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Author Archive for Community Engagement Core

STEER Researcher Annie Huang examines effects of BPA exposure in mothers on male offspring

Posted by Community Engagement Core 
· Wednesday, March 31st, 2021 
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My name is Annie Huang and I’m a rising junior at Brown University studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. I’m interested in environmental health exposures and environmental toxicology relating to intergenerational effects. This summer I’ve expanded my knowledge of doing pathway analysis, reading through journal articles, and writing a scientific report. 

What is your summer research project?

This summer I worked with great mentorship from Dr. Yu-chin Lien and Dr. Rebecca Simmons on a project analyzing the intergenerational impact of Lower and Higher BPA exposure in pancreatic islets cells of male offspring. I analyzed RNA seq data in a software called Ingenuity Pathway Analysis that outputs significant upstream regulators and pathways that were activated and inhibited. 

Previously, a post-doctoral researcher in the lab Dr. Amita Bansal designed an experiment where mothers were exposed to BPA throughout pregnancy where male F1 offspring showed decrease in insulin secretion, increased body fat percentage, and impaired glucose tolerance. She found several mechanisms responsible for the effects of decreased insulin secretion in pancreatic islet cells from lower and higher exposure of BPA in male offspring. However, there were still pathways and upstream regulators that were unknown in their role of mediating decreased insulin secretion. Thus, I found that a novel pathway, ER stress in the pancreatic beta-cells, that could be responsible for the phenotypes from higher exposure of BPA. 

What are the implications of your research?

A NHANES Study from 2004 found that 93% of the study’s participants had BPA in their urine sample and that urinary levels of BPA exposure are correlated to Type 2 Diabetes risk. Because of the widespread usage of and exposure to BPA, and that BPA has a non monotonic dose response curve, meaning that there is a nonlinear relationship between exposure and response, it is imperative to understand the unique mechanisms of lower and higher exposure to BPA as it relates to pancreatic islet cells and insulin secretion.

This research project could inform on better regulation of BPA levels, as well as better understanding mechanisms behind general pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction from Type 2 Diabetes.

What new skills have you gained through your research?

I have learned a vast array of knowledge in environmental health this summer from the public health perspective of environmental health to the wet lab and toxicology work. My previous experiences in environmental health have been mostly through environmental activism and coursework, so it was really exciting to combine my interest in biochemistry with environmental exposure research this summer. I have gained skills in the more dry lab aspect of research, such as understanding and analyzing RNA sequencing, using IPA Software, and reading numerous journal articles and reviews to write a scientific paper on my project. Presenting my work to the STEER community at the end of the summer also allowed me to hone my skills in scientific communication. Overall, from the various field trips, lectures, and my research project, I have enhanced my understanding of ways to better address environmental health issues through a combined policy and science perspective.

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Categories : COEC Blog

STEER Researcher Andrea Lewis examines the associations of Trihalomethane exposure with cervicovaginal microbiota and immune status

Posted by Community Engagement Core 
· Monday, March 8th, 2021 
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My name is Andrea Lewis. I am a recent graduate of West Chester University with a major in Environmental Health and minor in Health Education. The focus of my research in the STEER program stemmed from a previous research project in my field of interest, water quality as it relates to human health. In the Spring of 2019, I completed my first undergraduate research project to determine if extreme climate events, particularly heavy rainfall, have an association with disease prevalence in Philadelphia, PA. This summer I worked with Dr. Heather Burris investigating a possible association between the concentrations of chlorine disinfectant byproducts in the Philadelphia municipal water supply and the prevalence of preterm birth. These byproducts’ effects on human health and the significant associations between racial and ethnic disparities among Philadelphian citizens have made the social and environmental implications of this research highly relevant. 

What is your summer research project?

This summer, my project focused on understanding the associations between preterm birth rates in Philadelphia, PA and the city’s water supply concentrations of Trihalomethanes (THMs), a chlorine disinfectant byproduct. The research was conducted using data from a Penn Medicine prospectively enrolled pregnancy cohort and Philadelphia Water Department’s monthly data on Trihalomethane concentrations. My mentor, Dr. Heather Burris, and I created personal exposure profiles for each woman in the cohort dependent on the woman’s zip code of residence and the date of an immune test that was performed before preterm birth occurred. With this, we were able to create spatiotemporal variance to determine if THM levels had an effect on women’s immune states, specifically cervicovaginal microbiota and beta defensin levels, and in term preterm birth rates in Philadelphia between 2013-2017. 

