Communities, Neighborhoods, and Health

Abstract

Researchers and activists in the environmental justice movement have long argued that socioeconomically disadvantaged communities of color are disproportionately exposed to various forms of environmental hazards and risks (Boer et al. 1997; Mohai and Bryant 1992; Pulido 1996; Sadd et al. 1999). Children living in these communities are among the most vulnerable members of our population (Bearer 1995). The disparity in exposure to environmental hazards that poor children of color endure has serious implications for their health and well-being and for the health of future generations. One mechanism to help resolve this problem is for communities to devise strategies that address issues of environmental injustice. This chapter describes a community-based, participatory research (CBPR) study that aims to increase awareness of the impact of environmental hazards among parents of children enrolled in Head Start programs in the City of Detroit. We describe how features of places can be used to enact meaningful social change in a community. The study was intended to build the capacity of parents to develop strategies for protecting their children and the children within their community from the harmful impact of environmental hazards. Specifically, the study uses Photovoice (Wang 1999), a participatory action methodology that blends photography and social action, as a tool for increasing awareness and promoting grassroots response to address the problem in Detroit Head Start communities. Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Children's Well-being Numerous studies have documented the effects of poverty and environmental risk factors on children's well-being, such as long-term deficits in physical health, motor coordination, problem solving, attention, and academic achievement