Attitudes Toward the Environment and Use of Information and Communication Technologies to Address Environmental Health Risks in Marginalized Communities: Prospective Cohort Study.
ICT
Puerto Rico
community engagement
environmental health risk
epidemiology
mHealth
mobile phone
Journal
Journal of medical Internet research
ISSN: 1438-8871
Titre abrégé: J Med Internet Res
Pays: Canada
ID NLM: 100959882
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
23 09 2021
23 09 2021
Historique:
received:
29
09
2020
accepted:
19
07
2021
revised:
27
02
2021
entrez:
23
9
2021
pubmed:
24
9
2021
medline:
29
10
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Information and communication technologies, including mobile health (mHealth), can help isolated communities address environmental health challenges. The Puerto Rican island of Culebra has faced multiple sociopolitical and economic factors that have distressed the island's environment and health. Culebrenses are technologically engaged and have demonstrated a use of technology that transcends socioeconomic barriers. As a result, technological interventions could potentially help manage environmental risks on the island. This study aims to test and evaluate the potential benefits of an mHealth tool, termed ¡mZAP! (Zonas, Acción y Protección), for engaging communities with environmental risks through technology. Participants using ¡mZAP! (N=111) were surveyed. Bivariate analyses were used to examine associations of mHealth use with sociodemographics, technology use, an adapted environmental attitudes inventory, and the multidimensional health locus of control. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between attitudes toward environmental health risks and mHealth use. Higher positive attitudes toward the environment were significantly associated with the use of ¡mZAP! (odds ratio 5.3, 95% CI 1.6-17.0). Environmental attitudes were also associated with the multidimensional health locus of control powerful others subscale (P=.02), indicating that attitudes toward the environment become more negative as feelings controlled by others increase. Participants felt that the authorities would resolve the challenges (63/111, 56.7%). Perceived lack of control could present barriers to collective actions to address salient environmental health challenges in communities. The ongoing dependency on government-based solutions to community problems is worrisome, especially after the hurricane experiences of 2017 (which may potentially continue to be an issue subsequent to the more recent 2020 earthquakes).
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Information and communication technologies, including mobile health (mHealth), can help isolated communities address environmental health challenges. The Puerto Rican island of Culebra has faced multiple sociopolitical and economic factors that have distressed the island's environment and health. Culebrenses are technologically engaged and have demonstrated a use of technology that transcends socioeconomic barriers. As a result, technological interventions could potentially help manage environmental risks on the island.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to test and evaluate the potential benefits of an mHealth tool, termed ¡mZAP! (Zonas, Acción y Protección), for engaging communities with environmental risks through technology.
METHODS
Participants using ¡mZAP! (N=111) were surveyed. Bivariate analyses were used to examine associations of mHealth use with sociodemographics, technology use, an adapted environmental attitudes inventory, and the multidimensional health locus of control. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between attitudes toward environmental health risks and mHealth use.
RESULTS
Higher positive attitudes toward the environment were significantly associated with the use of ¡mZAP! (odds ratio 5.3, 95% CI 1.6-17.0). Environmental attitudes were also associated with the multidimensional health locus of control powerful others subscale (P=.02), indicating that attitudes toward the environment become more negative as feelings controlled by others increase. Participants felt that the authorities would resolve the challenges (63/111, 56.7%).
CONCLUSIONS
Perceived lack of control could present barriers to collective actions to address salient environmental health challenges in communities. The ongoing dependency on government-based solutions to community problems is worrisome, especially after the hurricane experiences of 2017 (which may potentially continue to be an issue subsequent to the more recent 2020 earthquakes).
Identifiants
pubmed: 34554103
pii: v23i9e24671
doi: 10.2196/24671
pmc: PMC8498893
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e24671Subventions
Organisme : NCATS NIH HHS
ID : TL1 TR002000
Pays : United States
Organisme : NCATS NIH HHS
ID : UL1 TR002001
Pays : United States
Informations de copyright
©Jose G Perez-Ramos, Scott McIntosh, Emily S Barrett, Carmen M Velez Vega, Timothy D Dye. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 23.09.2021.
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