“Ozone and particle pollution, combined and separately, present real threats to Americans’ health and for decades worsened until the Clean Air Act began to reverse the tide,” said Kevin M. Stewart, director of environmental health for the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic.” This shows that pollution is a serious concern nationally and that action is being taken to track and reduce pollution.
“The [Philadelphia] area worsened to 26th most polluted in the nation for short-term (daily) particle pollution, having ranked 29th in the previous report. It had the best report ever with fewer unhealthful days, but still failed to meet the national air quality standard.” Philadelphia’s air pollution, while improving, is still below national standards.
The main focus of this article is that some success in reducing pollution is not enough. Action still needs to be taken to meet health and pollution standards. This is supported by the updated rankings of Philadelphia based on pollution, smog, and particulate matter (11th most polluted, 16th worst to 20th most, and 26th most polluted from 29th most). Also it cites the Clean Air Act as one of the main proponents of change.
The American Lung Association was referred to, with Deb Brown, President and CEO and Kevin M. Stewart, director for environmental health mentioned specifically. The American Lung Association sent out the “State of the Air 2014” report that updated the measurements of air quality across the United States. The Office of Management and Budget is a national office that grouped small and large metropolitan areas that slightly changed the area considered for Philadelphia’s air quality evaluation. The United States Environmental Agency’s Air Quality System provided data for the Lung Association’s evaluation. The Air Quality System is a database of air pollution information.
The article argues for greater effort to reduce air pollution. Cleaner vehicles and lesser gasoline usage. It also supports the Clean Air Act for its improvement of air quality and the associated health benefits.
Health disparities are not addressed very much by this article. At most, it shows that different counties have different levels of pollution.
Further insight into the American Lung Association showed their active efforts to reduce pollution in order to promote respiratory health. Deb Brown, President and CEO of the American Lung Association has been a longtime educator and proponent of respiratory health. She has worked on Delaware’s Clean Indoor Air Act (2002). (American 2015) The EPA Air Quality System is a database of ambient air pollution. Data is gathered at the national, state, local, and tribal level. Weather based data and specific data on each station is also offered (EPA 2015). American Lung Association, Our Leadership, Deborah P. Brown, Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.lung.org/about-us/our-leadership/ceos/deborah-brown.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/__ Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality System __http://www2.epa.gov/aqs__
Beijing “Beijing promises better air quality and enough snow for 2022 Winter Olympic Games,” Xinhua, 28 July 2015. Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-07/28/c_134456417.htm__ "’We will improve the air quality not only for the Games but also for the demand of our people,’ said Shen Xue, Vancouver Olympic gold medalist and ambassador for Beijing 2022 Bid. ‘No matter whether we win the bid or not, we will take efforts to improve the air quality.’" This quote displays China’s public commitment to lower air pollution. Also, the statement shows that the bid committee wants to appeal to the Chinese citizens by acknowledging the “demand of our people”. “In an effort to tackle air pollution, Beijing upgraded its coal-fired heating system in urban areas to natural gas heating system and closed down heavy-polluted plants.” This one of the only concrete examples of China’s efforts to reduce air pollution cited in this article.
Beijing has started concerted efforts to improve air quality in order to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Beijing has started using natural gas instead of coal for many of it’s heating systems to reduce pollution. Also Beijing argues that its mountain arenas have very high air quality and sufficient snow to host the games. Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo, Olympic Gold Medalists and bid committee members were referred to. Also, Xu Jicheng, Deputy Director of the Press and Communications Department of the Beijing 2022 and Wang Xiaotao, Deputy Director of National Development and Reform Committee were referenced. If Beijing can improve their air quality, they may have a significant presentation for the Winter 2022 Olympics. The Olympics have nations compete at a higher level, both athletically, and politically. Health disparities and equity issues were not addressed in this article.
