TY - JOUR
T1 - Chronic environmental contamination
T2 - A narrative review of psychosocial health consequences, risk factors, and pathways to community resilience
AU - Sullivan, Daniel
AU - Schmitt, Harrison J.
AU - Calloway, Eric E.
AU - Clausen, Whitney
AU - Tucker, Pamela
AU - Rayman, Jamie
AU - Gerhardstein, Ben
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Guidehouse Inc . provided project management support. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/5
Y1 - 2021/5
N2 - A body of psychological and social scientific evidence suggests that the experience of technological disaster or long-term exposure to environmental contamination can be psychologically stressful. Addressing the psychosocial impact in communities living with chronic contamination is therefore a vital part of improving their resilience. Guided by a synthetic theoretical model of the unique psychosocial impact of chronic environmental contamination (in contrast to natural and technological disasters, and background pollution), we undertook a narrative review to assess the current research on this important social problem. Relevant qualitative peer-reviewed studies and grey literature were examined to derive a model identifying likely factors increasing risk for distress in chronic contamination experience and actions that may be taken by public health professionals and local leaders to enhance community resilience and take health-protective actions. Based on our initial theoretical model and the literature reviewed, we emphasize the importance of considering both the material and social dimensions of chronic environmental contamination experience. For instance, our review of the qualitative literature suggests that individuals who attribute material health impacts to contamination, and who have the social experience of their concerns being delegitimized by responsible institutions, are most at risk for psychological stress. Psychological stress in the context of chronic contamination is an important potential public health burden and a key area for additional research.
AB - A body of psychological and social scientific evidence suggests that the experience of technological disaster or long-term exposure to environmental contamination can be psychologically stressful. Addressing the psychosocial impact in communities living with chronic contamination is therefore a vital part of improving their resilience. Guided by a synthetic theoretical model of the unique psychosocial impact of chronic environmental contamination (in contrast to natural and technological disasters, and background pollution), we undertook a narrative review to assess the current research on this important social problem. Relevant qualitative peer-reviewed studies and grey literature were examined to derive a model identifying likely factors increasing risk for distress in chronic contamination experience and actions that may be taken by public health professionals and local leaders to enhance community resilience and take health-protective actions. Based on our initial theoretical model and the literature reviewed, we emphasize the importance of considering both the material and social dimensions of chronic environmental contamination experience. For instance, our review of the qualitative literature suggests that individuals who attribute material health impacts to contamination, and who have the social experience of their concerns being delegitimized by responsible institutions, are most at risk for psychological stress. Psychological stress in the context of chronic contamination is an important potential public health burden and a key area for additional research.
KW - Community resilience
KW - Environmental contamination
KW - Psychosocial
KW - Public health
KW - Stress
KW - Technological disaster
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U2 - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113877
DO - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113877
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33812158
AN - SCOPUS:85104952373
SN - 0277-9536
VL - 276
JO - Social Science and Medicine
JF - Social Science and Medicine
M1 - 113877
ER -