What are the implications of your research?

Counter to our hypothesis, we did not detect strong associations between THM levels and cervicovaginal microbiota or beta defensin levels. We did however find significant associations between cervicovaginal immune states and a woman’s race as black women have a 50% higher risk of preterm birth than white women. This is likely due to the co-exposures of social and environmental factors that differ by race due to structural factors like medical bias and residential segregation. This together with Trihalomethanes may alter the immune state. 

What new skills have you gained through your research?

My work as part of the fully remote STEER program this summer has opened my eyes to the many researched opportunities that are available with the open data accessible online. I have always taken an interest in environmental toxicology, but through creating personal profiles for each woman in the biomedical prospective cohort, I learned the intricacies of integrating environmental exposure data with personal information. The STEER program has enriched my research experience and I am so grateful to have worked with and learned from so many great researchers while in it.

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Categories : COEC Blog

Celebrating Local Environmental Justice Heroes: Earl Wilson, Eastwick Friends and Neighbors Coalition

Posted by Community Engagement Core 
· Monday, February 22nd, 2021 
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In the second part of our series on local environmental justice heroes, we are celebrating the dedicated work of Earl Wilson in Eastwick, Philadelphia. When Mr. Wilson moved to Eastwick in 1978, he had no idea then that he was buying a home near the former Clearview Landfill, a dump laced with toxic materials. Now, Mr. Wilson is the president of Eastwick Friends & Neighbors Coalition (EFNC) and is actively involved in the community trying to ensure that Eastwick is a safe, healthy place to live for generations to come. 

Eastwick, a neighborhood in Southwest Philadelphia, borders the Clearview Landfill. This landfill operated from the 1950s to the 1970s and accepted municipal, demolition and hospital wastes. Waste disposal practices contaminated soil, groundwater, and fish tissue with hazardous chemicals. The Clearview Landfill and the Folcroft Landfill, located in Delaware County, make up the Lower Darby Creek Area superfund site. Eastwick residents believe that their area has increased cancer rates due to their environmental exposures. Many citizens also suffer from asthma and pulmonary related diseases. 

Since 2014, EFNC has been working to bring together community stakeholders in planning and advocating for an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable future for Eastwick. EFNC is made up of individuals from many groups, including the Sierra Club, Delaware River Keepers, the Darby Creek Valley Association, and more. EFNC brings these groups together to improve the regional watershed. EFNC works with the Eastwick Lower Darby Creek Area (ELDCA) Community Advisory Group (CAG), which was established to inform residents about Clearview Landfill clean up and provide opportunity to voice concerns and provide input to the process. At the leadership of Mr. Wilson, EFNC works with the EPA to make sure that there is accurate, up-to-date information shared with the community about the status of the landfill cleanup. 

The landfill is not the only environmental concern Mr. Wilson and the EFNC are involved with. Flooding is also a major issue for Eastwick. In August 2020, Hurricane Isaias brought 4 feet of flood waters to Eastwick, the lowest point in Philadelphia. It is estimated that 100 families were displaced due to flooding in their homes. EFNC is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study how Eastwick and the Heinz Refuge could be protected from flooding of neighboring creeks and rivers.  

Mr. Wilson’s commitment to community engagement has made Eastwick a more involved, interactive community. Through Mr. Wilson’s leadership, Eastwick residents play a major role in the decision making process of development in their community, an important step to address environmental injustice.

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Categories : Uncategorized

Celebrating Local Environmental Justice Heroes: Dr. Horace Strand, Chester Environmental Partnership

Posted by Community Engagement Core 
· Friday, February 19th, 2021 
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Strand Photo 3 - CEP Website.jpg


This post marks the beginning of our series on local environmental justice heroes. The individuals highlighted in this series are leaders in their communities and champions for environmental justice. Their activism and leadership have led to positive change in their community.

Dr. Horace Strand has been working to bring environmental justice to Chester for over 30 years. Chester, a small city just south of Philadelphia, has been identified as one of the nation’s worst cases of environmental racism. The population in Chester is 74% Black, with 33% of the population living below the poverty line and is home to an unprecedented number of industrial polluting facilities, including a trash incinerator, a sewage treatment plant, oil refineries, and more. There are 11 industries that emit carcinogens in Chester; some emitting tens of thousands of pounds of carcinogens every year.

