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Hayward M, Helbich M. Environmental noise is positively associated with socioeconomically less privileged neighborhoods in the Netherlands. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 248:118294. [PMID: 38281559 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118294] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental noise has detrimental effects on various health outcomes. Although disparities in some environmental exposures (e.g., air pollution) are well-documented, there is still a limited and uncertain understanding of the extent to which specific populations are disproportionately burdened by noise. AIM To assess whether environmental noise levels are associated with demographic and socioeconomic neighborhood compositions. METHODS We cross-sectionally examined long-term noise levels for 9,372 neighborhoods in the Netherlands. We linked these noise levels with administrative data on neighborhood characteristics for the year 2021. Linear and non-linear spatial regression models were fitted to explore the associations between noise, demographic, and socioeconomic neighborhood characteristics. RESULTS Our results showed that 46 % of the neighborhoods exhibited noise levels surpassing the recommended threshold of 53 dB to prevent adverse health effects. The regressions uncovered positive and partially non-linear neighborhood-level associations between noise and non-Western migrants, employment rates, low-incomers, and address density. Conversely, we found negative associations with higher-educated neighborhoods and those with a greater proportion of younger residents. Neighborhoods with older populations displayed a U-shaped association. CONCLUSIONS This national study showed an inequality in the noise burden, adversely affecting vulnerable, marginalized, and less privileged neighborhoods. Addressing the uneven distribution of noise and its root causes is an urgent policy imperative for sustainable Dutch cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Hayward
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marco Helbich
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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Kerr GH, van Donkelaar A, Martin RV, Brauer M, Bukart K, Wozniak S, Goldberg DL, Anenberg SC. Increasing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Ambient Air Pollution-Attributable Morbidity and Mortality in the United States. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:37002. [PMID: 38445892 PMCID: PMC10916678 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μ m (PM 2.5 ) threaten public health in the US, and systemic racism has led to modern-day disparities in the distribution and associated health impacts of these pollutants. OBJECTIVES Many studies on environmental injustices related to ambient air pollution focus only on disparities in pollutant concentrations or provide only an assessment of pollution or health disparities at a snapshot in time. In this study, we compare injustices in NO 2 - and PM 2.5 -attributable health burdens, considering NO 2 -attributable health impacts across the entire US; document changing disparities in these health burdens over time (2010-2019); and evaluate how more stringent air quality standards would reduce disparities in health impacts associated with these pollutants. METHODS Through a health impact assessment, we quantified census tract-level variations in health outcomes attributable to NO 2 and PM 2.5 using health impact functions that combine demographic data from the US Census Bureau; two spatially resolved pollutant datasets, which fuse satellite data with physical and statistical models; and epidemiologically derived relative risk estimates and incidence rates from the Global Burden of Disease study. RESULTS Despite overall decreases in the public health damages associated with NO 2 and PM 2.5 , racial and ethnic relative disparities in NO 2 -attributable pediatric asthma and PM 2.5 -attributable premature mortality have widened in the US during the last decade. Racial relative disparities in PM 2.5 -attributable premature mortality and NO 2 -attributable pediatric asthma have increased by 16% and 19%, respectively, between 2010 and 2019. Similarly, ethnic relative disparities in PM 2.5 -attributable premature mortality have increased by 40% and NO 2 -attributable pediatric asthma by 10%. DISCUSSION Enacting and attaining more stringent air quality standards for both pollutants could preferentially benefit the most marginalized and minoritized communities by greatly reducing racial and ethnic relative disparities in pollution-attributable health burdens in the US. Our methods provide a semi-observational approach to track changes in disparities in air pollution and associated health burdens across the US. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11900.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaige Hunter Kerr
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Aaron van Donkelaar
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Randall V. Martin
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Michael Brauer
- Department of Health Metrics Sciences, Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Katrin Bukart
- Department of Health Metrics Sciences, Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sarah Wozniak
