Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors NIEHS Environmental Health Science Core Center (P30 ES020957) Led by Melissa Runge-Morris, MD and Christine Cole Johnson, PhD, MPH, HFHS Impacts from Living and Working in an Urban Industrialized Environment (Detroit) Exposure to chemical and non-chemical “stressors” Who is most vulnerable? Age, socioeconomic status, healthcare access, refugees, high-risk occupations Life windows of heightened susceptibility: when in life are you at the most risk? Goal: Disease prevention through community awareness and public policy change

Fostering Bi-Directional Communication Rejecting the old Research led by institutions/scientists “Traditional” methods of dissemination: journal articles, posters, seminars Community at-large engaged minimally or not at all Embracing a new framework of participation Community stakeholders, impacted populations involved Dissemination varies by audience Engagement can initiate interventions and policy change

Fostering Bi-Directional Communication Community Advisory Board Funding research rooted in solving local problems “Snowballing” list of concerns and community feedback through public forums

Community Advisory Board

Collaborative Process Our Process Starts with an EH Topic Defined by Detroiters Topic Science Collaboration Dissemination Input from CAB and Detroit residents via evaluation inform topics Scientists present to CAB on topic of concern Scientists, CEC, and CAB collaborate and plan to determine information and resource needs for events Event held in community, video recorded, edited, disseminated in smaller venues, and supporting printed materials are created together

Fostering Bi-Directional Communication New Ideas in Asthma Prevention Getting the Lead Out: Detroit Perspectives Healthy Homes: What You Need To Know Digging In for Good Health: Gardening in Detroit Mental Health & Neighborhood Stressors Neighborhood Air Quality Understanding Urban Water Systems Graying Green: Aging and Climate Change Good Food = Good Health