📖 ABSTRACT/OVERVIEW
Measuring the cumulative environmental health impact of industrial zones on surrounding communities requires composite indices that integrate multiple hazard, exposure, and health outcome dimensions, yet no such validated tool exists for the Nigerian industrial context. This dissertation develops and validates a Comprehensive Environmental Health Impact Index (CEHII) for application in Nigerian industrial zones, using a multi-site development and validation design. Index conceptualization was grounded in an integrative literature review and a Delphi consensus process involving thirty-six experts in environmental health, epidemiology, industrial ecology, and community development. The CEHII incorporates seven domains: air quality burden, water contamination risk, soil hazard status, occupational exposure severity, community health outcome profile, social vulnerability index, and governance adequacy score. Empirical validation was conducted in eighteen industrial zones across Abia, Anambra, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, and Rivers states. Primary data collection included ambient and occupational monitoring, health surveys administered to 2,400 residents, biomarker sampling, and governance assessments. Index construct validity, criterion validity against WHO Environmental Burden of Disease estimates, and inter-rater reliability were statistically evaluated. Results demonstrated excellent criterion validity (r = 0.81 against WHO burden estimates) and high inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.87). CEHII scores showed a statistically significant gradient between zones classified as low, medium, and high industrial impact on all health outcome measures. The dissertation makes an original methodological contribution providing a ready-to-use, context-specific environmental health assessment tool for Nigerian industrial policy. Keywords: environmental health impact index, industrial zones, Southern Nigeria, composite index, validation.
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