Engaging Social Stakeholders in National Asbestos Research for Public Health: An Italian Experience

Our plain-English summary of Engaging Social Stakeholders in National Asbestos Research for Public Health: An Italian Experience, by D. Marsili, A. Binazzi, A. Marinaccio, et al (Annals of Global Health, 2025).

The study

• Authors: D. Marsili, A. Binazzi, A. Marinaccio, C. Mensi, L. Fazzo, SEPRA Project Working Group for the Study on Communication and Social Stakeholders’ Engagement
• Journal: Annals of Global Health
• Published: 2025;91(1):25
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

Background: Asbestos and its impacts on the population worldwide are threats to the environment and public health, striking both countries that have banned asbestos, such as Italy in 1992, and those that continue its use. In Italy, asbestos‑affected communities have experienced diverse progress in their involvement in prevention and asbestos risk management. Objectives: Exploring social stakeholders' engagement in research projects on asbestos health impacts and discussing the benefits of the ongoing SEPRA project (Epidemiological Surveillance, Prevention and Research on Asbestos). Methods: A structured communication plan was implemented, including the selection of social stakeholders and their engagement during the project's lifetime; selection of research topics to characterize the participative initiatives and communication modality; and collection and analysis of inputs for enabling impacts. Findings: Sharing major issues of concern highlighted by social stakeholders, such as the recognition of all asbestos‑related diseases besides mesothelioma and non‑occupational asbestos exposures. The need to implement health surveillance plans in all the regions of the country, including a national plan addressing the psychological support to patients and their families, and to extend social welfare to people affected by occupational and non‑occupational asbestos‑related diseases has been highlighted. Conclusions: Social stakeholders' engagement in research activities through structured interactions and trusted relationships allowed us to share information, needs and recommendations for implementing effective actions in public health. Researchers committed to asbestos research at a national scale should closely collaborate with stakeholders through structured communication, considering their diversified fields of experience, critical thinking and inputs. Giving recognition to social stakeholders of their role and expertise and providing them appropriate tools to interact with the relevant authorities and the asbestos‑affected communities are key for effectively advancing in inclusive processes and health equity.

Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s).

In plain English

This paper described how researchers in SEPRA, a national Italian asbestos research project, involved social stakeholders in their work. It reported a communication and engagement process, not a study measuring exposure or disease. At the project's midpoint, the researchers held a workshop attended by 17 representatives from three groups: associations of former asbestos-exposed workers and of patients and their families, environmental non-governmental organisations, and national trade unions. Researchers presented project topics, such as mesothelioma surveillance and ovarian cancer attributable to asbestos in Lombardy, and stakeholders discussed them. Two researchers collected and analysed the input. Stakeholders asked that all asbestos-related diseases, not only mesothelioma, be recognised. They raised concern about non-occupational exposure in less-studied contaminated sites. They called for a national psychological support plan, training for general practitioners, health surveillance in all regions, and wider financial support. The authors concluded that researchers should collaborate closely with social stakeholders through structured interactions and trusted relationships. They noted that the overall evaluation of the communication activities would only come at the end of the project.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Descriptive report of a structured communication and stakeholder-engagement process within a national research project, centred on a participative workshop held at the project's midpoint; inputs were collected separately by two researchers and then analysed jointly
• Who was studied: 17 representatives of three categories of social stakeholders in Italy: associations of former asbestos-exposed workers and associations of patients and their families; environmental NGOs; and national trade unions supporting asbestos-exposed workers, patients and families. The workshop date is not stated; the project is funded under the INAIL Research Plan 2022-2024
• Exposure: Not an exposure study. No fiber types or doses were measured. The discussions concerned occupational and non-occupational asbestos exposure and asbestos-related diseases in Italy in general
• Main results:
  • Social stakeholders were very concerned about the health impact of widespread non-occupational exposures, particularly among residents of less-studied asbestos-contaminated sites
  • Stakeholders highlighted the need to recognise all asbestos-related disease cases, not only mesothelioma, in surveillance, health support and welfare
  • Stakeholders called for a national psychological support plan for mesothelioma patients and their families, based on the Casale Monferrato model
  • Stakeholders pointed to the need to train key health professionals, including general practitioners, on asbestos risk and health impacts
  • Stakeholders reported that regional health surveillance plans for former asbestos-exposed workers were implemented unevenly across Italy and needed reinforcement
  • Stakeholders urged that financial support be extended to non-occupational cases and to asbestos-related diseases other than mesothelioma, and that institutions cooperate more in recognising all asbestos-related diseases
  • When regional mesothelioma registry staff asked for help identifying formerly exposed people and patients, stakeholders agreed to work out ways to collaborate
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that researchers doing national asbestos research should collaborate closely with social stakeholders through structured interactions, mutual recognition and trusted relationships, and should give them recognition and appropriate tools to advance inclusive processes and health equity
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The report covers only the mid-term engagement; the overall evaluation of the project's communication activities had not yet been done and was planned for the end of the project

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Asbestosis.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Mesothelioma, Asbestos Exposure.

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