ECOLECTIVOS - Guatemala
ECOLECTIVOS is a 5 year research project funded by the National Institutes of Health in the United States, and in partnership with Universidad del Valle de Guatemala and Emory University.
ECOLECTIVOS combines the elements of Participatory Action Research (PAR) and Dissemination and Implementation Sciences (DIS) to find sustainable community-based alternatives to burning plastic waste in household fires. In the rural areas of Santa Maria Xalapan, Jalapa, Guatemala, plastic waste is commonly burned in indoor or outdoor wood-fired stoves.
Community-Based Air Quality Monitoring
Working in partnership with our community partner ECO-Action, the Saikawa Lab will install air quality sensors, share sample data and train residents in five communities so they can advance their advocacy efforts to address longstanding air quality problems where they live. The project includes deploying air quality monitors in underserved communities to collect data, making near real-time air quality data available for the communities and other stakeholders. The long-term outcome of this project is to reduce human exposure to the identified pollutants, with shorter-term objectives of providing additional data that helps community members identify problems and increase awareness of the risks associated with air pollutants in their communities.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease (COPD) Project
Ambient (outdoor) and household (indoor) air pollution is the leading environmental health risk factor for morbidity and mortality around the globe. Yet, there has been limited understanding on how personal air pollution exposure across different races and immigration status impacts their respiratory health outcomes. This is particularly important in the United States (U.S.), as air pollution continues to be a health threat in many cities in the U.S., although the magnitude of air pollutant concentrations is much less severe compared to some of the Global South countries, especially in China and India. We are interested in understanding the air pollution exposure level and respiratory health of migrant populations from China and India residing in the U.S., compared to U.S.-born Chinese and Indians, as well as U.S.-born Whites and Blacks.