Epidemiologia ambientale ben temperata: etica, sociologia e storia in un progetto di citizen science

The article presents the research performed by an Italian multi-disciplinary team jointly with a group of citizen scientists. The research was part of the project CitieS-Health (Citizen Science for Urban Environment and Health) funded by the EU under the Horizon2020 Programme. Aria di Ricerca in Valle del Serchio, one of the project five pilot studies, was performed in eight municipalities of Valle del Serchio (Lucca, Tuscany) and addressed the prevalence of chronic kidney diseases in the context of potential industrial pollution on health and, in particular, the presence of heavy metals in the environment. Since long, health and environmental issues have been of concern for the local residents who over the years promoted many initiatives to ensure adequate monitoring and appropriate policy interventions. Inspired by the PNS (Post-Normal Science) approach, and in particular the idea of Extended Peer Community, the study addressed local concerns and expectations integrating a multiplicity of competences, knowledges and perspectives. Researchers from Social Sciences and Humanities – namely history, sociology and ethics – collaborated with others from the health sector – epidemiology in particular – and with citizens in all the phases of the work: from the definition of the research objective to the collection, analysis and dissemination of the research results, and the suggestion of policy recommendations.