Social Determinants of Health in Environmental Justice Communities: Examining Cumulative Risk in Terms of Environmental Exposures and Social Determinants of Health.
Residents of environmental justice (EJ) communities may bear a disproportionate burden of environmental health risk, and often face additional burdens from social determinants of health. Accounting for cumulative risk should include measures of risk from both environmental sources and social determinants. This study sought to better understand cumulative health risk from both social and environmental sources in a disadvantaged community in Texas. Key outcomes were determining what data are currently available for this assessment, clarifying data needs, identifying data gaps, and considering how those gaps could be filled. Analyses suggested that the traditionally defined EJ community in Port Arthur may have a lower environmental risk from air toxics than the rest of the City of Port Arthur (although the entire city has a higher risk than the average for the state), but may have a larger burden from social determinants of health. However, the results should be interpreted in light of the availability of data, the definitions of community boundaries, and the areal unit utilized. Continued focus on environmental justice communities and the cumulative risks faced by their residents is critical to protecting these residents and, ultimately, moving towards a more equitable distribution and acceptable level of risk throughout society.
The University of Texas Medical Branch, Center to Eliminate Health Disparities, Galveston, TX, USA.
John D
JD
Prochaska
The University of Texas Medical Branch, Center to Eliminate Health Disparities, Galveston, TX, USA.
Alexandra B
AB
Nolen
Community In-Power and Development Association, Inc., Port Arthur, TX, USA.
Hilton
H
Kelley
University of Texas School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus, Brownsville, TX, USA.
Ken
K
Sexton
Institute for Health Policy, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA.
Stephen H
SH
Linder
NIEHS Center in Environmental Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
John
J
Sullivan
cumulative risk; environmental justice; social determinants of health