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Traffic, Air Pollution, Minority and Socio-Economic Status: Addressing Inequities in Exposure and Risk

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  • Gregory C. Pratt

    (Environmental Analysis and Outcomes Division, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Road, St Paul, MN 55155, USA
    Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Monika L. Vadali

    (Environmental Analysis and Outcomes Division, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Road, St Paul, MN 55155, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Dorian L. Kvale

    (Environmental Analysis and Outcomes Division, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Road, St Paul, MN 55155, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Kristie M. Ellickson

    (Environmental Analysis and Outcomes Division, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Road, St Paul, MN 55155, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

Higher levels of nearby traffic increase exposure to air pollution and adversely affect health outcomes. Populations with lower socio-economic status (SES) are particularly vulnerable to stressors like air pollution. We investigated cumulative exposures and risks from traffic and from MNRiskS-modeled air pollution in multiple source categories across demographic groups. Exposures and risks, especially from on-road sources, were higher than the mean for minorities and low SES populations and lower than the mean for white and high SES populations. Owning multiple vehicles and driving alone were linked to lower household exposures and risks. Those not owning a vehicle and walking or using transit had higher household exposures and risks. These results confirm for our study location that populations on the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum and minorities are disproportionately exposed to traffic and air pollution and at higher risk for adverse health outcomes. A major source of disparities appears to be the transportation infrastructure. Those outside the urban core had lower risks but drove more, while those living nearer the urban core tended to drive less but had higher exposures and risks from on-road sources. We suggest policy considerations for addressing these inequities.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory C. Pratt & Monika L. Vadali & Dorian L. Kvale & Kristie M. Ellickson, 2015. "Traffic, Air Pollution, Minority and Socio-Economic Status: Addressing Inequities in Exposure and Risk," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-18, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:5:p:5355-5372:d:49779
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gregory C. Pratt & Mary Dymond & Kristie Ellickson & Jesse Thé, 2012. "Validation of a Novel Air Toxic Risk Model with Air Monitoring," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(1), pages 96-112, January.
    2. Gary S. Young & Mary A. Fox & Michael Trush & Norma Kanarek & Thomas A. Glass & Frank C. Curriero, 2012. "Differential Exposure to Hazardous Air Pollution in the United States: A Multilevel Analysis of Urbanization and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-22, June.
    3. Glaeser, Edward L. & Kahn, Matthew E. & Rappaport, Jordan, 2008. "Why do the poor live in cities The role of public transportation," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 1-24, January.
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    2. Germán Caruso & Inés Marcos & Ilan Noy, 2024. "Climate Changes Affect Human Capital," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 157-196, March.
    3. Erin Flanagan & Emilie Stroh & Anna Oudin & Ebba Malmqvist, 2019. "Connecting Air Pollution Exposure to Socioeconomic Status: A Cross-Sectional Study on Environmental Injustice among Pregnant Women in Scania, Sweden," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-24, December.
    4. Alejandro Valencia & Lisa Stillwell & Stephen Appold & Saravanan Arunachalam & Steven Cox & Hao Xu & Charles P. Schmitt & Shepherd H. Schurman & Stavros Garantziotis & William Xue & Stanley C. Ahalt &, 2020. "Translator Exposure APIs: Open Access to Data on Airborne Pollutant Exposures, Roadway Exposures, and Socio-Environmental Exposures and Use Case Application," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-13, July.
    5. Gosztonyi, Ákos & Demmler, Joanne C. & Juhola, Sirkku & Ala-Mantila, Sanna, 2023. "Ambient air pollution-related environmental inequality and environmental dissimilarity in Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).

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