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 The Climate & Respiratory Health Workgroup (formerly known as the Asthma and Allergy Workgroup) first convened
with the purpose of developing and pilot-testing chronic respiratory disease-related indicators of population health that are known to be related to environmental conditions (view the Asthma Indicators here).
Following the indicator work, the workgroup focused on surveillance of aeroallergens, such as pollen and mold, and its relationship to respiratory conditions in the United States. Increased pollen levels contribute to missed work and school
days, more asthma emergency department visits, and the use of over-the-counter medication to treat allergic rhinitis. Climate conditions, such as higher temperatures and increased carbon dioxide levels, can result in increased pollen
production and longer pollen seasons. The workgroup gathered aeroallergen experts for three unprecedented Pollen Summits (please see the CSTE Meeting Library for
summaries of these Summits), and through these meetings, the CSTE position statement 16-EH-01 “Developing a National Aeroallergen Tracking Network”
was created in 2016.
In 2017, the Climate & Respiratory Health Workgroup rescoped to cover broader climate and respiratory health topics. Since then, three subgroups have been developed: the Aeroallergen Subgroup, the Urban Air & Heat Subgroup, and
the Wildfire Subgroup.
This is no longer an active workgroup at CSTE, please see other CSTE Climate, Health and Equity work to get involved.
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