Assessment of Health and Environmental Risk Perception in Somerville, TX
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Coal tar creosote played a major role in the advancement and expansion of the global transportation system, through the preservation of wood ties and crossties used in the structural development of the trans-continental railroads. Despite these historical and societal advancements, creosote and its varying mixtures of chemicals are a threat to the health and safety of those who work in facilities with creosote and to those living in surrounding communities. Creosote exposure has been associated with several health effects including skin conditions such as dermatoses, various cancers, and immunological, neurological, reproductive and developmental effects. While mitigation options for occupational creosote exposure can be addressed through worker safety training, additional research is needed to better mitigate potential community and domestic exposure. This project explored three research areas related to residential creosote exposure: to better understand differences in environmental risk perception and concern in a community with known residential creosote exposure, assess the impact of time lived in the community on residents mental and physical health, and to assess residential perception of home buyout and relocation and understand the factors that impact willingness to be bought out or relocate. Racial and ethnic minorities and low-income residents of environmental justice communities are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards. Research has also shown that differences in perceived environmental risk exist by gender, age, race and proximity to hazards (Flynn et al. 1994; Greenberg 2012; Lujala et al. 2015). For example, studies have shown that environmental concern is more prevalent among Blacks when compared to their White counterparts (Cutter, 1981). As seen in prior studies, female respondents were more likely to show high levels of concern regarding environmental pollution or contaminants compared to their male counterparts (OR=4.38; 95%CI=1.24-15.38). When assessing concern by gender and race, Non-White females were approximately 10 times more likely to demonstrate high levels of concern when compared to Non-Hispanic White males (95%CI: 9.75). Mental and physical health scores among the sample population were significantly lower than the U.S. national average even after stratification by gender and race groups. Age was found to be a significant predictor of physical health score after adjusting for gender and time lived in Somerville (coef=-0.16, p-value=0.02). When assessing likeliness to relocate, females were approximately 4 times more likely to consider relocation when given fair value or financial assistance compared to their male counterparts (OR=3.81, p-value=0.03). Being female remained a significant predictor of likeliness to relocate after adjusting for race, age, and time live in the household (OR=4.22; 95%CI=1.18-15.11) or time lived in Somerville (OR=4.74; 95%CI=1.26-17.93). This project shows evidence that gender and racial differences exist in both the perception of environmental risk and likeliness to relocate among residents of Somerville, TX. This shows a need to address inequalities in both environmental exposure and availability of resources. This study also establishes a baseline of self-reported mental and physical health among Somerville residents and highlights the need for longitudinal, cohort-based health studies to improve understanding of how environmental exposures and environmental racism impact the health of communities over time.
