West Dallas Project Results
Following completion of the Joppa Environmental Health Project in the Joppa community (August 2023), project members met with Singleton United/Unidos and decided to perform a similar study in the Singleton Corridor community located in West Dallas.
Things To Know About West Dallas:
There are numerous industries that surround the Singleton Corridor community.
According to the EPA's National Pollution Rankings for Singleton,
PM Exposure WORST 3% in the U.S.
Air Toxics Cancer Risk WORST 4% in the U.S.
Air Toxics Respiratory WORST 3% in the U.S.
The Study Questions:
1.
What is the Singleton Corridor's exposure to PM2.5 outdoor air pollution?
2.
Are there health problems among West Dallas residents linked to PM2.5 outdoor air pollution?
How Was The Study Done?
01
Community Household Health Survey.
We created a health survey in both English and Spanish covering perceptions about air pollution in West Dallas and self-reporting symptoms (particularly respiratory illnesses like asthma and COPD). The survey was taken via online or paper from July - December 2023.
​
02
SharedAirDFW's Low-cost Sensor in West Dallas.
We placed 1 SharedAirDFW low-cost sensor in the Singleton Corridor community where residents were enabled access to the data via SharedAirDFW's dashboard.
Results
What Did We Find?
Past studies have shown that survey response rates are generally between 5-30%. Our excellent 38% survey response rate is due to our strong community engagement efforts + our on-the-ground canvassers.
Demographics of Survey Respondents
Residents' Attitudes About Air Pollution
Air pollution in West Dallas makes me and my family sick
Air quality in West Dallas is poor or very poor
Perceived Sources of Air Pollution
Respiratory Disease Symptoms
DFW asthma rate
Texas asthma rate
U.S.
asthma rate
U.S. Black asthma rate
West Dallas asthma rate
SharedAirDFW's Low-cost Sensor in West Dallas
Community residents had access to the University of Texas at Dallas (Plano) SharedAirDFW Network dashboard.
SharedAirDFW's Toronto sensor in West Dallas.
Conclusions
Singleton Corridor residents believe that they are breathing polluted air. They also believe that air pollution is harming them and their families.
​
Surveyed residents have 4 to 5x the amount of asthma as the DFW average and high rates of other respiratory illnesses.