TY - JOUR

T1 - Engaging communities in addressing air quality

T2 - a scoping review

AU - Ward, Fiona

AU - Lowther-Payne, Hayley J

AU - Halliday, Emma C

AU - Dooley, Keith

AU - Joseph, Neil

AU - Livesey, Ruth

AU - Moran, Paul

AU - Kirby, Simon

AU - Cloke, Jane

PY - 2022/12/31

Y1 - 2022/12/31

N2 - BACKGROUND: Exposure to air pollution has a detrimental effect on health and disproportionately affects people living in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. Engaging with communities to identify concerns and solutions could support organisations responsible for air quality control, improve environmental decision-making, and widen understanding of air quality issues associated with health. This scoping review aimed to provide an overview of approaches used to engage communities in addressing air quality and identify the outcomes that have been achieved.METHODS: Searches for studies that described community engagement in air quality activities were conducted across five databases (Academic Search Complete, CABI, GreenFILE, MEDLINE, Web of Science). Data on study characteristics, community engagement approach, and relevant outcomes were extracted. The review process was informed by a multi-stakeholder group with an interest in and experience of community engagement in air quality. Thirty-nine papers from thirty studies were included in the final synthesis.CONCLUSION: A range of approaches have been used to engage communities in addressing air quality, most notably air quality monitoring. Positive outcomes included increased awareness, capacity building, and changes to organisational policy and practice. Longer-term projects and further exploration of the impact of community engagement on improving air quality and health are needed as reporting on these outcomes was limited.

AB - BACKGROUND: Exposure to air pollution has a detrimental effect on health and disproportionately affects people living in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. Engaging with communities to identify concerns and solutions could support organisations responsible for air quality control, improve environmental decision-making, and widen understanding of air quality issues associated with health. This scoping review aimed to provide an overview of approaches used to engage communities in addressing air quality and identify the outcomes that have been achieved.METHODS: Searches for studies that described community engagement in air quality activities were conducted across five databases (Academic Search Complete, CABI, GreenFILE, MEDLINE, Web of Science). Data on study characteristics, community engagement approach, and relevant outcomes were extracted. The review process was informed by a multi-stakeholder group with an interest in and experience of community engagement in air quality. Thirty-nine papers from thirty studies were included in the final synthesis.CONCLUSION: A range of approaches have been used to engage communities in addressing air quality, most notably air quality monitoring. Positive outcomes included increased awareness, capacity building, and changes to organisational policy and practice. Longer-term projects and further exploration of the impact of community engagement on improving air quality and health are needed as reporting on these outcomes was limited.

KW - Air quality

KW - Air Pollution

KW - Participation

KW - Air pollution

KW - Vulnerable Populations

KW - Community engagement

KW - Humans

KW - Health inequalities

U2 - 10.1186/s12940-022-00896-2

DO - 10.1186/s12940-022-00896-2

M3 - Review article

C2 - 36117163

VL - 21

JO - Environmental Health : A Global Access Science Source

JF - Environmental Health : A Global Access Science Source

SN - 1476-069X

IS - 1

M1 - 89

ER -