The Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit Network has prepared a number of valuable resources on environmental health:
Clinician Fact Sheets: Fact sheets for clinical professionals are available on a wide range of issues.
Patient Fact Sheets: Fact sheets for the general public cover similar topics as those for clinical professionals, but are intended for use by the general public and as patient handouts.
Pediatric Environmental Health Curriculum: This interactive pediatric environmental health curriculum, with sections on the community environment and performing a home visit, is intended to help pediatric residents meet training requirements.
Learning Modules: A national classroom with online courses includes topics ranging from "Particulate Matter & Public Health," "Taking an Exposure History," and "Pediatric Asthma & Environmental Exposures" to "Toxicology of Hydraulic Fracturing" and "Reproductive Toxicology."
Self-Learning Modules (for CME credit): The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry offers self-instructional primers intended to increase health providers' knowledge of environmental hazards in the environment. The modules include topics such as Environmental Triggers of Asthma and Taking a Pediatric Exposure History.
Resources Developed by National Organizations
American Lung Association provides in-depth information about air quality, lung health and tobacco control. ALA worked with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to create an Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit. ALA also publishes a yearly State of the Air report.
Health Care Without Harm promotes healthy and environmentally sustainable health care practices.
National Environmental Education Foundation seeks to advance environmental health knowledge and incorporate environmental health into clinical practice. Projects and resources include a Pediatric Asthma Initiative (with guidelines for health care providers on the environmental management of pediatric asthma), a Pediatric Environmental History Initiative (including environmental history forms and training modules) and Children and Nature Initiative.
Physicians for Social Responsibility is a physician-led organization that is committed to creating a safer and healthier world. The Environment and Health Program, along with partner organizations, created the Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit for Primary Health Care Providers and Patients, a set of American Academy of Pediatrics reference guides for health professionals and education materials for the general public.
Stop Pests: provides information on integrated pest management. The program provides IPM resources for multi-family housing. They also provide consultation and training resources. Additional information about IPM can be found at EPA's Introduction to Integrated Pest Management website and HUD's Integrated Pest Management website.
Resources from Local Organizations
Air Alliance Houston links to numerous tools, databases, interactive maps, and other resources to help members of the community understand air pollution in their own neighborhoods.
Houston Clean Air Network University of Houston, Air Alliance Houston and ALA Plains-Gulf Region launched a website about ozone in Houston.
Houston-Galveston Area Council The HGAC Regional Air Quality Planning Committee publishes an Air Quality Reference Guide for the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Area. It is a joint effort by leaders from the business, local government, and environmental communities.
Selected Reports of Special Relevance to the Houston-Galveston Community
Clements AL, Flatt VB, Fraser MP, Hamilton WJ, Ledvina PS, Mathur SK, Tamhane A, Ward JB: The Control of Air Toxics: Toxicology Motivation and Houston Implications. Houston, TX, 2006.
Hamilton WJ, Ledvina PS, Lopez RA, Han Y, Ningthoujam SS, Benedict NP, Ho HY, Mitchell LY: Childhood Lead Poisoning in Galveston, Texas: Background–Health Effects–Hot Spots– Intervention. Houston, TX, 2007.
Hamilton WJ, Byun D, Chan W, Ching JKS, Han Y, Lopez RA, Coarfa VF, Lee DG: A pilot study using EPA’s CMAQ model and hospital admission data to identify multipollutant “hot spots” of concern in Harris County, Texas. Journal of the National Urban Air Toxics Research Center 15:1–69, 2009.
Hamilton WJ, Reyes B, Domakonda JR, Wang X, DeBose RD, Ledvina PS, Li X, Dela Mater R: Houston Geospatial Lead Exposure Analysis: Preliminary Findings. Houston, TX, 2009.
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