Interpersonal Communication, Knowledge, and Expertise in
the Cancer-Environment Nexus - Narrative and Social
Science Approaches to Understanding and Action
Sharon Moran (SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry), Rebecca
Garden (SUNY Upstate Medical University), Marjorie Devault (Syracuse University)
ABSTRACT
Our project addresses perceptions of the environment-cancer nexus, focusing on everyday
understandings of the connection. We explore people’s experience of a cancer diagnosis and
their personal responses to it, especially their ideas about chemicals and toxic substance
exposures. Our work consists of a preliminary exploration of cancer patients’ understandings of
the cancer-environment nexus, using both social science approach (online survey) as well as a
humanistic approach (literary analysis using published texts). The overarching goal is to clarify
the way(s) people make connections among three things: (1) their illness(es), (2) the information
they seek about their exposure to chemical hazards, through the environment and consumer
products, and (3) actions they take to control their exposures, on the individual, family, and
social levels. We believe our findings will help build theory about the lived experience of cancer,
health literacy, and environmental health as it relates to ‘citizen science.’ The research also has
implications for communication practices for medical professionals as well as toxic substance
control advocates.
BIOGRAPHY
Sharon Moran is an Associate Professor in ESF's Department of Environmental Studies. She
works in the field of environmental social science, and her research explores people's
engagement with environment, and connections to policy. With a PhD in geography and a
master's in public policy, her work has been supported by funders including the US EPA,
Fulbright, and Sea Grant-NOAA. One recent study explored the perceptions of people who fail
to heed evacuation warnings related to severe storms. Other research is investigating people's
risk perceptions regarding toxic hazards, consumer products, and cancer diagnoses. At ESF
she leads an interdisciplinary PhD program (ENRP, Environmental and Natural Resources
Policy) which is housed in the Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences. And in
cooperation with faculty from Syracuse's University's Whitman School of Management, she
helps coordinate the Certificate of Advanced Study in Sustainable Enterprise.
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8 Annual NYS Biotechnology Symposium
- May 19 & 20, 2016 -