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Dimensions of the Social Environment: Environmental
Overview
The environmental dimension includes physical and chemical components that
are associated with adverse health outcomes—air pollutants (American
Lung Association 2001; Pope and Bates and Raizenne 1995); water pollutants
(Griffith et al. 1989); and environmental hazards, including hazardous waste
(Johnson 1999; Schell 1991), heavy metals (Goldman and Shannon and the American
Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Environmental Health 2001; Mendelsohn et al.
1999), pesticides (Blindauer and Jackson and McGeehin 1999; Landrigan et al.
1999), climatic extremes (Greenough et al. 2001; Patz and McGeehin and Bernard
2001), and excessive noise (W. Passchier–Vermeer and W.F. Passchier 2000; Schell
1991). These exposures are known to vary by area and to be disproportionately
concentrated among disadvantaged populations (American Lung Association 2001;
Brown 1995).
In addition, this contextual dimension encompasses structural features of
communities such as physical design of streets, sidewalks, and safety structures
that are associated with level of injury risk (Navin and Zein and Felipe 2000;
Agran et al. 1996). Aspects of land usage are also considered, such as public
spaces and parks that may facilitate greater physical activity levels (French
and Story and Jeffery 2001), as are services related to environmental quality
like waste disposal and recycling programs.
This table describes the components and indicators of the environmental
dimension. Five environmental components are identified:
- Air Quality
- Water Quality
- Environmental Hazards
- Physical Safety
- Land Use
Within each component, several indicators are identified, and for each
indicator at least one data set is listed.
| Components and Indicators |
Data Sources and Notes |
|
1. Air Quality: Outdoor |
|
Peak air concentration of carbon monoxide, lead,
nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and sulfur dioxide; particulate matter air
concentration; days Air Quality Index is higher than 100 |
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)
From this Web site page, select Metropolitan Area Trends; choose Table
A–15 for Peak Concentrations or Table A–17 for Air Quality Index.
Available in PDF. |
|
Total pounds of air chemicals emitted by
industry, by chemical |
EPA, Toxics Release Inventory
From this Web site page, select Get TRI Data; select TRI Explorer;
under Chemical Released choose Select a Chemical Group, then Hazardous
Air Pollutants; select geographic area of interest, then generate
downloadable report. |
|
Air Quality: Indoor |
|
Percent of households reporting neighborhood odor
to be a problem or bothersome |
American Housing
Survey
Data for each of 47 selected Metropolitan Areas are collected about
every 4 years, with an average of 12 areas included each year.
Downloadable data in SAS and ASCII formats. |
|
2. Water Quality: Number of violations per year for
federally regulated drinking water contaminants |
|
Number of violations per year for federally
regulated drinking water contaminants |
EPA
Downloadable compressed Excel files. |
|
Water Quality: Total pounds of surface water chemicals discharged by
industry, by chemical |
|
Total pounds of surface water chemicals discharged
by industry, by chemical |
EPA, Toxics Release Inventory
From this Web site page, select Get TRI Data; select TRI Explorer;
select report by industry or chemical, choose geographic area of
interest, then generate downloadable report. |
|
3. Environmental Hazards: Hazardous waste |
|
Total pounds of chemical waste released by industry,
by chemical |
EPA, Toxics Release Inventory
From this Web site page, select Get TRI Data; select TRI Explorer;
select report by industry or chemical, choose geographic area of
interest, then generate downloadable report. |
|
Environmental Hazards: Heavy metals |
|
Total pounds of selected heavy metals released by
industry |
EPA, Toxics Release Inventory
From this Web site page, select Get TRI Data; select TRI Explorer;
under Chemical Released choose Select a Chemical Group, then Metals and
Metal Compounds; choose geographic area of interest, then generate
downloadable report. |
|
Environmental Hazards: Pesticides |
|
Total pounds of pesticide chemicals |
EPA, Toxics Release Inventory
From this Web site page, select Get TRI Data; select TRI Explorer;
select report by industry or chemical, choose geographic area of interest, then generate
downloadable report. |
|
Environmental Hazards: Climate extremes |
|
Maximum and minimum temperatures |
Statistical Abstract of the
United States
From this Web site page, select desired year, then Geography and
Environment. |
|
Environmental Hazards: Noise |
|
Percent of households reporting noise to be a
problem or bothersome |
American Housing
Survey
Data for each of 47 selected Metropolitan Areas are collected about
every 4 years, with an average of 12 areas included each year.
Downloadable data in SAS and ASCII formats. |
|
4. Physical Safety: Traffic |
|
Total miles of local roads; total vehicle miles of
local road travel daily |
Federal
Highway Administration
From this Web site page, select Highway Statistics for desired year;
select Roadway Extent, Characteristics, and Performance. Available in
PDF and Excel formats. |
|
Percent of households perceiving traffic as a
problem or bothersome |
American Housing
Survey
Data for each of 47 selected Metropolitan Areas are collected about
every 4 years, with an average of 12 areas included each year.
Downloadable data in SAS and ASCII formats. |
|
Physical Safety: Street repair |
|
Percent of households reporting major street repair
needed in their neighborhood |
American Housing
Survey
Data for each of 47 selected Metropolitan Areas are collected about
every 4 years, with an average of 12 areas included each year.
Downloadable data in SAS and ASCII formats. |
|
5. Land Use: Public recreational space/number of
parks |
|
Expenditures on natural resources, parks, and
recreation |
Census of Governments
From this Web site page, select year of interest; select Vol. 4, No. 3,
Finances of County Governments, or No. 4, Finances of Municipal and
Township Governments, or select downloadable State and Local Government
Finance data. |
|
Land Use: Waste disposal/dumping/sanitation services |
|
Pounds of waste managed |
EPA, Toxics Release Inventory
From this Web site page, select Get TRI Data; select TRI Explorer;
select report by industry or chemical, then choose geographic area of interest;
then choose waste quantity reports; then generate
downloadable report. |
|
Percent of households reporting major trash, litter,
or junk on streets near their home; reporting neighborhood
litter/deterioration to be a problem or bothersome; and reporting poor
city or county services in neighborhood |
American Housing
Survey |
|
Land Use: Curbside recycling programs |
|
Pounds of waste transferred to recycling |
EPA, Toxics Release Inventory
From this Web site page, select Get TRI Data; select TRI Explorer;
select report by industry or chemical, then choose geographic area of interest;
then choose waste quantity reports; then generate
downloadable report. |
Date last reviewed:
05/12/2006
Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke
Prevention,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion |
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