Community epidemiology and environmental health risk from dioxin contamination in Paritutu

This article explores community-awareness perspectives and actions towards dioxin-related health exposure in Paritutu Community, New Plymouth, New Zealand. The actions are analysed through media reports, covering a 10-year period from 1998 to 2008. Since 1964, Paritutu Community residents have expressed concern about increased morbidity associated with dioxin contamination from a nearby agrichemical plant. Upon investigation, official agencies were at first unable to verify a causal link between dioxin and morbidity, precipitating community activism and increasing public pressure on relevant authorities. Residents played a major role in alleviating further damage to their community by analysing and evaluating data and providing information that ultimately resulted in both official recognition of their environmental health risk and preventative strategies to alleviate their morbidity. This article backgrounds the Paritutu Community Epidemiology approach and evaluates stages in how the Paritutu Community overcame indifference and lack of precaution and exerted influence leading to the removal of the source of contamination and positive policy changes in public health including the setting up of ameliorative health services for affected people. The findings of this research support theories of popular, lay, community and worker epidemiology.