Kearney Gregory D, Bell Ronny A
Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.
J Public Health Manag Pract. 2019 Mar/Apr;25(2):107-112. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000000720.
The geographic position and high level of poverty in the southeastern United States are significant risk factors that contribute to the region's high vulnerability to climate change. The goal of this study was to evaluate beliefs and perceptions of global warming among those living in poverty in the poorest counties in the southeastern United States. Results from this project may be used to support public health efforts to increase climate-related messaging to vulnerable and underserved communities. This was an ecological study that analyzed public opinion poll estimates from previously gathered national level survey data (2016). Responses to 5 questions related to beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of global warming were evaluated. Counties below the national average poverty level (13.5%) were identified among 11 southeastern US states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia). Student t tests were used to compare public perceptions of global warming among the poorest urban and rural counties with national-level public opinion estimates. Overall, counties below the national poverty level in the southeastern US were significantly less likely to believe that global warming was happening compared with national-level estimates. The poorest rural counties were less likely to believe that global warming was happening than the poorest urban counties. Health care providers and public health leaders at regional and local levels are in ideal positions to raise awareness and advocate the health implications of climate change to decision makers for the benefit of helping underserved communities mitigate and adequately adapt to climate-related threats.
美国东南部的地理位置和高度贫困是导致该地区极易受到气候变化影响的重要风险因素。本研究的目的是评估美国东南部最贫困县中贫困人口对全球变暖的看法和认知。该项目的结果可用于支持公共卫生工作，以便向脆弱和服务不足的社区增加与气候相关的信息传递。这是一项生态研究，分析了先前收集的国家层面调查数据（2016年）中的民意调查估计值。对与全球变暖的看法、态度和认知相关的5个问题的回答进行了评估。在美国东南部的11个州（阿拉巴马州、阿肯色州、佛罗里达州、佐治亚州、肯塔基州、路易斯安那州、密歇根州、北卡罗来纳州、南卡罗来纳州、田纳西州、弗吉尼亚州）中确定了贫困水平低于全国平均水平（13.5%）的县。使用学生t检验来比较最贫困的城乡县民众对全球变暖的看法与国家层面的民意调查估计值。总体而言，与国家层面的估计值相比，美国东南部贫困水平低于全国平均水平的县民众认为全球变暖正在发生的可能性要小得多。最贫困的农村县民众比最贫困的城市县民众更不太可能认为全球变暖正在发生。区域和地方层面的医疗保健提供者和公共卫生领导人处于理想位置，可以提高认识并向决策者宣传气候变化对健康的影响，以帮助服务不足的社区减轻并充分适应与气候相关的威胁。
