Forming a Critical Race Theory of Environmental Disaster: Understanding social meanings and health threat perception in the Flint Water Crisis

Ezell, Jerel M.; Chase, Elizabeth C.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115886

Cited by 6 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Lower screening rates, lower consumption of tap water, and higher levels of lead exposure among predominantly Black and Hispanic blocks may indicate mistrust toward water sources or lack of community engagement from relevant authorities. [27][28][29][30] Neighborhoods with high-risk estimates as well as low screening rates were largely clustered in the south and west sides of the city, corresponding to the city's geographic history of segregation and disinvestment (Figure ). 7,[31][32][33] This study contributes to the existing literature by estimating population-level exposure to and relative BLL increase attributable to lead-contaminated drinking water.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The racial and ethnic disparities present are indicative of the myriad ways environmental racism can manifest. Lower screening rates, lower consumption of tap water, and higher levels of lead exposure among predominantly Black and Hispanic blocks may indicate mistrust toward water sources or lack of community engagement from relevant authorities . Neighborhoods with high-risk estimates as well as low screening rates were largely clustered in the south and west sides of the city, corresponding to the city’s geographic history of segregation and disinvestment (Figure).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Estimated Childhood Lead Exposure From Drinking Water in Chicago

Huynh,

Chin,

Kiang

2024

JAMA Pediatr

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ImportanceThere is no level of lead in drinking water considered to be safe, yet lead service lines are still commonly used in water systems across the US.ObjectiveTo identify the extent of lead-contaminated drinking water in Chicago, Illinois, and model its impact on children younger than 6 years.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsFor this cross-sectional study, a retrospective assessment was performed of lead exposure based on household tests collected from January 2016 to September 2023. Tests were obtained from households in Chicago that registered for a free self-administered testing service for lead exposure. Machine learning and microsimulation were used to estimate citywide childhood lead exposure.ExposureLead-contaminated drinking water, measured in parts per billion.Main Outcomes and MeasuresNumber of children younger than 6 years exposed to lead-contaminated water.ResultsA total of 38 385 household lead tests were collected. An estimated 68% (95% uncertainty interval, 66%-69%) of children younger than 6 years were exposed to lead-contaminated water, corresponding to 129 000 children (95% uncertainty interval, 128 000-131 000 children). Ten-percentage-point increases in block-level Black and Hispanic populations were associated with 3% (95% CI, 2%-3%) and 6% (95% CI, 5%-7%) decreases in odds of being tested for lead and 4% (95% CI, 3%-6%) and 11% (95% CI, 10%-13%) increases in having lead-contaminated drinking water, respectively.Conclusions and RelevanceThese findings indicate that childhood lead exposure is widespread in Chicago, and racial inequities are present in both testing rates and exposure levels. Machine learning may assist in preliminary screening for lead exposure, and efforts to remediate the effects of environmental racism should involve improving outreach for and access to lead testing services.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimated Childhood Lead Exposure From Drinking Water in Chicago

Huynh,

Chin,

Kiang

2024

JAMA Pediatr

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“…Critical disaster theory and the environmental justice movement situate the disparate impacts of disasters on historically marginalized communities in terms of power, capitalism, imperialism and the long-lasting structural effects of those forces (Hagen, 2021;Leach and Rivera, 2021;Meril€ ainen et al, 2020;Ezell and Chase, 2022). Emergency management and disaster preparedness scholars and practitioners tend to promote ideas and policies to increase awareness, preparedness or resilience.…”

Section: Disaster Preparedness and Historically Marginalized Communitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drivers of disaster planning among African-American households

Pudlo,

Ellis,

McGowen

2023

DPM

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PurposeThe paper seeks to explore the drivers of disaster planning in African-American households. While the paper is exploratory, the authors attempt to dialogue with substantial theoretical and applied research around vulnerability and disaster. Race, ethnicity and vulnerability are issues deeply entangled with American disaster preparedness and response. In this study, the authors hope to illuminate the threads which bind them together and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between race, ethnicity, class and preparedness.Design/methodology/approachData for this project come from a disaster planning question placed on the 2020 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey (CMPS). The authors analyze a split sample of around 5,000 African-American households descriptively and with multinomial logistic regression.FindingsDisaster planning among African-American households is a product of past experiences, concern about other hazards, social trust and gender identity. These results are similar to other findings within the study of household preparedness and help to advance the understanding of predictors within the African-American community. Key drivers such as income, education level, gender identity, social trust and perceptions of other risks are consistent with previous studies.Originality/valueThis project is the first to examine issues of disaster planning utilizing a national sample of African-American households via the one-of-a-kind 2020 CMPS.

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“…Certain areas, particularly those with vulnerable populations, face reoccurring water crises (i.e. times when drinking water services are unreliable; Sivakumar 2011, Krajewski et al 2019 that have far-reaching implications (Ezell and Chase 2022, Bisgin et al 2023, Kilpatrick et al 2023. For example, after changing drinking water sources, the city of Flint, Michigan experienced high levels of lead in their water system (Chavez et al 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal public perceptions and experiences during water service disruptions: the case of Jackson, Mississippi

Safarpour,

Spearing

2024

Environ. Res.: Infrastruct. Sustain.

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Failures in urban water systems are becoming a common occurrence in the US due to disasters, aging infrastructure, and financial constraints, among other concerns. For example, Jackson, Mississippi has experienced reoccurring water outages, burdening community members as they must seek alternative water sources. Prior research has primarily focused on technical, institutional, and public health aspects of water crises, with limited attention to community perspectives. Understanding such social aspects can shed light on, for example, community priorities, levels of trust, mental health concerns, and communication gaps. Here, we document the temporal experiences and perceptions of community members during the Jackson Water Crises. To do so, we qualitatively analyzed news media data and employed topic modeling techniques on social media data from two years, capturing two specific crises. Our results reveal the cascading impacts of water outages on end-users, including financial, social, and technical issues. For example, over time, results indicate that trust in the government and water providers in Jackson eroded, which may hinder public support. Our results show that social media can be a useful tool for utilities to understand public perceptions in real-time. Recommendations proposed here can inform future responses to water crises in Jackson and other communities, ensuring end-users perspectives are incorporated.

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Forming a Critical Race Theory of Environmental Disaster: Understanding social meanings and health threat perception in the Flint Water Crisis

Cited by 6 publications

References 67 publications

Estimated Childhood Lead Exposure From Drinking Water in Chicago

Estimated Childhood Lead Exposure From Drinking Water in Chicago

Drivers of disaster planning among African-American households

Temporal public perceptions and experiences during water service disruptions: the case of Jackson, Mississippi

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