Appendix A:   Example of Matrix of Environmental Public Health Indicators for first round of scoring and review (e.g. shown is for Air).

Category- AIR
  

Criteria (equally balanced)

Scoring

Notes

OBJECTIVES

AVAILABLE INDICATOR

Catalyst for action in public health programs within Border XXI initiative

Resonance with public health and environment practitioners and managers

Resonance with political officials and public needs and concerns

Cumulative
Score

Rank within Category

  

1. Assess exposures and risk levels (incl. Behaviours & perceptions)

Proportion of youth 15-19 of age who smoke (PAHO D 30)

            

Percentage of households using coal, wood or kerosene as main source of heating/cooking fuel (Briggs)

            

Emissions of pollutants (Border)

            

Amount of hazardous or toxic substances released in the ambient air (CDC)

            

Vehicle miles driven (CDC)

            

Proximity of human population to non-attainment areas for ambient air quality standards (CDC)

            

Number of exceedances days for each ambient air standard (Border)

            

Ambient air concentrations for criteria pollutants in each sister city (Border)

            

Level of criteria pollutants in ambient air (CDC)

            

2. Assess biological exposure and levels related of related diseases (mortality, morbidity)

Estimated death rates due to acute respiratory infections in children under 5 (PAHO C11)

            

Temperature attributed deaths (CDC)

            

Carbon monoxide poisonings deaths (CDC)

            

Unusual pattern of cardiovascular and respiratory events (with environmental contribution) (CDC)

            

Unusual pattern of acute asthma event (CDC)

            
 

Incidence of morbidity due to acute respiratory infections in children under 5 (Briggs)

            

Percentage of children under 18 with asthma and chronic bronchitis (EPA-C; D1)

            

Percentage of children under 18 with asthma (EPA-C; D2)

            

Asthma hospitalization rate for children 0-14 (EPA-C; D3)

            

3. Identify priority groups for intevention (vulnerable, high exposure)

Other non-specific indicators as presented in WATER section

            

Percentage of children living in counties in which air quality standards were exceeded (EPA-C; E1)

            

Percentage of children's days with good, moderate or unhealthy air quality (EPA-C; E2)

            

Percentage of children living in counties where at least one air pollutant concentration was greater than a health benchmark in 1990 (EPA-C; E3)

            

Percentage of homes with children under 7 where someone smokes regularly (EPA-C; E4)

            

4. Reduce exposure/disease through:

-adapted information support
-protective and control measures
-preventative, corrective measures
(at individuals, community, state, federal levels)
-promote adapted behaviours and instituttional responses

Implementation of programs that address motor vehicle emissions (CDC)

            

Availability of mass transit (CDC)

            

Level of alternate fuel in use in registered motor vehicles (CDC)

            

Schools with indoor air policies that address environmental hazards (incl. smoke and tobacco-free policies) (CDC)

            

Jurisdictions with laws pertaining to

smoke-free indoor air (CDC)

            

Indoor air inspections (complaint-related) (CDC)