Page 9 - Driscoll Health System Annual Report 2020

Global Institute for

Hispanic Health articles

examine air pollution,

asthma patients

A joint project between Driscoll Children’s Hospital
and Texas A&M University Health Science Center
(Texas A&M Health) is helping South Texas
understand the connection between air pollution and
children with asthma.

Texas A&M Health and Driscoll Children’s Hospital
Global Institute for Hispanic Health (GIHH) awarded
grant funding in 2018 to four research teams in its
inaugural Clinical Research Seed Grant program. The
program provides research seed funding for clinical,
translational and health services research projects
primarily aimed at eliminating healthcare disparities
in Hispanic communities.

One of the teams of researchers published two
articles in the International Journal of Environmental
Research and Public Health. Both manuscripts come
from work funded by the GIHH Seed Grant. Lead
investigators from each institution include Genny
Carrillo, MD, director of the Program on Asthma
Research and Education at Texas A&M Health, and
Jon Roberts, MD, FCCP, Pediatric Pulmonologist and
Program Director of the Driscoll Children’s Hospital
Cystic Fibrosis Center.
The first article, “Association between Ambient South Texas, and how they impact asthma disease
Air Pollution and Hospital Length of Stay among in our hospital and in our community. I am proud to
Children with Asthma in South Texas,” was published be a part of this wonderful collaboration with Texas
in May 2020 and the second, “Effect of Ambient A&M, which goes to show what can be accomplished
Air Pollution on Hospital Readmissions among the by putting great institutions (and minds) together,”
Pediatric Asthma Patient Population in South Texas: Roberts said.
A Case-Crossover Study,” was published in July 2020. “The Seed Grant Program is intended to jump-start

Both studies found that air pollution levels were collaborative efforts between Texas A&M Health and
significantly associated with prolonged length of Driscoll Children’s Hospital to research some of the
hospital stay and hospital readmissions. toughest health problems for children in our region.
Once a community understands a problem, we can
“Asthma is unique in that it is a genetic disease that start doing something about it to change outcomes.
is affected by changes in the environment. This Ultimately, this work is about making sure that
research is important because it looks at an asthma every child has the best chance possible to grow up
trigger close to home – air pollution. The studies healthy,” said Erin Richmond, Program Manager of
specifically looked at certain types of air pollution in GIHH.

ANNUAL REPORT 2020 STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE 6