Grantee Research Project Results
Children’s Environmental Health Center In U.S. Southern Great Plains
EPA Grant Number: R840630Title: Children’s Environmental Health Center In U.S. Southern Great Plains
Investigators: Cai, Changjie , Li, Dan , Horm, Diane , Li, Hongwan , Lemberger-Truelove, Matthew , Yang, Anni , Cheng, Wenwen
Institution: Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma Health Sci Ct , University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center , University of North Texas - Hlth Sci Ctr at Ft Worth
Current Institution: Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma Health Sci Ct , University of North Texas - Hlth Sci Ctr at Ft Worth , University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
EPA Project Officer: Brooks, Donald
Project Period: October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2027
Project Amount: $1,898,738
RFA: Center for Early Lifestage Vulnerabilities to Environmental Stressors - Cumulative Health Impacts for Children in Underserved Rural Agricultural Communities in the United States Request for Applications (RFA) (2023) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Children's Health
Description:
The overarching objective of this Center is to reduce children’s school absenteeism caused by chemical and non-chemical environmental stressors in underserved, rural agricultural communities.
Approach:
(1) We will use mixed methods (quantitative & qualitative) to characterize cumulative health impacts of early lifestage (from prenatal up to adolescence) exposures to chemical and non- chemical stressors on children’s health, well-being, and quality of life in underserved, rural agricultural communities. (2) We will use fast-growing techniques in multidisciplinary fields (including low-cost sensors, satellite observations, air quality modeling, machine-learning, energy budget model, multi-criteria decision making, citizen science, and social sciences) to establish and evaluate the stakeholders-driven & data-driven cumulative impact assessment approaches/ methods. (3) We will conduct and assess affordable interventions based on the “hierarchy of hazard controls” in reducing school absenteeism, and ultimately address health disparities and environmental justice of rural schools and their counterparts.
Expected Results:
Expected outcomes include (1) reducing the environmental health disparities and promote the environmental justice for children living in underserved, rural agricultural communities in South Great Plains; (2) Comprehensively characterizing the cumulative health impacts of early lifestage (from prenatal up to adolescence) exposures to chemical and non-chemical stressors; (3) Establishing the stakeholders-driven & data-driven cumulative impact assessment strategy; (4) Reducing adverse impacts to children’s health, well-being and quality of life through affordable interventions; (5) Accelerating resilience and adaption of the communities to extreme hot/cold weathers caused by climate change, and (6) Improving preventive policy, programs and decision-making to protect children from potential exposures to chemical and non-chemical stressors.
Supplemental Keywords:
rural, underserved, chemical, non-chemical, environmental stressors, school absenteeism, cumulative health impacts, assessment strategy, interventions, air pollutants, social determinants of health, climate change, early childhood, stakeholder-drivenProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.