In 1992, Dr. Strand was one of the founders of the Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living (CRCQL) to address clustering of environmentally unsafe facilities within the community. CRCQL provided testimony to EPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) concerning adverse environmental conditions in Chester and in 1996, filed a lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). CRCQL blocked the permitting of new hazardous waste facilities in Chester and in doing so became a national figure in the suit Chester v Seif, PA DEP that went to the US Supreme Court, firmly establishing Chester as an Environmental Justice Community.

In 2005, Dr. Strand founded the Chester Environmental Partnership (CEP). This faith-based organization consists of a coalition of local, state, and federal government officials, academia and student representation, profit and non-profit organizations, and community and faith-based leadership.  The CEP addresses zoning, land use, permitting, environmental health and environmental health risk intervention, smart growth, and partnerships to improve the quality of life and safety of residents. The CEP meets with local industry partners to discuss renewal and new permits, new and best management technology, job growth and economic development in the city, county, and state. Dr. Strand works to ensure that the voice of Chester residents are always heard.

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Categories : COEC Blog

STEER Researcher Alina Mizrahi studies how dietary lead affects cognition in children

Posted by Community Engagement Core 
· Monday, February 1st, 2021 
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My name is Alina Mizrahi, and I am originally from Mexico City. I am a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Cognitive Science and Political Science. Through the STEER program, I worked with Dr. Jianghong Liu to determine the effects of the lead-related dietary pattern on cognition (measured as IQ). 

What is your summer research project?

Using data from a cohort in Jintan, China, Dr. Liu uses longitudinal data to understand the effects that lead can have on children’s development. Among other things, Dr. Liu is working to understand how dietary lead can affect cognitive outcomes in school children. This summer, I analyzed the existing literature regarding both the relationship between dietary patterns and cognition and the link between lead and cognitive functioning in children. In our manuscript we describe how we found an association between lead-related dietary pattern and IQ scores. I also drafted a poster that will be presented at the conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology.

What are the implications of your research?

Lead is prevalent in our environment. Sources of lead exposure are often due to human activities. In the United States it comes mainly from materials such as paint, caulking, and pipe solde in older homes. In China, lead exposure is more often related to air pollution. Whatever the source of exposure, lead is a neurotoxin that can affect neurocognitive development in children. It is important to understand the mechanisms by which lead can have a negative impact on IQ in order to assuage the problem. Through my research, we know more about how dietary lead can affect cognition. This offers insight into a preventative measure, diet monitoring,  that could help mitigate the effects of lead exposure. 

What new skills have you gained through your research?

The STEER program this year was entirely remote, but I had the opportunity to gain new research skills. First, I learned how to conduct a literature synthesis to look for gaps in the existing scholarship. I also learned to write a manuscript that has the potential to be published in a journal. By working with Dr. Liu, I was exposed to the process of submitting articles and posters for publication and presentation, which was very exciting.

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Categories : COEC Blog

Meet CEET Director Trevor M. Penning, Ph.D.

Posted by Community Engagement Core 
· Wednesday, January 20th, 2021 
· No Comments

Dr. Trevor Penning, the Thelma Brown and Henry Charles Molinoff Professor of Pharmacology, is a professor of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics at the University of Pennsylvania and has been the Director of the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET) since its founding in 2006. He formulated the strategic vision of the CEET from its inception and built the environmental health science identity of the CEET at the University, regional, and national level. 

As Director of the CEET, Dr. Penning has focused the center’s research around the connections between human disease and environmental exposures and emphasized the importance of using this research to mitigate health impacts on vulnerable communities both locally and globally.

Throughout his time as Director, Dr. Penning has focused his research on the connections between human health and anthropogenic pollution. Air pollution is responsible for more than 200,000 deaths globally each year and has been identified as a known human carcinogen by the World Health Organization. 

Most recently, his research has been focused on the effects of air pollution from a cancer perspective. This research involves examining the components of air pollutants to determine how they may cause cancer in humans. One of the major classes of pollutants Dr. Penning and his team are currently studying is polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are a class of chemicals that are produced when coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, and tobacco are burned. PAHs generated from these sources can bind to or form small particles in the air. These particles can be small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs, including cells that get transformed as a result of lung cancer. 

