title: Community perspectives on the risk of indoor air pollution arising from contaminated groundwater.
abstract: The migration of volatile contaminants into overlying buildings, known as vapor intrusion, is a health concern for people living above contaminated groundwater. As public health and environmental agencies develop protocols to evaluate vapor intrusion exposure, little attention has been paid to the experiences and opinions of communities likely to be affected by vapor intrusion. Using a community-driven research approach and qualitative interviews, we explored community perspectives on the vapor intrusion pathway and the perceived impact on community health and well-being among neighbors living atop a large, shallow-chlorinated solvent plume in San Antonio, TX. Most participants associated vapor intrusion with health risks, expressing concern about the unavoidable and uncontrollable nature of their exposure. Few were satisfied with the responsiveness of public officials. Above all, participants wanted more accurate, transparent information and additional independent scientific investigations.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA jillj@unc.edu.
authors: Jill E
authors: JE
authors: Johnston
authors: Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors: Amanda J
authors: AJ
authors: Kramer
authors: Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors: Jacqueline MacDonald
authors: JM
authors: Gibson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D005260:Female; D060587:Groundwater; D006304:Health Status; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013781:Texas; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects*
keywords: community knowledge; environmental justice; qualitative research; vapor intrusion