142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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311052
An assessment of community environmental health and perceived cancer risks: A study in Metropolitan Charleston

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 : 3:30 PM - 3:50 PM

LaShanta Rice, PhD, MPH , Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Heather M. Brandt, PhD, CHES , Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior & Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of South Carolina-Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Evangeline Cornelius , Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Dayna Campbell, MS, PhD(c) , Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities, University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Sacoby Wilson, PhD, MS , Community Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Health (CEEJH), University of Maryland-College Park, College Park, MD
Saundra Glover, MBA, PhD , Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities, University of South Carolina - Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore community perceptions of cancer risk, environmental hazards, and health behaviors in an at-risk population.

Methods:  A convenience sample of residents in Metropolitan Charleston, South Carolina was recruited at local venues and community events to complete a 59-item health survey. Survey questions explored 6 domains: sociodemographic characteristics, environmental health risks, perceived cancer risk, health behaviors, self-efficacy, and social support which were adapted from existing surveys. Paper and online surveys were distributed from March to September 2013.  SAS 9.3 was used to perform descriptive statistics. 

Results:  Survey respondents (N=405) were 81% female (n=322) and 19% male (n=75), employed (60%), owned their home (60%), were college graduates (52%) with an annual household income of $20,000-49,999 and 18-87 years of age.  Overall, respondents were non-smokers (88%), considered themselves to be overweight (59%), engaged in physical activity (79%), had a good diet (48%), non-drinkers (59%), and never wore sunscreen (40%). They rated their community as a “somewhat good” place to live. Air pollution, water pollution, soil contamination, and toxic waste were not perceived as problems where most respondents lived; however, each was identified as a “very serious” health threat. Environment was perceived to play a “very important” role in causing disease especially cancers (69%). Respondents frequently worried about developing cancer, yet 36% felt that they were neither likely nor unlikely to develop cancer in their lifetime.

Conclusions: At-risk communities perceived the environment to be a major contributor in the development of cancer and therefore worry more often about developing cancer. Future studies will elucidate the relationship between perceived cancer risk and environment by sociodemographic characteristics to determine if differences exist within this population.

Learning Areas:

Environmental health sciences
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Assess community perceptions of environmental health and cancer risks Assess community and environmental factors that contribute toward health disparities in at-risk populations through community-engaged research

Keyword(s): Cancer, Environmental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I serve as the leader of the project described in the abstract, which focuses on environmental determinants and perceptions of cancer risk among a predominantly African-American community. I have conducted community-based research focused on addressing health disparities for 7 years.
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.