Buffalo, New York - A report compiled by a faculty member at the University of Buffalo determined that when an individual is fatally ill due to an environmental disaster, the people closest to him – including family members – don't always rally around and offer support.
According to an article in the University of Buffalo News in regards to a study authored by Heather Orom, PhD, assistant professor of community health and health behavior in the UB School of Public Health and Health Professions, environmental disasters like Love Canal and the Libby asbestos dilemma often become a divisive issue in communities and, as such, family dynamics sometimes mirror what happens in the community.
Orom's research involved focus groups compiled from residents of Libby, Montana. The members of the focus groups either had an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, had a family member with an asbestos disease, or were not affected either way. Orom chose Libby because more than 400 residents of that town have already died of asbestos-related issues, including not only those who directly worked at the W.R. Grace and Co. asbestos-contaminated vermiculite mine but also family members and members of the community who got sick due to secondary exposure.
"We found that the people in these situations can be victimized twice," Orom wrote. "They become ill and then may be stigmatized because some members of the community view illness claims as lacking credibility, as baseless attempts to get compensation that tarnish the reputation of the town."
Orom pointed out that the financial disaster that often accompanies an environmental disaster may enter into the equation as well. When contamination occurs, she noted, people start leaving the area and businesses start closing. As a result, those directly affected often decide to stop talking about the issue. Those who don't go along with that philosophy are often branded as troublemakers, Orom says.
"Those who are sick and are seen with their oxygen also get labeled. So, many people, especially those with symptoms, start to isolate themselves at home and that affects how and if they discuss their illness with family members," Orom adds. She also determined that this type of behavior could prevent people from seeking the medical or psychological attention they might need. In addition, they stop talking to family members, often ignoring important things like end-of-life issues and the fact that spouses, children, siblings, etc. perhaps should also be screened for environmental diseases.
"There is a reason why people don't like to discuss illness in general, anyway," says Orom. "With an environmental disaster, there is an additional layer creating a propensity for silence. In our focus groups, we saw instances where families rejected the legitimacy of the illness and estranged the person who was ill."
The research was conducted as part of a larger communication project commissioned by the National Center for Vermiculite- and Asbestos-Related Cancers at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit. Funding was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
