Children's Health Projects

Below you will find a number of children's health-related projects that are currently in progress. Many more regional projects not described here also incorporate children's health awareness into their workplans.

Asthma Education in East Harlem	Educational Photoliterature
Indoor Allergens in Puerto Rico	Video on Reducing Indoor Asthma Triggers
Asthma Intervention at Hunt's Point	Puerto Rico Asthma Coordinator
WEACT Educational Campaign	Camden / Rutgers University Asthma Project

Educational Photoliterature as a Means to Reduce Cockroach and Rodent Infestations without Pesticides in a Low-Income Setting

Introduction: Cockroach and rodent infestations (and their resultant allergen deposits) have been strongly linked to asthma. As children tend to spend a large proportion of their time on the floor, where pesticides and allergen-laden dust is found, they are at a higher risk of developing asthma. Traditional high-pesticide methods of eliminating pests may also put children in danger of developing pesticide poisoning.

Project Description: This project seeks to demonstrate the effectiveness of simple integrated pest management (IPM) techniques to reduce or eliminate cockroach and rodent infestations (and their resultant allergen deposits) from inner city housing. Techniques for practicing IPM, which uses only small amounts of low-toxicity pesticides and maintains a healthier indoor environment for children and other occupants, will be presented to community members through the use of educational photoliterature. The community has been involved in learning about pest infestations, their relation to asthma, and the use of IPM, all leading up to the development of the educational photoliterature.

Puerto Rico Indoor Allergens Study

Introduction: Childhood asthma rates in Puerto Rico have been shown to be extremely high; however, it is difficult to determine exactly which environmental allergens most severely trigger asthma attacks.

Project Description: EPA Region 2 is funding this indoor allergen study of the Catano and Rio Grande/ Loiza areas in Puerto Rico, in cooperation with the University of Ponce Medical School. Measurements of the standard environmental allergens (dust mites, cockroaches, pet dander, etc.) will be made in the homes of asthmatic children, along with measurements of heavy metals and other substances of interest such as bacterial endotoxin, thought to be a lung irritant. The measurements will be complemented by indoor air quality surveys and allergenic skin testing of asthmatic children in the study homes. The project will provide information on the levels of known allergens and irritants in homes in the urban center of Catano, and will contrast these levels with data collected in the areas of Rio Grande/ Loiza.

English-Spanish Video and Workbook on Reducing Indoor Asthma Triggers in Inner-City Dwellings

Introduction: Asthma in the inner city has been shown to be highly correlated with a number of substances in the indoor environment, including cockroach allergen, secondhand smoke, mold, dust mite allergen, and pet dander. Disproportionate exposure to these substances can occur in low income populations in the urban environment. Asthma attacks may also be aggravated by high exposure to pesticides targeting cockroach infestations.

Project Description: This project, which is a collaboration between Region 2 and Region 7, will result in the production of an instructional video and accompanying workbook (both in English and Spanish). These tools will teach inner-city residents techniques to reduce their exposure to both asthma triggers and cockroach pesticides.

Asthma Intervention Study in Hunt's Point

Introduction: The Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, NY is one of several national sites for the National Inner City Asthma Study (ICAS). Dr. Ellen Crain and her group of researchers are will be collaborating with the New York City Department of Health's Asthma Initiative to undertake this asthma education and evaluation project.

Project Description: This project will link activities between Dr. Crain's group and the NYC Dept. of Health. The City will be performing intensive asthma education in 30 homes (all of which contain at least one asthmatic child), focusing on asthma medications, environmental triggers and trigger remediation techniques such as Integrated Pest Management. Dr. Crain's group will perform ICAS baseline home evaluation (minus air sampling) in the 30 homes, analyzing dust samples for allergen levels at different stages throughout the project. Limited asthma morbidity data will also be collected at each visit.

Puerto Rico Department of Health Asthma Coordinator

Introduction: In April of 1996, EPA sponsored an asthma workshop in Catano, Puerto Rico to discuss the high rate of asthma prevalence in Puerto Rican children. One of the high-priority recommendations resulting from the workshop was to institute the position of an asthma coordinator in the Puerto Rico Department of Health to oversee asthma research, education and prevention efforts.

Project Description: EPA has granted funding for one year to assure the staffing of an asthma coordinator position at the Puerto Rico Department of Health. The coordinator is responsible for planning and implementing suggestions stemming from the Catano asthma workshop, including the Indoor Allergens Study described above.

Education about Asthma, Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Lead

Project Description: EPA has granted $15,000 to the West Harlem Environmental Action community group (WEACT) to conduct educational programs focusing on asthma, environmental tobacco smoke and lead. Educational sessions will be held in daycare centers and other locations in Harlem, Washington Heights and other low-income parts of New York City.

Asthma Education in East Harlem

Project Description: The Boriken Neighborhood Health Center will conduct bilingual asthma education in East Harlem, which has been documented to have the highest asthma mortality rate in the nation. Boriken with work in partnership with the new Children's Health Center, recently established at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, to spread knowledge of environmental asthma triggers and the proper medical management of asthma.

Camden-Rutgers University Asthma Project

Introduction: The City of Camden and sections of Philadelphia have populations of predominantly impoverished, minority families in which many children are at risk for developing lead poisoning and asthma. This project will focus on building the capacity of residents and community groups in both cities to address these environmental health problems.

Project Description: Children at risk for lead poisoning and/or asthma will be identified through cooperative agreements with relevant health professionals (school nurses and maternity care-givers). Environmental management teams, composed of specially trained community residents, will visit the families of identified children and provide education and intervention for lead poisoning and asthma. Follow-up visits will assess the effectiveness of training and allow for evaluation of the program. The project has a 1-year goal of impacting 400 families in Philadelphia and 600 families in Camden.