- Department of Health Metrics Sciences, Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Daniel L. Goldberg
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Susan C. Anenberg
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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Ma Y, Zang E, Liu Y, Wei J, Lu Y, Krumholz HM, Bell ML, Chen K. Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke PM 2.5 and mortality in the contiguous United States. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2023.01.31.23285059. [PMID: 36778437 PMCID: PMC9915814 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.31.23285059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite the growing evidence on the health effects of short-term exposure to wildfire smoke fine particles (PM2.5), the impacts of long-term wildfire smoke PM2.5 exposure remain unclear. We investigated the association between long-term exposure to wildfire smoke PM2.5 and all-cause mortality and mortality from a wide range of specific causes in all 3,108 counties in the contiguous U.S., 2007-2020. Monthly county-level mortality data were collected from the National Center for Health Statistics. Wildfire smoke PM2.5 concentration was derived from a 10×10 km2 resolution spatiotemporal model. Controlling for non-smoke PM2.5, air temperature, and unmeasured spatial and temporal confounders, we found a non-linear association between 12-month moving average concentration of smoke PM2.5 and monthly all-cause mortality rate. Relative to a month with the long-term smoke PM2.5 exposure below 0.1 μg/m3, all-cause mortality increased by 0.40-1.54 and 3.65 deaths per 100,000 people per month when the 12-month moving average of PM2.5 concentration was of 0.1-5 and 5+ μg/m3, respectively. Cardiovascular, ischemic heart disease, digestive, endocrine, diabetes, mental, suicide, and chronic kidney disease mortality were all found to be associated with long-term wildfire smoke PM2.5 exposure. Smoke PM2.5 contributed to approximately 30,180 all-cause deaths/year (95% CI: 21,449, 38,910) in the contiguous U.S. Higher smoke PM2.5-related increases in mortality rates were found for people aged 65 above and racial minority populations. Positive interaction effects with extreme heat were also observed. Our study identified the detrimental effects of long-term exposure to wildfire smoke PM2.5 on a wide range of mortality outcomes, underscoring the need for public health actions and communication to prepare communities and individuals to mitigate smoke exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Ma
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Emma Zang
- Department of Sociology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jing Wei
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Yuan Lu
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Harlan M. Krumholz
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Kai Chen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
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Nogueira LM, Yabroff KR. Climate change and cancer: the Environmental Justice perspective. J Natl Cancer Inst 2024; 116:15-25. [PMID: 37813679 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djad185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in cancer control-prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship-racial disparities in cancer incidence and survival persist and, in some cases, are widening in the United States. Since 2020, there's been growing recognition of the role of structural racism, including structurally racist policies and practices, as the main factor contributing to historical and contemporary disparities. Structurally racist policies and practices have been present since the genesis of the United States and are also at the root of environmental injustices, which result in disproportionately high exposure to environmental hazards among communities targeted for marginalization, increased cancer risk, disruptions in access to care, and worsening health outcomes. In addition to widening cancer disparities, environmental injustices enable the development of polluting infrastructure, which contribute to detrimental health outcomes in the entire population, and to climate change, the most pressing public health challenge of our time. In this commentary, we describe the connections between climate change and cancer through an Environmental Justice perspective (defined as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all racialized groups, nationalities, or income, in all aspects, including development, implementation, and enforcement, of policies and practices that affect the environment and public health), highlighting how the expertise developed in communities targeted for marginalization is crucial for addressing health disparities, tackling climate change, and advancing cancer control efforts for the entire population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia M Nogueira
- Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - K Robin Yabroff
- Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Kim SY, Matsui EC, Wen W, Tse HW, Chambliss SE. Demographic and Psychosocial Characteristics, Air Pollution Exposure, and Housing Mobility of Mexican Immigrant Families. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023; 10:2970-2985. [PMID: 36512313 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-022-01473-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE People of color and lower socioeconomic status groups in the USA, including those of Mexican origin, are exposed to higher concentrations of air pollution, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Associations were examined between neighborhood air pollution levels and the psychosocial and demographic characteristics of linguistically isolated Mexican-origin immigrant families. Housing mobility and changes in air pollution levels due to changes in residence were also examined. METHODS A sample of 604 linguistically isolated Mexican-origin families in central TX provided data on demographic and psychosocial experiences. Outdoor air pollution concentrations at participants' home addresses were based on high-resolution estimates of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and its constituents. Movers were identified as families whose residential addresses changed during the study period; these participants were further grouped and compared based on the change in their residential PM2.5 concentration from before to after their move. RESULTS Lower PM2.5 concentrations were associated with reports of more ethnic discriminatory experiences, higher socioeconomic status, and higher perceived neighborhood safety. Among the 23% of families who changed residences, PM2.5 concentrations were generally lower at the new family address. Families with mothers reporting a greater sense of neighborhood safety or acculturation levels tended to move from one area low in air pollutants to another, and mothers reporting the lowest levels of neighborhood safety or acculturation tended to move from one area high in air pollutants to another. CONCLUSION There are limits to assimilation for Mexican immigrant families. Living in more advantaged neighborhoods is associated with experiencing better air quality, but this advantage may come at the cost of experiencing more ethnic discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Yeong Kim
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 108 East Dean Keeton St., Stop A2702, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
| | - Elizabeth C Matsui
- Department of Population Health, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, 1601 Trinity St., Bldg B, Stop Z0500, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Wen Wen
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 108 East Dean Keeton St., Stop A2702, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Hin Wing Tse
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 108 East Dean Keeton St., Stop A2702, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Sarah E Chambliss
- Department of Statistics and Data Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 105 E 24th St., Stop C1786, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
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Korfmacher KS, Brody JG. Moving Forward with Reporting Back Individual Environmental Health Research Results. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:125002. [PMID: 38095662 PMCID: PMC10720702 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The practice of reporting back individual results to participants in environmental health research has evolved significantly over the past 20 years. Research findings support the potential of report-back to enhance the ethics, quality, and impact of environmental health research. Nonetheless, implementation of environmental health report-back practices is not yet routine. OBJECTIVES We propose a framework for institutionalizing appropriate report-back to participants of their individual results across the environmental health research enterprise. We provide a brief overview of the rationales for report-back, social science research on report-back experiences over the past two decades, and recent efforts to synthesize guidance in this field. We also describe barriers to be addressed in moving toward widespread implementation of report-back. DISCUSSION Report-back of individual results is increasingly recognized as an ethical responsibility and essential component of impactful environmental health research. Experience shows that when personal results are returned with appropriate contextual information, report-back can increase environmental health literacy, promote individual actions, and enhance engagement in policy change. Therefore, report-back can promote environmental justice and reduce disparities in access to science. Despite this evidence base, report-back is not widely implemented. We recommend the collaborative development of guidelines, training, and resources to build capacity for appropriate report-back to study participants across the environmental health research enterprise, and we identify research priorities to advance the field. Development of tools and shared infrastructure for report-back holds promise for reducing barriers while ensuring high-quality personalized reports. Disseminating successful case studies could also advance excellence. We recommend including diverse scientific disciplines, community partners, representatives of study populations, clinicians, institutional review boards (IRBs), legal experts, public health professionals, and government officials in further developing this critical aspect of environmental health research. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12463.
