Researchers at the University of Kentucky Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES) wanted to learn the concerns of community members in the Big Sandy, Kentucky River, and Cumberland Valley Area Development Districts (ADDs) to better understand and address health issues related to air, water, and emerging threats. In the summer of 2020, UK-CARES invited community organizations in southeast Kentucky to distribute an on-line community survey to gather community member concerns related to environmental health. Those living and/or working in the Big Sandy, Kentucky River, and Cumberland Valley ADDs were invited to participate via email and social media and encouraged to share the survey with others. Participants were asked to indicate their level of concern using a 5-point scale (from '1-not at all concerned' to '5-very concerned').

Collectively, environmental health concerns were identified from a total of 261 community members from the three areas.

Area Development Reports

Click the following to download a PDF of the report for the desired district:  Big Sandy, Kentucky River, and Cumberland Valley.