Journal Article

Integrating Epidemiology, Education, and Organizing for Environmental Justice: Community Health Effects of Industrial Hog Operations

Grant, Gary R, Wing, Steve, Thu, Kendall, Muhammad, Naeema, Horton, Rachel Avery, Tajik, Mansoureh

2008

Overview

The environmental justice movement has stimulated community-driven research about the living and working conditions of people of color and low-income communities. We describe an epidemiological study designed to link research with community education and organizing for social justice. In eastern North Carolina, high-density industrial swine production occurs in communities of low-income people and people of color. We investigated relationships between the resulting pollution and the health and quality of life of the hog operations’ neighbors. A repeat-measures longitudinal design, community involvement in data collection, and integration of qualitative and quantitative research methods helped promote data quality while providing opportunities for community education and organizing. Research could affect policy through its findings and its mobilization of communities.

• Publisher: Am Public Health Assoc,American Public Health Association
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / African Americans / Air Pollutants - adverse effects / Air Pollutants - analysis / Air pollution / Animal Husbandry / Animals / Biological and medical sciences / Citizen participation / Collaboration / Community / Community education / Community health / Community involvement / Community Participation / Community research / Data collection / Data quality / Design / Education / Education policy / Environment. Living conditions / Environmental economics / Environmental Exposure - adverse effects / Environmental Exposure - analysis / Environmental Exposure - prevention & control / Environmental health / Environmental justice / Environmental Monitoring / Epidemiological Monitoring / Epidemiology / Framing Health Matters / Funding / General aspects / Grass roots movement / Hazardous materials / Health education / Health Status Indicators / Hispanic Americans / Hogs / Humans / Indians, North American / Interviews / Interviews as Topic / Land use / Longitudinal Studies / Low income areas / Low income groups / Medical research / Medical sciences / Middle Aged / Minority & ethnic groups / Miscellaneous / Mobilization / North Carolina - epidemiology / Occupational hazards / Odors / Outdoor air quality / Particulate Matter / Political power / Pollutants / Pollution / Poverty / Public health / Public health. Hygiene / Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine / Public officials / Quality of Life / Quantitative analysis / Quantitative research / Research methodology / Research methods / Rural areas / Rural Health / Social Justice / Stress, Psychological - epidemiology / Surface water / Sustainable development / Swine / Swine production / Working conditions