Download or read book An Assessment of Awareness of Fish Consumption Advisories Concerning Mercury Among Women of Childbearing Age written by Monica Hawkins and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This dissertation describes the results of a survey that was administered to 300 undergraduate and graduate females (ages 18-40) enrolled in courses in the College of Science at a large mid-Atlantic university and 309 females (18-40) within the general public at local supermarkets in a mid-Atlantic State. The survey revealed that older women of childbearing age are more aware of the fish consumption advisories concerning mercury than are younger women, that of the ethnic groups surveyed, Hispanic women were the least aware of the fish consumption advisories concerning mercury, that mothers were more aware of these advisories than non-mothers, and that level of education was a predictor of awareness. In addition, mothers were more likely to report reducing their fish intake due to concerns about mercury than were non-mothers. Furthermore, mothers were more likely than non-mothers to alter their fish intake because of their awareness of the advisories, though not always in recommended ways. For example, there is some evidence that some were eliminating fish, an important source of protein, from their diet. Finally, results showed that women with more than 2 years of college were more likely to be aware of fish consumption advisories than were women with less than 2 years of college. These findings suggest that factors such as motherhood encourage alertness to fish consumption advisories and that more needs to be done to encourage awareness of the risks associated with mercury in fish by taking steps such as encouraging mothers and older females to talk about mercury in fish with younger women and targeting Hispanic and younger women with information about this health threat using social media and other channels they monitor. Finally, the study also reports interviews that were conducted with experts from the National Fisheries Institute, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the US Food and Drug Administration. The interviews focused on the importance of risk assessment, perception, and management. In the opinion of these experts, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration should continue to use fish consumption advisories concerning mercury to protect human health. However, the communication methods used need to be constantly evaluated and improved, and innovative methods of communication are needed.
Download or read book Risk Assessment of Methylmercury from Fish Consumption in Oahu Hawaii Using Hair as a Biomarker of Exposure written by Alethea L. Ramos and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 83 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The main purpose of this study was to assess the risk of methylmercury exposure from fish consumption in adults living in Oahu, Hawaii and to determine if demographic variables, fish consumption frequency, and fish parts eaten were associated with methylmercury body burden assessed through hair. The ultimate goal was to inform any guidelines on fish consumption, with consideration of cultural and lifestyle factors for populations that are susceptible to exposure. Persons were recruited at public areas from 5 areas of the island of Hawaii which included 110 adults (57 men and 53 women) during December, 2010 and January, 2011. Hair samples were obtained in order to measure methylmercury body burden concentrations, and a questionnaire assessed their fish consumption, demographic information, and general awareness about methylmercury and fish consumption. Hair samples were analyzed for total mercury through the Milestone Direct Mercury Analyzer (Milestone, Shelton, CT). Older men had the highest hair mercury levels, as compared to younger men and women of all age groups. Men> 45 years had a median hair mercury level of 2.00 ug/g as compared to younger men with a median 0.97 ug/g (p0.05). Hair concentrations from older women had a median of 1.22 ug/g of mercury, as compared to 0.57 ug/g for younger women. Risk indices were calculated, and the average HI value among male residents was 1.61, which is above the safety criteria of 1.0. Among women, the average HI value was 0.92, however, among women of childbearing age, 38% had a HI 1.0, indicating that both men and women were potentially at risk. Fish consumption was a significant contributing factor to increased hair mercury concentrations; significant variables included frequency of fish consumption, portion size of fish meal, frequency of fish consumption in conjunction with portion size, amount of fish parts consumed, and whether or not target organs (brain, head, heart) were consumed. This present study addressed methylmercury exposure among a population of healthy adults, which is uncommon for methylmercury studies since usually only susceptible populations, such as women of childbearing age and children, are examined. Although we did demonstrate that women were a susceptible population, as evidenced by values over 1.0 for a third of the women of childbearing age, men also appeared as a susceptible population, with the highest methylmercury values. Recent studies have established that cardiotoxicity is an adverse health effect of methylmercury exposure for the men at body burden levels found in this study. Since fish is an important staple for Oahu residents, proper guidelines for safe fish consumption should include consuming less than 1/4 pound of fish per meal at a frequency of less than one day per week, along with primarily consuming fish meat and discarding all other organs due to high methylmercury content. The benefits of fish consumption should also be highlighted, and if safe fish consumption practices are followed, residents can reap the health benefits without excessive toxicant exposure.
