Pueblo of Taos Trends in National Air Quality and Public Health National Tribal Forum Las Vegas, NV June 3, 2008 Taos Pueblo Located in north central New Mexico at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at an elevation of 7,600 ft. Lived in communal multistory adobe houses along the banks of the Rio Pueblo for over 1,000 years. Overall population: 2,400 2,206 members who reside on the Taos Pueblo reservation. Red Willow People Problem An study level of asthma diagnosis and upper respiratory infections in the Taos Pueblo community. 79 patients had their first asthma related diagnosis in 2007* The total number of patients seen in 2007 was 1,976* Incidence rate for asthmatics for calendar year 2007: 4%* *IHS Data 2007 Taos/Picuris IHS Visits Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections include: -rhino sinusitis (common cold), sinusitis, pharyngitis/tonsillitis, laryngitis and sometimes bronchitis. Symptoms of URTI's commonly include nasal congestion, cough, running nose, sore throat, fever, facial pressure and sneezing.common coldsinusitis pharyngitistonsillitis laryngitis bronchitis nasal congestioncough running nosesore throatfeversneezing Asthma - Asthma is a disease in which inflammation of the airways causes airflow into and out of the lungs to be restricted. -The muscles of the bronchial tree become tight and the lining of the air passages swells, reducing airflow and producing the characteristic wheezing sound. -episodes of asthma can be triggered by many different factors such as allergens, dust, smoke, cold air, exercise, infections, medications, and acid reflux. Bronchitis - Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, or bronchi (the air passages that extend from the windpipe into the lungs). -Bronchitis is classified as either acute or chronic. * In Acute Bronchitis, the causative agents are viruses, which is preceded by a cold * Chronic bronchitis is a component of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It may result from a series of attacks of acute bronchitis, or it may evolve gradually because of heavy smoking or the inhalation of air contaminated with other pollutants in the environment. Pulmonary Fibrosis - "Fibrosis" is a term used to refer to scarring, so pulmonary fibrosis means scarring throughout the lungs. Pulmonary fibrosis can be caused by many conditions including chronic inflammatory processes, infections, environmental agents (asbestos, silica, exposure to certain gases), exposure to ionizing radiation (such as radiation therapy to treat tumors of the chest), chronic conditions (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), and certain medications. Contributing Factors Tourism an estimated 90,000 visitors a year Wood smoke a majority of community members use wood stoves to heat their homes Dirt Roads miles of dirt roads Taos Pueblo Reservation 2007 Weather Data 2007 Weather Data Conclusions Conduct aggressive campaigns to educate community about environmental triggers Educate health care providers Involve tribal government Develop materials tailored to the community Find other stakeholders Sources Evelyn Martinez Environmental Specialist Taos Pueblo Environmental Office PO Box 1846 Taos, NM Phone Fax Evelyn Martinez Environmental Specialist Taos Pueblo Environmental Office PO Box 1846 Taos, NM Phone Fax