU - Lothrop, Nathan Z.
AU - Richards, Jennifer R.
AU - Begay, Mae Gilene
AU - Charley, Perry H.
AU - Ingram, Jani C.
AU - Beamer, Paloma I.
N1 - Funding Information: The project was initiated within two months of the Gold King Mine Spill. The partnerships began to be developed and the research concept was presented and approved by Shiprock Chapter, San Juan River Farm Board, District 13 Grazing Committee (Chapters under Districts 12 and 13 were involved), Nenahazaad Chapter, and Northern Navajo Council with letters of support from Navajo Nation President and Vice President, and community partners. Using a culturally-centered Diné approach over 10 council resolutions supporting the GKMS-DEP were obtained (Teufel-Shone et al., 2021). In addition to these resolutions this project was also approved by the Navajo Nation Human Research Review Board and the University of Arizona Human Subjects Protection Program.We would like to thank the Navajo Nation under the administration of President Russell Begay and Vice-President Jonathan Nez for their leadership in addressing the impact of the Gold King Mine Spill on the Diné people through the development of the Gold King Mine Spill Diné Exposure Project (GKMS-DEP). We thank the Navajo Nation Human Subjects Review Board for their oversight in IRB protocol NNR-16.234. We appreciate the support of Navajo Nation Department of Health; Navajo Environmental Protection Agency, and Division of Natural Resources. We are honored to work with the Navajo Community Health Representative Program; the Shiprock, Aneth, and Upper Fruitland Chapter Governments of the Navajo Nation; Tó Bei Nihi Dziil; and Diné College. We thank Janene Yazzie of Tó Bei Nihi Dziil for co-hosting listening sessions and focus groups. We thank Chili Yazzie, Diné leader and President of Shiprock Chapter; the late Dr. Larry Emerson, founder of the Diné Centered Research and Evaluation; for decolonizing Gold King Mine Spill (GKMS) Diné Exposure Project research approaches and methodologies. We thank Al Yazzie and David Delmar for linguistic support in translating scientific terms into the Diné language and translation of Diné language in focus groups into English. We thank Al Yazzie for feedback in developing questions, facilitating listening sessions, focus groups, surveys, and trainings; co-presenting at Navajo IRB meetings; dialogue with Diné community members in the Diné language; and reporting back to Navajo leadership. We would like to thank participants who opened their homes to the GKMS Diné Exposure Project, and Diné who participated in the listening sessions, teach-ins, focus groups, cross-watershed dialogues, and Gold King Mine tour. We thank Kevin Lombard, Gaurav Jha, and Brandon Francis of New Mexico State University in participating in GKMS Teach-Ins; Chief Scientist of New Mexico Dennis McQuillan for his support of GKMS Teach-Ins, mine tour and engagement of Diné farmers; and New Mexico Water Resources Institute for the partnership in involving Diné farmers in the San Juan/Animas conferences over the course of six years. We thank the Navajo Medicine Men's Association, Diné Centered Research and traditional knowledge holders for their input and guidance in the project. The GKMS Diné Exposure Project is tremendously grateful to Navajo CHRs, Diné College, Al Yazzie, Rachelle Begay, Rietta Wagoner, and Xiaobo Xou for their assistance during the results dissemination campaign. We are grateful to Agnes Attakai (Diné), the Director of Health Disparities Outreach & Prevention Education at University of Arizona College of Public Health, for reviewing the flipbook draft. We are thankful to Amy Jorgenson for illustrating our environmental health dialogue model. This work was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS R21ES026948); the Agnese Nelms Haury Foundation; University of Arizona Superfund Research Program (NIEHS P42 ES004940); Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (NIEHS P30 ES006694); the Center for Indigenous Environmental Health Research (NIEHS P50ES026089 and EPA R836151); and the University of Arizona Libraries. Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne was supported by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (T32 ES007091) and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair in Environmental History “Indigenous Peoples and Water.” Jennifer Rae Richards received support from CIEHR Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (P50ES026089-01). Paloma I. Beamer was supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (K25 HL103970). This publication's contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Funding Information: We would like to thank the Navajo Nation under the administration of President Russell Begay and Vice-President Jonathan Nez for their leadership in addressing the impact of the Gold King Mine Spill on the Diné people through the development of the Gold King Mine Spill Diné Exposure Project (GKMS-DEP). We thank the Navajo Nation Human Subjects Review Board for their oversight in IRB protocol NNR-16.234. We appreciate the support of Navajo Nation Department of Health; Navajo Environmental Protection Agency , and Division of Natural Resources. We are honored to work with the Navajo Community Health Representative Program; the Shiprock, Aneth, and Upper Fruitland Chapter Governments of the Navajo Nation; Tó Bei Nihi Dziil; and Diné College. We thank Janene Yazzie of Tó Bei Nihi Dziil for co-hosting listening sessions and focus groups. We thank Chili Yazzie, Diné leader and President of Shiprock Chapter; the late Dr. Larry Emerson, founder of the Diné Centered Research and Evaluation; for decolonizing Gold King Mine Spill (GKMS) Diné Exposure Project research approaches and methodologies. We thank Al Yazzie and David Delmar for linguistic support in translating scientific terms into the Diné language and translation of Diné language in focus groups into English. We thank Al Yazzie for feedback in developing questions, facilitating listening sessions, focus groups, surveys, and trainings; co-presenting at Navajo IRB meetings; dialogue with Diné community members in the Diné language; and reporting back to Navajo leadership. We would like to thank participants who opened their homes to the GKMS Diné Exposure Project, and Diné who participated in the listening sessions, teach-ins, focus groups, cross-watershed dialogues, and Gold King Mine tour. We thank Kevin Lombard, Gaurav Jha, and Brandon Francis of New Mexico State University in participating in GKMS Teach-Ins; Chief Scientist of New Mexico Dennis McQuillan for his support of GKMS Teach-Ins, mine tour and engagement of