What Community Residents Perceive Can Be Done To Address Concerns Regarding Litter and Brownfields in Weinland Park
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Date
2012-06
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Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
Exposures to environmental health hazards generate health concerns that affect the individuals living in unhealthy environments. This qualitative study was set in Weinland Park, which is an urban community in Columbus, Ohio. Poverty, lack of access to care, and majority minority population are three health risk factors prevalent in this community. Preliminary focus groups with community residents identified Brownfields and litter as priority environmental concerns. This study is a secondary analysis of data collected as part of a larger pilot study that sought to develop environmental public health (EPH) literacy for salient EPH concerns identified by Weinland Park residents and to facilitate the identification of community-driven strategies to address the EPH concerns. The purpose of this study was to describe residents’ perceptions of actions that individuals and the community can take to address health concerns from litter and Brownfields in the community. The theoretical framework for this study was the Integrative Model of Environmental Health, specifically the Health Protection Domain component of the model, which addresses actions and the efficacy of those actions in addressing environmental health risks.
Purposive sampling was used to recruit residents for two focus groups (n=17), Go-along interviews (n=7), photo-voice (n=3), and individual interviews (n=7). Inductive content analysis using in vitro and in vivo codes was used to generate statements representing themes and patterns identified from data. Triangulation, member-checks and reflective journaling were used to enhance rigor. Study findings showed that individual actions to address the environmental hazards were individuals taking responsibility for picking up litter, holding community clean-up events, and the residents have the opportunity to learn more about Brownfields within the neighborhood.
Community health entails positive attitude of the residents, shared vision and willingness to act together to pursue common goals. Active community involvement is essential to provide sustainable solutions to local environmental health issues. Findings will contribute to scholarly literature on environmental health, health protection actions, and community engagement. Resident-identified strategies will guide future collaborative researcher-community driven efforts to address the community’s health concerns.
Description
Presented at the MidWestern Nursing Research Symposium (MNRS)
Keywords
Environmental Health, community involvement, public health nursing