1
|
Vance-Chalcraft HD, Smith KC, Allen J, Bowser G, Cooper CB, Jelks NO, Karl C, Kodner R, Laslo M. Social Justice, Community Engagement, and Undergraduate STEM Education: Participatory Science as a Teaching Tool. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2024; 23:es3. [PMID: 38728230 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.23-06-0123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Social justice is increasingly being seen as relevant to the science curriculum. We examine the intersection of participatory science, social justice, and higher education in the United States to investigate how instructors can teach about social justice and enhance collaborations to work toward enacting social justice. Participatory science approaches, like those that collect data over large geographic areas, can be particularly useful for teaching students about social justice. Conversely, local-scale approaches that integrate students into community efforts can create powerful collaborations to help facilitate social justice. We suggest a variety of large-scale databases, platforms, and portals that could be used as starting points to address a set of learning objectives about social justice. We also describe local-scale participatory science approaches with a social justice focus, developed through academic and community partnerships. Considerations for implementing participatory science with undergraduates are discussed, including cautions about the necessary time investment, cultural competence, and institutional support. These approaches are not always appropriate but can provide compelling learning experiences in the correct circumstances.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kalynda Chivon Smith
- Department of Psychology, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411
| | - Jessica Allen
- Department of Biological, Physical, and Health Sciences, Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL 60605
| | - Gillian Bowser
- Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523
| | - Caren B Cooper
- Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | | | | | - Robin Kodner
- Environmental Sciences, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225
| | - Mara Laslo
- Biological Sciences, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lebow-Skelley E, Scott Tomlinson M, Charles S, Fuller C, Ames B, Pearson MA. A Collaborative Approach to Address Racism in a Community-Academic Partnership. Prev Chronic Dis 2023; 20:E47. [PMID: 37290007 DOI: 10.5888/pcd20.220365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The HERCULES Exposome Research Center at Emory University uses an exposome approach to study the environment's effect on health and community well-being. HERCULES is guided by a Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB) that includes representatives of neighborhoods, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions in the Atlanta metropolitan region. This region (and the SAB) has a large proportion of Black residents, many of whom live in areas experiencing environmental injustices. Historic and current racial injustices in Atlanta and public health research made it imperative to initiate dialogue and implement actions to address racism and power dynamics that may impact research and partnerships between affected communities and our institution.After initial discussion, the HERCULES Community Engagement Core and SAB members formed a workgroup to develop an internal anti-racism process. The workgroup drafted an Anti-Racism Commitment, hosted a Racism and Equity Dialogue Series, and initiated a strategic planning process to implement the resulting recommendations, which fell into the following categories: anti-racist guidance/policies and recommendations for research, community engagement, and the department. Center leadership and the SAB were engaged throughout the iterative process.This deliberate and ongoing process allows HERCULES to identify and begin implementing action items that go beyond a written proclamation to address racialized power imbalances and systemic inequities. HERCULES is committed to working collaboratively to earn community trust while addressing systemic issues, recognizing that these are essential to forming research partnerships that address health inequities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erin Lebow-Skelley
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, HERCULES Exposome Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
- Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Martha Scott Tomlinson
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, HERCULES Exposome Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Simone Charles
- University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Environmental Sciences, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- HERCULES Exposome Research Center, Stakeholder Advisory Board, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christina Fuller
- HERCULES Exposome Research Center, Stakeholder Advisory Board, Atlanta, Georgia
- University of Georgia, College of Engineering, School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical (ECAM) Engineering, Athens, Georgia
| | - Bren Ames
- HERCULES Exposome Research Center, Stakeholder Advisory Board, Atlanta, Georgia
- Aye Open Outcomes, National Human Ecology Action League (HEAL), Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Melanie A Pearson
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, HERCULES Exposome Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Johnson T, Jelks NO. Implementing community-engaged ecological research in Proctor Creek, an urban watershed in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022:e2792. [PMID: 36482777 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Southeast Region of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) implemented community-engaged research in Proctor Creek, an urban watershed in Northwest Atlanta, Georgia, to sample for aquatic species of concern in Atlanta, Georgia's Proctor Creek Watershed as a part of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership program. This research shifted the focus of the agency from the endangered and pristine natural spaces to a major city watershed negatively impacted by urbanization and other human influences for more than a century. Team members from USFWS, Proctor Creek Watershed residents, local students, and other stakeholders in the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) spent three months conducting stream surveys and participating in community-led events to build relationships and learn community priorities. The team collected data at 11 sites throughout the Proctor Creek Watershed, visually assessed each site, and collected aquatic species using dip nets, seines, and traps. We observed approximately 28 aquatic species, including 13 unique fish species, and eight macroinvertebrate species, including two unique crayfish species. We also observed varying degrees of ecological health throughout the watershed. Native aquatic animal species were found at all stream sites, no matter the condition of the stream. Through creating training resources and disseminating data among team members for future sampling, the team established pathways to keep natural resource stewardship sustainable without direct federal involvement. Through engaging in community-engaged research to achieve the mission of the agency, the USFWS Proctor Creek Watershed survey helped shift the paradigm of how government agencies can connect their mission statements to the ever-changing complex needs of the American public.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Johnson
