Understanding environmental health issues to inform community engagement in the central Midwest

Abstract

Context: This report shares the results of a novel environmental health needs assessment designed by the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center in collaboration with our community partners for the four-state region of Iowa (IA), Nebraska (NE), Missouri (MO), and Kansas (KS). Objective: The goal of the needs assessment was to understand considerations about health and the environment among people living in the central Midwest states of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, including their concerns, what they see as solutions, and what and how populations are vulnerable. These findings will inform future community engagement by the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center at the University of Iowa to improve environmental health. Design: The assessment used a mixed-methods approach which included an online survey that collected quantitative and qualitative data and three focus groups with young adults, older rural adults, and immigrant and communities of color in eastern Iowa. Setting: University of Iowa Environmental Health Sciences Research Center in collaboration with our community partners for the four-state region of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri and focus groups in eastern Iowa. Participants: Over 400 participants from four states. Main outcome measure(s): Describing residents’ perceptions of the connections between environment and health in the 4-state area and identifying notable differences between rural, urban, and suburban populations. Result: Top issues of concern were water quality, outdoor air quality, climate change, chemical contaminants, and natural disasters. Respondents identified better policies, access to medical services, and financial resources as key components of reducing personal risk to environmental health issues. The focus group sessions highlighted concerns about housing, social capital, and the need for trusted sources of information. Conclusions: These data suggest a holistic approach to environmental health topics, interest in policy interventions in rural communities, and potential for engagement with clinicians.