Factors affecting environmental awareness among Head Start families in Mississippi

Conclusions: Socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in health status i n the United States may be attributed in part to environmental injustice an d differential exposure to environmental hazards among lo cv-income and/or minority populations. However, the environmental justice movement has histo rically focused on equity in the siting of point-source polluting facilitie s, giving little attention to environmental hazards and environmental aware ness at the level of the individual household. Methods: Heads of 763 low-income households participating in Head Start pro grams in 20 counties of the Mississippi Delta region were surveyed regardin g their education, the physical environment of their home and workplace, so ur ces of food and water, awareness of local polluting sites/facilities, kn owledge of government agencies, and behaviors that may affect their health or impact their local environment. Survey results were compared to demograp hic, socioeconomic, and environmental quality indicators. Results: Significant associations existed between both education and race/e thnicity and the responses of survey participants. Being African American w as more commonly associated with poor quality-of-life indicators such as re nting substandard older homes and living in close proximity to areas of unf avorable watershed quality. Higher education was more commonly and positive ly associated with indicators of heightened environmental awareness and inc reased political empowerment. No association was observed between race/ethn icity and the prevalence of polluting facilities. However, a significant as sociation existed between race/ethnicity anti indicators of environmental q uality/integrity. Conclusions: Environmental health education interventions that target indiv idual households may be a useful mechanism for increasing the access of low -income communities to government health resources and reducing adverse hea lth effects from the environment. However, racial/ethnic disparities in edu cation and health remain an important consideration.