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Field Office, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Na'Taki Osborne Jelks
- Environmental and Health Sciences Program, Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kim J, Kim DH, Lee J, Cheon Y, Yoo S. A scoping review of qualitative geographic information systems in studies addressing health issues. Soc Sci Med 2022; 314:115472. [PMID: 36334495 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Qualitative Geographic Information Systems (QGIS) represent an emerging geospatial and qualitative approach to comprehensively understand health issues. This scoping review gathers evidence from 38 articles to illuminate when and how QGIS is used to address health issues. QGIS can contribute to recent health-related studies focusing on determinants of health and health equity at the community rather than individual level, highlight relationships between place and health, and encourage participation from people and communities in health-decision making. If more studies attempt to specify detailed data analysis methods and develop ways to use rich contexts of qualitative data, QGIS can provide greater scope for those working to solve health problems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jisun Kim
- 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-ku, Seoul National University, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Building 221, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Ha Kim
- 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-ku, Seoul National University, Institute of Health and Environment, Building 220, Room 228-3, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihyun Lee
- 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-ku, Seoul National University, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Building 221, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngseo Cheon
- 253 Ayeon-ro, Jeju-si, Jeju Research Institute, Jeju, 63147, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghyun Yoo
- 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-ku, Seoul National University, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Building 221, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea; 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-ku, Seoul National University, Institute of Health and Environment, Building 220, Room 228-3, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lochotzki H, Williams KP, Colen CG, Adetona O, Tavares CB, Ginn GM, Haynes R, Im W, Bils T, Hood DB. A Framework for Interfacing and Partnering with Environmental Justice Communities as a Prelude to Human Health and Hazard Identification in the Vulnerable Census Tracts of Columbus, Ohio. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13846. [PMID: 36360728 PMCID: PMC9654058 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192113846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Columbus, Ohio is one of the more prosperous, well-educated, and progressive cities in the United States. However, it ranks as the second worst life expectancy at birth, has a census tract wealth gap (27-year disparity), and one of the higher infant mortality rates in the country. These data suggest that there are likely several high-risk, vulnerable neighborhoods in Columbus with residents experiencing disparate and adverse outcomes. Illustrative of this fact are studies that have examined the social processes and mechanisms through which neighborhood contexts are at the forefront, including exposures to chemical stressors such as particulate matter (PM2.5) as well as non-chemical stressors including violence, social determinants of health, zoning, and land use policies. It is documented that disparate and adverse outcomes are magnified in the vulnerable neighborhoods on the Near East Side as compared to Columbus city proper, Franklin County and/or the state of Ohio. As such, we developed a nuanced community engagement framework to identify potential environmental hazards associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in those census tracts. The refined framework uses a blended version of traditional community-based participatory research (CBPR) models and is referred to as E6, Enhancing Environmental Endeavors via e-Equity, Education, and Empowerment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heather Lochotzki
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Karen Patricia Williams
- Martha S. Pitzer Center for Women, Children & Youth, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Cynthia G. Colen
- Department of Sociology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Olorunfemi Adetona
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | | | - Georgina M. Ginn
- Columbus Early Learning Centers, 1611 Old Leonard Avenue, Columbus, OH 43219, USA
| | - Rejeana Haynes
- St. Vincent Family Services, 1490 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Wansoo Im
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Tanya Bils
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Darryl B. Hood
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Vance-Chalcraft HD, Jelks NO. Community-engaged learning to broaden the impact of applied ecology: A case study. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022:e2768. [PMID: 36271610 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ecological changes are creating disruptions that often disproportionately impact communities of color and economically disadvantaged areas. Scientists who study the consequences experienced by these communities are uniquely suited to bring the public into their work as a way of setting conditions that enable impacted residents to empower themselves to advance environmental and community change. In addition to involving community stakeholders in the process of science, community science can be used to motivate learning and increase engagement of students. Here we highlight a case study of one way a historically Black college involved local communities and students in water quality monitoring efforts to examine the role of the environment in human health. Students in an introductory-level environmental toxicology course collaborated with community members to track pollution and monitor conditions in an urban, impaired stream. Students participated in bi-monthly water quality monitoring alongside community watershed researchers and an annual day-long multisite sampling event with community residents and organizations. Through this engagement, students and community members contributed to the collection of data, learned about the significance of their results, and translated findings into strategies to advance watershed restoration, health, quality of life, and environmental justice goals.
