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Assessment of burden disparities related to industrial poultry production in Maryland
Methods: A 2011 list of poultry CAFOs was obtained from the MD Department of the Environment (MDE) and linked with demographic variables from the 2010 census by tract ID using R. Mean distance from poultry CAFOs was calculated between census tracts and grouped by quartiles or percentile of demographic characteristics in rural areas (defined as 0% urban area). A linear regression model was applied to quantify the relationship between poultry density and demographic characteristics. Spatial methods were employed using ArcGIS 10 to illustrate poultry density in rural areas.
Results: Census tracts with the lowest (10% census tracts) percentage of whites was 10 miles closer to poultry CAFOs compared to those grouped by the highest 10%. In contrast, census tracts grouped by the highest 10% of non-whites were located 15 miles closer to poultry CAFOs compared to the lowest 10%. Regression results indicated that a 10% increase in whites would decrease density by 0.02 poultry CAFOs/mile2 (p = <0.001, R2 = 0.23) while the same increase in blacks would increase the density by 0.03 poultry CAFOs/mile2 (p = <0.001, R2 = 0.23). Similarly, a 10% increase in poverty increased poultry density by 0.04 poultry CAFOs/ mile2 (p = 0.001, R2 = 0.01).
Conclusion: There are minimal burden disparities in the distribution of poultry CAFOs in MD; however, we plan to further explore differences in exposure in the Eastern Shore region.
Learning Areas:
Environmental health sciencesPublic health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Assess spatial disparities associated with industrial poultry production in Maryland.
Describe sociodemographic disparities associated with industrial poultry production in Maryland.
Identify solutions to mitigate environmental injustice in agricultural communities.
Keyword(s): Environmental Health Hazards, Environmental Justice
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a second year PhD student in the Toxicology and Environmental Health program at the University of Maryland-College Park. I have research experience in environmental epidemiology, cumulative risk assessment, health disparities, and environmental justice. I also have experience in using community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches to study the inequitable distribution of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), air toxics, hazardous waste sites, and health-promoting infrastructure in communities in South Carolina and Maryland.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.