Talking trash: Perspectives on community environmental health in the Dominican Republic

A safe and healthy natural and built environment is fundamental to children’s health and represents a significant determinant of community well-being. We aimed to identify and prioritize environmental health concerns within resource-poor neighborhoods in the Dominican Republic using free-listing and semi-structured focus groups composed of parents and caregivers in the perirural community of Consuelo, Dominican Republic. Transcripts were coded and relevant themes identified using qualitative content analysis. Demographic data and information regarding trash disposal practices were also collected. Participants described common health concerns, including respiratory infections, asthma, vector-borne illnesses, and diarrheal diseases and linked them to environmental hazards in their communities, such as air quality and sanitation. Interventional priorities that emerged included reduction of trash accumulation and trash burning as well as improvement of sanitation facilities.