Childhood Asthma in Bethlehem: A localized Investigation and Push towards Community Action
Elizabeth Roth
Department of Political Science
Abstract
Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition affecting 1 in 13 children nationally, yet almost 1 in 4 children in the Bethlehem Area School District. This disparity between national and local asthma rates is likely linked to Northampton County's dismal air quality, as the county is out of compliance with current standards set by the EPA for both ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter. Generated primarily from vehicular emissions, these two pollutants irritate and damage the lungs, functioning as both a trigger and a cause of asthma. This project seeks to better understand the local effects of air pollution on children with asthma, as well as utilize digital mapping to identify a convergence of economic, social, and environmental variables contributing to the city's high asthma rates.
Bio: Elizabeth Roth is a presidential scholar and M.A. candidate in the Department of Political Science Community Fellow Program. Her fellowship is a joint project between St. Luke's Hospital Department of Community Health and Dr. Breena Holland in the Department of Political Science. She is exploring the relation of asthma to outdoor air quality, and developing a model of community outreach and engagement on the issue. Elizabeth is also the wardrobe supervisor at Zoellner Arts Center for the '08-'09 season.
