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Kamai EM, Calderon A, Van Horne YO, Bastain TM, Breton CV, Johnston JE. Perceptions and experiences of environmental health and risks among Latina mothers in urban Los Angeles, California, USA. Environ Health 2023; 22:8. [PMID: 36641468 PMCID: PMC9840262 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-00963-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental exposures during pregnancy and early childhood can have acute and chronic adverse health impacts. As minoritized populations are more likely to reside in areas with greater pollution, it is important to understand their views and lived experiences to inform action. The purpose of this community-driven qualitative research study was to understand how urban Latina mothers in Los Angeles County, California perceived environmental health and risks. METHODS We conducted semi-structured individual interviews with Latina pregnant women and mothers of young children, recruited through existing collaborations with community organizations. Interviews conducted in either English or Spanish and were coded inductively according to a modified grounded theory approach. RESULTS Thirty-six Latina mothers completed interviews between August-October 2016. Participants lived primarily in low-income communities of South-Central Los Angeles and East Los Angeles. We identified three major themes based on the participants' responses during interviews: Defining the Environment, Environment & Health Risks, and Social & Political Responsibility. Women defined their environment in terms of both "nature" and "hazards." They consistently identified foul odors, dirtiness, noise, trash, bugs, smoke, and other visible blights as indicators of household and neighborhood environmental hazards. They expressed fear and uncertainty about how their environment could affect their health and that of their children, as well as specific concerns about respiratory health, asthma, allergies, cancer, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Mothers often changed individual behaviors around diet and cleaning during pregnancy but were frustrated by power imbalances that left them unable to change their home or neighborhood environments, despite their desire to do so. DISCUSSION Our study is among the first to describe how urban Latina mothers perceive and experience environmental health risks during pregnancy and early childhood. Our research suggests additional attention is needed by public health professionals and researchers to address the environmental health risks that matter most to urban Latina mothers. They also highlight the tension that many urban Latina mothers feel between wanting to protect their families' health and well-being and feeling powerless to change their environment. Broad policy changes, rather than additional individual recommendations, are needed to address the concerns of this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Kamai
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Andrea Calderon
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Theresa M Bastain
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carrie V Breton
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jill E Johnston
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Pelgrims I, Devleesschauwer B, Keune H, Nawrot TS, Remmen R, Saenen ND, Thomas I, Gorasso V, Van der Heyden J, De Smedt D, De Clercq E. Validity of self-reported air pollution annoyance to assess long-term exposure to air pollutants in Belgium. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 210:113014. [PMID: 35218716 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In epidemiological studies, assessment of long term exposure to air pollution is often estimated using air pollution measurements at fixed monitoring stations, and interpolated to the residence of survey participants through Geographical Information Systems (GIS). However, obtaining georeferenced address data from national registries requires a long and cumbersome administrative procedure, since this kind of personal data is protected by privacy regulations. This paper aims to assess whether information collected in health interview surveys, including air pollution annoyance, could be used to build prediction models for assessing individual long term exposure to air pollution, removing the need for data on personal residence address. Analyses were carried out based on data from the Belgian Health Interview Survey (BHIS) 2013 linked to GIS-modelled air pollution exposure at the residence place of participants older than 15 years (n = 9347). First, univariate linear regressions were performed to assess the relationship between air pollution annoyance and modelled exposure to each air pollutant. Secondly, a multivariable linear regression was performed for each air pollutant based on a set of variables selected with elastic net cross-validation, including variables related to environmental annoyance, socio-economic and health status of participants. Finally, the performance of the models to classify individuals in three levels of exposure was assessed by means of a confusion matrix. Our results suggest a limited validity of self-reported air pollution annoyance as a direct proxy for air pollution exposure and a weak contribution of environmental annoyance variables in prediction models. Models using variables related to the socio-economic status, region, urban level and environmental annoyance allow to predict individual air pollution exposure with a percentage of error ranging from 8% to 18%. Although these models do not provide very accurate predictions in terms of absolute exposure to air pollution, they do allow to classify individuals in groups of relative exposure levels, ranking participants from low over medium to high air pollution exposure. This model represents a rapid assessment tool to identify groups within the BHIS participants undergoing the highest levels of environmental stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Pelgrims
- Department of Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Sciensano, Rue Juliette Wytsman 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S9, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Rue Juliette Wytsman 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Brecht Devleesschauwer
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Rue Juliette Wytsman 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, BE-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Hans Keune
- Centre of General Practice, Department Family and Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Doornstraat 331, BE-2610, Antwerp, Belgium; Nature and Society, Own-Capital Research Institute for Nature and Forest (EV-INBO), Vlaams Administratief Centrum Herman, Teirlinckgebouw, Havenlaan 88 Bus 73, BE-1000, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Center for Environmental Sciences, University of Hasselt, Agoralaan D, BE-3590, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium; Center for Environment and Sciences, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Herestraat 49-706, BE-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roy Remmen