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Ma Y, Zang E, Opara I, Lu Y, Krumholz HM, Chen K. Racial/ethnic disparities in PM 2.5-attributable cardiovascular mortality burden in the United States. Nat Hum Behav 2023; 7:2074-2083. [PMID: 37653149 PMCID: PMC10901568 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01694-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Average ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations have decreased in the US in recent years, but the health benefits of this improvement among different racial/ethnic groups are unknown. We estimate the associations between long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 and cause-specific cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality rate and assess the PM2.5-attributable CVD deaths by race/ethnicity across 3,103 US counties during 2001-2016 (n = 595,776 county-months). A 1 µg m-3 increase in PM2.5 concentration was associated with increases of 7.16 (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.81, 10.51) CVD deaths per 1,000,000 Black people per month, significantly higher than the estimates for non-Hispanic white people (1.76 (95% CI: 1.37, 2.15); difference in coefficients: 5.40 (95% CI: 2.03, 8.77), P = 0.001). No significant difference in this association was observed between Hispanic (2.66 (95% CI: -0.03, 5.35)) and non-Hispanic white people (difference in coefficients: 0.90 (95% CI: -1.81, 3.61), P = 0.523). From 2001 to 2016, the absolute disparity in PM2.5-attributable CVD mortality burden was reduced by 44.04% between non-Hispanic Black and white people and by 2.61% between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white people. However, in 2016, the burden remained 3.47 times higher for non-Hispanic Black people and 0.45 times higher for Hispanic people than for non-Hispanic white people. We call for policies that aim to reduce both exposure and vulnerability to PM2.5 for racial/ethnic minorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Ma
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Emma Zang
- Department of Sociology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ijeoma Opara
- Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yuan Lu
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Harlan M Krumholz
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Gohlke JM, Harris MH, Roy A, Thompson TM, DePaola M, Alvarez RA, Anenberg SC, Apte JS, Demetillo MAG, Dressel IM, Kerr GH, Marshall JD, Nowlan AE, Patterson RF, Pusede SE, Southerland VA, Vogel SA. State-of-the-Science Data and Methods Need to Guide Place-Based Efforts to Reduce Air Pollution Inequity. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:125003. [PMID: 38109120 PMCID: PMC10727036 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently enacted environmental justice policies in the United States at the state and federal level emphasize addressing place-based inequities, including persistent disparities in air pollution exposure and associated health impacts. Advances in air quality measurement, models, and analytic methods have demonstrated the importance of finer-scale data and analysis in accurately quantifying the extent of inequity in intraurban pollution exposure, although the necessary degree of spatial resolution remains a complex and context-dependent question. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this commentary were to a) discuss ways to maximize and evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to reduce air pollution disparities, and b) argue that environmental regulators must employ improved methods to project, measure, and track the distributional impacts of new policies at finer geographic and temporal scales. DISCUSSION The historic federal investments from the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Biden Administration's commitment to Justice40 present an unprecedented opportunity to advance climate and energy policies that deliver real reductions in pollution-related health inequities. In our opinion, scientists, advocates, policymakers, and implementing agencies must work together to harness critical advances in air quality measurements, models, and analytic methods to ensure success. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13063.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M. Gohlke
- Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Maria H. Harris
- Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Ananya Roy
- Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Mindi DePaola
- Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Ramón A. Alvarez
- Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Susan C. Anenberg
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Joshua S. Apte
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | - Isabella M. Dressel
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Gaige H. Kerr
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Julian D. Marshall
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Aileen E. Nowlan
- Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Regan F. Patterson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sally E. Pusede
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Veronica A. Southerland
- Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Sarah A. Vogel
- Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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Menegatto M, Zamperini A. Health and Psychological Concerns of Communities Affected by Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances: The Case of Residents Living in the Orange Area of the Veneto Region. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:7056. [PMID: 37998286 PMCID: PMC10671329 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20227056] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Residents of an extensive area of the Veneto Region (Italy) face one of the largest technological disasters due to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). On the basis of a risk gradient of contamination, the affected territories were divided into 4 areas: Red (of maximum exposure, where a human biomonitoring programme (HBM) was activated), Orange, Yellow, and Green. This article presents a case study of residents who live in the Orange Area, the second area in terms of contamination, excluded from the HBM. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 residents engaged in promoting a legal procedure to exercise their right to know. Grounded theory and a thematic analysis method were used. Overall, the findings revealed that experiencing contamination causes a negative psychosocial impact on the residents' lives; difficulty accessing information; living with uncertainty, caused by the lack of institutional and health support and medical consultation; a sense of abandonment; difficulty managing preventive and protective actions; and the deterioration of relationships, on the basis of the social comparison with residents of the Red Area, to whom HBM was granted and where the concept of health ostracism has emerged. This study demonstrated that biomonitoring may help reduce discomfort in the case of contamination by informing people of their chemical exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adriano Zamperini
- FISPPA Department, University of Padova, Via Venezia 14, 35131 Padova, Italy
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deSouza PN, Chaudhary E, Dey S, Ko S, Németh J, Guttikunda S, Chowdhury S, Kinney P, Subramanian SV, Bell ML, Kim R. An environmental justice analysis of air pollution in India. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16690. [PMID: 37794063 PMCID: PMC10551031 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43628-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the lack of timely data on socioeconomic factors (SES), little research has evaluated if socially disadvantaged populations are disproportionately exposed to higher PM2.5 concentrations in India. We fill this gap by creating a rich dataset of SES parameters for 28,081 clusters (villages in rural India and census-blocks in urban India) from the National Family and Health Survey (NFHS-4) using a precision-weighted methodology that accounts for survey-design. We then evaluated associations between total, anthropogenic and source-specific PM2.5 exposures and SES variables using fully-adjusted multilevel models. We observed that SES factors such as caste, religion, poverty, education, and access to various household amenities are important risk factors for PM2.5 exposures. For example, we noted that a unit standard deviation increase in the cluster-prevalence of Scheduled Caste and Other Backward Class households was significantly associated with an increase in total-PM2.5 levels corresponding to 0.127 μg/m3 (95% CI 0.062 μg/m3, 0.192 μg/m3) and 0.199 μg/m3 (95% CI 0.116 μg/m3, 0.283 μg/m3, respectively. We noted substantial differences when evaluating such associations in urban/rural locations, and when considering source-specific PM2.5 exposures, pointing to the need for the conceptualization of a nuanced EJ framework for India that can account for these empirical differences. We also evaluated emerging axes of inequality in India, by reporting associations between recent changes in PM2.5 levels and different SES parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka N deSouza
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA.
- Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, New Delhi, India.
| | - Ekta Chaudhary
- Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Sagnik Dey
- Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, New Delhi, India
- Centre of Excellence for Research on Clean Air, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India
- School of Public Policy, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Soohyeon Ko
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jeremy Németh
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Sarath Guttikunda
- Transportation Research and Injury Prevention (TRIP) Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, 110016, India
- Urban Emissions, New Delhi, 110019, India
| | | | - Patrick Kinney
- School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - S V Subramanian
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Bow Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Michelle L Bell
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rockli Kim
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.
- Division of Health Policy and Management, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.
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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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Kelp MM, Fargiano TC, Lin S, Liu T, Turner JR, Kutz JN, Mickley LJ. Data-Driven Placement of PM 2.5 Air Quality Sensors in the United States: An Approach to Target Urban Environmental Injustice. GEOHEALTH 2023; 7:e2023GH000834. [PMID: 37711364 PMCID: PMC10499371 DOI: 10.1029/2023gh000834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
In the United States, citizens and policymakers heavily rely upon Environmental Protection Agency mandated regulatory networks to monitor air pollution; increasingly they also depend on low-cost sensor networks to supplement spatial gaps in regulatory monitor networks coverage. Although these regulatory and low-cost networks in tandem provide enhanced spatiotemporal coverage in urban areas, low-cost sensors are located often in higher income, predominantly White areas. Such disparity in coverage may exacerbate existing inequalities and impact the ability of different communities to respond to the threat of air pollution. Here we present a study using cost-constrained multiresolution dynamic mode decomposition (mrDMDcc) to identify the optimal and equitable placement of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) sensors in four U.S. cities with histories of racial or income segregation: St. Louis, Houston, Boston, and Buffalo. This novel approach incorporates the variation of PM2.5 on timescales ranging from 1 day to over a decade to capture air pollution variability. We also introduce a cost function into the sensor placement optimization that represents the balance between our objectives of capturing PM2.5 extremes and increasing pollution monitoring in low-income and nonwhite areas. We find that the mrDMDcc algorithm places a greater number of sensors in historically low-income and nonwhite neighborhoods with known environmental pollution problems compared to networks using PM2.5 information alone. Our work provides a roadmap for the creation of equitable sensor networks in U.S. cities and offers a guide for democratizing air pollution data through increasing spatial coverage of low-cost sensors in less privileged communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto M. Kelp
