Date of Conferral

7-24-2026

Date of Award

July 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Sciences

Advisor

Chinaro Kennedy

Abstract

The effects of climate change contribute to volatile temperature changes, which coupled with pollen exposure pose a significant threat to asthmatic people, potentially impacting methods for asthma management. The purpose of this ecological time-series study was to use the carbon dioxide theory of climate change, Dutch hypothesis, and social ecological model to estimate the relationship between average temperature and average pollen concentrations on average asthma morbidity outcomes for adults living in metropolitan Atlanta from 2020 to 2022 (N = 37,913). Results varied in terms of years, socioeconomic status (SES) vulnerability, gender, and racial group. Overall, a linear regression model revealed significant estimations between colder temperatures and asthma-related emergency department visits (F(1,94) = 36.2, p < .001, R2 = 0.278) for black women and men, white women and men, and SES vulnerability brackets (low, average, high). Additionally, results revealed pollen was positively associated with asthma-related ED visits for men of varying SES vulnerability between 2020 and 2022 (F(1,94) = 7.28, p = .008, R2 = 0.072, F(1,94) = 20.64, p < .001, R2 = 0.180). A multiple regression model significantly improved the ability to estimate asthma-related ED visits with average maximum temperature (F(1,94) = 36.25, p < .001, R2 = 0.38) and average pollen count exposure (F(2,93) = 28.66, p < .001) for 2020 but not 2021 or 2022. A key recommendation is to update asthma education to include the effects of cold temperatures on asthma symptoms. Study outcomes could lead to positive social change by creating asthma interventions that are tailored to colder temperatures and peak pollen concentration awareness.

Download

Included in

Public Health Commons

Share

 
COinS