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StudentExample2IndividualAssessmentPaperCommunity.pdf
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StudentExample2IndividualAssessmentPaperCommunity.pdf

Reducing Toxic Pollutants in Brighton Park

Brighton Park: Reduce The Amount of Toxic Pollutants Released

Department of Nursing, Oak Point University

NUR 4015: Nursing Care of Communities and Populations

Professor Tracey Kapusnik

February 4, 2024

Mobile User

Reducing Toxic Pollutants in Brighton Park

Brighton Park: Reduce The Amount of Toxic Pollutants Released

The Healthy People 2030 objective I chose is to reduce the amount of toxic pollutants

released into the environment for the community of Brighton Park. Brighton Park is a southwest-

side community in Chicago, Illinois with 45,141 residents according to the 2020 Census. Most of

the residents living in Brighton Park are of Hispanic or Latino race and ethnicity, making up

79.8% of the population (Chicago Health Atlas, 2022). This Healthy People 2030 objective

focuses on reducing people’s exposure to toxic pollutants in the air, water, soil, and materials

found in homes or workplaces. Environmental pollutants can cause health issues such as

respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer. People who live in

communities that are exposed to a higher amount of toxic pollutants have an increased risk of

premature death and the burden of disease (Brusseau et al., 2019).

Brighton Park is affected by this environmental health issue because it is one of the

communities in Chicago with the highest amount of toxic pollutants. The Brighton Park

Industrial Corridor contains 57 industrial businesses that have the potential to release toxic air

pollutants. There are also three major traffic highways within this community that can elevate

levels of air pollution specifically from diesel, and in some cases lead (Laidlaw et al., 2012).

Brighton Park has multiple freight hubs which are known to contribute to the release of air

pollutants in this community. This environmental health issue initiated the formation of the

Southwest Environmental Alliance in September 2019. The Southwest Environmental Alliance is

made up of residents of southwest communities such as Brighton Park, Little Village, McKinley

Park, Pilsen, and Back of the Yards. It was formed to address the ongoing pollution and impact

on health from the highly polluting facilities within the industrial corridors encircling these

communities (University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, 2021).

Reducing Toxic Pollutants in Brighton Park

The community of Brighton Park is aware of this issue and has been speaking out about

this issue since 2019. The community along with the Southwest Environmental Alliance has been

vocal about what they call “environmental racism” (Chase, 2023). Brighton Park’s population is

predominately of Hispanic or Latino race or ethnicity. Health disparities are frequently

associated with race and ethnicity which can impact the differences in health outcomes

experienced by one population compared with another. Socioeconomic status and the

neighborhood are social determinants of health that also impact an individual’s health outcomes

(DeMarco & Healey-Walsh, 2020).

Brighton Park’s median household income and per capita income are substantially lower

than the city average. The median household income for Brighton Park is $47,842 compared to

the city average of $65,719. The per capita income for Brighton Park is $20,368 compared to the

city average of $42,032 (Chicago Health Atlas, 2022). In 2021, the Southwest Environmental

Alliance partnered with the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health to educate

and empower community members on pollution and to improve this environmental health issue.

They led a study in Brighton Park that identified nitric acid, glycol ethers, chromium, nickel,

nitrate, and zinc compounds as toxic air pollutants located in the community (University of

Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, 2021). These toxic air pollutants can cause skin

irritations, fatigue, anemia, metal fume fever, and nausea (Environmental Protection Agency,

2020).

Currently, this is still an environmental health issue in the community. In December 2023,

arsenic, mercury, lead, and manganese were found in the soil at a site in Brighton Park. Traces of

other toxic chemicals including cyanide and cancer-causing PCBs compounds were also found in

what was supposed to be a new migrant tent site. The site is located at 38th and California in

Reducing Toxic Pollutants in Brighton Park

Brighton Park and was to shelter about 2,000 migrants. Although city officials deemed it safe

after cleaning up, the state of Illinois did not proceed with the shelter site after further review by

the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IPEA) because of exposure concerns (Chase,

2023).

