Environmental Health Disparities V2.0

The Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map evaluates environmental health risk factors in communities. The model was specifically adapted from CalEnviroScreen—a cumulative environmental impacts assessment mapping tool developed by CalEPA and used in California. —It estimates a cumulative environmental health impact score for each census tract reflecting pollutant exposures and factors that affect people’s vulnerability to environmental pollution.
The model is based on a conceptual formula of Risk = Threat * Vulnerability, where threat and vulnerability are based on several indicators.
Threat is represented by indicators that account for pollution burden, which is a combination of environmental effects and environmental exposures in communities. Environmental effects include indicators that account for adverse environmental quality generally, even when population contact with an environmental hazard is unknown or uncertain. Environmental exposures include the levels of certain pollutants that populations come into contact with.
Vulnerability is represented by indicators of socioeconomic factors and sensitive populations for which there is clear evidence that they may affect susceptibility or vulnerability to an increased pollution burden. Indicators in socioeconomic factors measure population characteristics that modify the pollution burden itself. Sensitive populations refer to those who are at greater risk due to intrinsic biological vulnerability to environmental stressors.
In the model, threat is multiplied by vulnerability in order to reflect the scientific literature that indicates population characteristics often modify and amplify the impact of pollution exposures on certain vulnerable populations. The rankings help to compare health and social factors that may contribute to disparities in a community. You should not interpret rankings as absolute values. Do not use them to diagnose a community health issue or to label a community.
Version 1.0 Published January 2019
Version 1.1 Published December 2019 (updated measures from American Community Survey and Department of Health for 2013-2017) Did not update Threat indicators derived from EJSCREEN.
Version 1.1 Republished January 31, 2022 (Correction to theme and overall ranks)
Version 2.0 Published July 28, 2022 (Data updated to reflect more recent data years. Changes to diesel emissions and heavy traffic indicators. See EHD Map version 2.0 Technical Report for details)
Select the link below for information about:
Washington Environmental Health Disparities Mapping Report (version 2.0)Washington Environmental Health Disparities Mapping Report (version 1.0)Environmental Justice Task Force | Health Equity (wa.gov)Environmental Justice Task Force ReportWashington Tracking Network (WTN)Environmental Health Disparities, Overall Ranking (Current Version) | Washington State Geospatial Open Data PortalContact us at EHDMap@doh.wa.gov if you have questions or comments.
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