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Single‐Mother Families and Air Pollution: A National Study

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  • Liam Downey
  • Brian Hawkins

Abstract

Objective. This study uses tract‐level demographic data and toxicity‐weighted air pollutant concentration estimates for the continental United States to determine whether (1) single‐mother families are overrepresented in environmentally hazardous Census tracts and (2) the percentage of single‐mother families in a Census tract is a significant predictor of tract‐level toxic concentration estimates. Methods. After calculating tract‐level toxic concentration estimates for the average female‐headed family, male‐headed family, and married‐couple family with and without children, we use fixed‐effects regression models to determine whether the percentage of single‐mother families in a tract is a significant predictor of tract‐level toxic concentration estimates. Results. Single‐mother families are overrepresented in environmentally hazardous Census tracts, and the percentage of single‐mother families in a tract remains a significant predictor of estimated toxic concentration levels even after controlling for many of the most commonly used variables in the literature. Conclusion. Environmental inequality researchers need to broaden their focus beyond race and income to include groups such as single‐mother families in their research.

Suggested Citation

  • Liam Downey & Brian Hawkins, 2008. "Single‐Mother Families and Air Pollution: A National Study," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 89(2), pages 523-536, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:89:y:2008:i:2:p:523-536
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6237.2008.00545.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Zwickl, Klara & Ash, Michael & Boyce, James K., 2014. "Regional variation in environmental inequality: Industrial air toxics exposure in U.S. cities," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 494-509.
    2. Sharma, Rajesh & Sinha, Avik & Kautish, Pradeep, 2020. "Examining the impacts of economic and demographic aspects on the ecological footprint in South and Southeast Asian countries," MPRA Paper 104245, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2020.
    3. Alvarez, Camila H. & Evans, Clare Rosenfeld, 2021. "Intersectional environmental justice and population health inequalities: A novel approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    4. Germani, Anna Rita & Morone, Piergiuseppe & Testa, Giuseppina, 2014. "Environmental justice and air pollution: A case study on Italian provinces," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 69-82.
    5. Davide, Di Fonzo & Alessandra, Fabri & Roberto, Pasetto, 2022. "Distributive justice in environmental health hazards from industrial contamination: A systematic review of national and near-national assessments of social inequalities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    6. Jayajit Chakraborty & Pratyusha Basu, 2021. "Air Quality and Environmental Injustice in India: Connecting Particulate Pollution to Social Disadvantages," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-14, January.
    7. Raoul S. Liévanos & Clare R. Evans & Ryan Light, 2021. "An Intercategorical Ecology of Lead Exposure: Complex Environmental Health Vulnerabilities in the Flint Water Crisis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-23, February.

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