Step 4. Presenting the Results of a Health Outcome Data Evaluation

• Recommendations

If a health outcome data review is conducted because people are contacting chemicals from the site at levels that are associated with a disease and the results of the health outcome data evaluation indicate a need for more investigation, a health assessor or an epidemiologist might recommend one of the following actions.

1. Case confirmation study
An assessment of data that identifies the exact case diagnosis, confirms the date of the onset of disease, and identifies other relevant information about the case.

2. Mapping of health outcomes
Identifies addresses of people with a specific disease to see if the address is in the area where people are known to be contacting site chemicals. Mapping of the addresses shows how the cases are distributed.

3. Health study
A study that is designed to evaluate whether disease in the community could be associated with exposure to site contaminants.
 

Some of the things that a health assessor should consider before recommending a health study are whether authority and support to conduct a health study are available; whether the community would be involved and residents' concerns would be addressed; whether definitive results could be expected based on study objectives; and whether results would add to the current scientific knowledge.

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