The strategies implemented to address and improve this environmental problem are being

implemented by the residents of Brighton Park with the Southwest Environmental Alliance. They

are holding press conferences, organizing protests and community meetings, and using social

media to raise awareness of this environmental health problem in their community. Barriers that

can affect the success of this strategy are low economic status, lack of access to healthcare,

discrimination against race or ethnicity, and built environment. Community health nurses can use

the Public Health Wheel of Interventions such as surveillance, investigation of health events,

outreach, advocacy, and community organizing (DeMarco & Healey-Walsh, 2020). Community

health nurses can use outreach to locate and identify Brighton Park as a population at risk for

toxic pollutants and identify possible actions. They can also help mobilize resources and develop

strategies to reduce the amount of toxic pollutants released into the environment.

Based on the evidence, Brighton Park suffers from an unequal burden of this

environmental issue and poor social justice. One of the key principles of public health nursing is

utilitarianism which is the ethical theory of the greater good. Public health nurses can use

community empowerment which is the process of enabling communities to increase control over

their lives to communities like Brighton Park to improve this environmental health issue

(DeMarco & Healey-Walsh, 2020).

Reducing Toxic Pollutants in Brighton Park

References

Brusseau, M. L., Ramirez-Andreotta, M., Pepper, I. L., & Maximillian, J. (2019). Environmental

impacts on human health and well-being. Environmental and Pollution Science, 477–499.

https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-814719-1.00026-4

Chase, B. (2023, December 2). Brighton Park Migrant Tent Site had mercury, arsenic, other

contaminants - but city deems it “safe for temporary residential use.” Times.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/12/1/23984897/brighton-park-migrant-tent-site-

polluted-mercury-arsenic

Chicagohealthatlas.org. (n.d.). https://chicagohealthatlas.org/neighborhood/1714000-

58?place=brighton-park

DeMarco, R. F., & Healey-Walsh, J. (2020). Community and Public Health Nursing: Evidence

for Practice (3rd ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). EPA. https://www.epa.gov/haps

Laidlaw, M. A. S., Zahran, S., Mielke, H. W., Taylor, M. P., & Filippelli, G. M. (2012). Re-

suspension of lead contaminated urban soil as a dominant source of atmospheric lead in

Birmingham, Chicago, Detroit and Pittsburgh, USA. Atmospheric Environment, 49, 302–

310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.11.030

Toxic emissions in Chicago’s Southwest Side. Toxic emissions in Chicago’s southwest side |

School of Public Health | University of Illinois Chicago. (2021a, March 8).

https://publichealth.uic.edu/news-stories/toxic-emissions-chicago-southwest-side/

https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-814719-1.00026-4

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/12/1/23984897/brighton-park-migrant-tent-site-polluted-mercury-arsenic

https://chicagohealthatlas.org/neighborhood/1714000-58?place=brighton-park

https://www.epa.gov/haps

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.11.030

Reducing Toxic Pollutants in Brighton Park

NUR4015IndividualAssessmentofanEnvironmentalHealthIssue.docx

NUR 4015 Nursing Care of Communities and Populations

Individual Assessment of an Environmental Health Issue

This assignment will develop a beginning understanding of environmental health issues encountered in the community setting. Students will consider how Healthy People 2030 objectives impact their community and apply concepts such as “social justice” and “the greater good” in evaluating public health initiatives.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the impact of various environmental public health issues on a chosen community.

2. Investigate current or proposed strategies that address solutions to environmental public health hazards.

3. Explore population health concepts such as social justice and equity as it applies to the chosen environmental health issue.

Instructions

Each student will choose one of Healthy People 2030’s (HP 2030) objectives (see table below) to guide their assessment of an environmental health issue. The student will explore how their community is affected and impacted by this theme and what is being done to safeguard or improve societal and environmental health. Students may choose either their own neighborhood or the community that will be assessed for the Windshield Survey clinical assignment.

Students should review the below table of HP 2030 objectives and choose a topic; click on the link to review the objective on the HP 2030 website. Students will then search relevant public/governmental agency websites and media/newspaper publications to help understand the environmental issue from historical, present, and future oriented perspectives. The EPA’s My Environment website may also be helpful (click on link). Students will then create a 2-3-page paper that addresses the following:

· Briefly describe the selected environmental health issue and HP 2030 objective.

· Explore the selected environmental health situation from historical, present, and future-oriented perspectives.

