Returning Research Results Responsibly: Bioethical Approaches to Report-Back

Returning individual and community-level research results to participants is increasingly recognized as an ethical responsibility in environmental health and community-engaged research. However, researchers often lack clear guidance on how to do so in ways that are accurate, accessible, and responsive to community needs. This seminar will present a bioethical framework for report-back of research results (RBRR). Specifically, the seminar will highlight the development and application of practical tools designed to support ethical RBRR. These tools were developed through iterative collaboration with community partners and are intended to guide researchers in communicating results in ways that acknowledge uncertainty, contextualize risk, and support informed decision-making. The seminar will discuss key challenges in RBRR, including communicating complex or uncertain findings and addressing varying literacy and cultural contexts. Examples from environmental health studies will illustrate how report-back can be integrated into the research process from study design through dissemination. Speaker's biography: Dr. Diana Rohlman is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology at Oregon State University. A toxicologist, her research interests align at the intersection of toxicology, public health and research translation. She is interested in the role environmental health literacy plays in how communities perceive, describe, and respond to environmental health hazards. The majority of her research is community engaged and incorporates returning data to individuals and communities (report-back of research results). She works with multiple communities and agencies to identify, translate, and disseminate information to reduce environmental exposures and improve health.