How do we engage communities in our research?

When people understand how they are exposed to toxic chemicals, they can take steps to protect themselves. Silent Spring has long been at the forefront of this work, developing innovative methods for sharing knowledge with research participants and the general public.

Our work is grounded in the ethical principles of autonomy, justice, and beneficence. For instance, our evidence-based strategies for sharing personal results with study participants support their “right to know” and increase their access to environmental health information. These same principles are reflected in our community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods, in which we engage communities in developing research questions and approaches that address and respect the concerns and desires of the community.