IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i17p9298-d628232.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • 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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9298/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9298/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    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. 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. 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.
    5. 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.

    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. Jung-Min Kwak & Ju-Hee Kim, 2022. "Psychometric Properties of the Korean Version of the Environmental Health Literacy Scale," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, March.
    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. Brenda D. Koester & Stephanie Sloane & Elinor M. Fujimoto & Barbara H. Fiese & Leona Yi-Fan Su, 2021. "What Do Childcare Providers Know about Environmental Influences on Children’s Health? Implications for Environmental Health Literacy Efforts," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-11, May.
    5. Steve Hamner & Bonnie L. Brown & Nur A. Hasan & Michael J. Franklin & John Doyle & Margaret J. Eggers & Rita R. Colwell & Timothy E. Ford, 2019. "Metagenomic Profiling of Microbial Pathogens in the Little Bighorn River, Montana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-18, March.
    6. John T. Doyle & Larry Kindness & James Realbird & Margaret J. Eggers & Anne K. Camper, 2018. "Challenges and Opportunities for Tribal Waters: Addressing Disparities in Safe Public Drinking Water on the Crow Reservation in Montana, USA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, March.
    7. 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.
    8. Arthur Moses & Jean E. T. McLain & Aminata Kilungo & Robert A. Root & Leif Abrell & Sanlyn Buxner & Flor Sandoval & Theresa Foley & Miriam Jones & Mónica D. Ramírez-Andreotta, 2022. "Minding the gap: socio-demographic factors linked to the perception of environmental pollution, water harvesting infrastructure, and gardening characteristics," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 12(3), pages 594-610, September.
    9. 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.
    10. 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.
    11. Marta Salgado & Ana C. L. Vieira & Anália Torres & Mónica D. Oliveira, 2020. "Selecting Indicators to Monitor and Assess Environmental Health in a Portuguese Urban Setting: A Participatory Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-16, November.
    12. Meghan Matlack & Hannah Covert & Arti Shankar & Wilco Zijlmans & Firoz Abdoel Wahid & Ashna Hindori-Mohangoo & Maureen Lichtveld, 2023. "Development of a Pilot Literacy Scale to Assess Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors towards Climate Change and Infectious Disease Dynamics in Suriname," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(24), pages 1-14, December.
    13. 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.
    14. 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.
    15. Yanfei Zhu & Yuli Wang & Ying Li & Xiaoxi Du & Qi Guo & Mo Chen & Yun Lin, 2022. "The Construction of Image Reference Points and Text Appeals Information Tailoring in Promoting Diners’ Public Environment Maintenance Behavior Intention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-18, November.
    16. Steven Ramondt & A. Susana Ramírez, 2020. "Media Reporting on Air Pollution: Health Risk and Precautionary Measures in National and Regional Newspapers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-10, September.
    17. Erin Lebow-Skelley & Brittany B. Fremion & Martha Quinn & Melissa Makled & Norman B. Keon & Jane Jelenek & Jane-Ann Crowley & Melanie A. Pearson & Amy J. Schulz, 2022. "“They Kept Going for Answers”: Knowledge, Capacity, and Environmental Health Literacy in Michigan’s PBB Contamination," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-26, December.
    18. Christine Martin & Vanessa W. Simonds & Sara L. Young & John Doyle & Myra Lefthand & Margaret J. Eggers, 2021. "Our Relationship to Water and Experience of Water Insecurity among Apsáalooke (Crow Indian) People, Montana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-20, January.
    19. Reed Ciarloni & K. Bruce Newbold, 2023. "Air Pollution Health Literacy among Active Commuters in Hamilton, Ontario," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-23, July.
    20. 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.

    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:17:p:9298-:d:628232. 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.