260301 Using EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI) to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in older adults

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 9:18 AM - 9:30 AM

Susan Lyon Stone, MS , Health and Environmental Impacts Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC
Stephen Graham, PhD , Health and Environmental Impacts Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC
Zachary Pekar, PhD , Health and Environmental Impacts Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC
Carol Mansfield, PhD , Environmental Research Services, Research Triangle Institute International, Research Triangle Park, NC
Brooks Depro, PhD , Social, Statistical and Environmental Sciences, Research Triangle Institute International, Research Triangle Park, NC
Kristin Isaacs, PhD , National Exposure Research Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC
Thomas McCurdy, PhD , National Exposure Research Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC
Air pollutants, especially particulate matter, have been associated with cardiovascular morbidity, including hospital or ED visits for heart failure, cardiac dysrhythmia, myocardial infarction and stroke, as well as mortality. These cardiovascular effects occur primarily in older adults. EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI) is the nationally uniform U.S. index for informing the public about daily air quality and associated health risks if any. The AQI is forecast daily and also available in real-time air quality reports that include information about at-risk populations, potential health risks and exposure reduction measures. Information about the AQI, and related tools for healthcare providers and educators can be found on the AIRNow Website (http://www.airnow.gov). Many approaches have been used to evaluate the effectiveness of the AQI in reducing people's exposure to air pollution and morbidity effects. Several approaches will be presented, including: public awareness surveys; health surveys (e.g., the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey); population measures of exposure reduction; an activity diary study of behavior changes in asthmatic children; and epidemiological studies of asthma-related health measures. Results from the National-Scale Activity Survey will be presented, the first activity diary study to evaluate behavior changes in older adults in response to AQI advisories. This Web-panel study recruited 1600 adults in 9 urban areas; data collected includes initial activity screening, activity diaries and a follow-up survey of awareness of the AQI and behavior changes. The AQI will be identified as a tool in the Green Heart Campaign to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in older adults.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Communication and informatics
Environmental health sciences
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the Air Quality Index (AQI) and related tools. 2. Compare studies that have measured the effectiveness of the index in modifying behavior in various age groups. 3. Explain the new results of the National-Scale Activity Survey (N-SAS) that uses activity diaries to evaluate the effectiveness of the AQI in reducing exposures in older adults. 4. Identify how the AQI can be used in the Green Heart Campaign to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in older adults.

Keywords: Behavior Modification, Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was the co-lead for the National Scale Activity Survey (N-SAS) and I am a member of the analysis team. I am a Senior Environmental Health Scientist at the US EPA and the Air Quality Index Team Leader.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.