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Are perceptions of community safety associated with respiratory illness among a low-income, minority adult population?


ABSTRACT:

Background

Growing evidence suggests social disadvantage magnifies the harmful health effects of environmental hazards; however, there is limited research related to perceptions of risk among individuals who live near such environmental hazard sites. We explored the association between individual-level perception of community safety and respiratory illness among low-income, minority adults who live in a region with routine poor air quality exacerbated by the emissions of a nearby freight railyard.

Methods

Interview-administered household surveys were collected (87% response rate; n?=?965) in English/Spanish from varying distances surrounding a freight railyard (analytic total n?=?792: nearest region n?=?215, middle n?=?289, farthest n?=?288). Illness outcome was an affirmative response to doctor-diagnosed asthma, bronchial condition, emphysema, COPD, or prescribed-inhaler usage. Respiratory symptoms outcome was an affirmative response to chronic cough, chronic mucus, or wheezing. The independent variable was perceived community safety.

Results

Outcome prevalences were similar across environmental hazard regions; 205 (25.9%) were diagnosed-illness cases and 166 (21.0%) diagnosis-free participants reported symptoms. Nearly half (47.5%) of participants reported lack of perceived community safety, which was associated with environmental hazard region (p?ConclusionsOur findings contribute to the literature that individuals' perceptions of community safety are associated with adverse respiratory health among a population living in high air pollution exposure areas.

SUBMITTER: Arthur KN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6122647 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Are perceptions of community safety associated with respiratory illness among a low-income, minority adult population?

Arthur Kristen N KN   Spencer-Hwang Rhonda R   Knutsen Synnøve F SF   Shavlik David D   Soret Samuel S   Montgomery Susanne S  

BMC public health 20180903 1


<h4>Background</h4>Growing evidence suggests social disadvantage magnifies the harmful health effects of environmental hazards; however, there is limited research related to perceptions of risk among individuals who live near such environmental hazard sites. We explored the association between individual-level perception of community safety and respiratory illness among low-income, minority adults who live in a region with routine poor air quality exacerbated by the emissions of a nearby freight  ...[more]

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