TY - JOUR
T1 - Are perceptions of community safety associated with respiratory illness among a low-income, minority adult population?
AU - Arthur, Kristen N.
AU - Spencer-Hwang, Rhonda
AU - Knutsen, Synnøve F.
AU - Shavlik, David
AU - Soret, Samuel
AU - Montgomery, Susanne
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 The Author(s).
PY - 2018/9/3
Y1 - 2018/9/3
N2 - 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 < 0.0001). In multivariable log-binomial regression models adjusting for covariables (age, gender, race/ethnicity, smoking status, smoke exposure, residential duration, and distance from the railyard) respiratory illness diagnosis was associated with lack of perceived community safety (PR = 1.39; 95% CI 1.09, 1.76). Sensitivity analyses showed a non-significant but increasing trend in the strength of association between safety perceptions and illness diagnoses with closer proximity to the railyard. Conclusions: Our 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.
AB - 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 < 0.0001). In multivariable log-binomial regression models adjusting for covariables (age, gender, race/ethnicity, smoking status, smoke exposure, residential duration, and distance from the railyard) respiratory illness diagnosis was associated with lack of perceived community safety (PR = 1.39; 95% CI 1.09, 1.76). Sensitivity analyses showed a non-significant but increasing trend in the strength of association between safety perceptions and illness diagnoses with closer proximity to the railyard. Conclusions: Our 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.
KW - Asthma
KW - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
KW - Community health
KW - Community safety
KW - Perceptions
KW - Violence
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U2 - 10.1186/s12889-018-5933-4
DO - 10.1186/s12889-018-5933-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 30176823
SN - 1471-2458
VL - 18
JO - BMC Public Health
JF - BMC Public Health
IS - 1
M1 - 1089
ER -