Work

Environmental Health Priorities of Residents and Environmental Health Professionals: Implications for Improving Environmental Health Services in Rural Versus Urban Communities.

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: = 63) in Alabama identified EH priorities via a phone or online survey. We categorized rurality of participant residences by rural-urban commuting area codes and population density, and tested whether or not EH priorities were different between urban and rural residents. Built environment issues, particularly abandoned houses, and air pollution were high priorities for urban residents-whereas, water and sanitation issues, and paper mill-related pollution were high priorities in rural communities. EH professionals ranked food safety and water and sanitation issues as higher priorities than residents did. Results highlight the importance of urbanicity on environmental risk perception and the utility of simple and inexpensive engagement methods for understanding these differences. Differences between residents and EH professionals suggest improving stakeholder participation in local-level EH decision making might lead to greater awareness of EH services, which might in turn improve support and effectiveness of those services.

Source: PubMed

Authors: Connor Y H Wu, Mary B Evans, Paul E Wolff, Julia M Gohlke

Institutions: Virginia–Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Language: English

Topic: Public Health and Environmental Issues

Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Good health and well-being, Clean water and sanitation, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institutes of Health

Award: Environmental exposures across urban and rural communities in the Deep South