Ayer, Rachel Eleanor
(2024)
Demographic Determinants of Perceived Health Risks from Pollution in the Wake of Petrochemical Industry Expansion in Beaver County, PA.
Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
Abstract
Many view fossil fuel reliance and petrochemical industrialization as a public health concern while others view it as an economic necessity. However, these perceptions can change over time after industrial impacts have manifested. With the recent development of the Shell Polymers Monaca plant in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, my internship project objective was to collect and analyze baseline data regarding residents’ perceptions on health prior to and soon after full operational activities began at the plant. A Qualtrics cross-sectional community health survey was distributed to adult residents of Beaver County from July 2022- August 2023. Participants were recruited both through Pitt+Me and through the dissemination of fliers by study staff and members of a community advisory board. The survey gathered information related to demographics, self-reported health habits, perceived community and personal health, and attitudes towards environmental health. To measure perceptions, participants responded to a series of statements using a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics were generated using Qualtrics XM and univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed using R version 4.2.3. The survey was comprised of 436 adult residents of Beaver County zip-code. Approximately 36% and 25% of survey takers indicated that their health had been harmed by air pollution or unsafe drinking water, respectively. Results from the regression analysis showed that perceived health and certain health habits were statistically significant predictors for agreeing or disagreeing with the statements “My health has been harmed by unsafe drinking water” and “My health has been harmed by air pollution”. The baseline survey data illustrates that there is a high prevalence of concern about current and future exposure to pollution in Beaver County. A follow-up survey will be redistributed to participants a year after the initial survey completion date to determine if there are changes in perceptions since the plant began operations. These findings can assist community leaders with addressing and advocating for participants’ expressed issues regarding exposure to air and water pollution – an issue of great public health importance.
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Details
| Item Type: |
Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper
(Master Essay)
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| Contributors: |
| Contribution | Contributors Name | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Thesis advisor | Talbott, Evelyn O. | eot1@pitt.edu | eot1 | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Buchanich, Jeanine M. | jeanine@pitt.edu | jeanine | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Covert, Hannah H. | hcovert@pitt.edu | hcovert | UNSPECIFIED |
|
| Date: |
3 January 2024 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Submission Date: |
12 December 2023 |
| Access Restriction: |
2 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 2 years. |
| Number of Pages: |
73 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Epidemiology |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master Essay |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Perceived Self and Community Health and Perceived Environmental Risk collected from the Beaver County Community Health Survey |
| Date Deposited: |
03 Jan 2024 15:10 |
| Last Modified: |
03 Jan 2024 15:10 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/45664 |
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