TY - JOUR
T1 - Communication in a Human biomonitoring study
T2 - Focus group work, public engagement and lessons learnt in 17 European countries
AU - Exley, Karen
AU - Cano, Noemi
AU - Aerts, Dominique
AU - Biot, Pierre
AU - Casteleyn, Ludwine
AU - Kolossa-Gehring, Marike
AU - Schwedler, Gerda
AU - Castaño, Argelia
AU - Angerer, Jürgen
AU - Koch, Holger M
AU - Esteban, Marta
AU - Schoeters, Greet
AU - Den Hond, Elly
AU - Horvat, Milena
AU - Bloemen, Louis
AU - Knudsen, Lisbeth E.
AU - Joas, Reinhard
AU - Joas, Anke
AU - Dewolf, Marie-Christine
AU - Van de Mieroop, Els
AU - Katsonouri, Andromachi
AU - Hadjipanayis, Adamos
AU - Cerna, Milena
AU - Krskova, Andrea
AU - Becker, Kerstin
AU - Fiddicke, Ulrike
AU - Seiwert, Margarete
AU - Mørck, Thit A
AU - Rudnai, Peter
AU - Kozepesy, Szilvia
AU - Cullen, Elizabeth
AU - Kellegher, Anne
AU - Gutleb, Arno C
AU - Fischer, Marc E
AU - Ligocka, Danuta
AU - Kamińska, Joanna
AU - Namorado, Sónia
AU - Fátima Reis, M
AU - Lupsa, Ioana-Rodica
AU - Gurzau, Anca E
AU - Halzlova, Katarina
AU - Jajcaj, Michal
AU - Mazej, Darja
AU - Tratnik, Janja Snoj
AU - Huetos, Olga
AU - López, Ana
AU - Berglund, Marika
AU - Larsson, Kristin
AU - Sepai, Ovnair
N1 - Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2015/8/1
Y1 - 2015/8/1
N2 - A communication strategy was developed by The Consortium to Perform Human Biomonitoring on a European Scale (COPHES), as part of its objectives to develop a framework and protocols to enable the collection of comparable human biomonitoring data throughout Europe. The framework and protocols were tested in the pilot study DEMOCOPHES (Demonstration of a study to Coordinate and Perform Human biomonitoring on a European Scale). The aims of the communication strategy were to raise awareness of human biomonitoring, encourage participation in the study and to communicate the study results and their public health significance. It identified the audiences and key messages, documented the procedure for dissemination of results and was updated as the project progressed. A communication plan listed the tools and materials such as press releases, flyers, recruitment letters and information leaflets required for each audience with a time frame for releasing them. Public insight research was used to evaluate the recruitment material, and the feedback was used to improve the documents. Dissemination of results was coordinated in a step by step approach by the participating countries within DEMOCOPHES, taking into account specific national messages according to the needs of each country. Participants received individual results, unless they refused to be informed, along with guidance on what the results meant. The aggregate results and policy recommendations were then communicated to the general public and stakeholders, followed by dissemination at European level. Several lessons were learnt that may assist other future human biomonitoring studies. Recruitment took longer than anticipated and so social scientists, to help with community engagement, should be part of the research team from the start. As a European study, involving multiple countries, additional considerations were needed for the numerous organisations, different languages, cultures, policies and priorities. Therefore, communication documents should be seen as templates with essential information clearly indicated and the option for each country to tailor the material to reflect these differences. Future studies should consider setting up multidisciplinary networks of medical professionals and communication experts, and holding training workshops to discuss the interpretation of results and risk communication. Publicity and wide dissemination of the results helped to raise awareness of human biomonitoring to the general public, policy makers and other key stakeholders. Effective and timely communication, at all stages of a study, is essential if the potential of human biomonitoring research to improve public health is to be realised.
AB - A communication strategy was developed by The Consortium to Perform Human Biomonitoring on a European Scale (COPHES), as part of its objectives to develop a framework and protocols to enable the collection of comparable human biomonitoring data throughout Europe. The framework and protocols were tested in the pilot study DEMOCOPHES (Demonstration of a study to Coordinate and Perform Human biomonitoring on a European Scale). The aims of the communication strategy were to raise awareness of human biomonitoring, encourage participation in the study and to communicate the study results and their public health significance. It identified the audiences and key messages, documented the procedure for dissemination of results and was updated as the project progressed. A communication plan listed the tools and materials such as press releases, flyers, recruitment letters and information leaflets required for each audience with a time frame for releasing them. Public insight research was used to evaluate the recruitment material, and the feedback was used to improve the documents. Dissemination of results was coordinated in a step by step approach by the participating countries within DEMOCOPHES, taking into account specific national messages according to the needs of each country. Participants received individual results, unless they refused to be informed, along with guidance on what the results meant. The aggregate results and policy recommendations were then communicated to the general public and stakeholders, followed by dissemination at European level. Several lessons were learnt that may assist other future human biomonitoring studies. Recruitment took longer than anticipated and so social scientists, to help with community engagement, should be part of the research team from the start. As a European study, involving multiple countries, additional considerations were needed for the numerous organisations, different languages, cultures, policies and priorities. Therefore, communication documents should be seen as templates with essential information clearly indicated and the option for each country to tailor the material to reflect these differences. Future studies should consider setting up multidisciplinary networks of medical professionals and communication experts, and holding training workshops to discuss the interpretation of results and risk communication. Publicity and wide dissemination of the results helped to raise awareness of human biomonitoring to the general public, policy makers and other key stakeholders. Effective and timely communication, at all stages of a study, is essential if the potential of human biomonitoring research to improve public health is to be realised.
U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2014.12.003
DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2014.12.003
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 25499539
SN - 0013-9351
VL - 141
SP - 31
EP - 41
JO - Environmental Research
JF - Environmental Research
ER -