Strengthening Community Capacity to Participate in Making Decisions to Reduce Disproportionate Environmental Exposures

Bibliographic Data

ID11023293
AuthorsNicholas Freudenberg (0000-0001-5159-6914, Nicholas Freudenberg is with the City University of New York School of Public Health at Hunter College, New York, NY. Manuel Pastor is with the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Barbara Israel is with the Department of Health Education and Health Behavior at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor School of Public Health, Ann Arbor.), Manuel Pastor (0000-0002-4638-3778, Nicholas Freudenberg is with the City University of New York School of Public Health at Hunter College, New York, NY. Manuel Pastor is with the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Barbara Israel is with the Department of Health Education and Health Behavior at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor School of Public Health, Ann Arbor.), Barbara Israel (Nicholas Freudenberg is with the City University of New York School of Public Health at Hunter College, New York, NY. Manuel Pastor is with the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Barbara Israel is with the Department of Health Education and Health Behavior at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor School of Public Health, Ann Arbor.), Barbara A Israel (City University of New York)
Year2011
Volume101
IssueS1
PagesS123-S130
Publication date2011-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2011.300265
PMID22021323
PMCIDPMC3222508
OpenAlexW2061939550
LanguageEN
Citations received36
References cited49

Environmental exposures impose a disproportionate health burden on low-income populations and communities of color. One contributing factor may be the obstacles such communities face to full participation in making policy decisions about environmental health. This study described and analyzed the characteristics that contributed to communities' capacity to participate in making environmental decisions and suggested steps public agencies could take to achieve more meaningful participation. By strengthening community capacity, advancing authentic participation, and building democratic power, it might be possible to alter current patterns of health inequities. Strengthening participation by working with communities to develop the capacities needed to be effective in such processes is a key role for local, state, and national environmental agencies

Business · Economics · Environmental health · Environmental justice · Environmental planning · Geography · Political science · Public economics · Public health · Climate Change and Health Impacts · Environmental Justice and Health Disparities · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Medicine · Nursing

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