Dr. Penning’s research team has been working to uncover the mechanism by which PAHs are activated. The particular compounds his team are working with are found in diesel exhaust. Diesel exhaust is classified as a Group 1 human carcinogen by the WHO, and because of this these are compounds of great concern. Limiting exposure to diesel exhaust and PAHs is one strategy to limit risk of lung cancer and other negative health effects.

With this research, Dr. Penning and his team are hoping to be able to identify populations most at risk for exposure to PAHs and then also understand how the genes involved in the activation of these compounds differ in exposure groups. To do this, they must first identify the genes involved in the activation at PAHs, which is no easy task. In doing this, they will be able to analyze how chronic exposure to these carcinogens impact susceptibility and, further, how mutations in these genes could potentially increase or decrease susceptibility to these compounds.

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Categories : COEC Blog

STEER Researcher Anna Bushong investigates health implications of hydraulic fracturing in Pennsylvania

Posted by Community Engagement Core 
· Wednesday, January 6th, 2021 
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My name is Anna Bushong and I am from Jacksonville, Florida. I am a rising senior attending Centre College and I am double majoring in Biology & Environmental Studies. This summer I worked with Dr. Field to investigate the public health implications of hydraulic fracturing in Pennsylvania.

What is your summer research project?

My summer research project focused on investigating the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and asthma using only publicly available data. My project consisted of two main components: (1) replicating a study that used private patient data to establish a correlation between asthma exacerbation and hydraulic fracturing using only publicly available, and (2) designing a study that would best address this research question using the available public data. I conducted statistical analysis, predominantly multiple linear regression, to evaluate whether there was a significant association between asthma hospitalization and hydraulic fracturing. I also used R studio to create maps pertinent to fracking in Pennsylvania.

What are the implications of your research?

If passed, the EPA’s proposed ‘secret science’ rule would strictly limit the use of studies that rely on private data to inform environmental regulatory action. This could have major implications on the strength of future environmental regulations since a vast number of high-quality environmental health studies depend upon private patient information. Therefore, more scientific research focused on using public data is vital not only to examine the reproducibility of the results of literature based on private data, but to ensure there is a body of quality scientific work using public data that illustrates correlations informing of potential environmental health risks. If this ‘secret science’ rule were to pass, not having readily permissible environmental health studies on fracking to inform ongoing discussions surrounding regulatory action could leave vulnerable Pennsylvanians at risk.

What new skills have you gained through your research?

Through engaged mentorship offered by the STEER program, I have had the opportunity to gain valuable research skills. This summer has been my first in-depth research experience, so I have gained experience in how to formulate and persistently tackle a research question and, specifically, design a study using public data. Through this project, I have also had the opportunity to significantly improve my skills in applied statistics. I have built upon my programming knowledge in R, experience in data analysis, and gained exposure to data visualization techniques in QGIS and R. Additionally, because the 2020 STEER program took place remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I had the opportunity to learn how to effectively collaborate, give formal presentations, and develop professional interpersonal relationships completely through a virtual format.

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Categories : COEC Blog

STEER researcher Alexandra Rizaldi investigates neighborhood characteristics associated with COVID-19 in Philadelphia

Posted by Community Engagement Core 
· Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020 
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My name is Alex Rizaldi, and I am from Chadds Ford, PA (a Philadelphia suburb). I am a rising sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania studying biology on the pre-med track. As my first research experience and my first in-depth exposure to the environmental health field, STEER has been monumental in helping me determine my academic and career paths. This summer, under the mentorship of Dr. Blanca Himes, I have been investigating neighborhood characteristics that may be associated with COVID-19 in Philadelphia.


What is your summer research project?

COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has infected 5.3 million Americans and over 30,000 Philadelphians as of August 17, 2020. What is unique about COVID-19 is that it affects people in a variety of ways; those who test positive may have no symptoms, suffer from nausea or loss of smell, or unfortunately experience severe outcomes like hospitalization or death. However, what is not unique about COVID-19 is that racial and socioeconomic disparities have been reported, with minority and low-income populations being disproportionately affected by the disease. With all of this in mind, there were two goals of my research. First, I wanted to see

what areas in Philadelphia have worse COVID-19 outcomes (positivity, testing rate, hospitalization rate, death rate) compared to others. Second, I wanted to see what neighborhood characteristics (prevalence of medical conditions like asthma, health behaviors like smoking, socioeconomic status, demographics) may be associated with the areas of worse COVID-19 outcomes. Using public data sources including the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and the Public Health Management Corporation, I calculated zip code-level metrics to visualize and analyze in R. For these metrics, I also excluded COVID-19 cases and deaths attributed to nursing homes and prisons, as disease transmission in those congregate living facilities do not accurately reflect community spread in the underlying population. From my preliminary analysis using bivariate and lasso regressions, educational attainment and household size seem to be most associated with COVID-19 outcomes. However, I plan to conduct additional analysis and expand into surrounding counties in Southeast Pennsylvania to further investigate and validate these associations.

