title: Community stress, psychosocial hazards, and EPA decision-making in communities impacted by chronic technological disasters.
abstract: Psychosocial stress has emerged as an important consideration in managing environmental health risks. Stress has adverse impacts on health and may interact with environmental hazards to increase health risk. This article's primary objective was to explore psychosocial stress related to environmental contamination. We hypothesized that knowledge about stress should be used in conjunction with chemical risk assessment to inform environmental risk management decisions. Knowledge of psychosocial stress at contaminated sites began by exploring the relationships among social capital, collective efficacy, and contamination at the community level. We discussed stress at the family and individual levels, focusing on stress proliferation, available resources, and coping styles and mechanisms. We then made recommendations on how to improve the use of information on psychosocial stress in environmental decision-making, particularly in communities facing chronic technological disasters.
authors.affiliation: Academic Affairs, Pennsylvania State University, The Schuylkill Campus, Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania 17972, USA. src@psu.edu
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Couch
authors.forename: Charlton J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Coles
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003657:Decision Making; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency