Award
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 5R03ES036276-02
Brevetoxins and Emergency Encounters among Children (BEECH)
Recipient
University of South Florida
Award Amount
$75,000.00
Ceiling
$75,000.00
Awarded
June 10, 2025
Identifier
5R03ES036276-02
A research grant awarded to study the impact of red tide algae brevetoxins on emergency hospital visits among children in southwest Florida, aiming to improve exposure assessment and public health policies.
Description
This project aims to investigate whether living near the coast during red tide events caused by the algae K. brevis triggers emergency hospital visits among children. It is the first epidemiologic study of residential brevetoxin exposures among children, aiming to quantify short-term associations with emergency encounters and discharge diagnoses. The study will help characterize health effects of brevetoxin exposures, which are expected to be higher in children due to their smaller body sizes, higher inhalation rates, and immature detoxification systems. The research will link K. brevis monitoring data with emergency department records for children aged 0-18 in southwest Florida from 2012-2019. It will produce maps of K. brevis concentrations, improve exposure assessment methods, and inform public health policies.