Maps showing COVID-19 positive test rates (left) and percent of adults with graduate education (right) by zip code in Philadelphia.

What are the implications of your research?

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of our healthcare system and has emphasized the need to prioritize public health. This type of epidemiology and health disparities research is vital in informing policy decisions that are rooted in science and accurately portray the needs of the community. By identifying subsets of the Philadelphia population that are being disproportionately affected by COVID-19, in addition to the neighborhood characteristics associated with specific COVID-19 outcomes, the city will be able to efficiently address specific populations that require greater access to testing, health care, and education.

What new skills have you gained through your research?

Conducting an independent project from start to finish has been incredibly valuable in immersing myself in the research process—from developing a research question, to manipulating (and learning the limitations of) public data, to writing and presenting my results. I have gained proficiency in QGIS and primarily R programming, specifically in data manipulation, geocoding, data visualization, and regression analysis. This experience has also helped me develop my leadership and communication skills and build relationships with guest lecturers, program directors, and fellow interns despite the fully virtual format.

A less concrete, but equally important, skill that I have gained this summer is an awareness of the intersection between clinical work, policy, research. Through my research this summer, I have been able to translate the health disparities I have observed as a campus EMT, COVID-19 response volunteer, and free clinic intake worker to the neighborhood-level research and mapping I have done for Philadelphia. And more importantly, now I will always consider the social determinants of health and environmental exposures of the patients I encounter in my clinical work. With all of these new insights and a reaffirmed desire to pursue a career in the medical field, I am very excited to continue with my research with the Himes Lab following the STEER program end.

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Categories : COEC Blog

STEER Researcher Swapnika Alahari examines the extensive effects of lead exposure on children’s developmental behavior

Posted by Community Engagement Core 
· Friday, October 30th, 2020 
· No Comments

My name is Swapnika Alahari and I am from Dallas, Texas originally; however, now I live in Miami, FL and will be a rising senior at the University of Miami studying Microbiology and Immunology. This summer, I tackled the effects of lead toxicity in community children under the mentorship of Dr. Jianghong Liu. STEER has been my first research experience in environmental health.

What is your summer research project?

In modern society, the effects of environmental hazards are being studied more in an effort to increase regulation. Specifically, in Philadelphia lead toxicity has been a huge issue for many populations across various socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic boundaries. The pervasive nature of lead in paint, piping, household dust, and other sources makes it hard to eliminate completely; however, as research continues, it becomes increasingly apparent that lead is toxic even at very low levels (≤5μg/dL). Furthermore, once in the body, lead is difficult to remove. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hospitalization and chelation therapy, designed to eliminate lead through insoluble complexes, is only available at lead levels greater than 45μg/dL – well above the toxic limit that research shows. This preexisting information set the tone for my research this summer. The aims I had were twofold: establish preventative factors for lead exposure and show the effects of low-lead exposure on children. 

Using cohort samples from Jintan, China, we conducted a study into the effects of children’s dietary patterns on blood lead levels and helped identify protective food factors in dietary lead exposure. I conducted a literature synthesis and review on why our ‘healthy’ dietary pattern, consisting of fruits, vegetables, milk, and cereals, was inversely correlated with blood lead levels; while the ‘snack and drink’ dietary pattern, consisting of fast food, sweets, and soft drinks, was positively correlated with blood lead levels. In creating presentations and a manuscript for this project, I discussed the synergy between various dietary factors and the in vitro implications they have on lead absorption. 

Secondly, using data from the same cohort of adolescents in a different study, we identified the correlation between low-level environmental lead exposure and children’s aggressive behavior. Specifically, we looked at the impact of gender on types of aggression and lead levels on types of aggression. In creating a manuscript for this project, I looked to explain the reasoning behind why boys showed greater proactive and total aggression compared to girls and why lower-lead levels impacted boys aggression at greater levels.

What are the implications of your research?

