Environmental Health

The challenges of environmental health are diverse—ranging from the chronic health effects of urban air pollution to the immediate and long-term threat of toxic waste to increases in infectious disease from unsafe water supplies. JSI staff provide services at international, national, regional and local levels advocating sound environmental policy, enhanced capacity for managing programs, and strengthened grassroots organizations at the community level to implement environmental health action. As part of these endeavors, JSI documents its research and programs to increase the understanding of how environmental elements contribute to people's health.

Please note the following are listed in chronological order starting with the most recent publication.

Finding Information on Environment and Health

This PowerPoint presentation was created for JSI's Informed Communities Project. It showcases the environmental health resources available through the National Library of Medicine which communities can use to protect their environment and health.

Finding Information on Environment and Health (PDF, 5,925 KB)

Environment and Health: Learn About the Environment Where You Live. Protect the Health of Your Family and Community.

This tutorial by JSI walks you through the process of creating a profile of environment and health in your community. Residents, local officials, students, and others can use this as a guide to locating pollution sources and addressing health risks. Filled with valuable sources of information, it uses a case study of Woburn, MA, along with other community models.

Environment and Health (PDF, 916 KB)

JSI Health and Environment Contact Guides

The JSI Center for Environmental Health Studies has compiled guides to provide ready starting points for individuals interested in investigating potential environmental sources of health problems in their communities. Health and Environment contact guides have been tailored for the following:

General Public (PDF, 277 KB)
Native Americans (PDF, 106 KB)

Community Best Practice Models on Asthma and the Environment

This listing of best practices is intended to help communities plan effective strategies, tailored to their community's unique needs and resources, to advance indoor and outdoor environmental protections that can protect residents from the harm caused by asthma. With a focus on New Hampshire, the models are of value to all communities.

Community Best Practice Models on Asthma and the Environment (PDF, 348 KB)

Asthma and the Environment—Contact Listing

This listing was adapted from those compiled by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Asthma Control Program. It contains contacts that can help communities address asthma by improving environmental conditions.

Asthma and the Environment—Contact Listing (PDF, 31 KB)

Asthma and the Environment

This presentation was made to the New Hampshire Public Health Network to share model best practices for communities to reduce the burden of asthma through addressing factors in home, school, community, and workplace environments.

Asthma and the Environment (Powerpoint, 2.1 MB)

The Lawrence Campaign Leadership Story: Reducing Air Toxics Through Compliance Assistance for Spanish Speaking Auto Body Shop Workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts

The following case study features the JSI Project Reducing Air Toxics through Compliance Assistance for Spanish Speaking Auto Body Shop Workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts. It has been named by the EPA Office of Air Toxics in Washington, DC as a National Model of Leadership for overcoming barriers of language, literacy, and cultural differences that prevented Spanish-speaking auto body shop workers from compliance with regulations.

The Lawrence Campaign Leadership Story (PDF, 1.5 MB)

From Confrontation to Collaboration: A Case Study of the Dow Chemical Company Hazardous Waste Site

In January, 2004 JSI released a case study documenting a multi-year effort by residents of Wayland, Massachusetts to negotiate investigation and cleanup of a Dow Chemical Company Research and Development facility. The case study was written by Anne Marie Desmarais, MSPH, LSP and Irwin Silverstein, Ph.D., P.E., LSP who served as Technical Advisors to the NED/DOW Neighbors Group. It documents a confrontational process that led to a collaborative working relationship among all parties as the residents concerns were validated and addressed.

From Confrontation to Collaboration (PDF, 583 KB)
Dow Chemical Company Hazardous Waste Site Case Study Report (PDF, 492 KB)
Appendix I Key Stakeholder Roles, Responsibilities, Goals, and Expectations (PDF, 28.3 KB)
Appendix II Overview of Site Description, Investigation, and Remediation Activities, and Discussion of Major Areas of Disagreement (PDF, 50.7 KB)
Appendix III Human Health and Environmental Risk Characterization and Health Concerns at the Dow Site (PDF, 49.1 KB)

Ritual Use of Mercury: Assessment and Education Project

In June 2003, the JSI Center For Environmental Health Studies conducted an educational program and assessed the use of elemental mercury for spiritual, ritual, and cultural practices among Latino residents of Lawrence, Massachusetts. The study was conducted by Latino residents who have been hired and trained as environmental health educators in the community.

Ritual Use of Mercury Final Project Report (PDF, 227 KB)

Is Mercury Poisoning You? Brochure, English Version (PDF, 1.4 MB)

Is Mercury Poisoning You? Brochure, Spanish Version (PDF, 2.2 MB)

Cancer and Workers Exposed to Ionizing Radiation: A Review of Research Literature

In May 2003, the JSI Center For Environmental Health Studies released a report Cancer and Workers Exposed to Ionizing Radiation: A Review of Research Literature based on research conducted by JSI consultant Ken Silver for workers at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The report is a series of fact sheets organized by type of cancer. Each fact sheet lists the findings of health studies on radiation and it's effect on these specific cancers.

Cancer and Workers Exposed to Ionizing Radiation (PDF, 3.63 MB)

Fact Sheets on Cancer and Exposure to Ionizing Radiation:

Introduction (PDF, 414 KB)
Bladder Cancer (PDF, 28.5 KB)
Bone Cancer (PDF, 23.6 KB)
Brain Cancer (PDF, 29.2 KB)
Breast Cancer (PDF, 28.2 KB)
Cervical and Uterine Cancer (PDF, 25.6 KB)
Esophageal Cancer (PDF, 24.4 KB)
Hodgkin's Disease (PDF, 25.4 KB)
Kidney Cancer (PDF, 28.4 KB)
Leukemia (PDF, 37.6 KB)
Liver Cancer (PDF, 27.8 KB)
Lung Cancer (PDF, 37.4 KB)
Multiple Myeloma (PDF, 25.9 KB)
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (PDF, 28.7 KB)
Cancer of the Oral Cavity and Pharynx (PDF, 24.4 KB)
Ovarian Cancer (PDF, 28.7 KB)
Pancreatic Cavity Cancer (PDF, 28.0 KB)
Prostate Cancer and Exposure (PDF, 28.3 KB)
Stomach Cancer (PDF, 27.8 KB)
Testicular Cancer (PDF, 27.3 KB)
Thyroid Cancer and other Thyroid Diseases (PDF, 25.3 KB)
References (PDF, 102 KB)

The Change Agent (Issue #10): Connections to Our Environment

JSI collaborates with its sister organization, World Education Inc., to advance areas of health literacy. An example is the following issue of The Change Agent that focuses on environmental education. Developed for the New England Literacy Resource Center, The Change Agent is a flexible teaching and learning resource for literacy educators. The content is a mix of classroom-ready material and background articles that can deepen and extend learners' and educators' knowledge in the topic area.

Connections to Our Environment (PDF, 617 KB)