| Background: As a key node in the global goods movement network, sea ports are a significant source of traffic and industrial emissions of air pollutants, which are shown to have an adverse effect on human health. Accurate measurement of personal exposure to air pollutants in port communities is valuable for informing local and international efforts to reduce air pollution in and around ports.;Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of a coordinated global network approach to assess personal exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) levels, as well as perceptions, knowledge and beliefs about air pollution among people living in communities located near large ports in the Pacific Rim.;Methods: A total of 45 participants from port communities in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur were assessed for personal and outdoor exposure to NO2 by passive sampling using the Ogawa Sampler. Participants' personal perceptions, knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about air pollution were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Spearman correlation and multiple linear regression were used to examine the association between personal and outdoor NO2 concentrations. Descriptive statistics were used to report responses to questionnaire.;Results: Median NO2 level was lowest in Kuala Lumpur, followed by Los Angeles and Hong Kong. There was a positive correlation of personal NO2 levels with outdoor NO2 levels across all three study sites (correlation coefficient 0.55, p=0.0001). This association was not confounded by age, sex, or the reported traffic pattern near the participants' homes. In general there were differences in perceptions and knowledge of air pollution across the communities. Participants in Los Angeles showed greater awareness of air quality issues and were more predisposed to acknowledge that port emissions were a source of local air pollution compared to those in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. However, participants in all 3 communities responded that they would modify their behaviors in response to changes in air quality.;Conclusion: This study demonstrated a feasible protocol to characterize levels of personal and outdoor NO2 concentrations at port communities, as well as to assess the perceptions, beliefs and behaviors of residents in these communities toward issues related to air pollution. |
