Enhancing Environmental Health Literacy and Reducing Indoor PM2.5 Through Accessible Interventions in Underserved Communities: A Pilot Study in Homewood, Pennsylvania.
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| Title: | Enhancing Environmental Health Literacy and Reducing Indoor PM |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Aman, Miranda1, Ndoh, Tina1,2, Koller, Allison M.1,3, Fabisiak, James P.1,4, Wenzel, Sally1,3, Bortey-Sam, Nesta1 neb60@pitt.edu |
| Source: | Journal of Environmental Health. May2026, Vol. 88 Issue 9, p14-26. 13p. |
| Subjects: | Indoor air pollution prevention, Evaluation of human services programs, Asthma prevention, Environmental health, Health literacy, Research funding, Data analysis, Spirometry, Air filters, Pilot projects, Sulfur compounds, Descriptive statistics, Pre-tests & post-tests, Ozone, Statistics, Resource-limited settings, Indoor air pollution, Particulate matter, Nitrogen oxides, Data analysis software, Confidence intervals |
| Geographic Terms: | Pennsylvania |
| Abstract: | Indoor air pollution poses health risks, especially in resource-limited communities where inadequate ventilation contributes to exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone (O3). These pollutants can worsen asthma and other respiratory conditions. This pilot study, conducted in Homewood, a historically underserved Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, neighborhood, aimed to improve environmental health literacy (EHL) and test low-cost interventions (i.e., MERV-13 HVAC filters and HEPA purifiers) paired with an EHL training module. Using AQMesh pods, indoor air quality was monitored in 9 homes and 1 outdoor reference site for 2 weeks pre- and post-intervention. Monitors measured PM2.5, NO2, SO2, and O3. Participants completed an Air Quality Index (AQI) quiz before and after EHL training, and spirometry was pilot tested to assess feasibility for future studies. Post-intervention, PM2.5 declined in 6 of 8 intervention homes (75%), with significant reductions in 3 homes and a significant increase in 1 home. Pooled data showed a 21% decline in mean PM2.5, although this finding was not statistically significant. AQI quiz scores improved in 7 of 9 participants (78%). No consistent changes were seen for gaseous pollutants. Our findings suggest that combining low-cost filtration or purifiers with EHL training can reduce particulate exposures, strengthen self-efficacy, and demonstrate feasibility of integrating spirometry into community-based indoor air quality research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Environmental Health is the property of National Environmental Health Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 193635773 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Enhancing Environmental Health Literacy and Reducing Indoor PM<subscript>2.5</subscript> Through Accessible Interventions in Underserved Communities: A Pilot Study in Homewood, Pennsylvania. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aman%2C+Miranda%22">Aman, Miranda</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ndoh%2C+Tina%22">Ndoh, Tina</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Koller%2C+Allison+M%2E%22">Koller, Allison M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fabisiak%2C+James+P%2E%22">Fabisiak, James P.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,4</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wenzel%2C+Sally%22">Wenzel, Sally</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bortey-Sam%2C+Nesta%22">Bortey-Sam, Nesta</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> neb60@pitt.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Environmental+Health%22">Journal of Environmental Health</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 88 Issue 9, p14-26. 13p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Indoor+air+pollution+prevention%22">Indoor air pollution prevention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation+of+human+services+programs%22">Evaluation of human services programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asthma+prevention%22">Asthma prevention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+health%22">Environmental health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+literacy%22">Health literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis%22">Data analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spirometry%22">Spirometry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Air+filters%22">Air filters</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pilot+projects%22">Pilot projects</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sulfur+compounds%22">Sulfur compounds</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pre-tests+%26+post-tests%22">Pre-tests & post-tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ozone%22">Ozone</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Resource-limited+settings%22">Resource-limited settings</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Indoor+air+pollution%22">Indoor air pollution</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Particulate+matter%22">Particulate matter</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nitrogen+oxides%22">Nitrogen oxides</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Confidence+intervals%22">Confidence intervals</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pennsylvania%22">Pennsylvania</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Indoor air pollution poses health risks, especially in resource-limited communities where inadequate ventilation contributes to exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone (O3). These pollutants can worsen asthma and other respiratory conditions. This pilot study, conducted in Homewood, a historically underserved Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, neighborhood, aimed to improve environmental health literacy (EHL) and test low-cost interventions (i.e., MERV-13 HVAC filters and HEPA purifiers) paired with an EHL training module. Using AQMesh pods, indoor air quality was monitored in 9 homes and 1 outdoor reference site for 2 weeks pre- and post-intervention. Monitors measured PM2.5, NO2, SO2, and O3. Participants completed an Air Quality Index (AQI) quiz before and after EHL training, and spirometry was pilot tested to assess feasibility for future studies. Post-intervention, PM2.5 declined in 6 of 8 intervention homes (75%), with significant reductions in 3 homes and a significant increase in 1 home. Pooled data showed a 21% decline in mean PM2.5, although this finding was not statistically significant. AQI quiz scores improved in 7 of 9 participants (78%). No consistent changes were seen for gaseous pollutants. Our findings suggest that combining low-cost filtration or purifiers with EHL training can reduce particulate exposures, strengthen self-efficacy, and demonstrate feasibility of integrating spirometry into community-based indoor air quality research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Environmental Health is the property of National Environmental Health Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.70387/001c.161607 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 13 StartPage: 14 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Indoor air pollution prevention Type: general – SubjectFull: Evaluation of human services programs Type: general – SubjectFull: Asthma prevention Type: general – SubjectFull: Environmental health Type: general – SubjectFull: Health literacy Type: general – SubjectFull: Research funding Type: general – SubjectFull: Data analysis Type: general – SubjectFull: Spirometry Type: general – SubjectFull: Air filters Type: general – SubjectFull: Pilot projects Type: general – SubjectFull: Sulfur compounds Type: general – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Pre-tests & post-tests Type: general – SubjectFull: Ozone Type: general – SubjectFull: Statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Resource-limited settings Type: general – SubjectFull: Indoor air pollution Type: general – SubjectFull: Particulate matter Type: general – SubjectFull: Nitrogen oxides Type: general – SubjectFull: Data analysis software Type: general – SubjectFull: Confidence intervals Type: general – SubjectFull: Pennsylvania Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Enhancing Environmental Health Literacy and Reducing Indoor PM2.5 Through Accessible Interventions in Underserved Communities: A Pilot Study in Homewood, Pennsylvania. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Aman, Miranda – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ndoh, Tina – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Koller, Allison M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Fabisiak, James P. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wenzel, Sally – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bortey-Sam, Nesta IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00220892 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 88 – Type: issue Value: 9 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Environmental Health Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