While I continue to work on the scientific manuscripts for both projects, these pieces of literature will add to the growing evidence that the acceptable standard level of lead in children needs to be dropped. To this end, I have worked to create a brochure that details the impacts of dietary factors and patterns on blood lead levels. Specifically, I hope to make this pertinent information accessible to all populations in Philadelphia. Through the Perelman School of Medicine, Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, and the National Institutes of Health, I have been able to make an informational guide that is now available to print and use across Philly. In doing this, I look to make the lay public aware of issues that can continue to affect them and how to practice healthy habits. 

What new skills have you gained through your research?

While previously I focused mainly on wet lab benchwork and molecular pathways, this summer I was introduced to the world of epidemiology and the dynamic impact it has on human health. Honestly, I was enamored with this field of study right off the bat and I look to immerse myself in further translational work moving forward. This introduction to epidemiology and the unique time period we are currently in makes it easy for me to learn new skills that are applicable virtually. As such, I really expanded on my skills in scholarly writing, literature synthesis, outreach and accessibility, and understanding how to combat environmental injustice. These are tools I look to take forward in my practice of medicine and public policy.

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Categories : COEC Blog, Uncategorized

A Look at Children’s Environmental Health in Philadelphia

Posted by Community Engagement Core 
· Thursday, October 8th, 2020 
· No Comments

Today we celebrate the 5th annual Children’s Environmental Health Day. Children’s Environmental Health Day serves as an opportunity to reflect on the progress Philadelphia has made in addressing environmental threats that face children in our region. Through the determined work of local non-profits, government agencies, and universities, Philadelphia has taken major steps to reduce childhood lead-poisoning and childhood asthma through initiatives targeted to improve the home environment. However, gaps in protection remain and action still needs to be taken to protect Philadelphia children from environmental hazards. Due to aging infrastructure and inadequate maintenance, Philadelphia schools have remained a health hazard to the children that attend them. Improving the school environment must be a priority for Philadelphia moving forward.

COMBATING CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING THROUGH RENTAL LAWS
Lead poisoning of young children remains a major issue in Philadelphia. In 2018, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health identified 1,568 new cases of elevated blood lead levels among children less than 6 years. As an old, industrial city, Philadelphia is burdened with many sources of lead in the environment, including lead from lead-based paint, found in buildings built before 1978, lead in drinking water, due to lead service lines, and lead in soil, due to the former use of lead in gasoline and past industrial sites.

Children in Philadelphia are exposed to lead primarily through lead-based paint found in their homes, nearly 90% of which were built before 1978, when lead-based paint was banned. These older housing units built before lead-based paint was banned is strongly associated with elevated blood lead levels in children. Poverty can be associated with dilapidated housing conditions, a risk factor for elevated blood lead levels. The highest rates of elevated blood lead levels are found in North and West Philadelphia, the most economically disadvantaged regions of Philadelphia.

Source: PDPH

There is no safe level of lead exposure, especially for infants and young children. Lead poisoning can cause irreversible damage, including lower IQ and lifelong learning and behavioral problems.

One of the most significant actions taken to protect Philadelphia children from lead in their homes was the passing of the Rental Property Lead Certification Law in September 2019. This law requires all landlords to test and certify their rental properties as lead-safe or lead-free.

The successful passage of the Rental Property Lead Certification bill was largely due to the unrelenting support from Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown and activism from many local organizations, most notably Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY). The 2019 Rental Property Lead Certification Law went into effect on October 1, 2020. This monumental bill will work to protect Philadelphia children from the dangers of lead paint in rental homes as long as it is enforced. There is still much work to do to ensure children in owned homes are safe.

ADDRESSING CHILDHOOD ASTHMA IN THE HOME
In Philadelphia, 21% of children have asthma, which is more than double the national rate. Indoor and outdoor air pollution are major contributors to the high prevalence of asthma in Philadelphia. Common in home asthma triggers include tobacco smoke, dust mites, pests, mold, and even cleaning products. Outdoor air pollution is a major concern for children living close to busy roadways or industrial facilities.

Asthma affects a child’s health as well as their academic performance. Asthma-related school absenteeism affects the majority of children with asthma and is linked to lower academic performance, especially among urban minority youth. Asthma is also a leading cause of emergency roomvisits for children. Now more than ever, it is important to put measures in place to prevent unneeded visits to the hospital. In Philadelphia, the rate of asthma related hospitalizations is 59 hospitalizations per 10,000 children. Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic children had the highest rates of asthma-related hospitalizations in Philadelphia, roughly 5 times higher than that of non-Hispanic white children.

