Environmental impact assessment of uranium exploration and development on indigenous land in Labrador (Canada): a community-driven initiative.

There is hardly any study on environmental impacts of uranium exploration and mining development prior to actual mining activities. Rather, the majority of the literature addresses the environmental impacts of either ongoing or decommissioned mines. The objective of the study was to measure the possible radioactive contamination (total uranium and lead) in the local ecosystem surrounding an abandoned uranium development site on indigenous land in Labrador (Canada). Water (brook and ponds), soil/sediments (brook and ponds), plants (growing along the brook and pond shores), and local fish (trout) and clams from bays were collected from mine development site, downstream, and control sites. Uranium and lead mobilization in the local environment appears to be slightly enhanced near the proposed mining site, but rapidly drops downstream. Developing a low-cost, community-based environmental health monitoring tool is an ideal strategy for generating baseline information and further follow-up.

The Offender Job Search Self-Efficacy Scale: Development and initial validation.

The purpose of this study was to develop the Offender Job Search Self-Efficacy Scale (OFJSSE) for the specific job search needs of the criminal justice population. Participants were 249 male inmates within 2 years of release from a state correctional facility in the southern region of the United States who identified mostly as Caucasian (56.2%), single (62.2%), working-class (45.4%) men with a mean age of 36.27 years (SD = 10.38). Initial validation data are described, including results of an exploratory factor analysis. Results indicated that the OFJSSE presents excellent reliability (α = .95) as well as good convergent and discriminant validity by having a strong, positive correlation, r = .73, p < .01, with another job search scale and having a negative correlation, r = -.19, p = .01, with a scale measuring a different construct (i.e., criminal thinking). Implications of the findings as well as limitations and future directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Indoor Radon in Micro-geological Setting of an Indigenous Community in Canada: A Pilot Study for Hazard Identification.

BACKGROUND: Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. In Canada, the health authorities have no access to comprehensive profile of the communities built over uranium-rich micro-geological settings. The present indoor radon monitoring guideline is unable to provide an accurate identification of health hazards due to discounting several parameters of housing characteristics. OBJECTIVE: To explore indoor radon levels in a micro-geological setting known for high uranium in bedrock and to develop a theoretical model for a revised radon testing protocol. METHODS: We surveyed a remote Inuit community in Labrador, located in the midst of uranium belt. We selected 25 houses by convenience sampling and placed electret-ion-chamber radon monitoring devices in the lowest levels of the house (basement/crawl space). The standard radon study questionnaire developed and used by Health Canada was used. RESULTS: 7 (28%) houses had radon levels above the guideline value (range 249 to 574 Bq/m3). Housing characteristics, such as floors, sump holes, ventilation, and heating systems were suspected for high indoor radon levels and health consequences. CONCLUSION: There is a possibility of the existence of high-risk community in a low-risk region. The regional and provincial health authorities would be benefited by consulting geologists to identify potentially high-risk communities across the country. Placing testing devices in the lowest levels provides more accurate assessment of indoor radon level. The proposed protocol, based on synchronized testing of radon (at the lowest level of houses and in rooms of normal occupancy) and thorough inspection of the houses will be a more effective lung cancer prevention strategy.