Health Lens Analysis: A Strategy to Engage Community in Environmental Health Research in Action

Abstract

Health Lens Analysis is a tool to facilitate collaboration among diverse community stakeholders. We employed HLA as part of a community based participatory research (CBPR) and action study to mitigate the negative health effects of TRAP and ultrafine particles (UFPs) in Somerville, MA. HLA is a Health in All Policies tool with previously limited implementation in a North American context. As part of the HLA, community and academic partners engaged residents from across near-highway neighborhoods in a series of activities designed to identify health concerns and generate recommendations for policies and projects to improve health over an 18-month planning period. Noise barriers, which may reduce TRAP exposure among residents in addition to reducing traffic noise, were seen as an acceptable solution by community stakeholders. We found HLA to be an effective means to engage stakeholders from across sectors and diverse community residents in critical discourse about the health impacts of near-roadway exposures. The iterative process allowed the project team to fully explore the arguments for noise barriers and preferred health interventions, while building a stakeholder base interested in the mitigation of TRAP, thus, creating a shared language and understanding of the issue.

Keywords: Health lens analysis; community engagement; community planning; health in all policies; noise barriers; resident driven design; social determinants of health; traffic-related air pollution.

Figure 1:

Environmental Justice Criteria near I-93 in Somerville, MA

Figure 2:

Somerville HLA Conceptual Model

Figure 3:

A Timeline of Community Engagement Around HLA Planning

Figure 4:

Resulting Designs from Charrette Resulting designs from charrette report showing, from left to right, the clear glass and vegetated noise barrier designs preferred by participants, use of recreational structures – like climbing walls - as barriers, and recommendations for building-level remediations needed for near-highway homes in areas not suitable for noise barrier installation.

Figure 5:

Changes in Neighborhood Conditions as a Result of Noise Barrier Installation