Dr. Tyra Bryant-Stevens from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has been working to address these disparities in Philadelphia for over 20 years. Dr. Bryant-Stevens founded the Community Asthma Prevention Program (CAPP), a comprehensive program aimed to improve asthma knowledge, control, and quality of life for participants by providing free asthma education classes at schools, churches, daycares, and community centers, home visits to address the home environment of children with asthma and provide one-on-one education, and asthma resources for professionals, students, and schools. In 2018, CAPP launched CAPP+ Home Repairs Program, an extension of their program that includes home repairs aiming to further reduce asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations by removing asthma triggers in the home. Through their partnership with the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC), CAPP+ is able to offer repairs to address mold, water intrusion, and pests in the home.

Since its inception, CAPP has conducted over 20,000 home-based asthma visits, educated 3,000 caregivers in community education classes, taught more than 600 children in school-based asthma classes, and provided site-based asthma trainings for hundreds of primary care providers. This program has served as a model for how to conduct successful community-based public health interventions.

For more information, contact CAPP at (215) 590-5261 or through their online contact form.

While addressing indoor air pollutants is important to reduce asthma rates, improvements in outdoor air pollution in Philadelphia are essential if we expect to reduce Philadelphia rates to those of the rest of the Commonwealth of PA.

PROBLEMS REMAIN AT SCHOOLS
Philadelphia schools are currently facing a facilities crisis that is reflective of years of systemic deferred maintenance, and children are paying the price. Philadelphia schools are on average 70 years old. Due to their age, and lack of proper maintenance, these schools are plagued by flaking lead-based paint, lead in drinking water, damaged asbestos materials, and mold growth.

Source: Martha Washington Elementary

Recently the Philadelphia City Council has put forth legislation addressing several environmental hazards present in Philadelphia schools, including  testing and reporting for lead in water and inspections for lead paint. Asbestos in schools is currently mandated under the EPA Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) that requires building inspections every three years. Although these laws are in place, enforcement and timely remediation is an ongoing problem. In December 2019, it was uncovered that 70% of Philadelphia charter schools did not have any publicly available water quality tests, as is required by a 2017 law.

There are currently no requirements for mold testing in Philadelphia schools. Mold grows in areas with a lot of moisture. In schools, this is usually due to roof and plumbing leaks or excess humidity due to uncontrolled indoor temperatures. These circumstances are common in schools. Mold has been formally reported in 142 schools in Philadelphia, which enroll over 88,000 students. In the summer of 2017, nearly 25,000 square-feet of mold was found on carpets, desks, chairs, walls, and the ventilation system in Munoz-Marin Elementary School, in North Philadelphia. Only a few months later, John B Kelly Elementary School, also in North Philadelphia, closed for a week due to a massive mold outbreak. To date, John B Kelly Elementary has received almost 200 reports of mold and three other schools have reported over 100 reports of mold, just in 2017 alone.

Source: PFT Health and Welfare Fund

Mold can trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions. The rates of asthma-related hospitalizations are highest among children living in North and West Philadelphia, which are the same neighborhoods that see the most closures of schools due to environmental issues. These infrastructure problems present in Philadelphia schools are an example of environmental injustice faced by low-income, minority children in Philadelphia.

The Philly Healthy Schools Initiative (PHSI) has been working to combat these hazards present in schools. PSHI is a coalition of parents, school faculty, students, community members, and public health experts aimed to develop plans to address the environmental hazards found in Philadelphia school buildings. One of their most recent initiatives, launched through their partner the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT), was the development of an app, PFT Healthy Schools Tracker App. Through this app students and teachers can report hazards they see in their schools. These reports, which include location, type and magnitude of problem, and photos, are sent to PHSI, who then sends summarized reports to the School District of Philadelphia. This app promotes citizen-science and engagement with students about the issues present in their schools. Knowing where and how bad problems are is the first step.  Developing a strategy on how to safely and efficiently fix them is necessary.

Philadelphia has made good progress to protect children from environmental hazards in their homes. It is time to expand that coverage to their schools as well. Keeping schools clean and in healthy condition must be a non-negotiable priority to ensure the health and safety of the children who attend them. Creating a safe school environment for all Philadelphia children is one step towards improved environmental health and environmental justice.

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