Reporting Individual Exposure Results

As a pioneer of “report-back,” Silent Spring Institute remains on the cutting edge of research on the ethical reporting of personal exposure results and the development of guidelines for best practices.

Publications and Presentations

Korfmacher, K.S. and J.G. Brody. 2023. Moving Forward with Reporting Back Individual Environmental Health Research Results. Environmental Health Perspectives. 131(12). https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12463

Article

Boronow, K.E., B. Cohn, L. Havas, M. Plumb, J.G. Brody. 2023. The Effect of Individual or Study-Wide Report-Back on Knowledge, Concern, and Exposure-Reducing Behaviors Related to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. Environmental Health Perspectives. 131(9):097005. doi:10.1289/EHP12565.

Article

Ohayon, J.L., S. Rasanayagam, R.A. Rudel, S. Patton, H. Buren, T. Stefani, J. Trowbridge, C. Clarity, J.G. Brody, R. Morello-Frosch. 2023. Translating community-based participatory research into broadscale sociopolitical change: insights from a coalition of women firefighters, scientists, and environmental health advocatesEnvironmental Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-023-01005-7

Article

Oksas, C., J.G. Brody, P. Brown, K.E. Boronow, E. DeMicco, A. Charlesworth, M. Juarez, S. Geiger, S.L. Schantz, T.J. Woodruff, R. Morello-Frosch. 2022. Perspectives of peripartum people on opportunities for personal and collective action to reduce exposure to everyday chemicals: Focus groups to inform exposure report-backEnvironmental Research212(Pt A):113173. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113173.

Article

Brody, J.G., P.M. Cirillo, K.E. Boronow, L. Havas, M. Plumb, H.P. Susmann, K.Z. Gajos, and B.A. Cohn. 2021. Outcomes from Returning Individual versus Only Study-Wide Biomonitoring Results in an Environmental Exposure Study Using the Digital Exposure Report-Back Interface (DERBI). Environmental Health Perspectives. 129(11):117005. doi: 10.1289/EHP9072

Article

Perovich, L.J., P. Cai, A. Guo, K. Zimmerman, K. Paseman, D.E. Silva, J.G. Brody. 2021. Data Clothing and BigBarChart: Designing Physical Data Reports on Indoor Pollutants for Individuals and Communities. IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications. 41(1): 87-98. doi: 10.1109/MCG.2020.3025322

Article

Brody J.G., P. Brown, R.A. Morello-Frosch (2019). Returning Chemical Exposure Results to Individuals and Communities. In S. Finn & L. O'Fallon (eds), Environmental Health Literacy (pp. 135-163). Springer, Cham. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-94108-0_6 (first online September 13, 2018)

Book Chapter

Perovich, L.J., J.L. Ohayon, E.M. Cousins, R. Morello-Frosch, P. Brown, G. Adamkiewicz, J.G. Brody. 2018. Reporting to parents on children’s exposures to asthma triggers in low-income and public housing, an interview-based case study of ethics, environmental literacy, individual action, and public health benefitsEnvironmental Health, 17(48). doi: 10.1186/s12940-018-0395-9.

Article

Carrera, J.S., P. Brown, J.G. Brody, R. Morello-Frosch. 2018. Research altruism as motivation for participation in community-centered environmental health research. Social Science & Medicine. 196:175-181. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.11.028

Abstract

Boronow, K.E., H.P. Susmann, K.Z. Gajos, R.A. Rudel, K.C. Arnold, P. Brown, R. Morello-Frosch, L. Havas, J.G. Brody. 2017. DERBI: A Digital Method to Help Researchers Offer “Right-to-Know” Personal Exposure Results. Environmental Health Perspectives, 125(2):A27-A33. doi:10.1289/EHP702.

Article

Ohayon, J.L., E. Cousins, P. Brown, R. Morello-Frosch, J.G. Brody. 2017. Researcher and institutional review board perspectives on the benefits and challenges of reporting back biomonitoring and environmental exposure results. Environmental Research, 153:140-149. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2016.12.003

Article

Judge, J.M., P. Brown, J.G. Brody, and S. Ryan. 2016. The Exposure Experience: Ohio River Valley Residents Respond to Local Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) Contamination. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 57(3):333-350. doi:10.1177/0022146516661595.

Article

Ramirez-Andreotta, M., J.G. Brody, N. Lothrop, M. Loh, P.I. Beamer and P. Brown. 2016. Improving Environmental Health Literacy and Justice through Environmental Exposure Results Communication. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(7):690. doi:10.3390/ijerph13070690

Article

Goho, S. 2016. The Legal Implications of Report-Back in Household Exposure Studies. Environmental Health Perspectives, 124(11):1662-1670. doi:10.1289/EHP187.

