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Relationship of Racial Composition and Cancer Risks from Air Toxics Exposure in Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A

Author

Listed:
  • Chunrong Jia

    (School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA)

  • Wesley James

    (Department of Sociology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA)

  • Satish Kedia

    (School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA)

Abstract

African Americans in the U.S. often live in poverty and segregated urban neighborhoods, many of which have dense industrial facilities resulting in high exposure to harmful air toxics. This study aims to explore the relationship between racial composition and cancer risks from air toxics exposure in Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee, U.S.A. Air toxics data were obtained from 2005 National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA), and the demographic data, including racial composition, were extracted from the 2000 United States Census. The association was examined using multivariable geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis. The risk difference between African American and White concentrated areas was defined as the absolute disparity, and the percent difference as the relative disparity. GWR analyses show that cancer risks increase with respect to increasing percent of African Americans at the census tract level. Individuals in African American concentrated tracts bear 6% more cancer risk burden than in White concentrated tracts. The distribution of major roads causes the largest absolute disparity and the distribution of industrial facilities causes the largest relative disparity. Effective strategies for reduction in environmental disparity should especially target sources of large absolute disparities.

Suggested Citation

  • Chunrong Jia & Wesley James & Satish Kedia, 2014. "Relationship of Racial Composition and Cancer Risks from Air Toxics Exposure in Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-12, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:11:y:2014:i:8:p:7713-7724:d:38752
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wesley James & Chunrong Jia & Satish Kedia, 2012. "Uneven Magnitude of Disparities in Cancer Risks from Air Toxics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-21, December.
    2. Adamkiewicz, G. & Zota, A.R. & Patricia Fabian, M. & Chahine, T. & Julien, R. & Spengler, J.D. & Levy, J.I., 2011. "Moving environmental justice indoors: Understanding structural influences on residential exposure patterns in low-income communities," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 101(SUPPL. 1), pages 238-245.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yoo Min Park & Mei-Po Kwan, 2017. "Multi-Contextual Segregation and Environmental Justice Research: Toward Fine-Scale Spatiotemporal Approaches," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Ying Li & Cem Akkus & Xinhua Yu & Andrew Joyner & Jennifer Kmet & David Sweat & Chunrong Jia, 2019. "Heatwave Events and Mortality Outcomes in Memphis, Tennessee: Testing Effect Modification by Socioeconomic Status and Urbanicity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Kristian Larsen & Ela Rydz & Cheryl E. Peters, 2023. "Inequalities in Environmental Cancer Risk and Carcinogen Exposures: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-26, May.

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