Water, Climate and Health Program Spring 2024 Newsletter

From the Director

Welcome to the Water, Climate and Health Program Spring Newsletter. I hope everyone is having a great start to your summer. Our team continues to be very active in addressing some of the most pressing environmental challenges facing Nebraska and the world. As you will notice in this newsletter, we are committed to engaging on these complex issues through research, outreach, education, and engagement.

I was incredibly impressed with our team’s relentless commitment to conducting community surveys in response to the tornado outbreak that happened in April. The goal of these surveys is to understand the current and changing needs of the communities impacted by this devastating event. It was impressive to see our team’s willingness to volunteer their time and work extra hours to implement this survey in a timely fashion. The information gathered will help with public health decision-making for these communities. I want to specifically thank Kristina Kintziger, Sarah Scales, Christine Allmon, Rachael Birn, Summer Woolsey, Siddhi Munde, and all the volunteers that helped make this possible. I also want to thank our partners at Three Rivers Health Department and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for their excellent help.

As for our outreach, I could not be prouder of our partnership with Nebraska Extension and Laura Nagengast. Laura, along with our MPH student intern, Jessenia Hincapie, improves our ability to connect with communities on environmental health issues. Their outreach helps private well owners understand the importance of regular water quality testing and serves as the first line of defense against health issues that can result from poor water quality. They allow us to have a constant and effective presence in the communities that we serve.

In addition, check out the map of the new air quality sensors across Nebraska. Sue Dempsey worked with the National Weather Service, Nebraska Association of Local Health Directors, and local health departments to install these sensors in strategic locations to improve air quality monitoring in our state. With Nebraska having one of the highest rates of asthma-related mortality in the country, these stations will provide needed information to improve early warnings for at-risk populations. This project was made possible because of CDC-funded Nebraska Environmental Public Health Tracking Program in partnership with Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

We are dedicated to being a resource for any community concerned with environmental health issues. Do not hesitate to reach out if you are interested in learning more about our work or contributing to our efforts. As always, please continue to follow our work through our website and social media.

Jesse Bell, PhD

Behind the scenes of the "Rural Health Matters" program from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Dr. Bell was a special guest in April, discussing the health impacts of wildfires and wildfire smoke.

WCHP Highlights

WCHP Team Responds to Arbor Day Tornadoes

WCHP faculty, staff, and students surveyed homes in Washington County over a period of three days.

After the tornado outbreak in April that left hundreds of homes damaged or destroyed, teams from the WCHP partnered with the Three Rivers Health Department and Nebraska DHHS to survey affected residents. These surveys will help better prepare for future and current disaster recovery efforts.

WCHP Releases Drought & Health Response Guide

Rachel Lookadoo, JD, Dr. Jesse Bell, and Summer Woolsey, MPH are WCHP co-authors on a new guide for professionals.

While often overlooked as a public health issue, drought is one of the deadliest natural disasters in the United States. After years of speaking with communities across the nation, a WCHP team has created a new drought messaging guide to help health care and public health officials speak with their patients and residents about the health impacts of drought.

WCHP Hosts Climate & Health Experts from the Midwest with NASA

Attendees of the workshop spent two days discussing needs and opportunities throughout the Midwest.

In collaboration with the NASA Earth Observation team, the WCHP hosted, "Harnessing the Heartland: Utilizing Earth Observations for Improved Environmental Health", a two-day workshop at the UNMC campus to discuss opportunities for collaboration and partnership in climate and health research.

Nebraska Environmental Public Health Tracking Updates

The Water, Climate and Health Program is a proud partner with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to bring the Nebraska Environmental Public Health Tracking Program (Nebraska Tracking). The goal of this project is to improve the health of our communities by becoming a one-stop shop for environmental health data across our state. As we continue to build this program, we will post program updates in our newsletters here and invite you to join us as we work to make safer and healthier communities in Nebraska. Learn more about the Nebraska Tracking program at www.dhhs.ne.gov/tracking.

An image of the Air Now Smoke and Fire Map

Nebraska Environmental Public Health Distributes Purple Air Sensors Across the State

In an effort to support air quality monitoring throughout the state, the Nebraska Tracking team have distributed over 20 new Purple Air sensors to local health departments across the state. Local health departments have installed their monitors and air quality data is now available to be viewed on the Air Now Smoke and Fire website at fire.airnow.gov.

