This article examines the effect of different types of spring tree pollens on the number of sales of over-the-counter allergy medication and on the number of visits from the asthma syndrome emergency department. Nine different types of tree pollens were measured and analyzed throughout the spring season in New York City from 2002 to 2012. The number of allergy medication sold was collected from various drugstores and data on asthma syndrome emergency department visits was gathered from hospitals in New York City. The study revealed that ash, beech, birch, maple, oak, and sycamore/London planetree pollens had significant impacts on triggering allergy symptoms and aggravating asthma symptoms. These types of tree pollens therefore displayed the
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Tree pollen has been hypothesized to be positively associated with the onset of allergy symptoms and risk for hay fever, causing increased sales of over-the-counter allergy medicine. Hay fever is a known risk factor for severe asthma attacks which may require visits from the allergy syndrome emergency department and possibly hospitalization. The cost of allergy treatment, including medication and health services, plus the cost of emergency visits for asthma results in billions of dollars each year for the United States alone. The findings in this article focus on reducing the environmental health risks for allergic reactions and asthma attacks in the general …show more content…
These results may lead to changes in public health policy to reduce the environmental risks for hay fever and asthma attacks as well as more efficient treatment and prevention of these health concerns. However, there are several limitations within this study. Daily tree pollen count was only measured during the spring and not for the remainder of the year. It is unknown whether the tree pollen count is higher, lower, or equivalent throughout the year without this data. Another limitation is that some tree pollens have peak levels at the same time and it is difficult to determine whether it is the combined amount of tree pollen associated with allergy and asthma or if an individual tree pollen type has a greater impact. One other limitation is that only a quarter of the drug stores in New York City reported its sales of allergy medication and the remaining stores are unaccounted for and without this information, it is difficult to establish any association between tree pollen and allergy medication sales. To improve this study, data from the majority of stores selling allergy medication should be collected. Similar studies should also be performed in different populations under varying climates to determine the strength of tree pollen as a risk
Tree pollen has been hypothesized to be positively associated with the onset of allergy symptoms and risk for hay fever, causing increased sales of over-the-counter allergy medicine. Hay fever is a known risk factor for severe asthma attacks which may require visits from the allergy syndrome emergency department and possibly hospitalization. The cost of allergy treatment, including medication and health services, plus the cost of emergency visits for asthma results in billions of dollars each year for the United States alone. The findings in this article focus on reducing the environmental health risks for allergic reactions and asthma attacks in the general …show more content…
These results may lead to changes in public health policy to reduce the environmental risks for hay fever and asthma attacks as well as more efficient treatment and prevention of these health concerns. However, there are several limitations within this study. Daily tree pollen count was only measured during the spring and not for the remainder of the year. It is unknown whether the tree pollen count is higher, lower, or equivalent throughout the year without this data. Another limitation is that some tree pollens have peak levels at the same time and it is difficult to determine whether it is the combined amount of tree pollen associated with allergy and asthma or if an individual tree pollen type has a greater impact. One other limitation is that only a quarter of the drug stores in New York City reported its sales of allergy medication and the remaining stores are unaccounted for and without this information, it is difficult to establish any association between tree pollen and allergy medication sales. To improve this study, data from the majority of stores selling allergy medication should be collected. Similar studies should also be performed in different populations under varying climates to determine the strength of tree pollen as a risk