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Hamshaw KA, Baker D. Manufactured housing communities and climate change: Understanding key vulnerabilities and recommendations for emergency managers. JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT (WESTON, MASS.) 2024; 22:87-99. [PMID: 38573732 DOI: 10.5055/jem.0845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Manufactured housing communities (MHCs), commonly referred to as mobile home parks, provide an estimated 2.7 million American households with largely unsubsidized, affordable housing. Climate change threatens those who call these communities home by exacerbating known structural and social vulnerabilities associated with this housing type-including but not limited to increased risks to flooding, extreme temperatures, high winds, and wildfires. Climate change requires emergency managers to understand the diverse, integrated, and complex vulnerabilities of MHCs that affect their exposure to climate change risk. This article presents findings from an integrative literature review focused on the climate-related vulnerabilities of these communities described at three levels of scale: household, housing structure, and park community. It then draws on 15 years of engagement and action research with MHC residents and stakeholders in Vermont, including several federally declared flooding disasters, to distill key recommendations for emergency managers for assisting MHCs to prepare for and respond to emergencies. As climate change accelerates, emergency managers can increase efficacy by learning about the MHCs in their jurisdictions by leveraging the best available data to characterize risks, integrating MHCs into planning and mitigation activities, and engaging in conversations with stakeholders, including MHC residents and their trusted partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Hamshaw
- Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2932-6480
| | - Daniel Baker
- Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1697-8412
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Rowles LS, Tso D, Dolocan A, Kirisits MJ, Lawler DF, Saleh NB. Integrating Navajo Pottery Techniques To Improve Silver Nanoparticle-Enabled Ceramic Water Filters for Disinfection. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17132-17143. [PMID: 37870911 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Point-of-use treatment technologies can increase access to safe drinking water in rural areas. Sustained use of these technologies is uncommon due to oversight of community needs, user-perceived risks, long-term maintenance, and conflict with traditional practices. Nanosilver-enabled ceramic water filters are unique due to the use of locally sourced materials available at or near the target community; however, technical limitations persist (e.g., nanosilver's uncontrolled release and passivation from sulfide or chloride). This work aims to overcome these limitations by impregnating nanosilver onto ceramics with a Navajo pottery rosin, collected from pinyon trees with a third-generation artisan. Here, we investigate this sustainable and novel material for drinking water treatment; the study ranges from a proof of concept to testing under realistic conditions. Results show that when embedded in a thin film, the biopolymer controlled ionic silver dissolution and prevented silver passivation from sulfide and chloride. When applied to ceramic filters, the biopolymer effectively immobilized nanosilver in a range of waters. Over a 25 day study to emulate household-use conditions, this coating method sustained disinfection of a coculture of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria while controlling biofouling. Overall, the use of this Navajo pottery material can facilitate adoption while providing the needed technological advancement to these widely used treatment devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis S Rowles
- Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Deanna Tso
- Navajo Nation, Tuba City Chapter, Tuba, Arizona 86045, United States
| | - Andrei Dolocan
- Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Mary Jo Kirisits
- Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Desmond F Lawler
- Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Navid B Saleh
- Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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Casey JA, Daouda M, Babadi RS, Do V, Flores NM, Berzansky I, González DJ, Van Horne YO, James-Todd T. Methods in Public Health Environmental Justice Research: a Scoping Review from 2018 to 2021. Curr Environ Health Rep 2023; 10:312-336. [PMID: 37581863 PMCID: PMC10504232 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-023-00406-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The volume of public health environmental justice (EJ) research produced by academic institutions increased through 2022. However, the methods used for evaluating EJ in exposure science and epidemiologic studies have not been catalogued. Here, we completed a scoping review of EJ studies published in 19 environmental science and epidemiologic journals from 2018 to 2021 to summarize research types, frameworks, and methods. RECENT FINDINGS We identified 402 articles that included populations with health disparities as a part of EJ research question and met other inclusion criteria. Most studies (60%) evaluated EJ questions related to socioeconomic status (SES) or race/ethnicity. EJ studies took place in 69 countries, led by the US (n = 246 [61%]). Only 50% of studies explicitly described a theoretical EJ framework in the background, methods, or discussion and just 10% explicitly stated a framework in all three sections. Among exposure studies, the most common area-level exposure was air pollution (40%), whereas chemicals predominated personal exposure studies (35%). Overall, the most common method used for exposure-only EJ analyses was main effect regression modeling (50%); for epidemiologic studies the most common method was effect modification (58%), where an analysis evaluated a health disparity variable as an effect modifier. Based on the results of this scoping review, current methods in public health EJ studies could be bolstered by integrating expertise from other fields (e.g., sociology), conducting community-based participatory research and intervention studies, and using more rigorous, theory-based, and solution-oriented statistical research methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan A. Casey
