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Voices from Flint: Community Perceptions of the Flint Water Crisis

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Abstract

We describe the self-reported socioeconomic and health impacts, as well as the coping mechanisms employed by a drug-using cohort of adults during the Flint water crisis (FWC) in Flint, Michigan. Participants from an ongoing longitudinal Emergency Department study were contacted between April 2016 and July 2016 and completed a survey focusing on exposure, consequences, and coping strategies. One hundred thirty-three participants (mean age = 26, 65% African-American, 61% public assistance) completed the survey (37.9% response rate). Of these, 75% reported exposure to water with elevated lead levels. Of these, 75% reported additional monthly expenses resulting from exposure. Almost 40% of parents reported changes in their children’s health and 65% reported changes to their health since the FWC. Participants indicated the use of both positive (e.g., advice from trusted neighbors, 99.0%) and negative coping mechanisms (e.g., increased substance use, 20.0%) in response to this public health emergency. High-risk Flint residents reported multiple social, economic, and health-related consequences stemming from the FWC. Policymakers should consider additional resources for those affected, including increased access to mental health to aid recovery within the community.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge project staff, including Kaneesha Wallace, MBA, Linping Duan, MS, and Sonia Kamat, for their assistance in data and manuscript preparation. Finally, special thanks are owed to the patients and medical staff of the Hurley Medical Center (HMC) for their support of this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program at the University of Michigan Medical School, North Campus Research Complex 2800 Plymouth Road Building 10, Room G016, Ann Arbor, 48109, MI, USA

    Nia Jeneé Heard-Garris

  2. University of Michigan Injury Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC 10-G080, Ann Arbor, 48109, MI, USA

    Jessica Roche, Patrick Carter & Rebecca Cunningham

  3. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, USA

    Mahshid Abir

  4. University of Michigan Addiction Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 4250 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor, 48109, MI, USA

    Maureen Walton

  5. Department of Health Behavior & Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights 3790A SPH I, Ann Arbor, 48109, MI, USA

    Marc Zimmerman

Authors
  1. Nia Jeneé Heard-Garris
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  2. Jessica Roche
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  3. Patrick Carter
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  4. Mahshid Abir
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  5. Maureen Walton
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  6. Marc Zimmerman
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  7. Rebecca Cunningham
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nia Jeneé Heard-Garris.

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Funding/Support

Dr. Heard-Garris is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program. The funders had no role in design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, or interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval ofthe manuscript; or decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

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Heard-Garris, N.J., Roche, J., Carter, P. et al. Voices from Flint: Community Perceptions of the Flint Water Crisis. J Urban Health 94, 776–779 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-017-0152-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-017-0152-3

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