- Centre of General Practice, Department Family and Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Doornstraat 331, BE-2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Nelly D Saenen
- Center for Environmental Sciences, University of Hasselt, Agoralaan D, BE-3590, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Isabelle Thomas
- Louvain Institute of Data Analysis and Modelling in Economics and Statistics, UCLouvain, Voie Du Roman Pays, 34 Bte L1.03.01, BE-1348, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Vanessa Gorasso
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Rue Juliette Wytsman 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Johan Van der Heyden
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Rue Juliette Wytsman 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Delphine De Smedt
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eva De Clercq
- Department of Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Sciensano, Rue Juliette Wytsman 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium
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Larsen K, Black P, Palmer AL, Sheppard AJ, Jamal S, Plain S, Peters C. Screening-level assessment of cancer risk associated with ambient air exposure in Aamjiwnaang First Nation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 32:1055-1066. [PMID: 33026840 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2020.1827226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The manuscript reports findings from a screening-level assessment of cancer risk from outdoor air in Aamjiwnaang First Nation. Ambient air pollution can contribute to cardiovascular/respiratory diseases, and certain types of cancer. Certain communities may be at higher risk to the negative health impacts due to their geographical proximity to pollution sources. Outdoor air concentrations were mapped and the Lifetime Excess Cancer Risks (LECR) associated with long-term exposure to known carcinogens were estimated. LECR results for both benzene and 1,3-butadiene were above one per million. The LECR for benzene was 6.4 per million when the Health Canada slope factor was applied and 12.0 when using the US EPA. For 1,3-butadiene the LECR estimate was 8.8 per million. This work provides a better understanding of environmental exposures and potential associated cancer risks for residents in the Aamjiwnaang community and highlights the need for further air monitoring and a more detailed risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristian Larsen
- CAREX Canada, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Paleah Black
- CAREX Canada, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Alison L Palmer
- CAREX Canada, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Amanda J Sheppard
- Ontario Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Sara Plain
- Health Services, Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Sarnia, ON, Canada
| | - Cheryl Peters
- CAREX Canada, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Preventive Oncology & Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Taylor AJ, Beauchamp JD, Briand L, Heer M, Hummel T, Margot C, McGrane S, Pieters S, Pittia P, Spence C. Factors affecting flavor perception in space: Does the spacecraft environment influence food intake by astronauts? Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2020; 19:3439-3475. [PMID: 33337044 DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The intention to send a crewed mission to Mars involves a huge amount of planning to ensure a safe and successful mission. Providing adequate amounts of food for the crew is a major task, but 20 years of feeding astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have resulted in a good knowledge base. A crucial observation from the ISS is that astronauts typically consume only 80% of their daily calorie requirements when in space. This is despite daily exercise regimes that keep energy usage at very similar levels to those found on Earth. This calorie deficit seems to have little effect on astronauts who spend up to 12 months on the ISS, but given that a mission to Mars would take 30 to 36 months to complete, there is concern that a calorie deficit over this period may lead to adverse effects in crew members. The key question is why astronauts undereat when they have a supply of food designed to fully deliver their nutritional needs. This review focuses on evidence from astronauts that foods taste different in space, compared to on Earth. The underlying hypothesis is that conditions in space may change the perceived flavor of the food, and this flavor change may, in turn, lead to underconsumption by astronauts. The key areas investigated in this review for their potential impact on food intake are the effects of food shelf life, physiological changes, noise, air and water quality on the perception of food flavor, as well as the link between food flavor and food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan D Beauchamp
- Department of Sensory Analytics, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Freising, Germany
| | - Loïc Briand
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Martina Heer
- International University of Applied Sciences, Bad Honnef, Germany
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Scott McGrane
- Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Waltham on the Wolds, UK
| | - Serge Pieters
- Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci, Institut Paul Lambin, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Paola Pittia
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture, and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Charles Spence
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Werder EJ, Gam KB, Engel LS, Kwok RK, Ekenga CC, Curry MD, Chambers DM, Blair A, Miller AK, Birnbaum LS, Sandler DP. Predictors of blood volatile organic compound levels in Gulf coast residents. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2018; 28:358-370. [PMID: 29288257 PMCID: PMC6013310 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-017-0010-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
