Communication in a Human biomonitoring study: Focus group work, public engagement and lessons learnt in 17 European countries

Karen Exley; Noemi Cano; Dominique Aerts; Pierre Biot; Ludwine Casteleyn; Marike Kolossa-Gehring; Gerda Schwedler; Argelia Castaño; Jürgen Angerer; Holger M Koch; Marta Esteban; Greet Schoeters; Elly Den Hond; Milena Horvat; Louis Bloemen; Lisbeth E. Knudsen; Reinhard Joas; Anke Joas; Marie-Christine Dewolf; Els Van de Mieroop; Andromachi Katsonouri; Adamos Hadjipanayis; Milena Cerna; Andrea Krskova; Kerstin Becker; Ulrike Fiddicke; Margarete Seiwert; Thit A Mørck; Peter Rudnai; Szilvia Kozepesy; Elizabeth Cullen; Anne Kellegher; Arno C Gutleb; Marc E Fischer; Danuta Ligocka; Joanna Kamińska; Sónia Namorado; M Fátima Reis; Ioana-Rodica Lupsa; Anca E Gurzau; Katarina Halzlova; Michal Jajcaj; Darja Mazej; Janja Snoj Tratnik; Olga Huetos; Ana López; Marika Berglund; Kristin Larsson; Ovnair Sepai

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2014.12.003

Communication in a Human biomonitoring study: Focus group work, public engagement and lessons learnt in 17 European countries

Karen Exley, Noemi Cano, Dominique Aerts, Pierre Biot, Ludwine Casteleyn, Marike Kolossa-Gehring, Gerda Schwedler, Argelia Castaño, Jürgen Angerer, Holger M Koch, Marta Esteban, Greet Schoeters, Elly Den Hond, Milena Horvat, Louis Bloemen, Lisbeth E. Knudsen, Reinhard Joas, Anke Joas, Marie-Christine Dewolf, Els Van de MieroopAndromachi Katsonouri, Adamos Hadjipanayis, Milena Cerna, Andrea Krskova, Kerstin Becker, Ulrike Fiddicke, Margarete Seiwert, Thit A Mørck, Peter Rudnai, Szilvia Kozepesy, Elizabeth Cullen, Anne Kellegher, Arno C Gutleb, Marc E Fischer, Danuta Ligocka, Joanna Kamińska, Sónia Namorado, M Fátima Reis, Ioana-Rodica Lupsa, Anca E Gurzau, Katarina Halzlova, Michal Jajcaj, Darja Mazej, Janja Snoj Tratnik, Olga Huetos, Ana López, Marika Berglund, Kristin Larsson, Ovnair Sepai

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Journal	Environmental Research
Volume	141
Pages (from-to)	31–41
Number of pages	11
ISSN	0013-9351
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2014.12.003
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2015

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Exley, K., Cano, N., Aerts, D., Biot, P., Casteleyn, L., Kolossa-Gehring, M., Schwedler, G., Castaño, A., Angerer, J., Koch, H. M., Esteban, M., Schoeters, G., Den Hond, E., Horvat, M., Bloemen, L., Knudsen, L. E., Joas, R., Joas, A., Dewolf, M-C., ... Sepai, O. (2015). Communication in a Human biomonitoring study: Focus group work, public engagement and lessons learnt in 17 European countries. Environmental Research, 141, 31–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2014.12.003

Exley, K, Cano, N, Aerts, D, Biot, P, Casteleyn, L, Kolossa-Gehring, M, Schwedler, G, Castaño, A, Angerer, J, Koch, HM, Esteban, M, Schoeters, G, Den Hond, E, Horvat, M, Bloemen, L, Knudsen, LE, Joas, R, Joas, A, Dewolf, M-C, Van de Mieroop, E, Katsonouri, A, Hadjipanayis, A, Cerna, M, Krskova, A, Becker, K, Fiddicke, U, Seiwert, M, Mørck, TA, Rudnai, P, Kozepesy, S, Cullen, E, Kellegher, A, Gutleb, AC, Fischer, ME, Ligocka, D, Kamińska, J, Namorado, S, Fátima Reis, M, Lupsa, I-R, Gurzau, AE, Halzlova, K, Jajcaj, M, Mazej, D, Tratnik, JS, Huetos, O, López, A, Berglund, M, Larsson, K & Sepai, O 2015, 'Communication in a Human biomonitoring study: Focus group work, public engagement and lessons learnt in 17 European countries', Environmental Research, vol. 141, pp. 31–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2014.12.003

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title = "Communication in a Human biomonitoring study: Focus group work, public engagement and lessons learnt in 17 European countries",

abstract = "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.",

author = "Karen Exley and Noemi Cano and Dominique Aerts and Pierre Biot and Ludwine Casteleyn and Marike Kolossa-Gehring and Gerda Schwedler and Argelia Casta{\~n}o and J{\"u}rgen Angerer and Koch, {Holger M} and Marta Esteban and Greet Schoeters and {Den Hond}, Elly and Milena Horvat and Louis Bloemen and Knudsen, {Lisbeth E.} and Reinhard Joas and Anke Joas and Marie-Christine Dewolf and {Van de Mieroop}, Els and Andromachi Katsonouri and Adamos Hadjipanayis and Milena Cerna and Andrea Krskova and Kerstin Becker and Ulrike Fiddicke and Margarete Seiwert and M{\o}rck, {Thit A} and Peter Rudnai and Szilvia Kozepesy and Elizabeth Cullen and Anne Kellegher and Gutleb, {Arno C} and Fischer, {Marc E} and Danuta Ligocka and Joanna Kami{\'n}ska and S{\'o}nia Namorado and {F{\'a}tima Reis}, M and Ioana-Rodica Lupsa and Gurzau, {Anca E} and Katarina Halzlova and Michal Jajcaj and Darja Mazej and Tratnik, {Janja Snoj} and Olga Huetos and Ana L{\'o}pez and Marika Berglund and Kristin Larsson and Ovnair Sepai",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2015",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.envres.2014.12.003",

language = "English",

volume = "141",

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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

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 -

Communication in a Human biomonitoring study: Focus group work, public engagement and lessons learnt in 17 European countries

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