Community Perspectives During a Lead Contaminated Drinking Water Crisis: Lessons for Lactation and Other Health Providers

Abstract

Background Millions of people today live in contaminated environments. Often, these environments disproportionately affect nonwhite, racialized families who are low-income, pregnant, and/or feeding young children. Despite the overwhelming recognition among scholars and practitioners of these realities, however, few lactation or other health professionals center socially disadvantaged families’ perspectives in their work. Community expertise is therefore often absent from the credentialed lactation and associated support that tends to be advanced in contaminated environments. Research Aims The aims of this study were to: (1) Describe how vulnerable community members experience toxic environments, and (2) Explore the strategies vulnerable community members themselves employ and seek out from professionals to achieve resilience in these environments. Methods The research design for this study was prospective and cross-sectional. We surveyed 62 Milwaukeean African American women of childbearing age and their close networks of support from predominantly low-income census tracts, and we engaged 14 women in a community conversation on their experiences, strategies, and desires generated from living in Milwaukee during a lead contaminated drinking water crisis. Results Participants were aware and concerned about toxic poisoning in their environment, especially as it affects their children. Nonetheless, societal factors constrained their levels of preparedness and action in response, including around chestfeeding, breastfeeding, expressed milk feeding, and artificial feeding methods. Conclusion Lactation providers and other health professionals can better support at-risk families by integrating their perspectives into dominant frameworks for information-sharing, preventative resource distribution, and supporting community self-determination.