![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Featured Story
Site Navigation
 |
Research Project Search
EPA Awards $3.45 Million in Grants to Assess Health Outcomes
EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program has awarded $3.45 million in grants to 6 universities and 1 state agency to develop indicators that signal the impact of changes in the environment, policies or management approaches on public health. The results of this work will give scientists, risk assessors and policy makers the ability to understand how exposure to environmental pollutants relates to the numbers of people who are affected by respiratory diseases and the severity of these illnesses.
Researchers will use existing environmental and health-related data to develop indicators that give a clearer understanding of the sequence of events that links changes in the environment to human exposure and adverse health outcomes, such as asthma exacerbation and other cardiovascular illnesses.
Potentially, environmental professionals could use these indicators to assess progress toward established local, regional, and national environmental health goals. In addition, they can use the indicators to determine which air pollution reduction strategies will have the greatest effect on the population, thereby proactively identifying opportunities to protect public health.
For more information on these grants, visit the Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/outcome_indicators
The grants funded by EPA were awarded to the following universities and agencies:
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Ga., $499,512 – Using data from the Atlanta area, identify indicators for impacts on air quality and health from mobile sources (cars, buses, etc.).Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, $500,000 – Develop statistical models to estimate improvements in environmental health outcomes at a national scale, such as the number of adverse health events prevented by regulation.
New York University, Tuxedo, NY, $494,552 - Develop models to predict respiratory illness using near-real time weather, air pollution information, and emergency department visits in New York City.
Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, Mich., $499,777 – Develop and evaluate an indicator of children’s health that can predict asthma exacerbation resulting from exposure to air pollution.
Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis, Minn., $488,650 – Develop and evaluate indicators for several local and national emission reduction strategies for particulate matter in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and Olmsted County and their impacts on health.
University of California, Los Angeles, Calif., $500,000 – Determine the feasibility of combining existing environmental monitoring and health survey data in California to develop health outcome indicators, such as asthma-related emergency department visits, visits to doctors, etc.
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., $459,556 – Determine strategies to reduce emissions that target emission sources with the greatest impact on exposures and environmental justice.
EPA relies on quality science as the basis for sound policy and decision-making. EPA’s laboratories, research centers, and grantees are building the scientific foundation needed to support the Agency’s mission to safeguard human health and the environment.