To address concerns among Gulf Coast residents about ongoing exposures to volatile organic compounds, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and m-xylene/p-xylene (BTEX), we characterized current blood levels and identified predictors of BTEX among Gulf state residents. We collected questionnaire data on recent exposures and measured blood BTEX levels in a convenience sample of 718 Gulf residents. Because BTEX is rapidly cleared from the body, blood levels represent recent exposures in the past 24 h. We compared participants' levels of blood BTEX to a nationally representative sample. Among nonsmokers we assessed predictors of blood BTEX levels using linear regression, and predicted the risk of elevated BTEX levels using modified Poisson regression. Blood BTEX levels in Gulf residents were similar to national levels. Among nonsmokers, sex and reporting recent smoky/chemical odors predicted blood BTEX. The change in log benzene was -0.26 (95% CI: -0.47, -0.04) and 0.72 (0.02, 1.42) for women and those who reported odors, respectively. Season, time spent away from home, and self-reported residential proximity to Superfund sites (within a half mile) were statistically associated with benzene only, however mean concentration was nearly an order of magnitude below that of cigarette smokers. Among these Gulf residents, smoking was the primary contributor to blood BTEX levels, but other factors were also relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Werder
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kaitlyn B Gam
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
- Department of Global Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Lawrence S Engel
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Richard K Kwok
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | | | - David M Chambers
- Emergency Response and Air Toxicants Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Aaron Blair
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Aubrey K Miller
- Office of the Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Linda S Birnbaum
- Office of the Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
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Vilavert L, Figueras MJ, Schuhmacher M, Nadal M, Domingo JL. Formaldehyde: a chemical of concern in the vicinity of MBT plants of municipal solid waste. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2014; 133:27-35. [PMID: 24906065 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2014] [Revised: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) of municipal solid waste (MSW) has a number of advantages in comparison to other MSW management possibilities. However, adverse health effects related to this practice are not well known yet, as a varied typology of microbiological and chemical agents may be generated and released. In 2010, we initiated an environmental monitoring program to control air levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and microbiological pollutants near an MBT plant in Montcada i Reixac (Catalonia, Spain). In order to assess any temporal and seasonal trends, four 6-monthly campaigns were performed. Important fluctuations were observed in the levels of different biological indicators (total and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi grown at 25 °C and 37 °C, and more specifically, Aspergillus fumigatus). Although overall bioaerosols concentrations were rather low, a certain increase in the mean values of bacteria and fungi was observed in summer. In contrast, higher concentrations of VOCs were found in winter, with the only exception of formaldehyde. Interestingly, although this compound was not detected in one of the sampling campaigns, current airborne levels of formaldehyde were higher than those previously reported in urban areas across Europe. Furthermore, the non-carcinogenic risks (Hazard Quotient), particularly in winter, as well as the cancer risks associated with the inhalation of VOCs, exceeded the threshold values (1 and 10(-5), respectively), reaffirming the need of continuing with the monitoring program, with special emphasis on formaldehyde, a carcinogenic/mutagenic substance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lolita Vilavert
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - María J Figueras
- Microbiology Unit, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Marta Schuhmacher
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain; Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d'Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Martí Nadal
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - José L Domingo
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
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Kondo MC, Gross-Davis CA, May K, Davis LO, Johnson T, Mallard M, Gabbadon A, Sherrod C, Branas CC. Place-based stressors associated with industry and air pollution. Health Place 2014; 28:31-7. [PMID: 24721738 PMCID: PMC4065639 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2013] [Revised: 02/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to air pollution and its sources is increasingly viewed as a psychosocial stress, however its nature is not understood. This article explores the role of the concept of place on risk perception and community stress within data collected from eight focus groups in Philadelphia, USA. Discussions focused on air pollution, a nearby oil refinery, health, and a proposal for air monitoring. We present a framework of place-based elements of risk perception that includes place identity, stigma and social control. Our findings indicate that air pollution contributes to physical and psychosocial conditions that act as community-level social stressors. Findings also suggest that programs which seek to change behaviors and gather or spread information on issues such as pollution and other environmental concerns will be challenged unless they directly address: (1) the public׳s identification with a place or industry, (2) immediate environmental stressors such as abandonment, waste and odors, and (3) public perceptions of lack of social control and fear of displacement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle C Kondo
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 100 North 20th Street, Suite 205, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA 19104-6021, USA; Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 423 Guardian Drive, Blockley Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021 USA.
| | - Carol Ann Gross-Davis
- United States Environmental Protection Agency-Region 3, Air Protection Division, 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA; Drexel University, School of Public Health, 3215 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA.
| | - Katlyn May
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, 450 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Lauren O Davis
- Drexel University, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Tyiesha Johnson
- Drexel University, School of Public Health, 3215 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA.
| | - Mable Mallard
- Right to Know Committee, 1225S. 26th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA
| | - Alice Gabbadon
- Right to Know Committee, 1225S. 26th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA
| | - Claudia Sherrod
- South Philadelphia H.O.M.E.S Inc. & Point Breeze Community Development Coalition, 1444 Point Breeze Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA.
| | - Charles C Branas
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 423 Guardian Drive, Blockley Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021 USA.
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