Community-Based Approaches to Reduce Toxins in Housing: Lessons Learned From Working with Diverse Communities

Abstract

Abstract This article will review lessons learned from a community-based participatory research project with Latino and Somali residents in Portland, Oregon. The aim of the Healthy Futures Collaborative (HFC) project was to reduce in-home environmental health hazards associated with childhood respiratory illness and asthma through a process that strengthened social support and civic engagement. Using a community-based approach, the HFC trained community residents as community scientists to ensure local leadership and participation. Results suggest an increase in Somali and Latino residents' knowledge of environmental stressors and changes in behavior that may improve indoor environmental quality. Especially when working with historically marginalized communities, a model that acknowledges power differentials and responds to community-identified priorities is a powerful model for addressing environmental injustices. For example, the project was able to address both behavioral and structural components of h...