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Knowledge and Beliefs Associated with Environmental Health Literacy: A Case Study Focused on Toxic Metals Contamination of Well Water

Author

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  • Kathleen M. Gray

    (Institute for the Environment, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Victoria Triana

    (Institute for the Environment, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Marti Lindsey

    (Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

  • Benjamin Richmond

    (Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

  • Anna Goodman Hoover

    (Department of Preventive Medicine & Environmental Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA)

  • Chris Wiesen

    (Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

Abstract

Environmental health literacy (EHL) is developing as a framework that can inform educational interventions designed to facilitate individual and collective action to protect health, yet EHL measurement poses several challenges. While some studies have measured environmental health knowledge resulting from interventions, few have incorporated skills and self-efficacy. In this study, a process-focused EHL instrument was developed, using the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) health literacy instrument as a model and tailoring it for the context of private well contamination with toxic metals. Forty-seven (47) participants, including undergraduate students and residents of communities with contaminated well water, piloted a prototype EHL instrument alongside NVS. Results suggested a moderate degree of correlation between NVS and the EHL prototype, and significant differences in scores were observed between students and residents. Responses to a self-efficacy survey, tailored for drinking water contaminated with arsenic, revealed significant differences between students and residents on items related to cost and distance. In response to open-ended questions, participants identified a range of potential environmental contaminants in drinking water and deemed varied information sources as reliable. This study highlights differences in knowledge and self-efficacy among students and residents and raises questions about the adequacy of EHL assessments that mimic formal education approaches.

Suggested Citation

  • Kathleen M. Gray & Victoria Triana & Marti Lindsey & Benjamin Richmond & Anna Goodman Hoover & Chris Wiesen, 2021. "Knowledge and Beliefs Associated with Environmental Health Literacy: A Case Study Focused on Toxic Metals Contamination of Well Water," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-14, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9298-:d:628232
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maureen Y. Lichtveld & Hannah H. Covert & Mya Sherman & Arti Shankar & Jeffrey K. Wickliffe & Cecilia S. Alcala, 2019. "Advancing Environmental Health Literacy: Validated Scales of General Environmental Health and Environmental Media-Specific Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-12, October.
    2. Veronica L. Irvin & Diana Rohlman & Amelia Vaughan & Rebecca Amantia & Claire Berlin & Molly L. Kile, 2019. "Development and Validation of an Environmental Health Literacy Assessment Screening Tool for Domestic Well Owners: The Water Environmental Literacy Level Scale (WELLS)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-17, March.
    3. Kathleen M. Gray, 2018. "From Content Knowledge to Community Change: A Review of Representations of Environmental Health Literacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-17, March.
    4. Leona F. Davis & Mónica D. Ramirez-Andreotta & Jean E. T. McLain & Aminata Kilungo & Leif Abrell & Sanlyn Buxner, 2018. "Increasing Environmental Health Literacy through Contextual Learning in Communities at Risk," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-23, October.
    5. Margaret J. Eggers & John T. Doyle & Myra J. Lefthand & Sara L. Young & Anita L. Moore-Nall & Larry Kindness & Roberta Other Medicine & Timothy E. Ford & Eric Dietrich & Albert E. Parker & Joseph H. H, 2018. "Community Engaged Cumulative Risk Assessment of Exposure to Inorganic Well Water Contaminants, Crow Reservation, Montana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-34, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Elisabeth Pfleger & Hans Drexler & Regina Lutz, 2024. "Health Literacy and Environmental Risks Focusing Air Pollution: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-19, March.
    2. Shereen Elshaer & Lisa J. Martin & Theresa A. Baker & Erin Roberts & Paola Rios-Santiago & Ross Kaufhold & Melinda Butsch Kovacic, 2023. "Environmental Health Knowledge Does Not Necessarily Translate to Action in Youth," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-14, February.
    3. Marti Lindsey & Shaw-Ree Chen & Richmond Ben & Melissa Manoogian & Jordan Spradlin, 2021. "Defining Environmental Health Literacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Diana Rohlman & Molly L. Kile & Veronica L. Irvin, 2022. "Developing a Short Assessment of Environmental Health Literacy (SA-EHL)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-15, February.
    5. Andrew R. Binder & Katlyn May & John Murphy & Anna Gross & Elise Carlsten, 2022. "Environmental Health Literacy as Knowing, Feeling, and Believing: Analyzing Linkages between Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status and Willingness to Engage in Protective Behaviors against Health ," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-17, February.

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