Volunteerism Addressing Environmental Disparities in Allergy (VAEDIA): The presidential initiative to combat environmental injustice in allergy and immunology-a Work Group Report of the AAAAI VAEDIA task force.

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  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: Mosby Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 1275002 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1097-6825 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00916749 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Allergy Clin Immunol Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Original Publication: St Louis, Mosby.
    • Subject Terms:
      Allergy and Immunology*/education ; Hypersensitivity*/immunology ; Volunteers*; Humans ; Advisory Committees ; Climate Change ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects ; Social Justice ; United States
    • Abstract:
      Many vulnerable people lose their health or lives each year as a result of unhealthy environmental conditions that perpetuate medical conditions within the scope of allergy and immunology specialists' expertise. While detrimental environmental factors impact all humans globally, the effect is disproportionately more profound in impoverished neighborhoods. Environmental injustice is the inequitable exposure of disadvantaged populations to environmental hazards. Professional medical organizations such as the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) are well positioned to engage and encourage community outreach volunteer programs to combat environmental justice. Here we discuss how environmental injustices and climate change impacts allergic diseases among vulnerable populations. We discuss pathways allergists/immunologists can use to contribute to addressing environmental determinants by providing volunteer clinical service, education, and advocacy. Furthermore, allergists/immunologists can play a role in building trust within these communities, partnering with other patient advocacy nonprofit stakeholders, and engaging with local, state, national, and international nongovernmental organizations, faith-based organizations, and governments. The AAAAI's Volunteerism Addressing Environmental Disparities in Allergy (VAEDIA) is the presidential task force aiming to promote volunteer initiatives by creating platforms for discussion and collaboration and by funding community-based projects to address environmental injustice.
      Competing Interests: Disclosure statement Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: M. Mahdavinia reports research support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), Optinose Foundation, Brinson Foundation, and Institute for Translation Medicine in Chicago. J. A. Poole receives funding from the Department of Defense and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health; has received research regents from AstraZeneca; and acts as site principal investigator (PI) for clinical studies for asthma, sinus disease, and urticaria involving GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and CellDex Therapeutics. A. J. Apter receives research support from the NIH and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. A. A. Pappalardo has served on the medical advisory board for Takeda, Eli Lilly, and Sanofi Regeneron; has received grant funding from the NIH, Agency for Health Research and Quality, and FARE; and has acted as a consultant for Optum/United Health Group. E. C. Matsui has received research support from the NIH. J. A. Bernstein is site PI and consultant for Sanofi Regeneron, AstraZeneca, GSK, Novartis, Genentech, Biocryst, Pharming, Takeda, CSL Behring, Ionis, Biomarin, Blueprint Medicine, Cogent, Celldex, Escient, Jasper Pharmaceuticals, Amgen, Kalvista, and Pharvaris; is president of American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), World Allergy Organization, and Interasma; and Hereditory Angioedema medical advisory board. The rest of the authors declare that they have no relevant conflicts of interest.
      (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: Environmental injustice; allergy/immunology; disparity; volunteerism
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20240525 Date Completed: 20240706 Latest Revision: 20240708
    • Publication Date:
      20240709
    • Accession Number:
      10.1016/j.jaci.2024.04.012
    • Accession Number:
      38795076