Meet the Urban Development and Social Change (UDSC) Fellows: Strengthening vulnerable communities
Jill Reitzel's research participation, summer 2006
Worcester native Jill Reitzel '08 is spending weekends during summer 2006 getting to know her hometown better. She is conducting household interviews as part of an extensive four-year investigation into the health threats—social, economic and environmental—facing urban residents in two Worcester neighborhoods, Main South and Piedmont. Statistics show that these neighborhoods are the most densely populated, have the highest rates of minority residents, the lowest income, and the highest crime rates in the city.
Residents of these neighborhoods are likely to be more exposed than the wider Worcester population to:
- Pollutants indoors and outdoors
- A degraded built environment, including dilapidated housing, abandoned industrial buildings, trash and lack of green space
- Social violence and illegal activities such as substance abuse and prostitution
Some of the health problems that tend to be present at higher levels in such environments include asthma, diabetes, obesity, low birth weight, learning disabilities and cancer.
The project extends beyond the documentation of health threats. It includes plans to formulate and implement strategies to mitigate the impact of those threats, and to monitor the effectiveness of those strategies.
The project has four components, each of which is coordinated by a graduate student:
- Household surveys: in depth interviews with residents of the two neighborhoods (Erin Anderson, Community Development and Planning)
- Indoor and outdoor environmental sampling targeting lead, particulate matter levels in air, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), household pesticides and indoor radon (Donna Wysokenski, Environmental Science and Policy)
- Youth involvement using a curriculum called Urban Community Action Planning for Teens* that allows teens to identify and address issues of concern in their neighborhoods (Rebecca Dezan '06, Community Development and Planning)
- The creation of a geographic information system database that will allow researchers and community members to analyze spatial patterns in the data and view maps (Deb Sinha, Graduate School of Geography)
The purpose of the survey that Jill is helping to administer is to understand the range of environmental health threats facing the community and how residents deal with those threats. Sections of the survey include questions about
- How residents perceive their neighborhoods
For example, how would you rate the quality of fire department services?
- Time activity patterns
For example, how many hours do you spend outside on a typical summer day?
- Health concerns and conditions
For example, what is the biggest health concern you have for you or your family?
- Involvement in the community
For example, do you participate in neighborhood clubs or groups?
- Risk perceptions
For example, what are your three biggest sources of stress at home?
- Diet
For example, on average how many times do you eat meals that were prepared in a restaurant?
The researchers are hoping to interview from 80-100 neighborhood households.
The investigation, led by Community Planning and Development professor Laurie Ross and Environmental Science and Policy professor Tim Downs, is being conducted in collaboration with the Family Health Center of Worcester, the Regional Environmental Council of Central Massachusetts and the Worcester Youth Center. Jill is just one of the many Clark graduate and undergraduate students who are assisting with this project, which is funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH).
* Developed by Professor Laurie Ross