The measured air quality indexes have been reported to have dropped by significant percentages from the previous year. PM 2.5 decreased by 19%, sulfur dioxide (43.1%), nitrogen dioxide (13.7%), and PM 10 (12.3%) (Air 2015).
Beijing competed with Altmaty, Kazakhstan for the bid (Air 2015). Beijing was chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics (Piper 2015).
Bangalore Reddy, YM, “Bangalore ranks second in the list of cities with highest air pollution levels in India,” dnaindia.com, 4 May 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report-bangalore-ranks-second-in-the-list-of-cities-with-highest-air-pollution-levels-in-india-2083209__ “The survey found that the worst-affected children are those who commute in open air vehicles as they more exposed to dust particles in the air…. 86% of school children use open-air transport and only 14% use other mediums of transport in Bangalore.” This quote shows the everyday impact that air pollution has on the people in affected areas. “Dr Vaman Acharya, chairman, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board said that reckless cutting of trees, rapid urbanization and above all, a dearth of environment-friendly laws are responsible for the rising levels of air pollution in the city.” This quote is a clear call for action from the Indian government. It should be noted that the article is shown without this line, unless one goes to the extended format. The air pollution levels in Bangalore are too high and it has a significant impact on the citizens, especially schoolchildren, of the city. Lung health screening tests were done and showed that approximately 35% of India’s students had “bad” performance. Also, air pollution affects children who use open air transportation to school more acutely than those who do not. Of the children in Bangalore, 86% reported using open air transport.
Dr. Komarla Nagendra Prasad, a senior allergist, immunologist, and founder of the Bengaluru Allergy Centr was references for his knowledge on lung health screening tests (BAC 2015). Dr. Vaman Acharya of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board was also referenced for his comment on irresponsible government actions and air pollution. He had been chairman of The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, but he resigned in July 2015, stating that it was “difficult” to work with the government (KSPCB 2015). This article clearly calls for action to be taken on air pollution. The article is particularly cutting because it focuses on air pollution’s harmful effects on children. Health disparities were addressed with the discussion of open air transportation. It was shown that open air transportation caused negative respiratory effects, and yet only 14% of children in Bangalore were able to get to school without it. Further information on Dr. Komarla Nagendra Prasad was found. It was not mentioned in the article that he founded a center to research and address allergy and asthma concerns (BAC 2015). Also, when the article was published, Dr. Vaman Acharya was director of the KSPCB, but he resigned about two months after the article was published. He resigned for personal reasons, though there is some doubt that he actually resigned due to pressure from allegations against him KSPCB 2015). Allegations against Dr. Acharya included the government issuing a show cause notice, and that his board of directors was pressuring him to relax environmental laws. These allegations were denied by Acharya (Resigned 2015). Bengaluru Allergy Center, Accessed 2 October 2015, __http://bangaloreallergycentre.com/__ “KSPCB chairman Vaman Acharya resigns,” The Hindu, 25 July 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015, __http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/kspcb-chairman-vaman-acharya-resigns/article7464124.ece__ “Resigned due to personal reasons:Vaman Acharya”, The Hindu, 26 July 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015, http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/resigned-due-to-personal-reasons-vaman-acharya/article7465985.ece
Houston Shelly, Adrian, and Powis, Jen, “Finding the courage to fight air pollution,” Houston Chronicle, 31 August 2015. Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/Finding-the-courage-to-fight-air-pollution-6476847.php__ It should be noted that Shelley is the executive director of Air Alliance Houston and Powis is an environmental attorney. “The city then adopted a basic ordinance empowering health officers to craft an air pollution abatement program to address those priority risks first. The ordinance didn't create any new rules that were stricter than existing state law; instead, it identified gaps and set priorities. This is basic governance: Start with low-hanging fruit and craft remedies that don't overburden the average taxpayer but which protect the average resident.” This shows how Houston seeks to remedy air pollution at an introductory level so that it may make an easier transition into action, and potentially, legislation. “As