UNC Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility: Understanding Healthy Homes Education and Policy Needs in Lenoir and Durham Counties and Developing Recommendations for Outreach
Background: Environmental exposures have been linked to increased risks of numerous health conditions, including asthma, cancer, obesity, and lead poisoning. The Community Outreach and Engagement Core (COEC) at the University of North Carolina Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility (CEHS) received a three-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to implement Healthy Homes programming across North Carolina in 2011. The Capstone team was tasked with assessing the home health-related educational needs of Durham and Lenoir County residents to help inform this programming. Methods: The Capstone team conducted demographic and epidemiological information reviews, qualitative formative research, community visits, assessments of the COEC's existing educational materials, and examination of existing Healthy Homes policies and current literature on effective environmental health outreach interventions and strategies. The Capstone team performed 14 key informant interviews with community leaders in Durham and Lenoir Counties, as well as three focus groups with community members in Lenoir County. Results: Data showed that poverty, unemployment, and safety were over-arching issues in both counties. In Durham, the most commonly mentioned environmental health issues were indoor air quality and mold. Lead was also indicated often and has historically been a problem in the county. Lenoir County's top environmental health issues were water quality, housing issues, outdoor air quality, and lead. Access to environmental health education and costs are frequent barriers to acting on environmental health risks. Organizations in the two areas vary in both their focus on environmental health issues and capacity to provide education and outreach. Discussion: The Capstone team's recommended improvements to the COEC's Healthy Homes-focused outreach and education strategies are organized into three areas: engagement, adult learning methods, and education. The COEC's engagement efforts could be improved by increasing their presence in Lenoir County. Healthy Homes trainings could be improved by increasing the use of participatory teaching methods. The education could be strengthened and tailored to the audience's needs by integrating cost-saving tips and conducting more evaluation of the trainings with participants.Master of Public Healt
