How to participate in the ongoing health study in Cahokia Heights
Researchers are seeking more participants for their ongoing health study in Cahokia Heights.
Anthropology professors Theresa Gildner from Washington University in St. Louis and Tara Cepon-Robins from University of Colorado are studying bacterial and parasitic infections in Cahokia Heights because of the chronic sewage backups residents experience.
“Sewage backups are a big risk factor for these infections to spread,” Gildner said.
Researchers are coming to the metro-east this month to collect blood and stool samples from people, as well as water samples from residents’ homes and soil samples in the environment.
Adults and children from Cahokia Heights are invited to take part in the research. Gildner said they are also interested in comparative data from neighboring communities, so people from across the area can participate, including residents in East St. Louis, Belleville or Dupo.
Participation will involve an interview with researchers and a finger prick blood sample. Participants will also receive a collection kit to take home to provide researchers a stool sample.
Each person who takes part in the study will receive a $25 gift card to Walmart or Aldi. Researchers will provide participants information about their blood pressure, anemia if they have it, blood sugar and cholesterol, plus any infections they find.
Interested residents can contact Gildner by emailing gildner@wustl.edu to set up an appointment to meet with researchers while they are in town from Aug. 9-25 at the Cahokia Public Library, 140 Cahokia Park Drive. Walk-ins are also welcome between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on weekdays in that timeframe.
