Environmental Health Insights最新文献

{"title":"Seasonal Indoor Radon Assessment and Estimation of Cancer Risk: A Case Study of Obafemi Awolowo University Nigeria.","authors":"Deborah Tolulope Esan, Yinka Ajiboye, Rachel Obed, Babakayode Babajide Olubodun, James Enajero Tobih","doi":"10.1177/11786302241271536","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241271536","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human exposure to indoor radon has been a subject of continuous concern due to its health implications, especially as it relates to lung cancer. Radon contaminates indoor air quality and poses a significant health threat if not abated/controlled. A seasonal indoor radon assessment of residential buildings of Obafemi Awolowo University was carried out to determine radon seasonal variability and to evaluate the cancer risk to the residents. AT-100 diffusion-based track detectors were deployed within living rooms and bedrooms for the radon measurement. During the rainy season, the average indoor radon concentration was 18.4 ± 10.1 Bq/m³, with higher concentrations observed in bedrooms compared to living rooms, whereas the average radon concentration was 19.0 ± 4.4 Bq/m³ in the dry season, with similar radon levels in living rooms and bedrooms. The potential alpha energy concentration values ranged from 1.62 to 7.57 mWL. The annual effective dose equivalent values were below the world average and recommended limits for public exposure. Of the three geological units underlying the residences, the buildings overlying the granite gneiss lithology have the highest radon concentrations with average value of 21.4 Bq/m³. The soil gas radon concentration to indoor radon concentration ratio over the granite gneiss lithology is 0.006. The estimated average lifetime cancer risk due to radon inhalation in the residences indicated a potential risk of cancer development in 178 persons in 100 000 population over a lifetime period. The average indoor radon concentrations were below the recommended limit, requiring no immediate remediation measures. Improved ventilation of residential apartments is recommended to minimize residents' risk to indoor radon.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241271536"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11329913/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141999605","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental Infrastructure Maintenance Bottlenecks in Healthcare Facilities and Coping Strategies Among Healthcare Workers in Niger.","authors":"Lucy K Tantum, Ezechiel Mahamane, Valerie Bauza, Kairou Oudou Bilo Mahamadou, Elisha Y Sanoussi, Aaron Salzberg, Darcy M Anderson","doi":"10.1177/11786302241271554","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241271554","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Infrastructure for water, sanitation, hygiene, cleaning, and waste management is essential for supporting safe environmental conditions in healthcare facilities. Routine maintenance is important for preventing infrastructure breakdowns, but few studies have examined healthcare facility maintenance practices. This study documented environmental maintenance tasks in healthcare facilities in Niger, described bottlenecks to maintenance, and assessed strategies for coping with breakdowns. At 34 rural healthcare facilities in Niger, we conducted quantitative surveys to assess frequency of maintenance tasks and held qualitative interviews with healthcare facility staff to understand bottlenecks to maintenance. On at least a monthly basis, 4% of healthcare facilities inspected their water source and pump for the purpose of detecting and replacing worn parts, 15% inspected water taps and basins, and 29% inspected incinerators. Healthcare facility staff described barriers to accessing government funds for maintenance. Instead, they paid out of their own salaries or raised funds through appeals to community members or revenue generation initiatives. Other bottlenecks included ill-defined management responsibilities and difficulty of finding skilled technicians for maintenance. Findings highlight opportunities to support healthcare facilities in budgeting, advocacy, and training skilled technicians. Initiatives to install infrastructure at healthcare facilities will be more sustainable if they are accompanied by postconstruction planning, training, and funding for maintenance.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241271554"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11325333/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141987633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Awareness, Safety Practices and Associated Factors Among E-Waste Recycling Workers in Bangladesh.","authors":"Meherun Nahar Munni, Mohammad Rezaul Karim, Mohibbul Haque, Sumaiya Khan, Md Abdullah Saeed Khan, Irin Hossain","doi":"10.1177/11786302241271555","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241271555","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Awareness of electronic waste (e-waste) improves safety practices among workers, thereby reducing health risks associated with pollutants. Investigating the awareness and safe practices among these workers could help identify areas for improvement, a task not yet undertaken in Bangladesh. Consequently, this study aimed to examine the awareness, safety measures, and associated factors among e-waste workers in the country. In this cross-sectional study, 236 workers from an e-waste recycling facility located near Dhaka were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire from August to September 2022. Eight questions captured information on socio-demographics and work factors, 24 questions on e-waste awareness, and 11 questions on safety practices. Total awareness and safety scores were calculated and categorized as \"good\" and \"poor\" based on a cut-off point of 80% of the total score. Bivariate and regression analyses were done to determine associated factors. Only 25% of workers had good e-waste awareness; major knowledge gaps were regarding minimization, health hazards, and environmental impact. Good awareness was significantly associated with female gender, higher education, income, smoking, experience ⩾5 years, and training. About 58% followed good safety practices, but the use of boots and helmets was inadequate. Good safety practices were significantly associated with higher education, income, smoking, experience, training, and overtime work. On multivariable analysis, those with higher education had 12 times (95% CI 4.83-32.81) and 6 times (95% CI 2.94-12.81) higher odds of good awareness and practices, respectively. Trained workers had 3.6 times (95% CI 1.67-7.52) higher odds of good practices. There was a significant correlation between awareness and practices (r = .70, P < .001). The study found poor awareness and inadequate safety practices related to e-waste among the workers. Urgent interventions like training, the use of protective gear, and stringent policies are warranted to increase awareness and safety behaviors.