Chronic Illness Rates Rise Near California's Santa Susana Nuclear Site
Source Summary
University of Southern California researchers are studying health outcomes near the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, a Superfund site in the hills northwest of Los Angeles. Unlike most Superfund sites, which are located in low-income communities where 62% of households earn less than $50,000 annually, this site is situated in a wealthier area. The research examines how affluent residents respond when financial resources cannot protect them from environmental hazards.
Why it matters
This research provides insight into environmental health disparities by examining how chronic illness affects communities regardless of wealth, challenging assumptions that affluence provides protection from Superfund site contamination.
