The Power of Personal Stories
For millennia, story-telling has been a means for communicating what is most important to us — a means for gleaning knowledge and insight about our relationships to ourselves, our families, our communities and the world in which we live.
The collaborative, award-winning multimedia e-book, A Story of Health, grounds the science of health in a series of stories to enable readers to explore the risk factors for disease as well as prevention strategies and how to promote health and resilience. Using the setting of a family reunion as a backdrop, we explore how multiple environments influence our health across the lifespan.
The introduction and the first three chapters of A Story of Health were published in 2015, and several chapters have since been added or updated. See below to link directly to the latest versions of each chapter, where you can download your copy. In addition, some chapters can be registered for continuing education credits from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
|
|
Stephen's Story (Childhood Cancer) Explore the many risk factors for leukemia, and the emotional toll this disease takes on families through the story of three-year-old Stephen and his parents. Updated in 2023.
Stephen's Story is certified for FREE continuing education credits. For more information, visit A Story of Health at Western States PEHSU.
|
|
|
Sam's Story (Cognitive Decline) (updated version coming soon) Meet 72-year-old Sam and his family as they explore the answers to Sam’s apparent cognitive decline after his wife dies. With Sam’s doctors they explore everything from childhood environmental exposures to Sam’s military experience and his current social connections as they ask if his “forgetfulness” is normal or something more serious. Updated in 2023. |
|
|
Explore the life of Brett, a nine-year-old who lives in Southern California and is coping with asthma. Updated in 2023. Brett's Story is certified for FREE continuing education credits. For more information, visit A Story of Health at Western States PEHSU. |
|
|
Sofia's Story (Health Effects of Wildfires) (2021) Follow Sofia and her family as they learn how to protect themselves from the immediate and longer term health dangers of a wildfire, with a focus on children’s health and prevention strategies. Sofia's Story is certified for FREE continuing education credits. For more information, visit A Story of Health at Western States PEHSU. |
|
|
Amelia's Story (Developmental Disabilities) (updated version coming soon) Join Amelia and her family on their journey of discovery about how the environment they live in is important to their health. |
|
|
Reiko & Toshio's Story (Infertility) (updated version coming soon) Follow Reiko and Toshio, a young couple who have been trying to have a child, as they seek answers to their infertility and learn about how to improve their reproductive health. |
Una Historia de Salud
|
|
Edición en español : La historia de Esteban (El cáncer infantil) Este capítulo gratuito de eBook incluye una gran cantidad de información sobre factores ambientales asociados con el cáncer infantil, tales como la contaminación del aire, los plaguicidas, los compuestos orgánicos volátiles, el tabaco y la exposición a radiación. También describe los beneficios de la lactancia materna, una dieta saludable, la suplementación de vitaminas prenatales y actividades tempranas de la infancia, como asistir a guarderías y la exposición a animales, para reducir el riesgo de leucemia y otros tipos de cáncer. Invitamos a todos los profesionales de la salud hispanohablantes, defensores de la salud, legisladores y ciudadanos a descargar y usar este recurso gratuito. Actualizado en 2025. |
About the e-Book
A Story of Health is an e-book on how to promote health and prevent disease. For more about A Story of Health and Environmental Health Literacy, see A multimedia e-book—A Story of Health: filling a gap in environmental health literacy for health professionals, 2016 in Environmental Health Perspectives
This is an interactive document with multiple chapters featuring prompts for embedded information and links to online resources.
Pop-up graphics and rollover functions reveal key concepts, relevant graphics and links to videos presented by researchers—in-depth information for clinicians.
A Story of Health is written by health experts with content relevant to a wide audience, from clinicians to health advocates to policy makers.
The stories are accessible to an educated lay audience with more technical sections for scientists and medical professionals who can access free continuing education credits through the e-book.
Our goal: Improve the health of individuals, families, communities and patients.
Developers
A Story of Health developers, in ongoing collaboration on new stories:
- Collaborative for Health and Environment (CHE)
-
Western States Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (Western States PEHSU) (Also see the Center for Integrative Research on Childhood Leukemia and the Environment (CIRCLE) video: Love in the Time of Toxicants (in English and Spanish))
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California EPA (OEHHA)
- Science and Environmental Health Network (SEHN)
What Colleagues Are Saying
"A Story of Health is superb and fun to use. This is a fantastic resource. It is compelling, educational and engaging, and will absolutely make a difference. I will recommend it to friends, colleagues, medical students and residents."
"Brilliant!!!! The focus on a family and on each of their health challenges weaving in the environmental factors is masterful and I believe very effective. It is a wonderful format—and very cleverly done with a compelling story and interactive elements."
"A Story of Health is the most engaging and compelling environmental health resource I've experienced. I recommend it for all who care about our planet and the impact we have on its health—and vice versa."