· E.g., how has the environmental issue evolved over time? What do you expect to see in the future regarding this issue?

· Discuss how your chosen community is affected/impacted by this environmental health theme.

· Review the “Questions to answer” column in the below table to help guide your assessment.

· Discuss any strategies planned or implemented to address this environmental health issue to safeguard or improve societal and environmental health.

· Consider the barriers and facilitators for success of these strategies.

· If no interventions are currently in place, propose strategies that are evidence-based.

· Within the paper, students should consider and address population health concepts such as “social justice”, “the greater good” and “equity”.

· Does your community suffer from an unequal burden of the chosen environmental issue? What evidence shows that your environmental issue is a greater burden in this community than surrounding areas or Chicago? How do the resources and interventions available for your chosen community compare to surrounding areas?

· How can community health nurses promote environmental health? Focus specifically on the issue you choose and consider how that environmental issue may change or impact the way you provide community nursing care to the population. What nursing interventions are appropriate?

· Hint: Review the Public Health Wheel of Interventions

· Students should utilize and appropriately cite relevant public/governmental agency websites and media/newspaper publications to substantiate their writing.

· Students will submit their APA formatted paper to Brightspace by the due date noted in the course calendar.

· Example of APA Formatted Paper.

· The grading rubric for this assignment is available on Brightspace.

· This assignment accounts for 5% of your total course grade; see course syllabus for additional information.

Healthy People 2030 Objectives to choose from :

HP objective number	Statement (Click on link)	Questions to consider:
EH-D01	Increase the proportion of schools with policies and practices that promote health and safety — EH‑D01	Healthy schools - focus on air quality and infrastructure of buildings. What year were the schools built? What type of ventilation and air monitoring systems are currently utilized? What are the policies and procedures currently in place? How are these policies communicated to parents?
PREP-D01	Increase the proportion of parents and guardians who know the emergency or evacuation plan for their children's school — PREP‑D01	Healthy schools - focus on emergency preparedness. What emergencies do the schools within your community prepare for? What current policies and plans exist within the community’s school system? What interventions are already in place in the schools to keep students safe? How are students and parents notified of current policies and procedures, drills, etc.?
EH-03 and/or EH-08	Reduce exposure to lead — EH‑08 Increase the proportion of people whose water supply meets Safe Drinking Water Act regulations	Where do community residents receive their water from? How is water safety monitored in the community? What community-wide interventions are in place to address water safety, and how are they communicated to residents? What other interventions are available to the community e.g. lead pipe replacement, free testing for lead in water, etc.? How is the population monitored for potential lead exposure?
EH-05	Reduce the amount of toxic pollutants released into the environment — EH‑06	What industries exist within the community that have the potential to release toxic pollutants? What historical occurrences of toxic releases into the neighborhood have occurred? What are the present and future risks? What interventions are currently in place (i.e. air/water/soil monitoring, advocacy for policies, community education and engagement?) Is the community aware of the issue?
FS-01 through FS-10 (can choose which objective(s) to focus on)	Foodborne Illness Objectives	Foodborne illness outbreaks related to Salmonella, campylobacter, E. coli and/or Listeria. Research any foodborne illness that has occurred in your chosen community. What was the source of the outbreak and the mode of transmission? E.g., was the illness due to improper handling, insufficient handwashing, not cooking food to a safe temperature? What community health interventions were put in place, or would you suggest? What health education must be provided to community members, and to which groups specifically?
EH-02	Increase trips to work made by mass transit - EH-02	What mass transit options exist within your chosen community? What proportion of the community utilizes mass transit? What barriers exist that prevent the community from riding buses or trains? Does the community encourage residents to utilize mass transit? What environmental issues are exacerbated by individual vehicle use?

References

Demarco, R.F. & Healey-Walsh, J. (2020). Community and public health nursing: Evidence for practice (3rd Ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer. ISBN: 9781975111694

Lippincott CoursePoint+ Enhanced for DeMarco and Healey-Walsh: Community. and Public Health Nursing: Evidence for Practice, 3rd edition (2020). ISBN: 9781975132736

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (n.d.) Objectives and data. Healthy People 2030. U.S. Department of Health and Human Service. https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and- data

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