Houston prepares to elect a new mayor, we ask that all candidates commit to vigorously defend Houston's right to hold Big Industry accountable under existing laws like the Texas Clean Air Act.” This quote shows the context of this article and the recent events that contributed to air pollution’s coverage in the media. The main point of this article is that Houston needs to address air pollution concerns and the primary way of doing so is to elect a mayor who will take significant action. The article cites the BCCA Appeal Group Inc. lawsuit against the Texas Clean Air Act. The argument behind the lawsuit is that government cannot protect against air pollution. The article called mayoral candidates to form platforms that included regulation of basic public health concerns with air pollution and to regulate major environmental polluters. BCCA Appeal Group Inc. is a very large trade group that has filed lawsuits against the city of Houston to stop enforcement of the Texas Clean Air Act, which would put more regulations on emissions and industrial pollutants. Bill White was a former mayor of Houston who worked to create a basic structure for increased air pollution governance in the city. University of Texas School of Public Health was called by the city of Houston to identify the biggest risks from air pollution. Texas Supreme Court heard the case between the BCCA and the Houston city government on the city’s ability to enforce the Texas Clean Air Act. The article implies that big business is fighting against cleaner air. Also, the article calls on the reader to be an informed voter in the mayoral elections. Health disparities were not discussed in this article. Further insight into the BCCA Appeal Group vs. City of Houston, TX case showed that the BCCA argued that the Texas Clean Air Act does not give the cities the authority to regulate air control, but rather gives more authority to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (BCCA 2015). The written Texas Clean Air Act was cited, and it is easily accessible on the Internet. This can provide clarification in further research (Health 2015). The University of Texas School of Public Health conducted research on high priority factors in air pollution. A report on the university’s findings was found (Bethel 2015). “BCCA Appeal Group, Inc. v. City of Houston Texas”, U.S. Chamber Litigation Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.chamberlitigation.com/bcca-appeal-group-inc-v-city-houston-texas__ Health and Safety Code, Title 5, Subtitle C, Chapter 382. Subchapter A, Section 382.001. Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/HS/htm/HS.382.htm__ Bethel, Sexton, Linder, et. al., “A Closer Look at Air Pollution in Houston: Identifying Priority Health Risks,” Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www3.epa.gov/ttnchie1/conference/ei16/session6/bethel.pdf__
New York City Harris, Richard, “The City Might Not Be To Blame For High Asthma Rates,” Northeast Public Radio, National Public Radio, 20 January 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/01/20/378608279/the-inner-city-might-not-be-to-blame-for-high-asthma-rates__ "’Where we used to conflate inner city with poverty, now we're see even more concentrated poverty in suburban areas and smaller towns,’ Keet says.” Researchers are trying to separate different asthma triggers to better understand the disease, and poverty factors are more influential and frequent than just inner city living standards. “Scientists really want to track down the root causes of asthma, so it's helpful to replace the vague observation about life in the inner city with more specific threats that can trigger asthma attacks.” Specific research into asthma is allowing scientists to make more accurate and pointed conclusions about what does and does not affect asthma, and to what extent. The main finding of the article is that living in an inner city is not as big of a factor of the prevalence of asthma as once assumed. This is supported by research that inner city living makes little to no difference in asthma rates outside the northeastern United States. Also, showing that living factors like mold, cockroaches, secondhand smoke have a significant effect on health anywhere that they exist, not just in the inner city. Dr. Corrine Keet is a pediatric allergist at John Hopkins Children’s Center who challenged assumptions about inner city living’s link to asthma to see if they applied nationwide. She and her team found that the assumptions did not apply nationwide. Dr. Rosalind Wright is a professor of pediatrics at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. She argued that the factors of poor housing and poverty had a great effect on asthma. She does not believe that a handful of specific factors for asthma will be found. The article implies that research into asthma should be reevaluated and that broad, sweeping judgements of the causes of asthma should be questioned and studied further. Also, the research findings call for action to solve