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241271555"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11325305/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141987632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and Risk Factors of Needlesticks and Sharp Injuries Among Healthcare Workers of Hospital in Bule Hora, West Guji Zone, Ethiopia.","authors":"Alqeer Aliyo, Tibeso Gemechu","doi":"10.1177/11786302241272392","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241272392","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Healthcare workers face a significant risk of sharp and needle-stick injuries, which can increase the likelihood of spreading illnesses like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. Currently, there is no available information on the prevalence or contributing factors of needle sticks and sharp injuries (NSSI) in hospitals in southern Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to assess the needle sticks and sharp injuries among health care workers at the BHUTH, Southern Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study was a cross-sectional study conducted at an institution in October 2023, with 164 randomly selected participants. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather information on sociodemographic factors and exposure status. The data was entered and analyzed using Epi-Data and SPSS. The risk factors were identified by binary and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A <i>P</i>-value less than .05 was considered statistical significance.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>The overall prevalence of at least one Needle sticks and sharp injuries in the last 12 months was 46.4% (95% CI of 39.3% to 53.6%). The majority of injuries 45.8% were due to the syringe needle. Factors such as needle recap (AOR = 3.73, 95% CI: 1.07-12.19), Recapping with two hands (AOR = 2.78, 95% CI: 1.36-10.02), working 40 hours per week (AOR = 2.18, 95% CI: 0.98-6.86), and lack of training in occupational safety practices (AOR = 4.01, 95% CI: 2.60-9.91), were factors significantly associated with the prevalence of needle stick and sharp injuries.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study found that nearly half of the respondents experienced a sharp needle poke and injury at least once in the previous year; however, the volume of NSSI remains high in the study area. Healthcare workers should receive on-the-job training, and hospital executives should set aside time for discussions on how to solve the problem.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241272392"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11320401/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141975424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Community Perceptions on Health Risks Associated With Toxic Chemical Pollutants in Kwekwe City, Zimbabwe: A Qualitative Study.","authors":"Sheunesu Ngwenya, Ntsieni Stella Mashau, Azwinndini Gladys Mudau, Sphiwe Emmanuel Mhlongo, Afsatou Ndama Traoré","doi":"10.1177/11786302241260487","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241260487","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Globally, environmental pollution continues to be a significant public health problem, and according to the World Health Organisation, pollution-induced deaths account for 23% of deaths yearly, which could be prevented if people lived in healthier environments. Despite implementing multilateral agreements and international treaties such as the Bamako, Basel, Rotterdam, Minamata, and Stockholm conventions, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and national laws, toxic pollutants remain a serious environmental and public health problem in low-income countries. In the specific context of Kwekwe City, an industrial and mining area in Zimbabwe, where environmental and pollution-induced health problems associated with industries have been widely reported, this study was conducted in close collaboration with the local community. The study aimed to assess community members' perceptions regarding health risks associated with potentially toxic elements and cyanide pollution in Kwekwe City. An explorative cross-sectional study was conducted with key stakeholders and industrial settlements' residents. Face-to-face interviews with key informants and focus group discussions with residents and workers were used to gather data. A thematic approach was utilised in data analysis. Study participants, who played a crucial role in the research process, perceived that industrial pollution principally linked to cyanide, mercury and chromium posed significant environmental and health risks. This participatory approach in risk perception assessment is critical in providing insight into the scope of the problem and formulating intervention strategies. However, given that qualitative study results lack generalisability and replicability, quantitative studies need to be undertaken to determine environmental levels of toxic chemical pollutants as a complementary and validative measure.