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA USA
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Misbath Daouda
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Ryan S. Babadi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Vivian Do
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Nina M. Flores
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Isa Berzansky
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - David J.X. González
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management and School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | | | - Tamarra James-Todd
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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Sidhu AS, Mikolajczyk FN, Fisher JC. Antimicrobial Resistance Linked to Septic System Contamination in the Indiana Lake Michigan Watershed. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12030569. [PMID: 36978436 PMCID: PMC10044017 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12030569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Extended-spectrum β-lactamases confer resistance to a variety of β-lactam antimicrobials, and the genes for these enzymes are often found on plasmids that include additional antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG). We surveyed aquatic environments in the Indiana Lake Michigan watershed in proximity to areas with high densities of residential septic systems to determine if human fecal contamination from septic effluent correlated with the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes and phenotypically resistant bacteria. Of the 269 E. coli isolated from environmental samples and one septic source, 97 isolates were resistant to cefotaxime, a third-generation cephalosporin. A subset of those isolates showed phenotypic resistance to other β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines. Quantitative PCR was used to quantify human-associated Bacteroides dorei gene copies (Human Bacteroides) from water samples and to identify the presence of ARG harbored on plasmids from E. coli isolates or in environmental DNA. We found a strong correlation between the presence of ARG and human fecal concentrations, which supports our hypothesis that septic effluent is a source of ARG and resistant organisms. The observed plasmid-based resistance adds an additional level of risk, as human-associated bacteria from septic systems may expand the environmental resistome by acting as a reservoir of transmissible resistance genes.
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Hochard J, Li Y, Abashidze N. Associations of hurricane exposure and forecasting with impaired birth outcomes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6746. [PMID: 36347839 PMCID: PMC9643368 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33865-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Early forecasts give people in a storm's path time to prepare. Less is known about the cost to society when forecasts are incorrect. In this observational study, we examine over 700,000 births in the path of Hurricane Irene and find exposure was associated with impaired birth outcomes. Additional warning time was associated with decreased preterm birth rates for women who experienced intense storm exposures documenting a benefit of avoiding a type II forecasting error. A larger share of this at-risk population experienced a type I forecasting error where severe physical storm impacts were anticipated but not experienced. Disaster anticipation disrupted healthcare services by delaying and canceling prenatal care, which may contribute to storm-impacted birth outcomes. Recognizing storm damages depend on human responses to predicted storm paths is critical to supporting the next generation's developmental potential with judicious forecasts that ensure public warning systems mitigate rather than exacerbate climate damages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Hochard
- grid.135963.b0000 0001 2109 0381Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Bim Kendall House, 804 E Fremont Street, Laramie, WY 82072 USA
| | - Yuanhao Li
- SNF – Centre for Applied Research at NHH, Helleveien 30, N-5045, Bergen, Norway
| | - Nino Abashidze
- grid.135963.b0000 0001 2109 0381Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Bim Kendall House, 804 E Fremont Street, Laramie, WY 82072 USA
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Zheng M, Wutich A, Brewis A, Kavouras S. Health impacts of water and sanitation insecurity in the Global North: a scoping literature review for U.S. colonias on the Mexico border. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2022; 20:1329-1342. [PMID: 36170189 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2022.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
U.S. border colonias are peri-urban settlements along the U.S.-Mexico border. Residents often face substandard housing, inadequate septic and sewer systems, and unsafe or inadequate household water. As of 2015, an estimated 30% of over 5 million U.S. colonia residents lacked access to clean drinking water, suggesting health complications. This scoping review identifies a very limited existing set of research on water and sanitation insecurity in U.S.-Mexico border colonias, and suggests value in additional focused research in this specific context to address health challenges. Preliminary health data indicates that due to water insecurity, colonia residents are more likely to contract gastrointestinal diseases, be exposed to carcinogenic compounds from contaminated water, and experience psychosocial distress. These widespread health issues in colonias are exacerbated by historical and ongoing socioenvironmental injustices in the U.S.-Mexico border region and their relation to the poor health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Zheng
