A new center focused on protecting children’s health from environmental dangers has opened in the Southern Great Plains. The Children’s Environmental Health Center, launched by researchers at the University of Oklahoma, is backed by a $1.8 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The center’s main goal is to help children in rural and farming communities who are more likely to face health problems due to pollution, poor housing, and limited access to healthcare. The project hopes to reduce school absences by finding out how these environmental factors affect children, starting from before birth through their teenage years.
“This work will help us understand how early-life exposure to harmful chemicals and other stressors impacts children’s health,” said Dr. Changjie Cai, the center’s director and a public health professor. “We want to find solutions that are affordable and actually work in these communities.”
Dr. Cai is leading a team that includes Dr. Diane Horm, a childhood education expert, and Dr. Dan Li, a specialist in health promotion. Together, they plan to build on a previous project called OK-AIR, which looked at indoor air quality in schools and its effects on children. That project was funded by the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness and the Preschool Development Grant.
Studies show that children living in farming areas often face extra health risks. These can include dirty air and water, harsh weather, and poverty—all of which can lead to more school absences and poor health.
“This progress is the result of strong school, family, and community partnerships,” said Dr. Li. “We’re taking a layered approach to solving the problem.”
Dr. Horm added that this partnership is a natural fit. “At the Early Childhood Education Institute, our mission has always been to support the well-being of young children through research,” she said. “Working together will help us understand and address the health problems these children face.”
One of the center’s key goals is to create a new tool: a Children’s Health and Social Vulnerability Index. This will measure both environmental dangers and social factors at the community and personal level. The index will guide programs that aim to improve children’s health, school attendance, and overall quality of life in rural communities.
This new center offers hope for families living in areas where children are often at higher risk. By combining research with community support, the University of Oklahoma team aims to make a lasting impact on the future of rural children’s health.
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