Selecting Data Analytic and Modeling Methods to Support Air Pollution and Environmental Justice Investigations: A Critical Review and Guidance Framework

Abstract

Given the serious adverse health effects associated with many pollutants, and the inequitable distribution of these effects between socioeconomic groups, air pollution is often a focus of environmental justice (EJ) research. However, EJ analyses that aim to illuminate whether and how air pollution hazards are inequitably distributed may present a unique set of requirements for estimating pollutant concentrations compared to other air quality applications. Here, we perform a scoping review of the range of data analytic and modeling methods applied in past studies of air pollution and environmental injustice and develop a guidance framework for selecting between them given the purpose of analysis, users, and resources available. We include proxy, monitor-based, statistical, and process-based methods. Upon critically synthesizing the literature, we identify four main dimensions to inform method selection: accuracy, interpretability, spatiotemporal features of the method, and usability of the method. We illustrate the guidance framework with case studies from the literature. Future research in this area includes an exploration of increasing data availability, advanced statistical methods, and the importance of science-based policy.

Leveraging Citizen Science and Low-Cost Sensors to Characterize Air Pollution Exposure of Disadvantaged Communities in Southern California

“…For example, a number of studies have found that air pollution exposure could be impacted by small-scale differences in the built environment, including traffic and road geometry [ 67 ], impervious surface [ 68 , 69 ], greenness [ 70 ], walkability [ 71 ], the fragmentation of urban patches [ 70 ], and other factors [ 19 , 72 , 73 , 74 ]. Oftentimes, disadvantaged communities are near highways, have much fewer green spaces, much greater auto dependence, poor quality pavement streets, and residential segregation patterns [ 14 , 46 , 48 ], which may be associated with adverse air pollution exposure [ 73 ] and disparities [ 75 ]. Without increased air monitoring networks among disadvantaged communities, one cannot explore such mechanisms, thus failing to eliminate built environment disparities [ 76 ], conduct air pollution exposure assessment [ 77 ], inform emission control strategies [ 43 ], and assess public health outcomes [ 6 ].…”

National and Intraurban Air Pollution Exposure Disparity Estimates in the United States: Impact of Data-Aggregation Spatial Scale

“…There is an urgent need for guidance on quantifying air pollution exposure disparities, due to rapid evolution of data (e.g., from satellites, models, and low-cost sensors) and to growing momentum in efforts to measure, track, and address such disparities (e.g., from US state environmental justice policies , and screening tools , ). Analytic challenges in doing so include the definition of disparity metrics, the collection of air pollution and demographic data, the method of exposure assessment, and the spatial scale of data aggregation.…”

Global Endeavors to Address the Health Effects of Urban Air Pollution

“…Addressing equity concerns requires a standardized framework of methods of analysis and hence an improved understanding of environmental health disparities. 25 Both cross-national collaboration and communitybased participatory research are critical to address global and local disparities in the health burden of air pollution and foster corrective action on inequalities. Low-cost air sensors can be one of the effective measures to empower low-income countries and underprivileged communities to improve their air quality monitoring infrastructure.…”

“…There is also an enhanced appreciation in environmental policy of the desirability of pursuing environmental equity. Addressing equity concerns requires a standardized framework of methods of analysis and hence an improved understanding of environmental health disparities . Both cross-national collaboration and community-based participatory research are critical to address global and local disparities in the health burden of air pollution and foster corrective action on inequalities.…”