Janelle Edwards, MPH - Dissertation Defense
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
12:00 PM-1:00 PM
Janelle Edwards, MPH, will present "Unveiling the Intersection of
Temperature Extremes, Structural Racism, and Pediatric Asthma
Exacerbation"
Rising temperatures, driven by climate change, are increasingly frequent
and intense, disproportionately impacting children with asthma, especially in
marginalized communities. Structural racism, both past and present, has
relegated these communities to areas burdened with higher pollution, fewer
green spaces, and limited healthcare access. To deepen our understanding of the
interplay between social and environmental factors in asthma exacerbations,
Janelle examined disparities in land surface temperatures, heatwaves, and
temperature variability during the warm/hot seasons in Philadelphia, PA. As
extreme heat events become more common, these pre-existing conditions intensify
pediatric asthma, underscoring the urgent need for interventions that address
both environmental and social determinants of health.
Each aim of this dissertation explored dimensions of climate
vulnerability—exposure, adaptive capacity, and sensitivity—by addressing
critical gaps in understanding the links between historical redlining,
present-day climate vulnerability, and the impact of climate factors on asthma
exacerbation. This was achieved using geospatial datasets and electronic asthma
health records from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Aim 1 employed an
ecological study design to integrate climate vulnerability dimensions (climate
exposure and historical adaptive capacity) and estimate the spatial
relationships between historical redlining and present-day urban heat islands,
while assessing gentrification as a modifying factor. Aims 2 and 3 focused on
the effects of climate factors on a sensitive population—children with asthma.
Aim 2 quantified the associations between temperature variation and childhood
asthma exacerbations, incorporating structural factors such as redlining and
segregation, alongside environmental and individual-level variables as
modifiers. Aim 3 examined the relationship between heatwaves and asthma
exacerbations, considering both individual-level modifiers and structural
factors, including redlining, segregation, and residence in micro-heat islands.
Janelle is a PhD candidate in the Environmental and Occupational Health
Department working under the supervision of Dr. Leah Schinasi. Her work focuses
on climate vulnerability and racial health inequities and understanding why
certain groups are more susceptible to both climate impacts and diseases by
exploring upstream factors such as historical redlining policies and current
residential segregation.
Dissertation committee members: Leah Schinasi (Chair), Anneclaire De Roos,
Irene Headen, Loni Tabb, Michelle Kondo, Chen Kenyon
Zoom
Contact Information
Catherine Corson
cc3995@drexel.edu