Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, SUNY Downstate School of Public Health, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
J Community Health. 2012 Aug;37(4):745-53. doi: 10.1007/s10900-012-9575-7.
Exposure to mercury (Hg) in utero can have neurotoxic effects on the developing fetus. Mercury exposure in women of childbearing age has been associated with frequent fish consumption, coastal proximity, foreign birth, and exposure during ritualistic practices. The aim of this study was to identify culturally-appropriate strategies to disseminate messages on the hazards of in utero Hg exposure in fertile and pregnant women in a predominantly urban immigrant community in Flatbush, Brooklyn, following findings from a recent study on mercury exposure in this community. Nineteen key informant interviews were conducted in Flatbush, Brooklyn with community members, medical professionals, fishmongers, and a religious practitioner to solicit feedback on culturally sensitive methods to educate the community on Hg hazards. The main themes identified include clinical integration, where providers integrate the message in routine care; community integration, whereby influential organizations and community members foster message delivery; media usage; and message reinforcement via continuous exposure. It is vital for healthcare providers and public health practitioners to be culturally sensitive in educating their patients on fish selection during pregnancy and safety of handling Hg. Instead of a single approach, a combination of media and educational strategies would help to reinforce the message. These findings form a basis for public health campaigns to apprise other urban immigrant communities of the hazards of in utero Hg exposure.
胎儿在子宫内接触汞 (Hg) 可能会对发育中的胎儿造成神经毒性影响。育龄妇女的汞暴露与频繁食用鱼类、靠近沿海地区、外国出生以及在仪式性实践中暴露有关。本研究的目的是确定文化上适当的策略，以在布鲁克林弗拉特布什一个主要由城市移民社区的育龄和孕妇中传播关于子宫内 Hg 暴露危害的信息，这是在最近对该社区汞暴露进行研究后的结果。在布鲁克林弗拉特布什进行了 19 次关键知情人访谈，对象是社区成员、医疗专业人员、鱼贩和一名宗教从业者，以征求他们对以文化敏感的方式教育社区了解 Hg 危害的反馈。确定的主要主题包括临床整合，即提供者将信息纳入常规护理；社区整合，即有影响力的组织和社区成员促进信息传递；媒体使用；以及通过持续暴露加强信息。医疗保健提供者和公共卫生从业者在教育其患者在怀孕期间选择鱼类和处理 Hg 的安全性时，必须具有文化敏感性。除了单一方法外，结合媒体和教育策略将有助于加强信息。这些发现为公共卫生运动提供了基础，以告知其他城市移民社区子宫内 Hg 暴露的危害。