issues of poverty to increase health. Health disparities are cited often in this article. Lower quality housing, poverty, and harmful indoor environmental factors play heavily in asthma research, and the factor occur more in lower class communities. The results of Keet’s research were found. The difference of asthma rates in inner-city areas and other areas were not significantly different when adjustments were made for differences within each sample (Keet 2015). Dr. Wright researched specific factors and their effect on asthma rates, especially in children. For example, she studied exposure to allergens in early stages of life, and the differences of micronutrient intake in ethnic and socioeconomically diverse areas (Wright 2015). The author, Richard Harris, was formerly a NPR reporter for climate change, but very recently (2014), he changed his focus to biomedical research (NPR 2015). Keet, Corrine A., et. al, “Neighborhood poverty, urban residence, race/ethnicity, and asthma: Rethinking the inner-city asthma epidemic,” The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Vol. 135, Issue 3, Pages 655-662, 20 January 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015, __http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749%2814%2901676-5/abstract__ Rosaling Jo Wright, M.D., The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center, Accessed 2 October 2015, __https://connects.catalyst.harvard.edu/Profiles/display/Person/64408__ Richard Harris, npr.com, Accessed 2 October 2015, __http://www.npr.org/people/2100631/richard-harris__
Albany Hughes, Clair, “SChenectady program helps people manage asthma,” Times Union, 26 May 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015. http://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/Schenectady-program-helps-people-manage-asthma-6285688.php “The collaborative was launched six months ago to reduce asthma-related emergency room visits, which are higher in Schenectady County than the rest of upstate. In 2012, about 900 patients came to the Ellis emergency room because of asthma attacks, at a cost of $2 million, according to county health officials. Many of them were recipients of Medicaid, the taxpayer-supported program for low-income Americans.” This quote shows how a lack of urgent care clinics that can address asthma-related emergencies leads to increased emergency room visits, and a high cost of healthcare. Creating more urgent care facilities would be a positive form of governance to regulate health costs. “The problem may be exacerbated in Schenectady by poverty and substandard living conditions in some neighborhoods, where homes may be moldy or infested with cockroaches or mice, one program manager said.” This quote shows specific problems in the capital district. This also supports the finding in the New York article.
This article shows how new initiatives are helping to solve the asthma epidemic, but they still need improvement. Two clinics have been set up in Schenectady County, but many people decide not to enroll in the programs. Many people only have the time/resources to treat asthma emergencies as they occur instead of having regular routines. Ellis Hospital in Schenectady County provided data on how many people were visiting the emergency room for asthma related issues. Several people enrolled in the asthma remedy program were interviewed for the article. The New York State Health Foundation and MVP Health Care were mentioned for their support of the programs through donations. The article suggests that there should be more funding for asthma prevention initiatives. If there were more, easily accessible urgent care centers, then more people could get the help they need without putting a major burden on their everyday lives. Health disparities were mentioned in the context of having transportation to reach health care centers. The Schenectady Foundation is active in governance because it donates money and funds efforts to support public health and community in Schenectady County (Schenectady 2015). Ellis Hospital has an asthma education program (Ellis 2015). An Ellis Medicine report stated that of the individuals who lacked access to care for chronic diseases, 29% were due to asthma (Community Service Plan).
“‘State of the Air 2014’ report finds Phila. pollution levels improved to best-ever, but ozone levels worsened,” Philly.com, 2 May 2014. Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.philly.com/philly/health/American_Lung_Association_State_of_the_Air_2014_report_finds_Philadelphia_areas_particle_pollution_levels_improved_to_best-ever_but_ozone_levels_worsened.html__
“Ozone and particle pollution, combined and separately, present real threats to Americans’ health and for decades worsened until the Clean Air Act began to reverse the tide,” said Kevin M. Stewart, director of environmental health for the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic.”
This shows that pollution is a serious concern nationally and that action is being taken to track and reduce pollution.
