Fostering public health awareness on risks in contaminated sites. Capacity building and dissemination of scientific evidence

Abstract

The article focuses on the multidisciplinary nature of public health and the need to develop target oriented capacity building and dissemination plans taking into account both scientific evidence and the information needs of the different stakeholders. In particular, issues regarding stakeholders' involvement in epidemiological studies in contaminated sites, considering their different levels of awareness on risk characterization and management, are discussed. In a public health perspective, the main stakeholders in contaminated sites are researchers and public health officers, risk managers and policy makers, population residing in the contaminated areas, environmental associations, patient's organizations. The different components of a dissemination strategy addressed to different stakeholders are analyzed with the objective to create awareness and preparedness to facilitate management in contaminated sites, foster scientific knowledge and informed decisions to consolidate risk perception through science-driven information.