March 18, 2008 - Around 1,100 surveys were mailed to residents of Libby, Montana on February 22 this year, with a further 100 mailed to Center for Asbestos Related Disease (CARD) patients. Nearly a month later, almost 400 completed surveys have been returned to CARD. The surveys were sent out as part of a project known as “Voices of Libby.”

Dr Brad Black, director of the CARD clinic, says the CARD survey is attempting to collect information about how asbestos issues have affected individuals within the community, as well as the town of Libby as a whole. In addition the survey is intended to determine what the most common issues and opinions about asbestos are, and what has influenced opinions about asbestos in the town.

A total of 1,200 survey recipients were selected randomly from among Libby’s residents to ensure that different types of people would take part in the survey. CARD is collaborating with the Karmanos Cancer Institute of Michigan and the Lincoln County Campus of Flathead Community College to carry out the survey.

The senior investigator is Karmanos Cancer Institute senior scientist Dr. Rebecca Kline, who became involved with research centered on Libby three years ago in 2005. Kline says her focus is on understanding “how people process information about asbestos” in the country as a whole, as well as Libby in particular.

Kline’s special are of research is on “slow motion” technological disasters of the kind that occurred in Libby. These types of disasters are so called because they happen over a period of months or even years, as opposed to disasters such as earthquake, fire, or flood.

As well as surveys, Kline has also been involved in conduction focus groups in which Libby residents and researchers discuss asbestos issues more intensively.

Kline says that learning from people in Libby via surveys and focus groups will provide important and useful information that can be used to help not only residents of Libby, but also other people around the country who have been involved in slow-motion disasters. The survey information will help researchers determine where efforts on community education and outreach need to be focused.

According to Rebecca Kline, the opinions of Libby residents are important to help CARD and the Karmanos Institute determine what the “representative point of view” is in the town regarding asbestos issues. CARD clinic director Brad Black also noted that the survey is important because it helps Libby residents “know that their voice will be heard.”

Residents who took part in the survey have been thanked with a random drawing with gift certificates as prizes. Kline also says the research team appreciates the support of the community, and intends to return to Libby to report to the community on their research findings.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008 at 5:16 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Montana. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.