Download or read book Assessment of the Necessity Feasibility and Potential Strategies for the Creation Implementation and Dissemination of Mercury related Fish Consumption Guidelines in British Columbia written by Rebecca Alexia Giampietro McMackin and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Mercury Awareness and Fish Consumption Among Wisconsin Residents written by Elizabeth A. Katt-Reinders and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Environmental Health Perspectives written by and published by . This book was released on 2009-07 with total page 2106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Mercury Perception Community Awareness and Sustainability Implications for the Tampa Bay Region Florida written by Trina Halfhide and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ABSTRACT: Over one million acres of land and water in Florida has been classified as impaired by mercury. Approximately 80% of national fish advisories are issued due to mercury contamination. There have been a number of consumption advisories in the Tampa Bay Region for locally eaten fish such as largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), bowfin (Amia calva), and alligator gar (Lepisosteus osseus). The main purpose of this study was to determine if there is adequate dissemination of mercury related risk information by government agencies to recreational and subsistence fishermen in the Tampa Bay Region. This research revealed that government agencies utilized simplified models when addressing mercury consumption risks in Tampa Bay. Most of the popular fishing sites and public parks in the Tampa Bay Region have no advisory signs warning fishers of possible mercury contamination in fish. The majority of survey respondents (88.4%) consumed the fish they caught. There was statistically significant evidence suggesting online sources of public health information influenced viewing of fish advisories. This study determined factors: sex of licensee, above median levels of income and type of license also influenced viewing of fish advisories. Results indicated that women were less likely to view fish advisories than men. In addition, the viewing of fish advisory information by women of reproductive age was not significantly different to all other female age groups. Behavior among participants varied and was dependent on individual perception of mercury risks and nutritional benefits associated with consumption of fish.
Download or read book Mercury in the Environment written by Michael S. Bank and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2012-05-31 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mercury pollution and contamination are widespread, well documented, and continue to pose a public health concern in both developed and developing countries. In response to a growing need for understanding the cycling of this ubiquitous pollutant, the science of mercury has grown rapidly to include the fields of biogeochemistry, economics, sociology, public health, decision sciences, physics, global change, and mathematics. Only recently have scientists begun to establish a holistic approach to studying mercury pollution that integrates chemistry, biology, and human health sciences. Mercury in the Environment follows the process of mercury cycling through the atmosphere, through terrestrial and aquatic food webs, and through human populations to develop a comprehensive perspective on this important environmental problem. This timely reference also provides recommendations on mercury remediation, risk communication, education, and monitoring.
Download or read book Assessment of Mercury Exposures to Women of Childbearing Age from Consumption of Noncommercial Freshwater Fish in the U S written by RTI International. Health, Social, and Economics Research and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Trends in Blood Mercury Concentrations and Fish Consumption Among U S Women of Childbearing Age Nhanes written by Environmental Protection Environmental Protection Agency and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-06-16 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The National Water Program Guidance for fiscal year (FY) 2012 describes how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), states, and tribal governments will work together to protect and improve the quality of the nation's water, including wetlands, and ensure safe drinking water (U.S. EPA, 2011). The Guidance describes the key actions needed to accomplish the public health and environmental goals proposed in the EPA 2011-2015 Strategic Plan (U.S. EPA, 2010). One goal is to protect public health by making finfish and shellfish safer to eat. Note that, unless otherwise specified, "fish" refers to both finfish and shellfish. One of the primary risks from eating fish is exposure to methylmercury (MeHg). In the U.S., exposure to MeHg in humans is largely through the consumption of fish (NRC, 2000). Mercury released into the environment is converted to MeHg in sediments and in the water column and bioaccumulates through aquatic food webs. This bioaccumulation leads to increased levels of MeHg in larger, older, predatory fish; concentrations in fish tissue may exceed a million fold the concentrations in water (NRC, 2000). MeHg exposure in utero is associated with adverse health effects, e.g., neurodevelopmental deficits such as IQ and motor function deficits in children (Mergler et al, 2007; NRC, 2000). In 2004 the FDA and EPA issued consumer advice. The advisory offers advice on amounts of commercial fish and fish from local water bodies that are safe to consume. This report investigates national trends over time in both blood mercury concentrations and fish consumption for women 16-49 years of age.
Download or read book Trends in Blood Mercury Concentrations and Fish Consumption Among U s Women of Childbearing Age Nhanes written by Environmental Protection Environmental Protection Agency and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2016-03-20 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The National Water Program Guidance for fiscal year (FY) 2012 describes how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), states, and tribal governments will work together to protect and improve the quality of the nation's water, including wetlands, and ensure safe drinking water (U.S. EPA, 2011). The Guidance describes the key actions needed to accomplish the public health and environmental goals proposed in the EPA 2011-2015 Strategic Plan (U.S. EPA, 2010). One goal is to protect public health by making finfish and shellfish safer to eat. Note that, unless otherwise specified, "fish" refers to both finfish and shellfish. One of the primary risks from eating fish is exposure to methylmercury (MeHg). In the U.S., exposure to MeHg in humans is largely through the consumption of fish (NRC, 2000). Mercury released into the environment is converted to MeHg in sediments and in the water column and bioaccumulates through aquatic food webs. This bioaccumulation leads to increased levels of MeHg in larger, older, predatory fish; concentrations in fish tissue may exceed a million fold the concentrations in water (NRC, 2000). MeHg exposure in utero is associated with adverse health effects, e.g., neurodevelopmental deficits such as IQ and motor function deficits in children (Mergler et al, 2007; NRC, 2000). In 2004 the FDA and EPA issued consumer advice. The advisory offers advice on amounts of commercial fish and fish from local water bodies that are safe to consume. This report investigates national trends over time in both blood mercury concentrations and fish consumption for women 16-49 years of age.