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241260487"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11316267/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141916398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fecal Sludge Management and Sanitation Safety: An Assessment in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.","authors":"Shegaw Fentaye Sisay, Sirak Robele Gari, Argaw Ambelu","doi":"10.1177/11786302241267187","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241267187","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sanitation safety practices and risks associated with fecal sludge management are crucial for public health and the environment. This study assessed sanitation safety practices and risks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at different stages of fecal sludge management. The research aimed to understand the current state of sanitation facilities, practices, and associated risks and identify areas for improvement.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A mixed methods/approach was employed, utilizing household surveys, risk assessments, and sanitary inspections. A total of 384 study subjects were interviewed using face-to-face interviews and observations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings revealed that the majority of households (97.7%) had consistent access to toilets, with flush/pour flush toilets being the most common type (47.4%). Factors such as odors in toilets or septic tanks, open defecation by children, and the use of untreated wastewater for food production were significantly associated with sociodemographic factors. Risk assessments indicated that 67% of households fell into the low-risk category, while 33% were classified as intermediate risk. The study identified non-compliance issues during sanitary inspections at transfer stations (45%), a wastewater treatment and disposal facility (61.5%), and in the management of wastewater and sludge in the sewer line (64%). These findings call for urgent actions to address improper feces disposal, inadequate maintenance of sanitation facilities, and unsafe practices in fecal sludge management.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study identified concerning issues in fecal sludge management, including improper feces disposal, inadequate facility maintenance, and non-compliance with safety standards during emptying, transport, treatment, and disposal. Urgent action is needed to address these risks. Promoting proper disposal techniques, improving facility maintenance, education programs, strengthening regulations, providing training and protective equipment, and investing in enhanced sanitation facilities and wastewater treatment methods are essential for improving sanitation safety practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241267187"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11299212/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141893154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring People's Perception on Pros and Cons of Human-Bat Coexistence in Urban Environs in Southwestern Nigeria.","authors":"Timothy O Ogunbode, Vincent I Esan, Victor O Oyebamiji, Iyabo V Olatubi, Oladotun M Ogunlaran","doi":"10.1177/11786302241266051","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241266051","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This research intricately explores the dynamics surrounding the coexistence of humans and roosting bats in urban areas, meticulously examining both the advantageous and detrimental aspects of their living arrangement. The study conducted a comprehensive survey with 286 residents in Iwo and Ogbomoso, where <i>Eidolon helvum</i> bats are known to roost, generating a robust dataset for thorough analysis. Rigorous statistical assessments, including the KMO and Bartlett's tests, confirmed the data's reliability at a significance level of <i>P</i> < .05. The respondent demographic revealed a predominance of 65% male participants, with an overwhelming 85% claiming familiarity with bats in their respective domains. Utilizing factor analysis, the study identified 8 salient variables from the initial 26, shedding light on diverse perceptions regarding bats: (i) Urban roosting (16.729%); (ii) Impact on tree growth (12.607%); (iii) Failed dislodgement attempts (11.504%); (iv) Medicinal value (10.240%); (v) Co-habitation preference (9.963%); (vi) Costly dislodgment consequences (9.963%); (vii) Beautification disruption (5.615%); and (viii) Structure defacement (5.510%). These factors were systematically categorized into 4 distinct themes: (A) Forced cohabitation (26.762%); (B) Environmental degradation by bats (23.732%); (C) Consequences of dislodging bats (21.477%); and (D) Acknowledged benefits of bats (10.240%). Co-habitation with bats becomes a necessity for ecological balance and, importantly, to safeguard the livelihood of roosting bats within their natural ecology, which man has encroached upon through urbanization, making all negatives arising from such existence self-inflicted by man. However, this study underscores the importance of human-bat cohabitation for mutual benefits, emphasizing potential detrimental consequences, including significant costs, associated with displacing bats from their natural ecosystem. These consequences may exacerbate the impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, and ecological imbalance. Further research is recommended to explore the positive aspects of the sustainable roosting bats' existence in the natural environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241266051"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11283653/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141787563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transitioning to Greener Sino-Thai Belt and Road Initiative: How China Finance Thailand's Environmental Sustainability.","authors":"Jason Hung","doi":"10.1177/11786302241258348","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241258348","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As of today, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) continues showing signs of its transition towards green development; whilst the Thai sustainable tourism industry is encountering substantial environmental problems of unfavourable water quality and waste management outcomes. This paper dissects how China has been transitioning into the practice of a greener BRI, as well as how Thailand has benefitted from its greener BRI partnership with China in recent years. This paper delineates the major environmental issues faced by Thailand, in order to suggest why Thailand needs to urgently