IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i21p11626-d672733.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Defining Environmental Health Literacy

Author

Listed:
  • Marti Lindsey

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

  • Shaw-Ree Chen

    (Quality & Safety Institute, Rochester Regional Health, Rochester, NY 14617, USA)

  • Richmond Ben

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

  • Melissa Manoogian

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

  • Jordan Spradlin

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

Abstract

“Environmental Health Literacy” (EHL) is embraced as important for improving public health by preventing disability and disease from our environment. This study aimed to determine knowledge and skill items identified by Environmental Health (EH) professionals as being associated with EHL and to understand how these items rank by importance. Such a coordinated effort to tease out skills and knowledge needed for EHL had not previously been made. We utilized a mixed-methods approach of semi-structured interviews of 24 EH professionals and a quantitative survey with 275 EH professionals across the United States. Interviews identified 37 skill and 69 knowledge items, which were used to create the survey questions. Survey results indicate 32 knowledge items and six skill items considered essential by >50% of respondents where consensus was reached between professional groups (chi square test: p > 0.05). We further identified six knowledge items, which >70% of EH professionals agreed were essential for EHL. The identification of these knowledge and skill items sets the stage for further research that includes exploring agreement with more diverse stakeholders, developing comprehensive measures of EHL and evaluation of methods and materials designed to improve EHL.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11626-:d:672733
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/21/11626/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/21/11626/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chiara Lorini & Saverio Caini & Francesca Ierardi & Letizia Bachini & Fabrizio Gemmi & Guglielmo Bonaccorsi, 2020. "Health Literacy as a Shared Capacity: Does the Health Literacy of a Country Influence the Health Disparities among Immigrants?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-20, February.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. Nutbeam, Don, 2008. "The evolving concept of health literacy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(12), pages 2072-2078, December.
    5. Monica D. Ramirez-Andreotta & Julia Green Brody & Nathan Lothrop & Miranda Loh & Paloma I. Beamer & Phil Brown, 2016. "Improving Environmental Health Literacy and Justice through Environmental Exposure Results Communication," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-27, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. Patrizio Zanobini & Marco Del Riccio & Chiara Lorini & Guglielmo Bonaccorsi, 2024. "Empowering Sustainable Healthcare: The Role of Health Literacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-12, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. 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.
    2. Kathryn S. Tomsho & Erin Polka & Stacey Chacker & David Queeley & Marty Alvarez & Madeleine K. Scammell & Karen M. Emmons & Rima E. Rudd & Gary Adamkiewicz, 2022. "Characterizing the Environmental Health Literacy and Sensemaking of Indoor Air Quality of Research Participants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-16, February.
    3. 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.
    4. Erin Lebow-Skelley & Sarah Yelton & Brandi Janssen & Esther Erdei & Melanie A. Pearson, 2020. "Identifying Issues and Priorities in Reporting Back Environmental Health Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-19, September.
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. Daniel Madrigal & Mariana Claustro & Michelle Wong & Esther Bejarano & Luis Olmedo & Paul English, 2020. "Developing Youth Environmental Health Literacy and Civic Leadership through Community Air Monitoring in Imperial County, California," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-12, February.
    10. Maricel G. Santos & Anu L. Gorukanti & Lina M. Jurkunas & Margaret A. Handley, 2018. "The Health Literacy of U.S. Immigrant Adolescents: A Neglected Research Priority in a Changing World," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, September.
    11. Apiradee Nantsupawat & Orn‐Anong Wichaikhum & Kulwadee Abhicharttibutra & Wipada Kunaviktikul & Mohd Said Bin Nurumal & Lusine Poghosyan, 2020. "Nurses' knowledge of health literacy, communication techniques, and barriers to the implementation of health literacy programs: A cross‐sectional study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(3), pages 577-585, September.
    12. Chiao Ling Huang & Shu-Ching Yang & Chia-Hsun Chiang, 2020. "The Associations between Individual Factors, eHealth Literacy, and Health Behaviors among College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-13, March.
    13. Diana Rohlman & Jamie Donatuto & Myk Heidt & Michael Barton & Larry Campbell & Kim A. Anderson & Molly L. Kile, 2019. "A Case Study Describing a Community-Engaged Approach for Evaluating Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Exposure in a Native American Community," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-18, January.
    14. Marialuisa Menegatto & Adriano Zamperini, 2023. "Health and Psychological Concerns of Communities Affected by Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances: The Case of Residents Living in the Orange Area of the Veneto Region," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(22), pages 1-20, November.
    15. Yuji Kanejima & Kazuhiro P. Izawa & Masahiro Kitamura & Kodai Ishihara & Asami Ogura & Ikko Kubo & Hitomi Nagashima & Hideto Tawa & Daisuke Matsumoto & Ikki Shimizu, 2022. "Health Literacy Is Associated with Activities of Daily Living of Patients Participating in Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Multicenter Clinical Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-10, December.
    16. Constanze Hübner & Mariya Lorke & Annika Buchholz & Stefanie Frech & Laura Harzheim & Sabine Schulz & Saskia Jünger & Christiane Woopen, 2022. "Health Literacy in the Context of Implant Care—Perspectives of (Prospective) Implant Wearers on Individual and Organisational Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-36, June.
    17. Setti Rais Ali & Paul Dourgnon & Lise Rochaix, 2018. "Social Capital or Education: What Matters Most to Cut Time to Diagnosis?," Working Papers halshs-01703170, HAL.
    18. Sasha A. Fleary & Carolina Gonçalves & Patrece L. Joseph & Dwayne M. Baker, 2022. "Census Tract Demographics Associated with Libraries’ Social, Economic, and Health-Related Programming," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-13, May.
    19. Samuel G Smith & Laura M Curtis & Jane Wardle & Christian von Wagner & Michael S Wolf, 2013. "Skill Set or Mind Set? Associations between Health Literacy, Patient Activation and Health," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(9), pages 1-7, September.
    20. Davillas, Apostolos & de Oliveira, Victor Hugo & Jones, Andrew M., 2023. "Is inconsistent reporting of self-assessed health persistent and systematic? Evidence from the UKHLS," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11626-:d:672733. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.