According to the AIRNow.gov website,
the overall air conditions for the United States ranged from good to moderate. On
April 29th, 2013 most of the central, east, and west areas of the
U.S. had an air quality considered good while the Midwest had an air quality
considered moderate. On the website good air quality (0-51) on the Air
Quality Index (AQI) is considered satisfactory and air pollution poses little
or no risk. Moderate (51-100) is acceptable air quality, however in a very
small number of people who are unusually sensitive to pollution there is a
moderate health concern. Overall, the greater the number on the AQI means a
greater level of pollution, directly correlating health concerns. As I looked closer into
Wisconsin’s air quality, it was categorized as “moderate.” Today, the state was
colored yellow to demonstrate a moderate risk for health concerns; those who
are unusually sensitive to air pollutants
may experience some side health effects.
The other categories a state may
be categorized as are as follows. Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150) is when
the general public will usually not be affected. Unhealthy (151-200) is where
everyone may begin to experience health effects and those that are sensitive experience
more serious health effects. Very Unhealthy (201-300) is when everyone is
experiencing more serious health effects. Hazardous (301-500) is the worst and health
warnings are sent out for emergency conditions; the entire population likely to
be effected.
This site was very user friendly,
and I had no trouble navigating to find information. What a parent/caregiver
can do as far as using this site is to click on the state of location or type
in the zip code to pull up current city. For example, if a parent was taking
care of their children in Eau Claire, today would show them that today is “good,”
but tomorrow has a predicted index as “moderate.” If a child were unusually
sensitive to air pollutants, parents/caregivers could plan out appropriate activities
and administer PRN allergy medication as necessary. There is also a Parents
Reference Page and a Teacher Reference page that breaks down the AQI for kids. Children are a vulnerable population and often feel the direct effects from air pollution. Because children
are developing and often play outside, it is important that they understand what is going on as well. The site explains AQI intended for
children from K-1st grade by differentiating the levels by colors.
As children get older, it will be easier for them to communicate how they
are feeling and understand why by looking at the “color” for today. There are also games and quizzes available to test children's knowledge on air quality.
When I first visited the
airnow.gov website, one of the things that stood out to me the most was how one
state’s air quality could be completely different from another. For example, today April 29th,
2013 showed Minnesota’s AQI forecast as “good,” but as soon as I looked
over at Wisconsin, the AQI was “moderate.” After I analyzed Minnesota a little
more closely, the AQI forecast for today and tomorrow including highs/lows does
not reach higher than a 38 on the AQI. On the other hand, Wisconsin showed a “moderate”
warning for today and tomorrow with a high of 70 in Green Bay. I thought this was interesting because Minnesota is
a large state and all the cities are at little to no health risk.
Wisconsin shows risk to those unusually sensitive to air pollution. I wonder
what factors may contribute to the differences between these two neighboring
states. Population density and location by Lake Superior and Lake Michigan are
two factors that may affect Wisconsin’s pollution level along with the increase
in temperature.
References
AIRNow. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/airnow/index.html.
Wow, this website is really useful! I did not realize how closely our air quality is being monitored. What strikes my interest most is wondering how accurate/useful monitoring pollution levels really are. With a further look into the information the website provides, I found a page called “Risk Assessment for Toxic Air Pollutants: A Citizen’s Guide”. This page was really helpful for me to find out how risk assessment is determined and what health risks are related to the air pollutants we breathe in. There are four parts included to make a critical risk assessment; Hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response, and risk characterization (EPA, 2012). It is known that pollution has an effect on our health, however exactly how much of an effect and at what levels remains undetermined. It is the thought from the website that although risks can be estimated, nothing is certain on how harmful pollutants are on human cells. Without quite understanding the extent of which pollution levels have on diverse health issues, it’s safest to be aware and avoid circumstances that involve highly polluted areas. This websites pollution estimate, however accurate, is useful in providing conscience awareness to the public on how polluted their city is. I believe with the included health risks, this information is useful to hopefully make people think and wonder about new ways to help reduce air pollution to protect the environment we live in. As nurses we can be aware of these sources of information to direct our patients if they wish to seek additional information about the air they breathe.
ReplyDelete(2012). Technology transfer network air toxics web site. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/3_90_024.html
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ReplyDeleteGreat post! I really enjoyed looking at the website you introduced us to. The information is easily understood and the website is easy to maneuver through. The interactive map is a great that provides reports about air quality and the corresponding level of health concern for specific locations. Individuals can check on the air quality in their city or another if they plan on traveling. I think it is beneficial that the website breaks down each category of health concern and states which populations will be most affected. This allows people to be aware of how the day’s level of air quality will affect them individually and they can plan accordingly.
ReplyDeleteThis website could be used by a number of different populations. Those in the general public, without any respiratory issues, can use this website to be aware of the quality of the air across the US. By providing people with access to this information it may help promote environmentally conscious behaviors. Those with respiratory issues will surely find the website to be extremely beneficial. By having information about the level of air quality they can plan their days accordingly, either by staying inside on days where the level of health concern is high, or by being prepared and proactive with medications. Older adults need to be aware of air quality levels so they can avoid exacerbations of current health problems. According to the website air pollution can aggravate diseases such as heart disease and stroke, lung issues such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. Parents should also be aware of air quality and how this may affect their child, especially those with respiratory issues like asthma. Children often play outside, either during recess, after school or when participating in outdoor sporting events. When they are outside they are usually moving around a lot and are at a higher level of activity than when inside. This increase in activity level increases the amount of air being inspired and therefore the amount of air pollution they are breathing in. By being aware of the harm that air pollution can have on a child’s respiratory system the parent can take preventative steps to avoid problems.
