ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTICE
tions with environmental health programs or from medical schools.
FIGURE 3
Step 2: Develop Marketing Materials To develop the brochures, ATSDR deter- mined appropriate messages for its tar- get audience and selected the following resources for highlighting: • Environmental health: Public Health Assessment Training modules (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry [ATSDR], 2024a), Public Health Assess- ment webinars (ATSDR, 2024b), and Toxi- cological Profiles (ATSDR, 2024c). • Environmental medicine: Clinician briefs and overviews (ATSDR, 2024d), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) infor- mation for clinicians (ATSDR, 2024e), taking an exposure history (ATSDR, 2024f), and resources from Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSU, 2025). Three brochures (one for environmental health, one for environmental medicine, and one for both combined) were drafted and refined with input from ATSDR subject mat- ter experts. Step 3: Recruit Participants To help ensure confidentiality of the par- ticipants and promote candid responses, the academic institutions that met the recruit- ment criteria were identified and recruited. Participants signed consent forms, received the brochures, and shared the brochures with colleagues, sta, and students who might be interested. The participants completed a presurvey before the focus group discussions. The survey included questions about participant awareness of ATSDR’s educational resources; perception of ATSDR’s credibility as a pro- vider of educational materials; and opinions concerning the quality, eectiveness, and rel- evance of each brochure. Step 4: Conduct Focus Groups Two focus groups—one for environmen- tal health and one for environmental medi- cine—were conducted. An experienced facilitator conducted the focus groups using a guide that included a script, questions, and prompts. The focus groups were conducted independently, ensuring that no member participated in both groups. To facilitate
Finalized Brochure Combining Environmental Health and Environmental Medicine Resources From the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Professionals, students, and educators
Expand your knowledge and skills Earn CEUs*
Use these educational resources
Health care Environmental contaminants • Clinician Briefs and Overviews • Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Understanding exposures • Taking an Exposure History Pediatric concerns • Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units Resources Environmental health and medicine • Resources for Health Professionals
Environmental health Public health assessment • Training Modules • Webinars Environmental toxicology • Toxicological Profiles • ToxFAQs Community engagement • Community Engagement Playbook • Community Stress Resource Center • Health Communication Playbook Environmental health land reuse • ATSDR Land Reuse Health Program
* For some educational resources, certificates of completion and Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available. These include Continuing Medical Education (CME), Continuing Nursing Education (CNE), and others!
open feedback, all participants had various methods for sharing their opinions, includ- ing emailing before and after the focus group, sharing reactions, speaking, and using a vir- tual whiteboard during the discussion. Step 5: Analyze Results We analyzed and summarized information obtained through the focus groups, updated the three brochures based on feedback (Fig-
ures 2 and 3), and developed recommenda- tions to inform future eorts. Results The participants were professors from U.S. academic institutions that either oered environmental health programs or had medical schools with an interest in envi- ronmental medicine. Both focus groups included nine participants with a range of
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Volume 87 • Number 10
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