Want to learn more about Nebraska Tracking? Contact Summer Woolsey at summer.woolsey@unmc.edu.

Publications, Presentations, & Awards

Featured Publications:

Overnight heat in sleep spaces of housed and unhoused residents: results and recommendations from a Knoxville, Tennessee, case study.

Kristina Kintziger, PhD, Co-Author

Nighttime heat is a significant factor in heat-related health issues, but its effects are not well understood. This study in Knoxville, Tennessee, measured overnight temperatures indoors and outdoors and found that air-conditioned indoor spaces had varied temperatures, while outdoor areas downtown remained consistently warmer. The study suggests future research should examine the duration and intensity of overnight cooling periods to understand their impact on health, particularly after exposure to daytime heat.

Read the full article here.

Dr. Kristina Kintziger, Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Health & Environment

Child Health During War and Disasters: Building Resilience

Sarah Scales, PhD, Lead Author

Disasters and conflicts pose significant health risks to children, both immediate and long-term. These emergencies can cause direct injuries and deaths and exacerbate issues like malnutrition and infectious diseases due to lapses in vaccination and changing environmental conditions. It's crucial to understand these risks to create effective public health programs that protect children's health and well-being during such crises.

Read the full article here.

Dr. Sarah Scales, Postdoctoral Research Associate

View all WCHP Publications, Presentations, and Awards

Ask An Expert!

Bite-sized advice from our team of experts!

Laura Nagengast, MPH

Extension Educator, Source Water Protection

Question:

Why is important to test my well water?

How often should my well water be tested? Where can I go to learn more about testing my well water?

Answer:

"It's crucial for Nebraskans who drink from private wells to test their drinking water to ensure it's free from contaminants that could harm their health. At the very least, well water used for drinking should be tested annually for bacteria (such as coliform) and nitrate, as these contaminants can pose serious health risks. You can learn more about testing drinking water by contacting your local Natural Resource District or visiting the University of Nebraska Water Website."

Have a question you would like our experts to answer in our next newsletter? Email Summer Woolsey at summer.woolsey@unmc.edu.

Program Photo & Video Updates

WCHP graduate assistant, Jessenia Hincapie, was in Waverly, NE, discussing the health impacts of water quality and steps residents can take to keep drinking water safe.

Dr. Jesse Bell represented the Water, Climate and Health Program at the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia.

Laura Nagengast, MPH, visits with youth to educate about the importance of water quality and promote a mascot contest for the Ogallala Aquifer.

Volunteers from UNMC, the Three Rivers Health Department, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, and local health departments from across the state surveyed homes across Washington County, NE in the aftermath of the Arbor Day tornado. See the KETV interview with Dr. Kristina Kintziger here.

(From left to right) Dr. Jesse Bell, Amy Latzel, Laura Nagengast, Dr. Dan Snow, Dr. Shannon Bartlett-Hunt, and Dr. Taylor Hamlin discuss water quality and health at the 2024 Nebraska Public Health Conference.

In a partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and the U.S. Department of State, WCHP faculty hosted women environmental health faculty from various universities across Pakistan.

The WCHP team at the "Harnessing the Heartland" workshop hosted environmental health experts from across the Midwest. (Top, left to right) Siddhi Munde, Summer Woolsey, Dr. Babak Fard, Jessenia Hincappie, Dr. Jesse Bell. (Bottom, left to right) Arianna Li, Dr. Sarah Scales, Chris Allmon, Dr. Eleanor Rogan, Dr. Kristina Kintziger.

Have questions about testing your well for nitrate? Co-produced and narrated by WCHP's, Laura Nagengast, this video from the UNL Extension Office is a great overview of why, how and when you should test your private well.

Stay Up to Date with the WCHP

Stay up to date on the latest WCHP news by following us on Twitter!

Visit our website, where you can learn more about the WCHP and support our mission by donating to the program.

Upcoming Events

July 15-18, 2024: National Environmental Health Association Annual Conference

July 25, 2024: Citizen Science and Environmental Education Showcase: Empowering Youth, Inspiring Action

July 26, 2024: Midwest Pediatric Cancer Environmental and Survivorship Research Symposium

Water, Climate & Health Program | unmc.edu/publichealth/wch