Minimizing Methylmercury Exposure in the Hmong Community from Sport-Caught Fish Consumption in Minnesota
2008-06
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Minimizing Methylmercury Exposure in the Hmong Community from Sport-Caught Fish Consumption in Minnesota
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2008-06
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Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
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Abstract
Due to increasing levels of mercury emissions throughout the world, there is an increased threat to the
human population from methylmercury, a biomethylated derivative of mercury. Methylmercury is a
dangerous neurotoxin that can have adverse effects on the central nervous system and behavioral centers
of the brain. Humans can become exposed to methylmercury through consumption of contaminated fish
from polluted waters. Many states, including Minnesota, use fish consumption advisories to warn the
public of methylmercury exposure, but these advisories may not always reach at-risk segments of the
population. The Hmong community in the Twin Cities consumes a high quantity of sport-caught fish for a
variety of reasons, including a desire to maintain cultural identity, recreation, or economic necessity,
even though fish consumption advisories warn against such actions. Four alternatives were considered
to provide better protection to the Hmong community from methylmercury exposure – (1) continue the use
of fish consumption advisories as developed by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), (2) alter the
current program by reallocating advisory education efforts from state agencies to local governmental
units and organizations, (3) impose a ban on the consumption of all fish from methylmercury-impaired
waters in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, and (4) establish more Asian-specific food shelves
in the Twin Cities area to provide food alternatives to sport-caught fish. Each of these alternatives were
evaluated using six criteria – safety effectiveness, program awareness, social and cultural acceptability,
administrative operability, program cost, and health benefit. This report concludes that efforts taken by
the MDH in educating Hmong anglers have the promise of being effective in reducing methylmercury
exposure from fish consumption. However, based on theories of risk perception and communication,
more needs to be done at both the state and local level to effectively target this specific subpopulation in
Minnesota.
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Previously Published Citation
Endreson, D. (2008) Minimizing Methylmerucry Exposure in the Hmong Community from Sport-Caught Fish Consumption in Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN:
Suggested citation
Endreson, Daniel. (2008). Minimizing Methylmercury Exposure in the Hmong Community from Sport-Caught Fish Consumption in Minnesota. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/44311.
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