Download or read book Methylmercury Risk Communication Needs Among Women of Childbearing Age written by John Lance Willcut and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The majority regularly consumed fish (n = 7), while most denied prior knowledge of any fish advisory (n = 9). Half (n = 5) of the participants denied any knowledge about mercury contaminants in fish, while three stated they knew "only a little". This was emphasized through a series of true/false questions and with the majority (n = 9) having difficulty determining where the highest levels of mercury are found within a fish. A majority of the participants (n = 7) felt that they did not eat enough fish to worry about following the recommendations of the Montana Fish Consumption Guidelines. Important sources of health information to the cohort included: (a) doctors or other healthcare providers, (b) newsletters or brochures, (c) television, (d) magazines, (e) friends and relatives, and (f) government agencies. The results of this descriptive, hypothesis-generating study point to the need for larger scale studies involving non-Native rural women with the recommendations to include information on fish species, portions consumed, children of WCBA, userfriendly advisory pamphlets, and mercury exposure testing through hair and blood sampling.
Download or read book Mercury Pollution Integration and Synthesis written by Carl J. Watras and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 1994-11-11 with total page 760 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contains 57 chapters describing the results of original research and reviewing the state-of-the-science with respect to environmental mercury. Topics include analytical methodology, atmospheric cycling, freshwater and marine ecosystems, terrestrial processes, bioaccumulation, modeling, pollution and remediation, and human health and public policy.
Download or read book Assessment of the Necessity Feasibility and Potential Strategies for the Creation Implementation and Dissemination of Mercury related Fish Consumption Guidelines in British Columbia written by and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Consumption of mercury in fish in the human diet can cause developmental damage in fetuses and young children, cardiac infarction and infertility in adult men, and neurological damage in people in general. British Columbia does not have fish consumption advisories for sport-caught fish and province-wide testing of fish-mercury levels has not been conducted. Yet preliminary tests show that certain sport-caught fish have mercury concentrations above Health Canada guideline for normal consumption by the general population. Government officials are aware of the potential health damage from mercury in sport-fish from BC. and preliminary research into the necessity of policy to protect fish consumers is being conducted. But, the research required to ground the policy making process has not been done. There is a need for an assessment of the necessity, feasibility. and strategies for creating and disseminating freshwater fish consumption advisories in British Columbia. The objective of this project was to provide sound scientific research as part of the basis of policy development. I aimed to do this by evaluating what can be learned from a range of fish consumption policies in Canada and elsewhere to guide effective policy creation in BC, if it is deemed necessary. In addition, I assessed whether or not fish consumption advisories would be necessary to protect public health among a sport-fishing population on Elk Lake. Vancouver Island. by evaluating fish consumption, the state of mercury knowledge among these fishers (current awareness), how mercury information reaches them (information flow), and how they use this information to make decisions about their diet (personal diet management). I analyzed provincial strategies for the creation, implementation. and dissemination of fish consumption advisories and provided recommendations for BC. I advise that BC conduct one large-scale. province wide fish-mercury survey to ascertain if mercury levels are high enough to cause he.
Download or read book A Discourse Analysis of how Citizens Agency Managers and the Media Frame Human Consumption of Mercury in Fish written by Melanie Lynn Hiltunen Barbier and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 548 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Mercury Contamination in New Jersey Freshwater Fish written by New Jersey. Toxics in Biota Committee and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Seafood Choices written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2007-03-09 with total page 736 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fragmented information that consumers receive about the nutritional value and health risks associated with fish and shellfish can result in confusion or misperceptions about these food sources. Consumers are therefore confronted with a dilemma: they are told that seafood is good for them and should be consumed in large amounts, while at the same time the federal government and most states have issued advisories urging caution in the consumption of certain species or seafood from specific waters. Seafood Choices carefully explores the decision-making process for selecting seafood by assessing the evidence on availability of specific nutrients (compared to other food sources) to obtain the greatest nutritional benefits. The book prioritizes the potential for adverse health effects from both naturally occurring and introduced toxicants in seafood; assesses evidence on the availability of specific nutrients in seafood compared to other food sources; determines the impact of modifying food choices to reduce intake of toxicants on nutrient intake and nutritional status within the U.S. population; develops a decision path for U.S. consumers to weigh their seafood choices to obtain nutritional benefits balanced against exposure risks; and identifies data gaps and recommendations for future research. The information provided in this book will benefit food technologists, food manufacturers, nutritionists, and those involved in health professions making nutritional recommendations.
Download or read book Human Health Risk Assessment written by Alberta. Department of Health and Wellness. Surveillance and Assessment and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
