Shades of grey : community responses to chronic environmental lead contamination in Broken Hill, New South Wales

Abstract

Lead contamination is one of an extensive list of chronic environmental hazards which are being faced by an increasing number of communities worldwide. The potential biophysical effects of young children's exposure to relatively low levels of lead are widely recognised. In response to this awareness, policies and programs are being designed and implemented with the aim of reducing potential lead exposure. In addition to their significance for children's biophysical health, the success of these policies also have implications for the well-being of the children, families, and communities involved. This thesis argues that an understanding of the ways in which communities respond to environmental lead contamination is important for the development and implementation of appropriate interventions. This thesis examines community responses to chronic environmental lead contamination in Broken Hill, Australia, a community which is also dealing with mining industry retrenchments. It examines the nature of cognitive and behavioural coping responses, and the resulting effects on the health and well-being of the community and community members. It also examines how responses to the retrenchments interact with the community responses to lead contamination in a cumulative manner, and how mediating factors interact with the community response process. In order to shed light on this complex process, this interdisciplinary study draws together environmental stress and coping, social impact assessment, public health, and community responses to environmental contamination theory. Fieldwork conducted over nine months during six visits included the use of participant observation and in-depth interviews with parents with young children, retrenched workers and their families, and other Broken Hill residents. Interviews were also held with representatives of organisations. The research method proved to be useful for meeting the research aim, and for respecting research participants and the sensitive nature of the research topic. After becoming aware of the lead contamination, community members responded with cognitive minimisation of the lead contamination threat, containment of the threat to the family level, predominant use of private rather than public responses, and individual rather than collective coping strategies. The lead contamination, mediated by this coping process, had the effect of increasing stress and stigma for parents and families of young children most directly affected, reducing stress and stigma for other community members, increasing cooperation between local organisations, and weakening of community social networks. This process was mediated by the characteristics of the contaminant, characteristics of individuals, aspects of the social setting, and responses of organisations. The nature of the lead contamination, and individual residents' perceptions of its controllability interacted with the community response process. The aspects of the social setting which affected the community response process are cultural assumptions, beliefs and values, stigma, relationships between the mining company and the community, social support and undermining, social influence, and economic factors. Responses of organisations, including intervention programs, were also important. Responses to the mining retrenchments interacted within the community response process. A model of community responses to chronic environmental lead contamination in Broken Hill is developed. This thesis argues that health policy needs to focus on positive health and well-being, and should be guided by three principles- a focus on the community rather than individual and family levels, the aim of supporting parents, and communication. Such a reoriented approach will support the efforts of communities and community members to cope with chronic environmental lead contamination in an effective and equitable manner. Show more