Working with community organizations to evaluate potential disease clusters

Abstract

Increasingly, private citizens are organizing themselves to resist the intrusion of hazardous substances in their residential environments, or to promote the removal of the same. This movement is the source of the acronym (NIMBY-Not In My Back Yard). In North Carolina, the Cancer Surveillance Section has several experiences working with such community organizations. We have developed a commentary of our experience and observations on some of the characteristics that are more conductive to successful endeavors to resolve perception of increased health risk. Advantages and disadvantages of joint (health agency/concerned citizens group) studies or surveys are described. A case study of a successful joint survey to ascertain possible increased cancer incidence is described.