The Reduction of Asthma Emergency Room Visits From A Reduced Tropospheric Ozone Standard in Atlanta, GA Open Access
Kastner, Tameika Nickello (2010)
Abstract
The Reduction of Asthma Emergency Room Visits From A
Reduced Tropospheric Ozone Standard in Atlanta, GA
By Tameika N. Kastner
Being that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analysis
of
asthma-related emergency room (ER) visits due to a proposed ozone
(O3)
standard reduction was done only at the national level, it was
useful to conduct an
ozone standard reduction benefit analysis of asthma-related ER
visits in the
Atlanta area to see how an ozone standard reduction can benefit the
public at the
local level. Utilizing a random effects pooled estimate of the
concentration-
response functions from three epidemiologic studies (Jaffe, Singer,
& Rimm,
2003; Peel et al., 2005; Wilson, Wake, Kelly, & Salloway, 2005)
that EPA used to
conduct a benefit analysis at the national level, in Atlanta there
would be; 757
(233-1301) less asthma ER visits if O3 was reduced from 100ppb to
70ppb. Also,
there would be 631, 884, and 1010 less asthma-related ER visits
annually if
Atlanta's O3 level was reduced from 100ppb to 75ppb, 65ppm and
60ppb
respectively.
In addition to estimating asthma-related ER visit reductions using
the
random effects pooled estimate, analysis was also conducted using
only
concentration-response data from an Atlanta study (Peel, et al.,
2005). Using only
the Peel et al. study results, if the O3 levels were reduced from
100ppb to the
proposed standard of 70ppb, there would be 505(194-1145) less
asthma-related
ER visits in the Atlanta area annually. Similarly, there would be
421, 588, and
674 less asthma-related ER visits annually if the ozone levels were
reduced from
Atlanta's current level of 100ppb to 75ppb, 65ppb, and 60ppb
respectively.
With an alarming number of 19,418 estimated asthma ER visits
occurring
yearly in Atlanta, it is important to estimate the reduction in
asthma due to a
reduction in O3. O3 forms when oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and
volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) are in the air and sunlight is present. A benefit
analysis
impact of asthma ER visits due to an O3 reduction will also be
useful to conduct
future benefit-cost analysis.
The Reduction of Asthma Emergency Room Visits From A
Reduced Tropospheric Ozone Standard in Atlanta, GA
By
Tameika N. Kastner
Master of Public Health, Emory University, 2010
Thesis Committee Chair: Kyle Steenland, PhD
A thesis submitted to the Department of Environmental Health
Rollins School of Public Health
Emory University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of "Master of Public Health"
"December, 2010"
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
I. Introduction Page 1
II. Summary of EPA's Asthma Emergency Page 5
Room (ER) Visits Benefit Analysis' Methods and
Results at the National Level
III. Asthma Emergency Room (ER) visits Benefit Analysis' Page
8
Methods and Estimated Results for Atlanta, GA metro
IV. Discussion of EPA's Benefit Analysis Criteria at Page 11
the National Level and Atlanta, GA's metro Benefit
Analysis Results for Asthma ER visits
V. Conclusion Page 19
VI. References Page 20
VII. Tables Page 22
VIII. Figures Page 26
About this Master's Thesis
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