Appalachian Kentuckians in Martin and Letcher Counties are grappling with a health-threatening drinking water crisis arising from exposures to disinfection by-products (DBPs). DBPs include trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), chlorate, and other compounds that have been associated with a variety of adverse health effects, including increased risk of bladder cancer and cardiovascular birth defects. This study implements a multi-stakeholder, multi-method approach to improve understanding of, characterize spatial and temporal variations in, and reduce exposure to DBPs in these Appalachian Kentucky counties.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
200
Citizen Scientist Training Program Participants is a three year training and in-home sampling program for disinfection byproducts. Participants will be trained and assessed based on their experience in the training program.
Stakeholder Consultation Core Program Participants is a five year assessments where participants will participate in quarterly meetings and deliberative activities related to disinfection byproducts. Participants will be assessed based on their experience in the program.
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
RECRUITINGChange in Environmental Health Literacy (EHL) - Knowledge
Study participants will complete pre-/post-surveys of disinfection byproducts-related knowledge. Participants will answer 21 questions with multiple choice or fill in the blank response options that will be assessed for correctness/completeness.
Time frame: Baseline, 5-years
Change in Environmental Health Literacy (EHL) - Attitudes/Behaviors
Study participants will complete pre-/post-surveys of disinfection byproducts-related attitudes. Participants will answer 9 questions related attitudes/behaviors with a five-point Likert scale, ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree, where Strongly Agree indicates a greater likelihood for the behavior/more positive attitude.
Time frame: Baseline, 5-years
Change in participant network density
The proportion of direct ties within the network as compared to the number of possible ties as measured by an unbounded social media analysis.
Time frame: Baseline, 5-years
Change in participant centrality
The influence of each individual within the network (i.e., betweenness and degree centrality) as measured by an unbounded social media analysis.
Time frame: Baseline, 5-years
Change in participant reciprocity
The number of reciprocal ties, which is the extent to which individuals within the network recognize each other as valued resources/collaborators as measured by an unbounded social media analysis.
Time frame: Baseline, 5-years
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