Diné farmers; and New Mexico Water Resources Institute for the partnership in involving Diné farmers in the San Juan/Animas conferences over the course of six years. We thank the Navajo Medicine Men's Association, Diné Centered Research and traditional knowledge holders for their input and guidance in the project. The GKMS Diné Exposure Project is tremendously grateful to Navajo CHRs, Diné College, Al Yazzie, Rachelle Begay, Rietta Wagoner, and Xiaobo Xou for their assistance during the results dissemination campaign. We are grateful to Agnes Attakai (Diné), the Director of Health Disparities Outreach & Prevention Education at University of Arizona College of Public Health, for reviewing the flipbook draft. We are thankful to Amy Jorgenson for illustrating our environmental health dialogue model. This work was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences ( NIEHS R21ES026948 ); the Agnese Nelms Haury Foundation; University of Arizona Superfund Research Program ( NIEHS P42 ES004940 ); Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center ( NIEHS P30 ES006694 ); the Center for Indigenous Environmental Health Research ( NIEHS P50ES026089 and EPA R836151 ); and the University of Arizona Libraries. Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne was supported by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences ( T32 ES007091 ) and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) Chair in Environmental History “Indigenous Peoples and Water.” Jennifer Rae Richards received support from CIEHR Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research ( P50ES026089-01 ). Paloma I. Beamer was supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute ( K25 HL103970 ). This publication's contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2023/8/15
Y1 - 2023/8/15
N2 - Background: On August 5, 2015, the Gold King Mine Spill (GKMS) resulted in 3 million gallons of acid mine drainage spilling into the San Juan River impacting the Diné Bikeyah (traditional homelands of the Navajo people). The Gold King Mine Spill Diné Exposure Project was formed to understand the impacts of the GKMS on the Diné (Navajo). Reporting individualized household results in an exposure study is becoming more common; however, materials are often developed with limited community input with knowledge flowing in one direction - from researcher to participant. In this study we examined the development, dissemination, and evaluation of individualized results materials. Methods: In August 2016, Navajo Nation Community Health Representatives (Navajo CHRs) sampled household water, dust, and soil, and resident blood and urine for lead and arsenic, respectively. From May–July 2017, iterative dialogue with a wide range of community partners and a community focus groups guided the development of a culturally-based dissemination process. In August 2017, Navajo CHRs reported individualized results and they surveyed the participants on the report-back process at that time. Results: All of the 63 Diné adults (100%) who participated in the exposure study received their results by a CHR in person and 42 (67%) completed an evaluation. Most of those participants (83%) were satisfied with the result packets. Respondents ranked the individual and overall household results as the most important information they received (69% and 57%, respectively), while information on metals exposures and their health effects were the least helpful. Conclusions: Our project illustrates how a model of environmental health dialogue, defined by iterative, multidirectional communication among Indigenous community members, trusted Indigenous leaders, Indigenous researchers, non-Indigenous researchers, can improve reporting individualized study results. Findings can inform future research to encourage multi-directional environmental health dialogue to craft more culturally responsive and effective dissemination and communication materials.
AB - Background: On August 5, 2015, the Gold King Mine Spill (GKMS) resulted in 3 million gallons of acid mine drainage spilling into the San Juan River impacting the Diné Bikeyah (traditional homelands of the Navajo people). The Gold King Mine Spill Diné Exposure Project was formed to understand the impacts of the GKMS on the Diné (Navajo). Reporting individualized household results in an exposure study is becoming more common; however, materials are often developed with limited community input with knowledge flowing in one direction - from researcher to participant. In this study we examined the development, dissemination, and evaluation of individualized results materials. Methods: In August 2016, Navajo Nation Community Health Representatives (Navajo CHRs) sampled household water, dust, and soil, and resident blood and urine for lead and arsenic, respectively. From May–July 2017, iterative dialogue with a wide range of community partners and a community focus groups guided the development of a culturally-based dissemination process. In August 2017, Navajo CHRs reported individualized results and they surveyed the participants on the report-back process at that time. Results: All of the 63 Diné adults (100%) who participated in the exposure study received their results by a CHR in person and 42 (67%) completed an evaluation. Most of those participants (83%) were satisfied with the result packets. Respondents ranked the individual and overall household results as the most important information they received (69% and 57%, respectively), while information on metals exposures and their health effects were the least helpful. Conclusions: Our project illustrates how a model of environmental health dialogue, defined by iterative, multidirectional communication among Indigenous community members, trusted Indigenous leaders, Indigenous researchers, non-Indigenous researchers, can improve reporting individualized study results. Findings can inform future research to encourage multi-directional environmental health dialogue to craft more culturally responsive and effective dissemination and communication materials.
KW - Diné (Navajo)
KW - Disaster
KW - Environment health dialogue
KW - Environmental justice
KW - Gold king mine spill
KW - Indigenous health
KW - Report back of research results
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85160428046&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85160428046&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116196
DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116196
M3 - Article
C2 - 37211184
AN - SCOPUS:85160428046
SN - 0013-9351
VL - 231
JO - Environmental Research
JF - Environmental Research
M1 - 116196
ER -