Oral

This session will discuss a broad range of environmental considerations and factors related to school siting. Presentations will range from general national information about EPA voluntary school siting guidelines now under development to research on specific school sites looking at building systems, proximity to traffic and neighborhood conditions that impact children’s health and their ability to learn.

Session Objectives: Explain the new federal voluntary guidelines under development and highlight resources for communities concerned about new or existing school sites. Describe the relationship between five school building systems, the general school building conditions and indoor air quality and asthma rates in children. Describe the relationship between exposure to vehicular air pollution and rates for asthma and asthma hospitalizations. Evaluate challenges of linking state-wide datasets collected separately for vital statistics, health surveillance, and education administration purposes as well as health and social service delivery.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)