Funded Projects

Air Pollution: Improving Knowledge and Awareness

Project Year

2025

City & State

Dallas, Texas

Program Name

CATCH Resident

Topic

Environmental Justice/Climate Change

Program Description

The Problem: In the 2024 “State of the Air” report, Dallas-Fort Worth ranked 13th worst in the country for ozone pollution and was reclassified from moderate to serious non-attainment of the current standard.1 The EPA’s Air Quality Index (AQI) is the de facto indicator for air pollution, measuring ozone, particle pollution, and other pollutants to determine the safety of outdoor activities.2 AQI does have shortcomings, as data is at the regional level and not real-time.2 The availability of low-cost air quality monitors, such as PurpleAir, has filled gaps by providing hyper-local live data and encouraging citizen science activities.3 However, these monitors are infrequently placed in Dallas and no community collaborations exist to our knowledge.    Though air pollution is a health hazard to everyone, this is especially true for sensitive groups like the elderly, those with heart and lung diseases, and children, who are uniquely affected as they are still developing and possess a higher air per body weight intake.4 Air pollution exposure in children can lead to adverse health outcomes including increased asthma rates, respiratory infections, neurodevelopmental disorders, and chronic adulthood diseases.4 Air pollution also disproportionately impacts certain populations including African-Americans and Hispanics, and those with low socio-economic and educational levels.4   Despite well-studied adverse health outcomes, the general public is limited in its knowledge of AQI and the impacts of air pollution on health. In a recent study, less than one-third of participants were aware of air quality alerts, and less than 15% reported activity changes from these.5 Among adolescents, awareness of air quality alerts was lower, at 19%, with just over 50% believing there were ways to reduce exposure.6 As such, further work is needed to overcome knowledge and awareness barriers.    Primary Setting: The primary setting will be based in high-risk air pollution areas of Dallas, with specific community sites at Dallas Public Library’s Preston Royal Branch and Dallas ISD’s Biomedical Preparatory Elementary School.    Number of Children Affected: The number of children affected is estimated to be around 75-100 children. This is determined by the total unique number of elementary-age children attending after-school library programming based on 2023 data and the school’s average science class sizes. This does not include flyer distribution to families at these sites, which will be anticipated to number between 300-500.    Project Goal: To increase knowledge and awareness of air pollution among elementary-aged students and their families through education and air monitoring resources.   Proposed Intervention: We will collaborate with Dallas Public Library and Dallas ISD to develop and implement educational modules on air pollution for elementary-aged students to be taught at after-school library STEM programs and school science classes, respectively. These sessions will be led by pediatric residents and are anticipated to be conducted monthly, on average. Feedback from teachers and/or library facilitators will be elicited after each educational session. We will also place PurpleAir monitors at community partner sites. These monitors will not only serve as a resource for families to reference hyper-local and real-time air quality data but also be embedded into educational modules as a teaching tool. Throughout this project, we will provide flyers to families at community partner sites detailing ways to access local air monitoring resources alongside general air pollution information. We will conclude the project by conducting debriefing sessions with partnering sites, focusing on sustainability.   Anticipated Outcomes: 1. Develop and implement educational modules for children to increase their knowledge and familiarity with air pollution. 2. Provide resources families can use to reference air quality in their community via PurpleAir monitors and/or EPA’s AQI. 3. Spark passion in children to become citizen scientists and to care for their environment.

Project Goal

To increase knowledge and awareness of air pollution among elementary-age students and their families through education and air monitoring resources. 

Project Objective 1

Provide no-cost air pollution educational activities to at least 75 elementary-age students in Dallas County within 12 months.

Project Objective 2

Create and disseminate bilingual educational flyers on air pollution and air monitoring resources to a minimum of 300 families in high-risk air pollution areas within 12 months.

Project Objective 3

By July 31, 2025, install two PurpleAir monitors at community partner sites in Dallas County, with online air pollution data freely accessible throughout the project activity period.

AAP District

District VII

Institutional Name

UT Southwestern Medical Center

Contact 1

Jim Liu, MD