“The [Philadelphia] area worsened to 26th most polluted in the nation for short-term (daily) particle pollution, having ranked 29th in the previous report. It had the best report ever with fewer unhealthful days, but still failed to meet the national air quality standard.” Philadelphia’s air pollution, while improving, is still below national standards.
The main focus of this article is that some success in reducing pollution is not enough. Action still needs to be taken to meet health and pollution standards. This is supported by the updated rankings of Philadelphia based on pollution, smog, and particulate matter (11th most polluted, 16th worst to 20th most, and 26th most polluted from 29th most). Also it cites the Clean Air Act as one of the main proponents of change.
The American Lung Association was referred to, with Deb Brown, President and CEO and Kevin M. Stewart, director for environmental health mentioned specifically. The American Lung Association sent out the “State of the Air 2014” report that updated the measurements of air quality across the United States.
The Office of Management and Budget is a national office that grouped small and large metropolitan areas that slightly changed the area considered for Philadelphia’s air quality evaluation.
The United States Environmental Agency’s Air Quality System provided data for the Lung Association’s evaluation. The Air Quality System is a database of air pollution information.
The article argues for greater effort to reduce air pollution. Cleaner vehicles and lesser gasoline usage. It also supports the Clean Air Act for its improvement of air quality and the associated health benefits.
Health disparities are not addressed very much by this article. At most, it shows that different counties have different levels of pollution.
Further insight into the American Lung Association showed their active efforts to reduce pollution in order to promote respiratory health.
Deb Brown, President and CEO of the American Lung Association has been a longtime educator and proponent of respiratory health. She has worked on Delaware’s Clean Indoor Air Act (2002). (American 2015)
The EPA Air Quality System is a database of ambient air pollution. Data is gathered at the national, state, local, and tribal level. Weather based data and specific data on each station is also offered (EPA 2015).
American Lung Association, Our Leadership, Deborah P. Brown, Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.lung.org/about-us/our-leadership/ceos/deborah-brown.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/__
Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality System __http://www2.epa.gov/aqs__
Beijing
“Beijing promises better air quality and enough snow for 2022 Winter Olympic Games,” Xinhua, 28 July 2015. Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-07/28/c_134456417.htm__
"’We will improve the air quality not only for the Games but also for the demand of our people,’ said Shen Xue, Vancouver Olympic gold medalist and ambassador for Beijing 2022 Bid. ‘No matter whether we win the bid or not, we will take efforts to improve the air quality.’" This quote displays China’s public commitment to lower air pollution. Also, the statement shows that the bid committee wants to appeal to the Chinese citizens by acknowledging the “demand of our people”.
“In an effort to tackle air pollution, Beijing upgraded its coal-fired heating system in urban areas to natural gas heating system and closed down heavy-polluted plants.” This one of the only concrete examples of China’s efforts to reduce air pollution cited in this article.
Beijing has started concerted efforts to improve air quality in order to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Beijing has started using natural gas instead of coal for many of it’s heating systems to reduce pollution. Also Beijing argues that its mountain arenas have very high air quality and sufficient snow to host the games.
Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo, Olympic Gold Medalists and bid committee members were referred to. Also, Xu Jicheng, Deputy Director of the Press and Communications Department of the Beijing 2022 and Wang Xiaotao, Deputy Director of National Development and Reform Committee were referenced.
If Beijing can improve their air quality, they may have a significant presentation for the Winter 2022 Olympics. The Olympics have nations compete at a higher level, both athletically, and politically.
Health disparities and equity issues were not addressed in this article.
The measured air quality indexes have been reported to have dropped by significant percentages from the previous year. PM 2.5 decreased by 19%, sulfur dioxide (43.1%), nitrogen dioxide (13.7%), and PM 10 (12.3%) (Air 2015).
Beijing competed with Altmaty, Kazakhstan for the bid (Air 2015).
Beijing was chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics (Piper 2015).
