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Houston Strategic Health Effects Research Panel (SHERP)

Houston Strategic Health Effects Research Panel (SHERP). Beth Beloff BRIDGES to Sustainability Golder Associates Inc. Background. “Assessment of Information Needs for Air Pollution Health Effects Research in Houston, Texas”

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Houston Strategic Health Effects Research Panel (SHERP)

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  1. Houston Strategic Health Effects Research Panel (SHERP) Beth Beloff BRIDGES to Sustainability Golder Associates Inc.

  2. Background • “Assessment of Information Needs for Air Pollution Health Effects Research in Houston, Texas” • Funded by Texas Council on Environmental Technology (TCET), 2002/2003 • Goal: assist agency in developing air pollution health effects research strategy focused on high priority research in Houston

  3. Approach • “Strategic Health Effects Research Panel” (SHERP) to guide project • Compilation of what has been done (research and data sources) • To produce consensus on priority research questions and recommendations (Workshop involving SHERP and other representatives)

  4. The SHERP • Involving local air pollution health effects experts • Responsibilities: • Review research compilation for scope, structure, completeness, and accuracy • Provide input on key research questions and information needs • Participate in Workshop to prioritize key research questions and produce recommendations • Review final report

  5. SHERP Composition • Academia • Matt Fraser (Rice), Winnie Hamilton (BCM), Lovell Jones (UT MDACC), Maria Morandi (UT SPH) • Government • Rob Barrett (HGAC), Pam Berger (Houston), Michael Honeycutt (TCEQ), Jacqueline Lentz (Houston) • Business • Walt Crow (URS/HRM), Joseph Luspin (Lyondell) • Public: Jane Laping (MFCA) • TCET: Mark Wiesner (Rice)

  6. Other Workshop Participants • Stuart Abramson (TCH), Daewoon Byun (UH), Ann Johnson (Environmental Defense), Mary Jane Naquin (Informed Futures), Peggy Rogers (Houston), Tom Stock (UT SPH) • BRIDGES / NUATRC project team

  7. Research Compilation • ‘Epidemiological and other pertinent studies’ and existing data sources for health effects research • Focus on ‘air pollutants of greatest concern to Houston region’: ozone, PM, and HAPs • Include the followings • Health effects and exposure studies, Houston-specific • Toxicological studies, Houston-based • Data sources on air quality, exposure and lifestyle, and health outcomes

  8. What We Found • Most health effects studies focused on respiratory effects of ozone and PM • Many studies are part of national (multi-city) studies • Data sources are constrained in terms of availability and usefulness for research • Absence of Houston-specific data on exposure, exposure modifiers, and confounding factors

  9. 2002 SHERP Conclusions • High priority research questions • Health effects of exposure • Acute health impacts, PM, and chronic health impacts • Disparities • Susceptibility factors, Houston differentiators, and geospatial/temporal disparities • Data quality • Public health data, community exposure data, personal exposure/ lifestyle activity pattern • Air pollution health effects research for the Houston area is underdeveloped in spite of TMC and high quality researchers

  10. 2002 SHERP Recommendations • Determine key differentiators of Houston air pollution health effects • Support data development (exposure and time-activity pattern) • Investigate association between exposure to pollutants of greatest concern for Houston and well defined health outcomes for susceptible population • Develop long-term research agenda based on high-priority questions • Establish center of excellence in environmental health in the Houston area

  11. What Happened Since • TCET dissolved and functions absorbed into TCEQ • Completion of health effects and exposure studies: RIOPA, ATAC, ER asthma study, … • Launch of Houston EPHTN and other new efforts • Publications from TexAQS 2000 study

  12. What Happened Since • Recent attention on Houston air pollution leads • Houston Chronicle series on air toxics (Dina Cappiello) • Mayor’s new initiative: • Mayor’s Task Force on Reducing AQ Health Risks • Air monitoring initiative around suspected sources • TexAQS II (April 2005 – October 2006) • Air Toxics Workshop • Houston Endowment funding to reconvene SHERP in 2005

  13. Update of SHERP Documents 2002 SHERP Report and updated research matrix available at: www.bridgestos.org/sherp Your comments appreciated

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