Collapse
|
7
|
Assessment of Citizens’ Perception of the Built Environment throughout Digital Platforms: A Scoping Review. URBAN SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/urbansci6030046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
(1) Background: To assess the quality of the built environment, it is necessary to study both the physical components and the inhabitants’ perceptions. However, since objective indicators are easily measurable, most studies have centered only on analyzing the physical dimensions of cities. Currently, the massification of information technology and the emergence of digital platforms are offering new participatory channels for studying citizens’ perceptions of the built environment. (2) Objective: considering the scarcity of the theoretical and methodological approaches supporting this new research, the main objective of this article is centered on contributing to the field by developing a scoping review of the publications assessing the perception of the built environment through digital platforms and concluding with a conceptual framework to support future research. (3) Methods: to do so, 98 articles were reviewed and 21 of them were selected and studied in detail after applying a selection criteria identifying papers that analyzed the urban environment (Criteria 1), used participatory processes (Criteria 2), were developed with the support of digital platforms (Criteria 3), and were centered on the study urban places, therefore excluding mobility (Criteria 4), which was done in order to identify the main theoretical and methodological approaches used for studying perception in the built environment. (4) Results: The research identified Audit Tools and Perception Tools to study citizens’ perceptions. Audit Tools are methodologically related to Systematic Social Observation (SSO). Perception Tools rely on transactional person–environment or Public Participation as the main theories, followed by Subjective Wellbeing (SWB), Physical Activity (PA), and Social Sustainability as fields where these studies are being applied. Participatory mapping is identified as a general methodology, considered the basic technical tool of Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS). Place-based and Citizens Science are other methodologies supporting perception research. (5) Conclusions: Finally, the proposed framework for assessing the perception of the built environment supports the notion that, in order to study perception, both subjective and objective approaches are necessary. The subjective approach supports the study of the self-reported perceived environment while the objective approach is used to collect urban structure data so as to understand the socio-environmental context conditioning the experience.
Collapse
|
8
|
Exploring Transiency in Four Urban Forest Patch Neighborhoods: Atlanta, Georgia, USA. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14127220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This exploratory study begins to unpack the association between involuntary neighborhood transiency (i.e., forced household moves) and civic environmental stewardship, focusing on four neighborhoods adjacent to urban forest patches in the City of Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The patches emerged on the sites of former public housing communities after the city razed housing projects in the first decade of the 2000s. Given intense competition for city land, e.g., affordable housing needs versus greenspace preservation, we might expect neighborhood-level inquiry regarding plans for these properties; however, there is no indication of popular interest in the sites. We suggest that such engagement is inhibited, in part, by involuntary neighborhood transiency as the neighborhoods surrounding the patches are inhabited mostly by low-income African American renters, a highly transient population. This is the first phase of a study that will eventually examine the association between transiency and greenspace civic engagement. In this exploratory step, we examine involuntary neighborhood transiency as an a priori social condition that necessarily influences people’s engagement with urban greenspaces. Building on input from community members, research by Stephanie DeLuca and colleagues, and Matthew Desmond’s work on evictions in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we operationalize transiency in terms of Housing Choice Voucher units and eviction rate to assess the extent to which these indicators localize in the four urban patch neighborhoods. A geospatial cluster analysis indicated that both measures concentrate in the neighborhoods adjacent to the forest patches, and they are positively associated. Given these associations, we recommend further research examining how various forms of involuntary moving may ultimately inhibit civic environmental stewardship.
