Environmental Health Program for Low-Income Families

Introduction: Environmental Health and Low-Income Families

Environmental health is a critical issue among low-income families owing to the poor conditions in which this population often lives. Low-income families tend to be more susceptible to environmental hazards because of substandard housing conditions. According to Kriegler and Higgins (2002), housing is a major predictor of health. Health conditions that low-income families commonly face include, but are not limited to, mental health problems, injuries, stress, pollution, lead poisoning, respiratory risks, and asthma (Kriegler and Higgins, 2002). These risks result from various hazards and environmental exposures. In addition, low-income families are often exposed to pesticides, pest allergens, secondhand smoke, and other byproducts of combustion (Adamkiewicz et al., 2014).

Various studies have explored environmental health conditions in low-income families. One such study was conducted in the Boston area, involving 211 participants from 20 low-income households between 2005 and 2009 (Adamkiewicz et al., 2014). The study examined household exposures including inadequate ventilation, pests, chemicals, secondhand smoke, combustion byproducts, and mold. Among the studied population, these exposures were associated with poor health outcomes in low-income families.

The mission of the health promotion program is to educate low-income families on various ways of avoiding and preventing environmental exposures in their households.

Program Goals and Objectives

To promote health among low-income families, outcome goals and objectives encompassing health and quality-of-life dimensions were established. The health goal was to reduce indoor exposures from pests and mold, which were identified as leading causes of cancer and asthma in low-income families (Adamkiewicz et al., 2014). To achieve this goal, the following measurable steps were established:

To improve the quality of life among low-income families, the program aimed at improving housing conditions. The following activities were planned:

To determine whether the interventions were producing the desired effects on behavior and environment, impact goals were set, including sample goals, behavioral goals, predisposing goals, and reinforcing goals. The sample goal was to reduce indoor exposures in low-income households, with education on safe and quality housing as the key skill. Public health resources were to be used to educate low-income families on indoor air quality, infant and toddler safety issues, and fall hazard mitigation within one year.

The behavioral goal involved identifying and reducing secondhand smoke exposure. Smoke detectors were to be distributed in low-income households, and educational materials — both in print and online — were to be disseminated. With these interventions, secondhand smoke exposure in children under five years of age was to be reduced within one year. All tobacco users in low-income families were also to receive behavioral change education within one year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2006) indicates that education is critical in scenarios such as these.

The predisposing goal involved improving housing conditions by engaging management levels and tenants. Skills for achieving this goal included supporting individuals and communities seeking better housing, and assisting tenants in relocating or working with their landlords. The program aimed to relocate low-income families to newly constructed houses within eight years. Sanctions were also to be imposed on all substandard houses within eight years. With regard to the reinforcing goal, the program aimed to encourage landlords to make repairs to substandard housing by supporting community organizations and advocating for affordable, healthy housing.

Implementation Process

Implementation involved five process goals with specific activities. The first process goal was to mitigate environmental exposures among low-income families through the following activities:

The second process goal was to improve the quality of housing in low-income families. This was to be achieved by:

The third process goal was to provide low-income families living in substandard housing with better alternatives. The process involved:

The fourth process goal was to advocate for affordable and quality housing. This would be achieved by:

The fifth process goal was to ensure healthy housing by collaborating with housing agencies. This entailed:

References

Adamkiewicz, G., Spengler, J. D., Harley, A. E., Stoddard, A., Yang, M., Alvarez-Reeves, M., & Sorensen, G. (2014). Environmental conditions in low-income urban housing: Clustering and associations with self-reported health. American Journal of Public Health, 104(9), 1650–1656.

Bandura, A. (1998). Health promotion from the perspective of social cognitive theory. Psychology and Health, 13, 623–649.

Carlson, C., & Saadati, N. (n.d.). Generalized model for program planning.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Program Performance and Evaluation Office (PPEO). https://www.cdc.gov/eval/guide/introduction/index.htm

Krieger, J., & Higgins, D. L. (2002). Housing and health: Time again for public health action. American Journal of Public Health, 92(5), 758–768.

Martin, A. B. (2015). Plan for program evaluation from the start. https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/plan-program-evaluation-start

Performance, Risk and Social Science Office. (2017). Types of program evaluations. https://www.performance.noaa.gov/program_evaluation_guide_types/