Understanding environmental health issues to inform community engagement in the central Midwest

Madeline A. McCabe; Jacqueline Curnick; Tabitha Kuehn; Alithea Zorn; Brandi Janssen

doi:10.1186/s12982-025-01323-w

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Understanding environmental health issues to inform community engagement in the central Midwest

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Understanding environmental health issues to inform community engagement in the central Midwest

Madeline A. McCabe, Jacqueline Curnick, Tabitha Kuehn, Alithea Zorn and Brandi Janssen

Discover public health, Vol.23(1), 21

01/08/2026

DOI: 10.1186/s12982-025-01323-w

PMCID: PMC12779686

PMID: 41523752

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-01323-wView

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Abstract

Context This report shares the results of a novel environmental health needs assessment designed by the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center in collaboration with our community partners for the four-state region of Iowa (IA), Nebraska (NE), Missouri (MO), and Kansas (KS). Objective The goal of the needs assessment was to understand considerations about health and the environment among people living in the central Midwest states of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, including their concerns, what they see as solutions, and what and how populations are vulnerable. These findings will inform future community engagement by the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center at the University of Iowa to improve environmental health. Design The assessment used a mixed-methods approach which included an online survey that collected quantitative and qualitative data and three focus groups with young adults, older rural adults, and immigrant and communities of color in eastern Iowa. Setting University of Iowa Environmental Health Sciences Research Center in collaboration with our community partners for the four-state region of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri and focus groups in eastern Iowa. Participants Over 400 participants from four states. Main outcome measure(s) Describing residents’ perceptions of the connections between environment and health in the 4-state area and identifying notable differences between rural, urban, and suburban populations. Result Top issues of concern were water quality, outdoor air quality, climate change, chemical contaminants, and natural disasters. Respondents identified better policies, access to medical services, and financial resources as key components of reducing personal risk to environmental health issues. The focus group sessions highlighted concerns about housing, social capital, and the need for trusted sources of information. Conclusions These data suggest a holistic approach to environmental health topics, interest in policy interventions in rural communities, and potential for engagement with clinicians.

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Title: Subtitle: Understanding environmental health issues to inform community engagement in the central Midwest
Creators: Madeline A. McCabe - University of Iowa
Jacqueline Curnick - University of Iowa
Tabitha Kuehn - University of Iowa
Alithea Zorn - University of Iowa
Brandi Janssen - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Discover public health, Vol.23(1), 21
DOI: 10.1186/s12982-025-01323-w
PMID: 41523752
PMCID: PMC12779686
NLM abbreviation: Discov Public Health
ISSN: 3005-0774
eISSN: 3005-0774
Publisher: BioMed Central
Grant note: P30 ES005605 / National Institutes of Health (https://doi.org/10.13039/100000002)
Language: English
Date published: 01/08/2026
Academic Unit: Public Health Administration; Occupational and Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Injury Prevention Research Center
Record Identifier: 9985116064302771

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