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, 1151 S Forest Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA E-mail:
| | - Amber Wutich
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Cady Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Alexandra Brewis
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, 1151 S Forest Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA E-mail:
| | - Stavros Kavouras
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Cady Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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Gomez-Vidal C, Gomez AM. Invisible and unequal: Unincorporated community status as a structural determinant of health. Soc Sci Med 2021; 285:114292. [PMID: 34411968 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Despite increasing awareness of the importance of political determinants of health, place-based research has not interrogated one of the most common political statuses: the impact of living in a community without municipal incorporation. In 2010 an estimated 37% of the U.S. population lived in an unincorporated area; despite their ubiquity, unincorporated communities are largely absent from the public health literature. Residents of unincorporated areas typically do not have their own local (e.g., city or municipal) government. This lack of representation leads to political exclusion and diminished access to resources, especially for low-income communities of color, Furthermore, by not disaggregating health data to unincorporated communities, residents are subsumed into county or census tract data that may not be reflective of their community's composition or context. Without jurisdictional distinction in research, there is no accountability for the manufacturing of health inequities in unincorporated communities . In the absence of empirical research on unincorporated communities, this paper uses the Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) Framework of the World Health Organization to argue that lack of municipal status is a structural determinant of health responsible for social conditions which generate cumulative health risks for residents. This includes using existing evidence on social conditions typical of unincorporated communities to describe patterns of residential segregation, neighborhood disadvantage, and environmental hazards that may increase residents' exposure to unhealthy environments in unincorporated communities. Finally, we provide an agenda for future public health research that can begin to address this health and racial equity gap for low-income unincorporated communities of color who have, until now, been absent in health equity discourse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Gomez-Vidal
- Sexual Health and Reproductive Equity Program, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, 110 Haviland Hall MC 7400, Berkeley, CA, 94720-7400, USA.
| | - Anu Manchikanti Gomez
- Sexual Health and Reproductive Equity Program, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, 110 Haviland Hall MC 7400, Berkeley, CA, 94720-7400, USA.
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Rowles LS, Whittaker T, Ward PM, Araiza I, Kirisits MJ, Lawler DF, Saleh NB. A Structural Equation Model to Decipher Relationships among Water, Sanitation, and Health in Colonias-Type Unincorporated Communities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:16017-16027. [PMID: 33259189 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The colonias along the United States-Mexico border are generally self-built neighborhoods of low-income families that lack basic infrastructure. While some government assistance has provided roads and electricity, water and wastewater services are still lacking in many colonias. This research is the first to collect a comprehensive dataset on water, sanitation, health, and living conditions in these unincorporated neighborhoods through collection of water samples and surveys; 114 households in 23 colonias across three geographically diverse Texas counties are studied. Water quality is assessed via traditional microbial indicators, chlorine, and arsenic. This complex dataset requires an advanced statistical tool to disentangle relationships among diverse factors. Structural equation modeling is utilized to identify relationships among surveyed and measured variables. The model reveals that colonias residents with well/hauled water accurately predict their water quality, while those with treated+piped water tend to think that their water is worse than it actually is. Dwelling quality and connection to sanitary sewers influence perceived health risks and household health, respectively. Furthermore, these communities have an overwhelming need and desire for point-of-use water treatment. This model can inform decision making and may be adapted to probe other questions and social dynamics for water and sanitation in unincorporated communities elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis Stetson Rowles
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Tiffany Whittaker
- Educational Psychology Department, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Peter M Ward
- The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Isabel Araiza
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas 78412, United States
| | - Mary Jo Kirisits
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Desmond F Lawler
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Navid B Saleh
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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