Collapse
|
9
|
Richmond-Bryant J, Odera M, Subra W, Vallee B, Tucker C, Oliver C, Wilson A, Tran J, Kelley B, Cramer JA, Irving J, Guo C, Reams M. A Community-Integrated Geographic Information System Study of Air Pollution Exposure Impacts in Colfax, LA. LOCAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 27:728-746. [PMID: 35757155 PMCID: PMC9221660 DOI: 10.1080/13549839.2022.2075840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
A community-integrated geographic information systems (CIGIS) study assimilating qualitative and quantitative information about human exposures and health was conducted in Colfax, Louisiana, which hosts a commercial open burn/open detonation thermal treatment (TT) facility that destroys waste from Superfund sites, explosives, military ordnances, and propellants. Fifty-eight percent of residents identified as Black, and median annual income was $16,318, with 90% of the population living below the poverty line. We conducted oral history interviews of twenty-nine residents and mined public records to document the community's experiences. Interviews focused on themes of Colfax's history, changing community fabric, resident health, and air pollution. The oral histories and public comments by community members provided information about lived experiences, including several health conditions, toleration of noise and vibration, property damage, and resulting changes to activity levels. These statements provided insight into the extent of suffering experienced by the local community. We also ran dispersion models for dates in 2020 when the waste stream composition, mass, and burn/smoldering times were provided in the facility's public records. The dispersion models placed the air pollution at the homes of residents during some of the time, and waste stream records from the TT facility agree with community testimony about health effects based on the known health effects of those compounds. CIGIS integration of our community-based qualitative data and maps with quantitative air pollution dispersion model output illustrated alignment between community complaints of impacts to health and property, known toxicological information about waste stream compounds, and dispersion model output.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Richmond-Bryant
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8008
| | - Matilda Odera
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8008
| | - Wilma Subra
- Louisiana Environmental Action Network, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
| | - Brenda Vallee
- Central Louisiana Coalition for a Clean and Healthy Environment, Colfax, LA 71417
| | - Chloe Tucker
- Department of Sociology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
| | | | - Alyanna Wilson
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8008
| | - Jessica Tran
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8008
| | - Blair Kelley
- Department of History, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8101
| | - Jennifer Abraham Cramer
- T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
| | - Jennifer Irving
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-2110
| | - Chuqi Guo
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8008
| | - Margaret Reams
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-2110
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Eisenhauer E, Williams KC, Warren C, Thomas-Burton T, Julius S, Geller AM. New Directions in Environmental Justice Research at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Incorporating Recognitional and Capabilities Justice Through Health Impact Assessments. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (PRINT) 2021; 14:322-331. [PMID: 35237378 PMCID: PMC8884111 DOI: 10.1089/env.2021.0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Camilla Warren
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Susan Julius
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Andrew M. Geller
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Yin H, Huang Y, Wang K. How Do Environmental Concerns and Governance Performance Affect Public Environmental Participation: A Case Study of Waste Sorting in Urban China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18199947. [PMID: 34639253 PMCID: PMC8508034 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18199947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Environmental pollution threatens public health and has become a social concern in recent years. Despite the conditions for public participation in environmental governance have improved considerably, the level of public engagement in government projects still falls short of expectations. Therefore, this article introduced two key variables, hoping to answer the following research question that how environmental concerns and governance performance affect public environmental participation. Through principal component analysis of the data from the “Survey of Chinese Urban Residents’ Attitudes toward Environmental Protection”, the findings of this article are as follows: First, public environmental concerns have no significant impact on their environmental engagement; second, the improvement of residents’ confidence in the government performance of environmental management reduces their willingness to participate in official projects. The higher the confidence in the government’s performance, the lower the level of public engagement is. Moreover, due to the consideration of self-interest or lack of environmental awareness, those who oppose waste incineration in waste terminal disposal tend to take a non-participatory role in waste sorting programs. Therefore, we suggest that the government have more diverse shareholders in environmental protection, so it should expand public participation through education, publicity, mobilization, and incentives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hang Yin
- School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China;
| | - Yixiong Huang
- Department of Economics, Law and Society, ESSCA School of Management, EU-Asia Institute, 49003 Angers, France;
| | - Kuiming Wang
- China Institute for Urban Governance, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Jelks NO. Participatory and community-engaged research approaches to address racial, spatial, and health disparities. Explore (NY) 2021; 17:586-589. [PMID: 34511370 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2021.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
