Work

Communicating Pollutants That Threaten Tribal Identities: PFAS Contamination in Local Fish and Shellfish

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Indigenous communities that rely on the consumption of local fish and shellfish may have elevated exposures to environmental contaminants, such as PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Conventional public health communication that focuses on reducing consumption can conflict with cultural identities tied to harvesting local fish. Through a series of focus groups and interviews ( n = 25) and a community-wide survey ( n = 155) among members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe (Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA), we document the connection between local fish/shellfish consumption and Tribal cultural identity, how PFAS contamination may threaten this identity, and explore how to more effectively communicate health risks to Tribal communities.

Source: Science Communication

DOI: 10.1177/10755470251388445

Authors: Emily Diamond, Erica Meier, Kaitlin Urbanski, Jamie-Lynn Ward, Jason Steiding, Laurel Schaider

Institutions: University of Rhode Island, Silent Spring Institute

Language: English

Topic: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research

Subfield: Environmental Chemistry

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences