Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition, Omaha, NE 68114, USA.
College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Nov 24;17(23):8706. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17238706.
The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore the per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure experience and associated stressors, to inform public health efforts to support psychosocial health and resilience in affected communities. Semi-structured interviews ( = 9) were conducted from July-September 2019 with community members and state public health department representatives from areas with PFAS-contaminated drinking water. Thematic analysis was completed and themes were described and summarized. Reported stressors included health concerns and uncertainty, institutional delegitimization and associated distrust, and financial burdens. Interviewees provided several strategies to reduce stress and promote stress coping capacity and resilience, including showing empathy and validating the normalcy of experiencing stress; building trust through visible action and sustained community engagement; providing information and actionable guidance; discussing stress carefully; fostering stress coping capacity and resilience with opportunities to build social capital and restore agency; and building capacity among government agencies and health care providers to address psychosocial stress. While communities affected by PFAS contamination will face unavoidable stressors, positive interactions with government responders and health care providers may help reduce negative stress. More research on how best to integrate community psychosocial health and stress coping and resilience concepts into the public health response to environmental contamination could be helpful in addressing these stressors.
本研究旨在定性探讨全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS）的暴露经历及其相关压力源，为支持受影响社区的心理健康和适应能力的公共卫生工作提供信息。2019 年 7 月至 9 月，对受 PFAS 污染饮用水地区的社区成员和州公共卫生部门代表进行了半结构化访谈（=9）。完成了主题分析，并对主题进行了描述和总结。报告的压力源包括健康问题和不确定性、机构合法性被否定以及由此产生的不信任，以及经济负担。受访者提供了几种减轻压力和促进压力应对能力和适应力的策略，包括表现出同理心和验证经历压力的正常性；通过可见的行动和持续的社区参与建立信任；提供信息和可操作的指导；谨慎讨论压力；通过提供机会建立社会资本和恢复代理权来培养压力应对能力和适应力；以及在政府机构和医疗保健提供者中建立能力，以解决心理健康问题。虽然受 PFAS 污染影响的社区将面临不可避免的压力源，但与政府应对者和医疗保健提供者的积极互动可能有助于减轻负面压力。更多关于如何将社区心理健康和压力应对及适应能力概念最佳融入环境污染物公共卫生应对措施的研究可能有助于解决这些压力源。
