the demographic characteristics of respon- dents were similar to the population of Beaver County, although survey respondents were more likely to be married and more likely to have completed a college degree than the general population of the county (U.S. Cen- sus Bureau, 2022). Future research should aim to address community concerns, strengthen collabora- tions among interested parties, and enhance environmental health literacy within the community to increase community engage- ment in these types of studies. From a pol- icy perspective, it is important to determine if current regulations are adequate to pre- vent adverse health outcomes from ethylene cracker plants and other industry-related pollution. In terms of public health practice, tailored interventions (e.g., environmental monitoring systems) should be implemented. Conclusion Our baseline survey of Beaver County residents reveals varying perceptions about current and future energy sources. This study emphasized the importance of engaging the community as soon as possible to assess environmental health concerns and perceptions that could help enlighten community needs. These data can guide advocates, policymakers, and health professionals, in collaboration with commu- nity members, to implement meaningful inter- ventions that address perceived health and environmental risks. These interventions are instrumental in enhancing public health. Acknowledgments: The authors thank the study participants and members of the Com- munity Advisory Board of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, for their support. The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Pittsburgh Foundation and the Heinz Endow- ments (Grants # E9030, E9178, G1131, G0871) and the support of the Translational Research Support Core of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Health, Environment, and Engaged Research. Corresponding Author: Jeanine M. Buchanich, MEd, MPH, PhD; Vice Dean, School of Pub- lic Health; Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science; Uni- versity of Pittsburgh, 7120 Public Health, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. Email: jeanine@pitt.edu
TABLE 2
Agreement Between Environmental Risk Perception Questions and the Statement “My Health Has Been Harmed by Unsafe Drinking Water”
Question
Agreement With “My Health Has Been Harmed by Unsafe Drinking Water” Agree # (%) Neutral # (%) Disagree # (%)
Total
106 (24.4) 62 (30.0) 44 (19.4) 106 (24.5) 63 (33.7) 43 (17.5) 106 (24.4) 61 (26.5) 45 (22.0) 105 (24.3) 67 (34.5) 38 (16.0) 106 (24.4) 69 (30.1) 37 (18.0) 106 (24.5) 77 (22.8) 29 (30.5) 105 (24.2) 66 (23.4) 39 (25.8) 106 (24.4) 59 (42.1) 47 (15.9)
115 (26.5) 39 (18.8) 76 (33.5) 115 (26.6) 36 (19.3) 79 (32.1) 115 (26.4) 68 (29.6) 47 (22.9) 114 (26.4) 49 (25.3) 65 (27.3) 115 (26.4) 47 (20.5) 68 (33.0) 115 (26.6) 86 (25.4) 29 (30.5) 115 (26.6) 68 (24.1) 47 (31.1) 115 (26.4) 27 (19.3) 88 (29.8)
213 (49.1) 106 (51.2) 107 (47.1) 212 (49.0)
I eat meat from local hunting*
Yes
No/not sure
I eat fish from local fishing*
Total
Yes
88 (47.1)
No/not sure
124 (50.4) 214 (49.2) 101 (43.9) 113 (55.1) 213 (49.3)
I grow my own fruits and/or vegetables
Total
Yes
No/not sure
I filter my drinking water with a pitcher*
Total
Yes
78 (40.2)
No/not sure
135 (56.7) 214 (49.2) 113 (49.3) 101 (49.0) 212 (49.0) 175 (51.8)
I have a home water filtration system*
Total
Yes
No/not sure
I spend more than 1 hour a day outside
Total
Yes
No/not sure
37 (38.9)
I feel well-informed about healthy indoor air practices
Total
213 (49.2) 148 (52.5)
Yes
No/not sure
65 (43.0)
I use well water as my primary drinking source*
Total
214 (49.2)
Yes
54 (38.6)
No/not sure
160 (54.2)
*Statistically significant comparison at p < .05.
tive health risks associated with petrochemi- cal industry expansion. By engaging a broad spectrum of interested parties, including local authorities, industries, and communi- ties, the authors demonstrated the necessity of collaborative eorts in addressing environ- mental and public health concerns eectively. Engagement with interested parties empha- sizes the importance of transparent and inclusive communication strategies (Kleo- voulou et al., 2021; Warner et al., 2023). This approach fosters trust and facilitates a more accurate understanding of health risks
and mitigation measures. Perceptions—par- ticularly those related to health monitoring and the dissemination of risk-related infor- mation—resonate with our findings, suggest- ing that Beaver County could benefit from adopting a more inclusive approach to risk communication and management. Limitations of our study include reliance on self-reporting and potential selection bias among individuals who chose to participate. A strength is that there were few missing responses, suggesting that the survey was an appropriate length. Another strength is that
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May 2025 • Journal of Environmental Health
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