“Air quality improved in Beijing ahead of Olympic vote” 22 May 2015. Accessed 2 October 2015. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-05/22/c_134262110.htm
Piper, Ingrid, “Winter Olympics 2022: Beijing chosen to stage Games,” CNN, 31 July 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/31/sport/winter-olympics-2022-choices/__
Bangalore
Reddy, YM, “Bangalore ranks second in the list of cities with highest air pollution levels in India,” dnaindia.com, 4 May 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report-bangalore-ranks-second-in-the-list-of-cities-with-highest-air-pollution-levels-in-india-2083209__
“The survey found that the worst-affected children are those who commute in open air vehicles as they more exposed to dust particles in the air…. 86% of school children use open-air transport and only 14% use other mediums of transport in Bangalore.” This quote shows the everyday impact that air pollution has on the people in affected areas.
“Dr Vaman Acharya, chairman, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board said that reckless cutting of trees, rapid urbanization and above all, a dearth of environment-friendly laws are responsible for the rising levels of air pollution in the city.” This quote is a clear call for action from the Indian government. It should be noted that the article is shown without this line, unless one goes to the extended format.
The air pollution levels in Bangalore are too high and it has a significant impact on the citizens, especially schoolchildren, of the city. Lung health screening tests were done and showed that approximately 35% of India’s students had “bad” performance. Also, air pollution affects children who use open air transportation to school more acutely than those who do not. Of the children in Bangalore, 86% reported using open air transport.
Dr. Komarla Nagendra Prasad, a senior allergist, immunologist, and founder of the Bengaluru Allergy Centr was references for his knowledge on lung health screening tests (BAC 2015).
Dr. Vaman Acharya of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board was also referenced for his comment on irresponsible government actions and air pollution. He had been chairman of The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, but he resigned in July 2015, stating that it was “difficult” to work with the government (KSPCB 2015).
This article clearly calls for action to be taken on air pollution. The article is particularly cutting because it focuses on air pollution’s harmful effects on children.
Health disparities were addressed with the discussion of open air transportation. It was shown that open air transportation caused negative respiratory effects, and yet only 14% of children in Bangalore were able to get to school without it.
Further information on Dr. Komarla Nagendra Prasad was found. It was not mentioned in the article that he founded a center to research and address allergy and asthma concerns (BAC 2015).
Also, when the article was published, Dr. Vaman Acharya was director of the KSPCB, but he resigned about two months after the article was published. He resigned for personal reasons, though there is some doubt that he actually resigned due to pressure from allegations against him KSPCB 2015).
Allegations against Dr. Acharya included the government issuing a show cause notice, and that his board of directors was pressuring him to relax environmental laws. These allegations were denied by Acharya (Resigned 2015).
Bengaluru Allergy Center, Accessed 2 October 2015, __http://bangaloreallergycentre.com/__
“KSPCB chairman Vaman Acharya resigns,” The Hindu, 25 July 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015, __http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/kspcb-chairman-vaman-acharya-resigns/article7464124.ece__
“Resigned due to personal reasons:Vaman Acharya”, The Hindu, 26 July 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015, http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/resigned-due-to-personal-reasons-vaman-acharya/article7465985.ece
Houston
Shelly, Adrian, and Powis, Jen, “Finding the courage to fight air pollution,” Houston Chronicle, 31 August 2015. Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/Finding-the-courage-to-fight-air-pollution-6476847.php__
It should be noted that Shelley is the executive director of Air Alliance Houston and Powis is an environmental attorney.
“The city then adopted a basic ordinance empowering health officers to craft an air pollution abatement program to address those priority risks first. The ordinance didn't create any new rules that were stricter than existing state law; instead, it identified gaps and set priorities. This is basic governance: Start with low-hanging fruit and craft remedies that don't overburden the average taxpayer but which protect the average resident.” This shows how Houston seeks to remedy air pollution at an introductory level so that it may make an easier transition into action, and potentially, legislation.
