Downs Timothy J, Ross Laurie, Patton Suzanne, Rulnick Sarah, Sinha Deb, Mucciarone Danielle, Calvache Maria, Parmenter Sarah, Subedi Rajendra, Wysokenski Donna, Anderson Erin, Dezan Rebecca, Lowe Kate, Bowen Jennifer, Tejani Amee, Piersanti Kelly, Taylor Octavia, Goble Robert
Environmental Science and Policy Program, Department of International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE), Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610, USA.
Environ Res. 2009 Nov;109(8):1028-40. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2009.08.005. Epub 2009 Sep 16.
Low income, multi-ethnic communities in Main South/Piedmont neighborhoods of Worcester, Massachusetts are exposed to cumulative, chronic built-environment stressors, and have limited capacity to respond, magnifying their vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. "Neighborhood STRENGTH", our community-based participatory research (CBPR) project, comprised four partners: a youth center; an environmental non-profit; a community-based health center; and a university. Unlike most CBPR projects that are single topic-focused, our 'holistic', systems-based project targeted five priorities. The three research-focused/action-oriented components were: (1) participatory monitoring of indoor and outdoor pollution; (2) learning about health needs and concerns of residents through community-based listening sessions; (3) engaging in collaborative survey work, including a household vulnerability survey and an asthma prevalence survey for schoolchildren. The two action-focused/research-informed components were: (4) tackling persistent street trash and illegal dumping strategically; and (5) educating and empowering youth to promote environmental justice. We used a coupled CBPR-capacity building approach to design, vulnerability theory to frame, and mixed methods: quantitative environmental testing and qualitative surveys. Process and outcomes yielded important lessons: vulnerability theory helps frame issues holistically; having several topic-based projects yielded useful information, but was hard to manage and articulate to the public; access to, and engagement with, the target population was very difficult and would have benefited greatly from having representative residents who were paid at the partners' table. Engagement with residents and conflict burden varied highly across components. Notwithstanding, we built enabling capacity, strengthened our understanding of vulnerability, and are able to share valuable experiential knowledge.
马萨诸塞州伍斯特市主南区/皮埃蒙特社区的低收入多民族社区面临着累积性、慢性的建筑环境压力源，且应对能力有限，这放大了他们遭遇不良健康后果的脆弱性。我们的社区参与式研究（CBPR）项目“邻里力量”由四个伙伴组成：一个青年中心、一个环境非营利组织、一个社区健康中心和一所大学。与大多数专注于单一主题的CBPR项目不同，我们这个基于系统的“整体”项目针对五个优先事项。三个以研究为重点/以行动为导向的组成部分是：（1）对室内和室外污染进行参与式监测；（2）通过社区倾听会了解居民的健康需求和担忧；（3）开展合作调查工作，包括家庭脆弱性调查和学童哮喘患病率调查。两个以行动为重点/基于研究的组成部分是：（4）战略性地解决持续存在的街道垃圾和非法倾倒问题；（5）教育青年并赋予他们权力以促进环境正义。我们采用了CBPR与能力建设相结合的方法进行设计，运用脆弱性理论进行框架构建，并采用混合方法：定量环境测试和定性调查。过程和结果带来了重要经验教训：脆弱性理论有助于从整体上构建问题；开展多个基于主题的项目产生了有用信息，但难以管理并向公众阐明；接触目标人群并让他们参与非常困难，若在合作伙伴中有代表性居民并给予报酬，将会受益匪浅。各组成部分在与居民的互动和冲突负担方面差异很大。尽管如此，我们建立了赋能能力，加深了对脆弱性的理解，并能够分享宝贵的经验知识。
