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Environmental Health Promotion of a Contaminated Site in Mexico

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Abstract

Entangled in complex ecological, sociocultural, and economic systems, current environmental health problems require integrated participatory approaches. Alpuyeca, a semi-urban, highly marginalized community in South-Central Mexico burdened by lead and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination, dengue fever, and intestinal diseases, illustrates this. Its residents are distinctive, however, for their concerted actions in the face of environmental problems and the presence of defenders of a prehispanic worldview based on the protection of nature. This article addresses the health impacts of an integrated environmental health promotion strategy implemented through a participatory action research intervention based on qualitative and quantitative methods. Different actors, sectors, dimensions, and knowledge types were harmonized in a collaborative space created specifically for our interdisciplinary research team, community residents and local authorities. Reflections, plans and actions were developed collectively in this space with the view of finding solutions anchored in the local culture. Results included sharp reductions in blood-lead concentrations among children, in entomological indices, and in PCB contamination, as well as capacity strengthening. Medium-level community participation was achieved. This work contributes evidence that participatory environmental health research can be effective in analyzing and reducing problems in communities with multiple environmental health concerns. It complements ecohealth and environmental health literacy approaches.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Fondo Mixto de Fomento a la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica CONACYT-MORELOS (MOR-2009-C01-116080). This study was made possible thanks to Norma Garduño-Salazar, Blanca Lilia Gaspar-del-Angel, Leonardo Mancilla-Sánchez, members of the CASITA group, Alpuyeca Community and to the Program of doctorate in community health of the University Laval, Québec.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health, Center of Investigation in Population Health (CISP), National Institute of Public Health (INSP), Av. Universidad 655. Col. Sta. Ma. Ahucatitlán, CP. 62100, Cuernavaca Mor, Mexico

    Urinda Alamo-Hernández, Paulina Farías, David Hernández-Bonilla, Marlene Cortez-Lugo, Sandra Rodríguez-Dozal & Horacio Riojas–Rodríguez

  2. Institute of Ecology, National Laboratory of Sciences of the Sustainability, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Tercer Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Apartado Postal 70-275, 04510, Coyoacán, México, D.F, Mexico

    Ana Cecilia Espinosa-García

  3. Center of Investigation on Infectious Diseases (CISEI), National Institute of Public Health (INSP), Av. Universidad 655. Col. Sta. Ma. Ahucatitlán, CP. 62100, Cuernavaca Mor, Mexico

    Hilda Rangel-Flores

  4. Department of Environmental Toxicology - Medical School, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí (UASLP), Av. Venustiano Carranza 2405. Col. De los filtros, CP. 78210, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

    Fernando Díaz-Barriga

  5. Public Health School, National Insitute of Public Health (INSP), Av. Universidad 655. Col. Sta. Ma. Ahuacatitlán, CP. 62100, Cuernavaca Mor, Mexico

    Nelly Flores

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  1. Urinda Alamo-Hernández
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  2. Ana Cecilia Espinosa-García
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Correspondence to Horacio Riojas–Rodríguez.

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All procedures involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individuals who participated in the study.

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Alamo-Hernández, U., Espinosa-García, A.C., Rangel-Flores, H. et al. Environmental Health Promotion of a Contaminated Site in Mexico. EcoHealth 16, 317–329 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-019-01407-5

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