Characterizing the Environmental Health Literacy and Sensemaking of Indoor Air Quality of Research Participants

Kathryn S. Tomsho, Erin Polka, Stacey Chacker, David Queeley, Marty Alvarez, Madeleine K. Scammell, Karen M. Emmons, Rima E. Rudd and Gary Adamkiewicz
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Kathryn S. Tomsho: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Erin Polka: Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
Stacey Chacker: Health Resources in Action, Boston, MA 02116, USA
David Queeley: Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, Dorchester, MA 02124, USA
Marty Alvarez: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Madeleine K. Scammell: Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
Karen M. Emmons: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Rima E. Rudd: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Gary Adamkiewicz: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: This study is based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with the participants of an indoor air quality monitoring study. The purpose of the interviews was to capture participants’ perceptions of indoor air quality and engage them in a discussion of those factors that influenced their behavior. Interview study participants ( n = 20) noted the importance of family health concerns and their own sensory awareness of possible contaminants. They discussed their level of personal control over their home environment as well as their access to needed resources. This study is based on grounded theory and applies interpretivist epistemological methods. Study findings offer insights into how people perceive their home environment and what influences their decision making and action. Analyses indicate that perceived agency, risk perception, access to resources, and information all influenced participants’ sense of ability to take action as well as their interest in taking action. These insights serve to challenge some of the current work in environmental health literacy which tends to focus on and measure an individual’s knowledge or skills. Our analysis suggests that consideration be given to a number of factors that include perceived agency, access to resources, and the quality of information provided.

Keywords: environmental health literacy; indoor air quality; sensemaking; environmental health communication (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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