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesHarvard UniversityCambridgeMAUSA
| | | | - Samuel Lin
- Department of Computer ScienceHarvard UniversityCambridgeMAUSA
| | - Tianjia Liu
- Department of Earth System ScienceUniversity of California, IrvineIrvineCAUSA
| | - Jay R. Turner
- Department of EnergyEnvironmental and Chemical EngineeringWashington UniversitySt. LouisMOUSA
| | - J. Nathan Kutz
- Department of Applied MathematicsUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
| | - Loretta J. Mickley
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied SciencesHarvard UniversityCambridgeMAUSA
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13
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Gallagher CL, Holloway T, Tessum CW, Jackson CM, Heck C. Combining Satellite-Derived PM 2.5 Data and a Reduced-Form Air Quality Model to Support Air Quality Analysis in US Cities. GEOHEALTH 2023; 7:e2023GH000788. [PMID: 37181009 PMCID: PMC10169548 DOI: 10.1029/2023gh000788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Air quality models can support pollution mitigation design by simulating policy scenarios and conducting source contribution analyses. The Intervention Model for Air Pollution (InMAP) is a powerful tool for equitable policy design as its variable resolution grid enables intra-urban analysis, the scale of which most environmental justice inquiries are levied. However, InMAP underestimates particulate sulfate and overestimates particulate ammonium formation, errors that limit the model's relevance to city-scale decision-making. To reduce InMAP's biases and increase its relevancy for urban-scale analysis, we calculate and apply scaling factors (SFs) based on observational data and advanced models. We consider both satellite-derived speciated PM2.5 from Washington University and ground-level monitor measurements from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, applied with different scaling methodologies. Relative to ground-monitor data, the unscaled InMAP model fails to meet a normalized mean bias performance goal of <±10% for most of the PM2.5 components it simulates (pSO4: -48%, pNO3: 8%, pNH4: 69%), but with city-specific SFs it achieves the goal benchmarks for every particulate species. Similarly, the normalized mean error performance goal of <35% is not met with the unscaled InMAP model (pSO4: 53%, pNO3: 52%, pNH4: 80%) but is met with the city-scaling approach (15%-27%). The city-specific scaling method also improves the R 2 value from 0.11 to 0.59 (ranging across particulate species) to the range of 0.36-0.76. Scaling increases the percent pollution contribution of electric generating units (EGUs) (nationwide 4%) and non-EGU point sources (nationwide 6%) and decreases the agriculture sector's contribution (nationwide -6%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciaran L. Gallagher
- Nelson Institute Center for Sustainability and the Global EnvironmentUniversity of Wisconsin—MadisonMadisonWIUSA
| | - Tracey Holloway
- Nelson Institute Center for Sustainability and the Global EnvironmentUniversity of Wisconsin—MadisonMadisonWIUSA
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic SciencesUniversity of Wisconsin—MadisonMadisonWIUSA
| | - Christopher W. Tessum
- Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringUniversity of Illinois—Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaILUSA
| | - Clara M. Jackson
- Nelson Institute Center for Sustainability and the Global EnvironmentUniversity of Wisconsin—MadisonMadisonWIUSA
| | - Colleen Heck
- Nelson Institute Center for Sustainability and the Global EnvironmentUniversity of Wisconsin—MadisonMadisonWIUSA
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14
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Adebisi YA. Decolonizing Epidemiological Research: A Critical Perspective. Avicenna J Med 2023; 13:68-76. [PMID: 37435557 PMCID: PMC10332938 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1769088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Decolonizing epidemiological research is a crucial endeavor. Historically, colonial and imperialistic ideologies have pervaded epidemiology, leading to an emphasis on Western perspectives and the neglect of indigenous and other marginalized communities' needs and experiences. To effectively address health disparities and promote justice and equality, acknowledging and addressing these power imbalances are imperative. In this article, I highlight the need of decolonizing epidemiological research and make recommendations. These include increasing the representation of researchers from underrepresented communities, ensuring that epidemiological research is contextually relevant and responsive to the experiences of these communities, and collaborating with policymakers and advocacy groups to inform policies and practices that benefit all populations. Moreover, I underscore the importance of recognizing and valuing the knowledge and skills of marginalized populations, and integrating traditional knowledge-the distinct, culturally specific understanding unique to a particular group-into research efforts. I also emphasize the need of capacity building and equitable research collaborations and authorship as well as epidemiological journal editorship. Decolonizing epidemiology research is a continual process that requires continuing discourse, collaboration, and education.
