Stop and Listen to the People: An Enhanced Approach to Cancer Cluster Investigations.

HEALTH risk assessment; CLINICAL medicine research; PUBLIC health administration; COMMUNITY health services; RISK factors of environmental exposure; CLUSTER analysis (Statistics); FEAR; LISTENING; MEDICAL needs assessment; TUMORS; UNCERTAINTY; NARRATIVES

Cancer cluster investigations need to address the disconnect between traditional public health approaches and human needs. Cancer cluster investigations often magnify fear and uncertainty because they rarely find a definitive environmental cause. Traditional approaches emphasize population-level data analysis and undervalue active listening. Because few studies have explored active listening in cancer cluster investigations, we conducted a descriptive oral history case study of a Frederick, Maryland, investigation. We interviewed 12 community members and 9 public health professionals about the investigation of a perceived cancer cluster. Many believed it was linked to environmental contamination at Fort Detrick, a local US Army base. We propose enhanced active listening that seeks out peoples’ perspectives, validates their concerns, and engages them in the investigative process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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