subjects agree to participate in environmental health studies without fully comprehending the associated risk受试者同意参与环境健康研究没有充分理解相关的风险.pdf

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2011, 8, 830-841; doi:10.3390/ijerph8030830 OPEN ACCESS International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ISSN 1660-4601 /journal/ijerph Article Subjects Agree to Participate in Environmental Health Studies without Fully Comprehending the Associated Risk Robin Lee *, Samantha Lampert, Lynn Wilder and Anne L. Sowell Division of Health Studies, U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway NE, MS F-57, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; E-Mails: HGZ4@ (S.L.); LXW2@CDC.GOV (L.W.); ALS1@ (A.L.S.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: RLee3@; Tel.: +1-770-488-3811; Fax: +1-770-488-1537. Received: 6 January 2011; in revised form: 2 March 2011 / Accepted: 8 March 2011 / Published: 11 March 2011 Abstract: Recent advances in environmental health research have greatly improved our ability to measure and quantify how individuals are exposed. These advances, however, bring bioethical uncertainties and potential risks that individuals should be aware of before consenting to participate. This study assessed how well participants from two environmental health studies comprehended consent form material. After signing the consent form, participants were asked to complete a comprehension assessment tool. The tool measured whether participa