Communicating Risks after Exposure Has Ended: Former Workers' Perspectives on PCBs

Abstract

While the importance of worker notification has been widely recognized, little attention has been paid to social and psychological contexts in which worker notification occurs, especially after the exposure has ended. This study explores workers' perspectives on exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a toxic material whose manufacture in the United States ended in 1977. Four focus groups were conducted with former workers (n = 29) who were exposed to PCBs. Verbatim transcriptions were analyzed. Participants considered living in the PCB-contaminated community more dangerous than handling PCBs on the job. While they firmly believed that PCBs in the environment caused serious health problems, participants expressed doubts about the toxicity of PCBs in the workplace. Both beliefs undermined the value of worker notification about occupational exposure to PCBs. A long-term relationship between workers and researchers would provide opportunities to cultivate better understanding of the hazard and facilitate the process of worker notification.

Participation in a US community-based cardiovascular health study: investigating nonrandom selection effects related to employment, perceived stress, work-related stress, and family caregiving

“…While the magnitude of non-response bias appears limited within the REGARDS cohort, it is important to note that general population samples may exhibit greater nonresponse than population-specific samples (e.g., industrial or worksite-specific) [34]. Because prior investigations of non-participation among employed samples have been performed primarily within organizational research studies [12], our findings address an important gap within the broader public health literature; the findings additionally highlight the need for community-based health researchers to consider and accommodate employment-related barriers to study participation and to effectively communicate the benefits of participation within the most economically active segment of the population [35,36]. It is noteworthy, however, that mounting evidence suggests that participation rates and non-response biases often do not substantially impact exposure-response investigations [37], including investigations examining associations between occupational class and health [38].…”

The potential disruption of estrogen and androgen homeostasis and adipocyte differentiation by metabolites of common airborne polychlorinated biphenyls

“…PCBs were also used as lubricants, dielectric fluids, insulating condensers, and adhesives. By the late1970s, their use in products was banned because of their adverse environmental and health effects [19][20][21].…”