13
|
Border Environmental Justice PPGIS: Community-Based Mapping and Public Participation in Eastern Tijuana, México. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18031349. [PMID: 33540887 PMCID: PMC7908571 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18031349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Community mapping projects have been studied as important contributions to the field of environmental justice and Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS). As a collaborative project between the Colectivo Salud y Justicia Ambiental and Red de Ciudadanos por el Mejoramiento de las Comunidades (RECIMEC), the “Mapeo Comunitario de la Zona Alamar” was created as a mechanism for community participation in the urban planning process in Tijuana, México. This paper outlines the project’s community mapping process, including planning, data collection, priority identification, and data submission. Results from this community mapping project are analyzed including the (1) particular environmental risks and goods in this border region, (2) the influence that the project data had on the urban planning process, and (3) the impact that the community mapping process had on community organizing capacity. Our findings point to particular environmental challenges in this border city including clandestine trash dumps, and contaminated water runoff points. The mapping project influenced the land use planning process by identifying the key environmental risks and goods to prioritize in the zoning and ground truthing urban planning data. The community mapping project also had a key impact on community organizing through the fomenting of knowledge and relationships between community members and government representatives at the city’s urban planning agency.
Collapse
|
14
|
Davis LF, Ramírez-Andreotta MD. Participatory Research for Environmental Justice: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:26001. [PMID: 33591210 PMCID: PMC7885999 DOI: 10.1289/ehp6274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental health risks are disproportionately colocated with communities in poverty and communities of color. In some cases, participatory research projects have effectively addressed structural causes of health risk in environmental justice (EJ) communities. However, many such projects fail to catalyze change at a structural level. OBJECTIVES This review employs Critical Interpretive Synthesis (CIS) to theorize specific elements of participatory research for environmental health that effectively prompt structural change in EJ communities. METHODS Academic database search was used to identify peer-reviewed literature describing participatory research with EJ communities to address environmental health. Synthetic constructs were developed iteratively related to study characteristics, design elements, and outcomes; and data were extracted for included records. Statistical analyses were performed to assess correlations between study design elements and structural change outcomes. Through critical, comparative, and contextual analyses of the "structural change" case study group and "non- structural change" group, informed by relevant theoretical literature, a synthesizing argument was generated. RESULTS From 505 total records identified, eligibility screening produced 232 case study articles, representing 154 case studies, and 55 theoretical articles for synthesis. Twenty-six case studies resulted in a structural change outcome. The synthesizing argument states that participatory research with EJ communities may be more likely to result in structural change when a) community members hold formal leadership roles; b) project design includes decision-makers and policy goals; and c) long term partnerships are sustained through multiple funding mechanisms. The assumption of EJ community benefit through research participation is critically examined. DISCUSSION Recommended future directions include establishing structural change as a goal of participatory research, employing participatory assessment of community benefit, and increased hiring of faculty of color at research institutions. The power, privilege, and political influence that academic institutions are able to leverage in partnership with EJ communities may be as valuable as the research itself. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6274.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leona F Davis
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Mónica D Ramírez-Andreotta
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Division of Community, Environment & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Yip TL, Huang Y, Liang C. Built environment and the metropolitan pandemic: Analysis of the COVID-19 spread in Hong Kong. BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT 2021; 188:107471. [PMID: 33250560 PMCID: PMC7678484 DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 reported initially in December 2019 led to thousands and millions of people infections, deaths at a rapid scale, and a global scale. Metropolitans suffered serious pandemic problems as the built environments of metropolitans contain a large number of people in a relatively small area and allow frequent contacts to let virus spread through people's contacting with each other. The spread inside a metropolitan is heterogeneous, and we propose that the spatial variation of built environments has a measurable association with the spread of COVID-19. This paper is the pioneering work to investigate the missing link between the built environment and the spread of the COVID-19. In particular, we intend to examine two research questions: (1) What are the association of the built environment with the risk of being infected by the COVID-19? (2) What are the association of the built environment with the duration of suffering from COVID-19? Using the Hong Kong census data, confirmed cases of COVID-19 between January to August 2020 and large size of built environment sample data from the Hong Kong government, our analysis are carried out. The data is divided into two phases before (Phase 1) and during the social distancing measure was relaxed (Phase 2). Through survival analysis, ordinary least squares analysis, and count data analysis, we find that (1) In Phase 1, clinics and restaurants are more likely to influence the prevalence of COVID-19. In Phase 2, public transportation (i.e. MTR), public market, and the clinics influence the prevalence of COVID-19. (2) In Phase 1, the areas of tertiary planning units (i.e., TPU) with more restaurants are found to be positively associated with the period of the prevalence of COVID-19. In Phase 2, restaurants and public markets induce long time occurrence of the COVID-19. (3) In Phase 1, restaurant and public markets are the two built environments that influence the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases. In Phase 2, the number of restaurants is positively related to the number of COVID-19 reported cases. It is suggested that governments should not be too optimistic to relax the necessary measures. In other words, the social distancing measure should remain in force until the signals of the COVID-19 dies out.