and responsively address any notable environmental concern for long-term economic growth and sustainability. There is a lack, if not an absence, of existing studies that analyse Sino-Thai green BRI partnerships with the presentation of supporting, updated data and statistics. The findings presented in this paper respond to such a research gap. This paper concludes by arguing that should China's distribution of development finance to Thailand be able to enhance the latter's environmental health and landscape, more Southeast Asian (SEA) and global emerging powers may develop an increasing interest in forming or strengthening green BRI partnerships with China. In the long run, such an optimistic outcome allows China's diplomatic influence to grow further. China's greener development finance plan is an ambitious, globally impactful strategy. Such an ambitious strategy aims to capitalise on the opportunities to address countries' developmental and environmental needs to boost China's global competence and image, in addition to elevating its diplomatic influence.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241258348"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11283651/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141787564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Foodborne Microbiological Hazards in Ghana: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Wisdom K Ahiabor, Fleischer C N Kotey, Patience B Tetteh-Quarcoo, Eric S Donkor","doi":"10.1177/11786302241260485","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241260485","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Foodborne diseases pose a significant public health threat, particularly in regions with poor sanitation and food handling practices. These diseases, mainly caused by microbiological hazards like bacteria, fungi, and parasites, affect millions globally. Despite the global burden, the true extent of these hazards remains underestimated, especially in low- and middle-income countries like Ghana. This study aimed to map the available literature on foodborne microbiological hazards in Ghana, providing an overview of the evidence and identifying areas where further research is needed.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews. A detailed search was done in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, and articles were exported to Rayyan for screening. A three-phase screening process was used to identify relevant articles. Data from the included articles were extracted and analysed, with specific information related to food type, specific hazards, sample population, and hazard groups summarised using proportions and tables.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This review included 72 studies which were published between 2001 and 2023. Eighty-five percent of these studies (85%) reported on bacterial hazards, while 19%, 11%, and 6% reported on fungi, parasites, and mycotoxins, respectively. The most reported bacterial, fungal, and parasitic hazards were <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Aspergillus</i> spp. and <i>Trichuris trichiura</i>, respectively. Aflatoxins were reported in maize, groundnut, and spices, with prevalence ranging from 61% to 100% and at levels exceeding standards set by Ghana Standards Authority and European Food Safety Authority.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This review highlighted the spectrum of microbiological hazards in foods in Ghana. The hazards identified pose significant public health risks, particularly among vulnerable populations. It is crucial that stricter enforcement of food safety laws and improved food handling practices are implemented in the country, particularly in the informal food sector, to protect consumers.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241260485"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11271142/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141757809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and Outcomes of Returning Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Exposure Results in the Washington Heights, NYC Community.","authors":"Kylie W Riley, Kimberly Burke, Holly Dixon, Darrell Holmes, Lehyla Calero, Michael Barton, Rachel L Miller, Lisa M Bramer, Katrina M Waters, Kim A Anderson, Julie Herbstman, Diana Rohlman","doi":"10.1177/11786302241262604","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241262604","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Report-back of research results (RBRR) is becoming standard practice for environmental health research studies. RBRR is thought to increase environmental health literacy (EHL), although standardized measurements are limited. For this study, we developed a report back document on exposure to air pollutants, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, during pregnancy through community engaged research and evaluated whether the report increased EHL. We used focus groups and surveys to gather feedback on the report document from an initial group of study participants (Group 1, n = 22) and then sent the revised report to a larger number of participants (Group 2, n = 168). We conducted focus groups among participants in Group 1 and discussed their suggested changes to the report and how those changes could be implemented. Participants in focus groups demonstrated multiple levels of EHL. While participant engagement critically informed report development, a survey comparing feedback from Group 1 (initial report) and Group 2 (revised report) did not show a significant difference in the ease of reading the report or knowledge gained about air pollutants. We acknowledge that our approach was limited by a lack of EHL tools that assess knowledge and behavior change, and a reliance on quantitative methodologies. Future approaches that merge qualitative and quantitative methodologies to evaluate RBRR and methodologies for assessing RBRR materials and subsequent changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior, may be necessary.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241262604"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11271165/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141757895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}