“As Houston prepares to elect a new mayor, we ask that all candidates commit to vigorously defend Houston's right to hold Big Industry accountable under existing laws like the Texas Clean Air Act.” This quote shows the context of this article and the recent events that contributed to air pollution’s coverage in the media.
The main point of this article is that Houston needs to address air pollution concerns and the primary way of doing so is to elect a mayor who will take significant action. The article cites the BCCA Appeal Group Inc. lawsuit against the Texas Clean Air Act. The argument behind the lawsuit is that government cannot protect against air pollution. The article called mayoral candidates to form platforms that included regulation of basic public health concerns with air pollution and to regulate major environmental polluters.
BCCA Appeal Group Inc. is a very large trade group that has filed lawsuits against the city of Houston to stop enforcement of the Texas Clean Air Act, which would put more regulations on emissions and industrial pollutants.
Bill White was a former mayor of Houston who worked to create a basic structure for increased air pollution governance in the city.
University of Texas School of Public Health was called by the city of Houston to identify the biggest risks from air pollution.
Texas Supreme Court heard the case between the BCCA and the Houston city government on the city’s ability to enforce the Texas Clean Air Act.
The article implies that big business is fighting against cleaner air. Also, the article calls on the reader to be an informed voter in the mayoral elections.
Health disparities were not discussed in this article.
Further insight into the BCCA Appeal Group vs. City of Houston, TX case showed that the BCCA argued that the Texas Clean Air Act does not give the cities the authority to regulate air control, but rather gives more authority to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (BCCA 2015).
The written Texas Clean Air Act was cited, and it is easily accessible on the Internet. This can provide clarification in further research (Health 2015).
The University of Texas School of Public Health conducted research on high priority factors in air pollution. A report on the university’s findings was found (Bethel 2015).
“BCCA Appeal Group, Inc. v. City of Houston Texas”, U.S. Chamber Litigation Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.chamberlitigation.com/bcca-appeal-group-inc-v-city-houston-texas__
Health and Safety Code, Title 5, Subtitle C, Chapter 382. Subchapter A, Section 382.001. Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/HS/htm/HS.382.htm__
Bethel, Sexton, Linder, et. al., “A Closer Look at Air Pollution in Houston: Identifying Priority Health Risks,” Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www3.epa.gov/ttnchie1/conference/ei16/session6/bethel.pdf__
New York City
Harris, Richard, “The City Might Not Be To Blame For High Asthma Rates,” Northeast Public Radio, National Public Radio, 20 January 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015. __http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/01/20/378608279/the-inner-city-might-not-be-to-blame-for-high-asthma-rates__
"’Where we used to conflate inner city with poverty, now we're see even more concentrated poverty in suburban areas and smaller towns,’ Keet says.” Researchers are trying to separate different asthma triggers to better understand the disease, and poverty factors are more influential and frequent than just inner city living standards.
“Scientists really want to track down the root causes of asthma, so it's helpful to replace the vague observation about life in the inner city with more specific threats that can trigger asthma attacks.” Specific research into asthma is allowing scientists to make more accurate and pointed conclusions about what does and does not affect asthma, and to what extent.
The main finding of the article is that living in an inner city is not as big of a factor of the prevalence of asthma as once assumed. This is supported by research that inner city living makes little to no difference in asthma rates outside the northeastern United States. Also, showing that living factors like mold, cockroaches, secondhand smoke have a significant effect on health anywhere that they exist, not just in the inner city.
Dr. Corrine Keet is a pediatric allergist at John Hopkins Children’s Center who challenged assumptions about inner city living’s link to asthma to see if they applied nationwide. She and her team found that the assumptions did not apply nationwide.
Dr. Rosalind Wright is a professor of pediatrics at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. She argued that the factors of poor housing and poverty had a great effect on asthma. She does not believe that a handful of specific factors for asthma will be found.
