PROPOSED RESEARCH PROGRAM
SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES AND
CONSEQUENCES OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS
(P10338)
to

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
DIVISION OF BIOMEDICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
WASHINGTON, D.C.
from

oy

BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE
HUMAN AFFAIRS RESEARCH CENTERS
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
January 14,

1978

SUMMARY

In 1946, the people of Bikini Atoll in the northern Marshall
Islands were relocated when their atoll was selected as the United
States'

post-war nuclear test site.

The following year communt

ities at Enewetak Atoll were moved as nuclear tests were continued
and expanded,

Both atoll communities are currently in the process

of resettling portions of their original homeland.
atolls can be totally resettled,

Before the

the Department of Energy

(DOE)

has the responsibility for compiling data on the levels of radiological contamination to determine relative safety factors

Over the past 20 years a series of radiological-related
problems have been encountered by certain atoll residents.
have suffered health effects due to radiation exposure;

Some

others have

Select target paragraph3