Article

Ramirez-Andreotta, M., J.G. Brody, N. Lothrop, M. Loh, P.I. Beamer, P. Brown. 2016. Reporting back environmental exposure data and free choice learning. Environmental Health, 15(2). doi:10.1186/s12940-015-0080-1

Article

Saxton, D.I., P. Brown, S. Seguinot-Medina, L. Eckstein, D.O. Carpenter, P. K. Miller, V. Waghiyi. 2015. Environmental Justice and the Right to Research: IRB Opposition to Chemical Biomonitoring of Breast MilkEnvironmental Health, 14(90). doi:10.1186/s12940-015-0076-x

Article

Green Housing Study Your Family's Results. 2015. Silent Spring Institute.

Sample Study Report

Morello-Frosch, R., J. Varshavsky, M. Liboiron, P. Brown, J.G. Brody. 2015. Communicating Results in Post-Belmont Era Biomonitoring Studies: Lessons from Genetics and Neuroimaging Research. Environmental Research, 136:363-372. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.001

Article

Brody, J.G., S.C. Dunagan, R. Morello-Frosch, P. Brown, S. Patton, R.A. Rudel. 2014. Reporting individual results for biomonitoring and environmental exposures: lessons learned from environmental communication case studies. Environmental Health, 13(40). doi:10.1186/1476-069X-13-40

Article

Dunagan, S.C., J.G. Brody, R. Morello-Frosch, P. Brown, S. Goho, J. Tovar, S. Patton, R. Danford. 2013 When Pollution Is Personal: Handbook for Reporting Results In Biomonitoring and Personal Exposure Studies. Silent Spring Institute.

Study Report

Quigley, D. 2012. Applying Bioethical Principles to Place-Based Communities and Cultural Group Protections: The Case of Biomonitoring Results Communication. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 40(2):348–358. doi:10.1111/j.1748-720X.2012.00668.x

Article

Brown, P., J.G. Brody, R. Morello-Frosch, J. Tovar, A.R. Zota, R.A. Rudel. 2012. Measuring the Success of Community Science: The Northern California Household Exposure Study. Environmental Health Perspectives, 120(3):326–331. doi:10.1289/ehp.1103734

Article

Adams, C., P. Brown, R. Morello-Frosch, J.G. Brody, R. Rudel, A. Zota, S. Dunagan, J. Tovar, S. Patton. 2011. Disentangling the Exposure Experience: The Roles of Community Context and Report-back of Environmental Exposure Data. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 52(2):180-196. doi:10.1177/0022146510395593

Article

Morello-Frosch, R., P. Brown, J.G. Brody, R.G. Altman, R. Rudel, A. Zota, C. Perez. 2011. Experts, Ethics, and Environmental Justice: Communication and Contesting Results from Personal Exposure Science. Technoscience and Environmental Justice: Expert Cultures in a Grassroots Movement, eds. G. Ottinger and B. Cohen, 93-118. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Book Preview

Brown, P., R. Morello-Frosch, J.G. Brody, R.G. Altman, R. Rudel, L. Senier, C. Perez, R. Simpson. 2010. Institutional review board challenges related to community-based participatory research on human exposure to environmental toxins: A case study. Environmental Health, 9:39. doi:10.1186/1476-069X-9-39

Article

Brody, J.G., R. Morello-Frosch, A. Zota, P. Brown, C. Perez, R.A. Rudel. 2009. Linking Exposure Assessment Science with Policy Objectives for Environmental Justice and Breast Cancer Advocacy: The Northern California Household Exposure Study. American Journal of Public Health, 99 Suppl 3, Suppl 3:S600-S609. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2008.149088

Article

Brody, J.G., R. Morello-Frosch, P. Brown, R.A. Rudel. 2009. Letter to the editor: Reporting Individual Results for Environmental Chemicals in Breastmilk in a Context That Supports Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding Medicine, 4(2):121-121. doi:10.1089/bfm.2009.0006

Letter

Morello-Frosch, R., J.G. Brody, P. Brown, R.G. Altman, R. Rudel, C. Perez. 2009. Toxic Ignorance and Right-to-Know in Biomonitoring Results Communication: A Survey of Scientists and Study Participants. Environmental Health, 8(6). doi:10.1186/1476-069X-8-6

Article

Altman, R.G., R. Morello-Frosch, J.G. Brody, R. Rudel, P. Brown, M. Averick. 2008. Pollution Comes Home and Gets Personal: Women’s Experience of Household Chemical Exposure. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 49(4):417-435. doi:10.1177/002214650804900404

Article

Brody, J.G., R. Morello-Frosch, P. Brown, R.A. Rudel, R.G. Altman, M. Frye, C.A. Osimo, C. Perez, L.M. Seryak. 2007. Improving disclosure and consent: “Is it safe?”: New ethics for reporting personal exposures to environmental chemicals. American Journal of Public Health, 97(9):1547-1554. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2006.094813

Article