Key Objectives:
Participants will understand the key components of the pollen network development process. Participants will understand the importance of pollen monitoring to the assessment of air quality and respiratory health. Participants will be able to identify tangible ways in which they or the agencies they represent can become involved in the development of the pollen network.
Brief Summary:
The establishment of a national pollen monitoring network has been the key objective of CSTE's Asthma and Allergy Workgroup. At its May 2015 Pollen Summit, CSTE convened a working subgroup of state and federal health scientists, allergists, academicians, and air quality specialists to develop a consensus framework for the network. This subgroup determined that while many pollen monitoring activities are taking place in the US, there is no central repository for collecting and organizing this information. Such a repository is necessary if we are to understand the current and emerging public health consequences of steadily increasing pollen levels due to climate change. At the May summit, the subgroup resolved to implement a systematic strategy focused on making the pollen monitoring network a reality. Major components of this strategy include: 1) the development of a CSTE position statement; 2) an assessment of pollen monitoring activities taking place in the US; 3) a determinination of the specfic attributes and functions of the pollen network. Above all, the subgroup recognized the importance of a collaboration-based network that will serve multiple stakeholders. This collaboration not only cuts across state and federal agencies, but also includes academics, the health care sector, and non-governmental organizations. In this roundtable session, we will discuss the subgroup's progress in implementing the network development strategy and our plans for further engaging public health partners in this initiative.