How to Use DAQ's Website

Air Quality Recess Guidance

Utah's Air Quality and Health

By: Becca Jorgensen, Utah Asthma Program

The Asthma Program established an air quality coordination workgroup with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) with the purpose of streamlining/clarifying air quality messages to the public.

We knew something had to be done to address all the confusing messages about air quality so we decided that a set of tutorials to explain how to use DEQ's air quality web sites, the recess guidance, and how to track symptoms/pollution level to determine outdoor activity level would be developed. Thanks to the "mega" media contract in the Bureau, we were able to work with Love Communications to develop the tutorials.

The tutorials can be seen on the Utah Asthma Program website http://health.utah.gov/asthma/.

We also integrated with the UDOH Environmental Epidemiology Program, DEQ, and The National Weather Service to conduct an analysis of Inversions, PM2.5 and Asthma Emergency Department visits. Findings from the analysis show:

• On average, PM2.5 reaches levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups during inversions lasting 3-4 days or longer.
  
  
• No association between ED visits for asthma and PM2.5, including up to 3 days after exposure.
  
  
• Odds of primary ED visit for asthma are 42% higher during days 5-7 of a prolonged inversion, compared to a non-inversion day.
  

Integrating with DEQ and Environmental Epidemiology has benefited the Asthma Program tremendously! Not only have we been able to extended our reach across the state, but these partnerships and collaboration shave greatly improved the quality of our work. We will continue to integrate with them!