As nurses it is our job to educate patients with the most useful information in an attempt to help them live life to their fullest potential. We can inform patients of this website, show them how to use it and instruct them how to use this knowledge in every day life. Parents with children who are easily affected by air pollutants should have knowledge of these types of sites so they can be better prepared. Having a proactive attitude may help to decrease episodes of respiratory distress and help the child live a more normal life. When taking the time to medicate prior to exposure the child can still go outside and play without experiencing debilitating side effects. Older adults with respiratory issues can also be better prepared when they have information about air quality. Another part of this website that I feel could be used by nurses were the print-off fact sheets. Informative print offs are great tools that could be utilized by nurses for patient education. Hospital and clinic settings can be extremely stressful environments, which do not facilitate learning. Patients and families have a lot on their minds and they may have trouble focusing on educational topics. As a nurse this can be frustrating because it is our job to educate the patient and we need to make sure they understand the information before we are able to discharge them. If education is unsuccessful it is likely that the patient will return to the hospital or clinic with the same problem that brought them their in the first place. Fact sheets, such as these from the website, could be a way to aid in teaching patients. Providing written instructions and facts is a great way for patients to learn and also be able to look back if they have forgotten information provided by the nurse in person.
According to the natural resources defense council, over 20 million Americans suffer from asthma in the United States (2005). It is important for people with this disease to monitor aggravating factors in order to keep their attacks under control. Poor air quality has been shown to positively correlate with the incidence of asthma attacks. Many harmful components of the air can cause exasperations including: ground level ozone, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxide. These substances are introduced to the environment by burning fossil fuels to create energy or move our vehicles.
ReplyDeleteWith all of this said I agree that it is important for those with asthma to monitor the air quality to avoid exasperations but also healthy individuals because these toxins can harm anyone’s respiratory systems in high enough concentrations. As nurses we should inform our patients of the importance of air quality and staying inside during severely poor quality days. We also can improve the situation by lobbying for legislation that requires stricter control of emissions and for those that aim at improving environmental health. Our patients are only as healthy as the environment they live in. Great post!
Natural Resources Defense Council (2005). Asthma and air pollution. Retrieved from http://www.nrdc .org/health/effects/fasthma.asp
Nice website! I found this to be very interesting especially when talking about asthma. The air quality is very important to everyone, but especially for people with asthma or other similar health conditions. Through doing the community assessment paper my group looked into the air quality and how it is monitored. I think it is necessary the air quality be monitored, but how close are people really looking at it. I found it interesting how Minnesota and Wisconsin could be in different categories when they are neighboring states.
ReplyDeleteI liked how user-friendly the site was though. It was very informative and helps an everyday person understand what they are doing and what the air quality is in their area. I agree that parents and caregivers could utilize this site if they were caring for a child that was vulnerable. I thought it was pretty neat that there were games and quizzes for children to test their knowledge on air quality. Anytime when there are games involved or a little competition, children are more motivated to learn and will gain more from it.
Very interesting website and information!
ReplyDeleteI can honestly say that I have never ever looked or paid attention to air quality. The most I do is look at the daily weather! Having now browsed through the information on this website, I can say that I am beginning to understand why it is important to monitor, especially with health concerns in mind for us and the environment. Maintaining air quality helps prevent and improve respiratory conditions! The solution is so simple to improving air quality, yet it seems that people still do not take the active measures to decrease the amount of air pollution. I honestly do not think air quality is something that many people are aware of or don’t fully understand the implications. As usual, this would be a great place for a public health nurse to jump in and be an advocate and educator.
This website is easy to navigate comprehend, which is great for users. I really liked how they had different tabs for different populations such as older adults, teachers, students ect. It was also cool that they provided additional resources like movies for those who have a different learning style or those who would like more information. Thy even had a “What You Can Do” tab that encourages users to be proactive and take initiative to promoting a healthy and sustainable environment.
AIRNow. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/airnow/index.html.
Interesting post Amber! This topic hits close to home for me as my husband suffers from a range of allergies and chronically takes Zyrtec year round. I can always tell when the weather is changing as he starts to sneeze, cough, itch, and get a runny nose. His allergies aren’t as life threatening as asthma which can also be affected by the environmental changes. Which made me wonder, is there a "best area to live" where the environment would be more allergy and asthma friendly?
ReplyDeleteSearching on the AIRNow site, the FAQ section addressed a question on "Which cities have the best or worst air quality?" The question states that "there are many factors that affect air quality in the area and these factors are always changing with time, weather, and other circumstances. Therefore, EPA prefers not to rank cities as "best" or "worst" (2010). However, the EPA has a tool that allows you to compare the number of unhealthy air quality index days in various areas, called AirCompare.
Looking at the Number of Unhealthy Days in 2011 in Wisconsin for Asthma or Other Lung Disease, Oneida County has the highest number of unhealthy days by far, reporting 39. Coming in second and third, Brown and Sheboygan County both reported 9, respectively. The other reporting counties include: Kenosha (7), Manitowoc, Ozaukee, and Racine (4), Door and Milwaukee (3), Dodge and Fond du Lac (2), and Dane, Kewaunee, and Outagamie (1).
I was proud to see that Eau Claire and Wood County contained zero unhealthy days. Individuals and families of those affected by asthma can use resources such as these to help locate an environment where less adverse health effect may happen.
References
AIRNow. (2010). Frequently asked questions. Retrieved from http://airnow.supportportal.com/link/
portal/23002/23002/Article/24535/Which-cities-have-the-best-or-worst-air-quality
AIRNow. (2011). State summaries. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/cgi-bin/broker?_service=
aircomp&_debug=0&_program=dataprog.wcj_bycompare_state.sas&geocode=55%2027%2017&condition=lung