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15
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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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16
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Bucher ML, Anderson FL, Lai Y, Dicent J, Miller GW, Zota AR. Exposomics as a tool to investigate differences in health and disease by sex and gender. EXPOSOME 2023; 3:osad003. [PMID: 37122372 PMCID: PMC10125831 DOI: 10.1093/exposome/osad003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The health and disease of an individual is mediated by their genetics, a lifetime of environmental exposures, and interactions between the two. Genetic or biological sex, including chromosome composition and hormone expression, may influence both the types and frequency of environmental exposures an individual experiences, as well as the biological responses an individual has to those exposures. Gender identity, which can be associated with social behaviors such as expressions of self, may also mediate the types and frequency of exposures an individual experiences. Recent advances in exposome-level analysis have progressed our understanding of how environmental factors affect health outcomes; however, the relationship between environmental exposures and sex- and gender-specific health remains underexplored. The comprehensive, non-targeted, and unbiased nature of exposomic research provides a unique opportunity to systematically evaluate how environmental exposures interact with biological sex and gender identity to influence health. In this forward-looking narrative review, we provide examples of how biological sex and gender identity influence environmental exposures, discuss how environmental factors may interact with biological processes, and highlight how an intersectional approach to exposomics can provide critical insights for sex- and gender-specific health sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Faith L Anderson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yunjia Lai
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jocelyn Dicent
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gary W Miller
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ami R Zota
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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17
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Nwanaji-Enwerem O, Baccarelli AA, Curwin BD, Zota AR, Nwanaji-Enwerem JC. Environmentally Just Futures: A Collection of Community-Driven African Environmental Education and Improvement Initiatives. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19116622. [PMID: 35682206 PMCID: PMC9180885 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Advocating for healthy environments is a matter of justice. Changes in environments have tremendous impacts on the health of communities, and oftentimes, individuals are unable to safeguard themselves through individual actions alone. Efforts frequently require collective action and are often most effective when led by the communities most impacted. In this spirit, we launched “Vibrations”, an African environment photo essay contest. Through funding and publicity, we aimed to support community-led environmental improvement and education initiatives presently taking place on the continent. We received nearly two dozen submissions and selected eight winners. The winners come from five countries (Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa) and have taken on a range of projects aimed at improving environments across a variety of African regions. Projects included efforts to combat pollution, create environmentally conscious school curricula, utilize clean energy sources, and spread awareness about environmental justice concerns in local communities. It is our hope that this report highlights these transformative community-driven efforts, promotes continued conversations on environmental justice in Africa, and encourages meaningful action via policy changes and collaborations throughout the African continent and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onyemaechi Nwanaji-Enwerem
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA;
| | - Andrea A. Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA;
| | - Brian D. Curwin
- Division of Field Studies and Engineering, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA;
| | - Ami R. Zota
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC 20052, USA;
| | - Jamaji C. Nwanaji-Enwerem
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Center for Computational Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Correspondence:
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