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tsz Leung Yip
- Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
| | - Yaoxuan Huang
- Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
| | - Cong Liang
- Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration, The Open University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Douglas JA, Subica AM, Franks L, Johnson G, Leon C, Villanueva S, Grills CT. Using Participatory Mapping to Diagnose Upstream Determinants of Health and Prescribe Downstream Policy-Based Interventions. Prev Chronic Dis 2020; 17:E138. [PMID: 33155972 PMCID: PMC7665598 DOI: 10.5888/pcd17.200123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Participatory mapping is a powerful methodology for working with community residents to examine social and environmental determinants of public health disparities. However, this empowering methodology has only been applied sparingly in public health research and practice, with limited examples in the literature. To address this literature gap, we 1) review participatory mapping approaches that may be applied to exploring place-based factors that affect community health, and 2) present a mixed-methods participatory geographic information systems (PGIS) examination of neighborhood assets (eg, streetlights) and challenges (eg, spaces of crime and violence) related to access to public parks in South Los Angeles, California. By taking a participatory, fine-grained spatial approach to examining public park access with input from 40 South Los Angeles adolescent and adult residents, our community-engaged PGIS approach identified tobacco shops as previously unrecognized community institutions that are associated with increased neighborhood crime and violence. Our investigation revealed unique challenges in community-level public park access that would likely have been overlooked by conventional spatial epidemiology and social science methods, such as surveys and questionnaires. Furthermore, our granular community-informed approach supported resident and stakeholder advocacy efforts toward reducing the proliferation of tobacco shops through community organizing and policy change initiatives. We thus contend that it would benefit public health research and practice to further integrate empowering, grassroots-based participatory mapping approaches toward informing advocacy efforts and policies that promote health and well-being in disadvantaged communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Douglas
- Chapman University, Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, Orange, California.,Chapman University, Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, One University Dr, Orange, CA 92866.
| | - Andrew M Subica
- University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Population, and Public Health, Riverside, California
| | | | | | - Carlos Leon
- Community Coalition, Los Angeles, California
| | - Sandra Villanueva
- Loyola Marymount University, Psychology Applied Research Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Cheryl T Grills
- Loyola Marymount University, Psychology Applied Research Center, Los Angeles, California
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Jelks NO, Smith-Perry DJ, Fuller CH, Stauber C. Participatory research in Northwest Atlanta's Proctor Creek Watershed: Using photovoice to explore environmental health risks at the water's edge. Health Place 2020; 66:102444. [PMID: 33010659 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In this study we used a participatory research method, photovoice, to explore community perceptions about environmental health risks, community assets, and strengths in and around an urban, degraded watershed in Northwest Atlanta, Georgia. This watershed, formed by Proctor Creek, is a focal point for redevelopment and infrastructure investments for years to come. Using a community-based participatory research approach, 10 Proctor Creek residents (watershed researchers), and a university partner, engaged in data collection; participatory data analysis; internal discussions; translation of research findings into watershed restoration, community revitalization, remedial action, and policy solutions; and dissemination of results to fellow watershed residents, stakeholders, and decision makers. We present a conceptual model linking the watershed researchers' understanding of urban policies and practice in the Proctor Creek Watershed to environmental, neighborhood and housing conditions and their influence on health outcomes and quality of life. Engaging community members in defining their own community environmental health challenges and assets yielded the following primary themes: 1) threats to the natural environment, 2) built environment stressors that influence health, 3) blight and divestment of public resources, and 4) hope for the future. Residents' vision for the future of the watershed - a restored creek, revitalized neighborhoods, and restored people - is fueled by a strong connection to history, memory, and sense of place. We demonstrate the value of local knowledge in identifying previously unaddressed environmental health risks in the Proctor Creek Watershed as well as solutions to reduce or eliminate them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Na'Taki Osborne Jelks
- Environmental and Health Sciences Program, Spelman College, 350 Spelman Lane SW, Box 235, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3995, GA, 30302-3995, USA.
