Environmental & Health Risk Communication in a Fence-line Community

The objective of this project is to develop and evaluate health education and communication messages to explain outdoor air quality and to address community health and environmental concerns. 

Louisiana is home to 173 chemical and petroleum facilities, which released a reported 14 million pounds of hazardous air pollutants in 2001. More than half of the facilities are within a three mile radius of residential areas. Residents bordering these facilities are concerned about the impact of air pollution on their health. One way to address their concerns about health and the environment is through a focused intervention, using risk communication.

A pilot study to develop and evaluate methods for linking environmental, exposure and health data as a basis for communication strategies is underway with a fence-line community in Norco, LA. For the purpose of this research a fenceline community has been defined as any community located within a half of mile radius of a major industrial facility. Norco is a small fence-line community, located along Louisiana’s industrial corridor about 25 miles northwest of New Orleans, Louisiana.  Approximately 3,579 residents live on 2.99 square miles of land directly adjacent to Shell Chemical Corporation and Motiva Enterprises L.L.C. Norco Refinery.  For decades, Norco residents have questioned whether hazardous chemicals released into the air from neighboring facilities could pose a possible threat to their health.

An air monitoring protocol to conduct air sampling and analysis was developed in 2002 through a community/industry/agency/academic partnership, called Air Monitoring. . . Norco.  Results from air monitoring and a health and environment perception survey are providing the basis for designing, implementing and evaluating communication strategies.

The general aims of this study are to:

1.      Communicate results of air sampling and exposure assessment to the community
2.      Respond to the communities concerns and questions about air quality and health
3.      Develop health and environmental messages with the community
4.      Evaluate the effectiveness of risk communication messages
5.      Develop strategies for disseminating and communicating information from environmental
         public health tracking systems

Tulane University Center for Excellence in Environmental Public Health Tracking
Residents of Norco, Louisiana
Air Monitoring Norco Communications and Technical Teams

In the spring of 2003, a health and environmental perception survey was mailed to 1200 households in Norco, LA.  Additionally, a formal, long-term air sampling program began in March, 2003 to collect air samples throughout Norco.  Approximately 30% of the households responded to the health and environmental perception survey.  Eighty three percent (83%) of the respondents had somewhat to major concerns about the air quality in Norco.  Additional environmental concerns were explosions, unpleasant odors, loss of wildlife, and leaking gasoline.  The top five health concerns were cancer, exposure to chemicals, heart problems, asthma, and getting sick.  Additionally, socioeconomic variables that influenced these concerns were also identified. As measured by odds ratio estimates, household income was the socioeconomic variable consistently associated with increased levels of health and environmental concerns. Other relevant predictors of concern included age, sex, education and the number of years of community residence. Additionally, 52% of survey respondents identified pamphlets or brochures as a trusted source of information about environmental problems.

In response to the survey concerns, a one year risk communication initiative was implemented which entailed mailing monthly fliers addressing the respondents’ top six health and six environmental concerns to every household in Norco. Input from community members was solicited to make the materials relevant to the community.

In accordance with other studies, this research illustrates how socioeconomic variables may influence an individual’s concern about health and the environment. Understanding theses influences is essential when developing community-appropriate risk communication messages. Therefore, further study in this area is needed t 1) create a strategy for risk communicators who wish to understand the importance of community perception prior to developing their communication messages and 2) evaluate how risk communication messages are received by the community (or audience for which they are intended).