IAP-24-016

Communicating the air: identifying better methods to support public engagement with air pollution to help minimise air pollution exposures

Air pollution is a public health emergency (Holgate, 2022), responsible for an estimated 8.1 million global premature deaths every year (Health Effects Institute, 2024). Both top-down (e.g., policy) and bottom-up (e.g. behaviour change) methods to tackle air pollution are needed simultaneously to improve overall air quality, reduce individual exposures and improve people’s health (McCarron et al., 2022). Actions taken to improve air quality need to be underpinned by data to both support the generation of action as well as testing its efficacy (e.g., measuring the impacts of policy changes). Improvements in sensor technology mean the amount of monitoring data being generated in indoor, as well as outdoor, microenvironments, is rapidly increasing (see, for example the University of Stirling’s Forth-ERA project (https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/scotlands-international-environment-centre/forth-environmental-resilience-array/about-forth-era/).

There are standard approaches to collecting air quality data (e.g., the PAS 4023 for the selection, deployment and quality control of low-cost air quality sensor systems in outdoor ambient air (https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/selection-deployment-and-quality-control-of-low-cost-air-quality-sensor-systems-in-outdoor-ambient-air-code-of-practice?version=standard)). However, the way that air pollution data are then communicated to public(s) and non-public(s) stakeholders (and the success of such approaches) is highly variable (where it is done at all). Where communication about air quality happens effectively, these air quality data can support air pollution exposure reductions (Riley et al., 2021). For example, our past work has shown that data-based behavioural interventions can be effective at reducing exposure to air pollution and improving respiratory health for people with asthma (McCarron et al. 2024).

The aim of this project is to develop the evidence base on how best to communicate air pollution to the public and wider stakeholders to reduce air pollution (and associated exposures) and improve health. In doing so, the student will explore ways to communicate more effectively about air quality to encourage behaviour changes (from the public(s)) and to drive top-down action (from the government, local authorities, charities and other stakeholders).

The project has four main objectives:
1. Map the current approaches to ‘communicating the air’ to enable development of an evidence-based framework for engaging the public and other stakeholders in reducing air pollution exposures.
2. Use the Forth-ERA indoor and outdoor air pollution datasets to assess the efficacy of the evidence-based framework (developed in objective 1) in action at the community-level
3. Develop and test an air quality data-based behavioural intervention in terms of efficacy in reducing individual air pollution exposure
4. Explore how best to communicate air quality to non-public stakeholders using a data-grounded approach

The student will engage with the CASE partner (Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)) and other stakeholders, including the public(s), Scottish Government, local authorities, national agencies such as Health Protection Scotland and Transport Scotland, as well as community organisations and charities (like Asthma & Lung UK, British Heart Foundation, Alzheimer Scotland, Friends of the Earth Scotland), throughout the project.

This interdisciplinary project will utilise a combination of environmental (50%) and social science (50%) methodologies to generate novel understanding of how to effectively communicate about air pollution to the public and wider stakeholders. The potential methods used in the project are described below in relation to the specific project objectives:

Objective 1: The student will undertake a systematic or scoping review to identify the key air quality communication mechanisms that have been used to date and evaluate their effectiveness. This evaluation will be used as the basis for development of an evidence-based framework for engaging the public and other stakeholders in reducing air pollution exposures. This framework will be tested in objectives 2 – 4.

Objective 2: The student will test how effective communication of data could be used to drive community-level changes in air pollution levels, testing the framework developed in objective 1. This objective will link in to (and draw on data from) Forth-ERA, which is funded through the Stirlingshire and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal. Forth-ERA is a living laboratory providing environmental data and analytics, which aims to facilitate world-leading scientific research, promote more efficient environmental management and regulation, and stimulate business innovation in support of Scotland’s transition to a net zero carbon society. The PhD student will be able to use air quality data collected as part of Forth-ERA, including from ~30 outdoor air quality sensors and ~100 indoor sensors (e.g., in schools, homes and workplaces). They will explore how to move beyond ‘myth busting’ in terms of air quality (e.g., changing perceptions about what is causing air pollution) to creating actual changes to behaviours that reduce measured air pollution in communities.

Objective 3: The student will use air quality sensors to test the effectiveness of a behavioural intervention designed to reduce exposure to air pollution. The design of the intervention will build on our previous work (e.g., McCarron et al., 2024) and may use the NHS Scotland MAP (Motivations, Actions, Prompts) of Health Behaviour Change or another behaviour change tool/technique. The student may focus on a particular sub-set of the population that are more susceptible to the health impacts of air pollution, e.g., children, pregnant women, older people, those with pre-existing conditions, depending upon their interests.

Objective 4: Building on learning from objectives 1 – 3, a series of stakeholder workshops will be used to identify and then test potential communication strategies with a range of air quality stakeholders, e.g., Scottish Government, local authorities, SEPA, charities (e.g., Asthma & Lung Scotland) and Transport Scotland.

The student will be supported by an interdisciplinary supervisory team including Dr Heather Price (environmental geographer, Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling), Dr Marsailidh Twigg (atmospheric scientist, UKCEH Edinburgh), Dr Sean Semple (exposure scientist, Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling) and Dr Vivien Swanson (health psychologist, University of Stirling).

Year 1

Systematic review (or similar) of mechanisms used to communicate air quality information to the public(s) and wider stakeholders (objective 1)
• Introduction to Forth-ERA air quality datasets (objective 2)
• Stakeholder workshop 1 (objective 4)
• Undergo training on operation of air quality instrumentation, data analytics and modelling, participatory methods and other training depending on the needs of the student
• Attendance at a national conference

Year 2

• Testing the efficacy of community-level communication data-based strategies to move from myth busting to behaviour change (objective 2)
• Stakeholder workshop 2 (objective 4)
• Further training as required
• Attend a national conference

Year 3

• Developing and testing an air quality data-based behavioural intervention in terms of efficacy in reducing individual air pollution exposure (objective 3)
• Stakeholder workshop 3 (objective 4)
• Further training as required
• Attend an international conference

Year 3.5

• Finalising data analysis, writing publications, thesis submission

The University of Stirling and UKCEH have has high quality training programmes for postgraduate students, with the student being required to attend IAPETUS training and events throughout the PhD. The student will trained specifically on:

• Multi- and inter-disciplinarity: This research is at the interface between environmental science and social science. The student will receive training in working within interdisciplinary teams, and effectively communicating between disciplines.
• Fieldwork: The student will receive training in instrumentation and field deployment operations, as well as in undertaking participatory research.
• Data management: The student will receive training in analysing large environmental datasets.
• Translating research into practice: The student will receive training to communicate their research to multiple audiences (e.g. policy makers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), media and the wider public) and in publishing their work in scientific literature.