| | - Donna J Smith-Perry
- Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3995, GA, 30302-3995, USA.
| | - Christina H Fuller
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3995, GA, 30302-3995, USA.
| | - Christine Stauber
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3995, GA, 30302-3995, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kaiser ML, Hand MD, Pence EK. Individual and Community Engagement in Response to Environmental Challenges Experienced in Four Low-Income Urban Neighborhoods. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17061831. [PMID: 32178263 PMCID: PMC7142717 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17061831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Low-income urban communities, and the individuals that live within them, continue to face disproportionate interconnected social, economic, and environmental challenges related to their built, natural, and social environments. The aim of our phenomenological research study was to elevate the experiences of residents living in low-income urban neighborhoods in terms of their communities' environmental challenges. Our objectives were to (1) identify challenges across neighborhoods, (2) identify ways individuals and communities are addressing those challenges, and (3) assess the individual and collective efficacy and engagement of communities to lead environmental improvements in neighborhoods. This study brings forward the voices that are often ignored or misunderstood in these communities and uses an ecological-social perspective. We conducted focus groups (N = 68) in four low-income urban neighborhoods across two Ohio cities in the United States. Participants described five key challenges in their communities: Pollution, abandoned buildings with associated crime, low food access and health concerns, trash and illegal dumping, and lack of trees. We assessed engagement and efficacy using two frameworks focused on individual and community readiness to engage in and lead community change. Policymakers should acknowledge the valuable contributions and leadership capacity of residents in low-income communities to implement environmental initiatives.
Collapse
|
19
|
Driver A, Mehdizadeh C, Bara-Garcia S, Bodenreider C, Lewis J, Wilson S. Utilization of the Maryland Environmental Justice Screening Tool: A Bladensburg, Maryland Case Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16030348. [PMID: 30691155 PMCID: PMC6388180 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16030348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Maryland residents' knowledge of environmental hazards and their health effects is limited, partly due to the absence of tools to map and visualize distribution of risk factors across sociodemographic groups. This study discusses the development of the Maryland EJSCREEN (MD EJSCREEN) tool by the National Center for Smart Growth in partnership with faculty at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. The tool assesses environmental justice risks similarly to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) EJSCREEN tool and California's tool, CalEnviroScreen 3.0. We discuss the architecture and functionality of the tool, indicators of importance, and how it compares to USEPA's EJSCREEN and CalEnviroScreen. We demonstrate the use of MD EJSCREEN through a case study on Bladensburg, Maryland, a town in Prince George's County (PG) with several environmental justice concerns including air pollution from traffic and a concrete plant. Comparison reveals that environmental and demographic indicators in MD EJSCREEN most closely resemble those in EPA EJSCREEN, while the scoring is most similar to CalEnviroScreen. Case study results show that Bladensburg has a Prince George's environmental justice score of 0.99, and that National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) air toxics cancer risk is concentrated in communities of color.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aubree Driver
- Public Health Science Program, University of Maryland, 255 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20740, USA.
| | - Crystal Mehdizadeh
- Public Health Science Program, University of Maryland, 255 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20740, USA.
| | - Samuel Bara-Garcia
- Public Health Science Program, University of Maryland, 255 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20740, USA.
| | - Coline Bodenreider
- Environmental Science and Technology Department, University of Maryland, 1451 Animal Science Bldg, College Park, MD 20742-2315, USA.
| | - Jessica Lewis
- Department of Psychology, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA.
| | - Sacoby Wilson
- Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, 255 Valley Drive, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
| |
Collapse
|