Grantee Research Project Results
2023 Progress Report: Participatory Design of Effective Risk Communication about Wildfire Smoke for Hard-to-Reach Populations.
EPA Grant Number: R840239Title: Participatory Design of Effective Risk Communication about Wildfire Smoke for Hard-to-Reach Populations.
Investigators: Neuhauser, Linda , Ivey, Susan L , Su, Jason
Institution: University of California - Berkeley
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: September 1, 2021 through February 29, 2024 (Extended to August 31, 2024)
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2022 through August 31,2023
Project Amount: $988,740
RFA: Interventions and Communication Strategies to Reduce Health Risks of Wildland Fire Smoke Exposures (2021) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Wildfires , Air Quality and Air Toxics
Objective:
The objective of this research is to address gaps in risk communication for hard-to-reach and at-risk populations. This objective will be accomplished by the following aims: 1) Create new, more precise modeling of CA wildfire smoke risk data; 2) Conduct needs assessment of wildfire smoke risk communication; 3) Use participatory design to develop/revise risk communications and dissemination strategies for hard-to-reach populations; and 4) Test effectiveness of new/revised risk communications and dissemination strategies. The results of Year 2 activities are expected to improve California’s risk assessment and risk management capabilities related to wildfire smoke exposure. Dissemination of these results could improve risk assessment and management capability in other US states.
Progress Summary:
Aim 1. Health Research for Action center (HRA) is using Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT) modeling to model PM2.5 concentrations for California communities. Once a specific location and time of interest is entered into the model, defined as the receptor, the model follows theoretical particles backwards in time, using meteorological wind fields and velocities. The model then calculates influence footprints (the area upstream of the receptor) and estimates emissions. In Year 2, HRA obtained funding from Oracle to set up a cloud-based modeling environment and created models of wildfire PM2.5 dispersion and exposure for at-risk populations of interest in California.
Aim 2. As part of the needs assessment, HRA previously completed an environmental scan of 19 key wildfire smoke communication resources developed by local, state, and federal public health organizations that are relevant for Californians. Five met a high standard, with 4 print materials registering a “Superior” grade on the SAM, and 1 video scoring in the higher range of PEMAT-AV. The remaining 14 materials lacked strategies to promote reader comprehension. Few materials seemed designed with hard-to-reach audiences in mind.
In Year 1, HRA conducted a review of peer-reviewed literature for publications on materials or programs used to reach lay audiences with messages/risk communications about wildfire smoke. After screening 451 records, 21 articles were included in the final sample. General categories of findings were: 1) Communication materials and messages; 2) Delivery strategies; 3) Behavior change; 4) Communications for vulnerable populations. We identified a large gap in published literature about wildfire smoke risk communications created with and for vulnerable populations; existing information was limited or overly general. Few articles featured full evaluation of programs or materials. The manuscript was submitted to BMC Public Health in September 2023 and is currently in revise-and -resubmit status.
Aim 3. HRA assembled a stakeholder advisory committee (SAC) in Year 1 that has continued meeting in Year 2 regarding communication needs of their communities related to wildfire smoke and project activities to co-develop improved communications for their communities. A partner from the Yurok Tribal Nation joined the SAC in Year 2 and has been advising us on needs of that tribe related to wildfire smoke exposure and has recommended ways to get out information about prescribed burns/”cultural burning” to a broader audience.
Also, in Year 1 we used the results from the pre-workshop survey we sent to SAC members, which identified gaps in wildfire smoke communication materials and solicited suggestions for improvements. This information then guided our planning for a design thinking workshop, a format used to generate potential solutions when an issue is complex and/or has many stakeholders. HRA and design firm IDEO held a design thinking workshop in Sept. 2022. SAC members met in person to brainstorm ways to educate their respective communities about the health hazards of wildfire smoke. Our focal communities in Year 2 have been the Hmong community in Butte and Fresno counties, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community in Alameda County and other areas, people with asthma and chronic breathing problems, and the Yurok Tribe.
In Year 2, HRA held multiple subgroup meetings with each focal community on December 5, 7, and 12, 2022; February 21 and 24, 2023; and April 5, 6, and 20, 2023. In Year 2, we disseminated a video of the Year 1 CME webinar about the health impacts of wildfire smoke and ways to counsel patients to reduce their exposure. Content was disseminated through California’s statewide Right Care Initiative. In Year 2, ideas generated during the design thinking workshop and subsequent meetings with community representatives led to the creation of several new communications materials. These included: an easy to read leaflet about how best to manage chronic breathing problems when wildfire smoke is present, a brochure in Hmong about checking air quality which comes with a magnet containing a QR code for the AirNow website, an animated video in Hmong about how to avoid wildfire smoke, a chapter about wildfire smoke in the widely distributed First 5 CA Parent Guide (English/Spanish). Each of these materials have or will soon be tested by members of its intended audience to ensure their suitability and ease of use.
Future Activities:
Aim 1. HRA will finalize model calibration, apply the calibration factor to modeled PM2.5 measurements for vulnerable communities, and submit a manuscript summarizing results and effectiveness of using STILT dispersion modeling to estimate wildfire smoke exposure for vulnerable populations. We will submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal in Year 3.
Aim 2. HRA environmental scan authors will propose existing high-quality communications about wildfire smoke exposure for use in the focal community groups, and help to identify communication gaps to address. Literature review manuscript authors will continue the review process and publish the paper. HRA will continue working with the Right Care Initiative to disseminate the wildfire smoke CME session video.
Aim 3. In Year 2, based on findings from the design thinking workshop, HRA continued working with each current focal community group to identify priority needs for communications, and drafted the following communication materials: 1) Chronic breathing problems and wildfire smoke information sheet; 2) Wildfire smoke brochure in Hmong with a magnet that promotes use of the AQI; 3) An animated video in Hmong about wildfire smoke; and 4) CA Parent Guide chapter on wildfire smoke exposure in English and Spanish. We have also worked to promote the dissemination of each of these materials. In addition, in Year 2, based on the priority identified by our Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing partners, we created and began conducting a statewide survey about the accessibility of emergency information about wildfire smoke from county and city offices of emergency services. In Year 3, we will analyze data and write up final results and disseminate the results of the survey. In addition, we will contribute information from this project to help the CA Dept of Public Health develop the statewide Air Quality Health Plan as required by state AB 619 legislation.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Community-based, smoke exposure, air quality, risk management, emergency preparedness, environmental justiceRelevant Websites:
N/A
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.