The article implies that research into asthma should be reevaluated and that broad, sweeping judgements of the causes of asthma should be questioned and studied further. Also, the research findings call for action to solve issues of poverty to increase health.
Health disparities are cited often in this article. Lower quality housing, poverty, and harmful indoor environmental factors play heavily in asthma research, and the factor occur more in lower class communities.
The results of Keet’s research were found. The difference of asthma rates in inner-city areas and other areas were not significantly different when adjustments were made for differences within each sample (Keet 2015).
Dr. Wright researched specific factors and their effect on asthma rates, especially in children. For example, she studied exposure to allergens in early stages of life, and the differences of micronutrient intake in ethnic and socioeconomically diverse areas (Wright 2015).
The author, Richard Harris, was formerly a NPR reporter for climate change, but very recently (2014), he changed his focus to biomedical research (NPR 2015).
Keet, Corrine A., et. al, “Neighborhood poverty, urban residence, race/ethnicity, and asthma: Rethinking the inner-city asthma epidemic,” The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Vol. 135, Issue 3, Pages 655-662, 20 January 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015, __http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749%2814%2901676-5/abstract__
Rosaling Jo Wright, M.D., The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center, Accessed 2 October 2015, __https://connects.catalyst.harvard.edu/Profiles/display/Person/64408__
Richard Harris, npr.com, Accessed 2 October 2015, __http://www.npr.org/people/2100631/richard-harris__
Albany
Hughes, Clair, “SChenectady program helps people manage asthma,” Times Union, 26 May 2015, Accessed 2 October 2015. http://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/Schenectady-program-helps-people-manage-asthma-6285688.php
“The collaborative was launched six months ago to reduce asthma-related emergency room visits, which are higher in Schenectady County than the rest of upstate. In 2012, about 900 patients came to the Ellis emergency room because of asthma attacks, at a cost of $2 million, according to county health officials. Many of them were recipients of Medicaid, the taxpayer-supported program for low-income Americans.” This quote shows how a lack of urgent care clinics that can address asthma-related emergencies leads to increased emergency room visits, and a high cost of healthcare. Creating more urgent care facilities would be a positive form of governance to regulate health costs.
“The problem may be exacerbated in Schenectady by poverty and substandard living conditions in some neighborhoods, where homes may be moldy or infested with cockroaches or mice, one program manager said.” This quote shows specific problems in the capital district. This also supports the finding in the New York article.
This article shows how new initiatives are helping to solve the asthma epidemic, but they still need improvement. Two clinics have been set up in Schenectady County, but many people decide not to enroll in the programs. Many people only have the time/resources to treat asthma emergencies as they occur instead of having regular routines.
Ellis Hospital in Schenectady County provided data on how many people were visiting the emergency room for asthma related issues. Several people enrolled in the asthma remedy program were interviewed for the article. The New York State Health Foundation and MVP Health Care were mentioned for their support of the programs through donations.
The article suggests that there should be more funding for asthma prevention initiatives. If there were more, easily accessible urgent care centers, then more people could get the help they need without putting a major burden on their everyday lives.
Health disparities were mentioned in the context of having transportation to reach health care centers.
The Schenectady Foundation is active in governance because it donates money and funds efforts to support public health and community in Schenectady County (Schenectady 2015).
Ellis Hospital has an asthma education program (Ellis 2015).
An Ellis Medicine report stated that of the individuals who lacked access to care for chronic diseases, 29% were due to asthma (Community Service Plan).
Schenectady’s Community Foundation, Accessed 2 October 2015, __http://www.schenectadyfoundation.org/index/about-1.html__
Asthma Education Program, Accessed 2 October 2015, http://www.ellismedicine.org/services/asthma.aspx
Ellis Hospital Community Service Plain, 2010-2012, Accessed 2 October 2015, http://www.ellismedicine.org/pdf/CommunityServicePlan.pdf.