Sarah Chambliss, PhD

Chambliss also discussed other research she is working on looking to understand effects on children with asthma.

Understanding Effects of Pollution Sources in Neighborhoods, with Sarah Chambliss, PhD

New research into pollution sources and asthma complications has found that semiconductor fabrication plants (SFPs) are located disproportionately in census tracts with higher indicators of social vulnerability and a greater proportion of Black and Latinx residents and, slightly increasing population-based incidence of asthma-related emergency department visits.

These findings were presented by Sarah Chambliss, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at University of Texas at Austin, at the 

2025 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (AAAAI)

 annual meeting in San Diego from February 28 – March 3.

The investigators found that there was around a 1% increase in asthma-related emergency department visits per unit of distance from the SFPS after adjusting for other socioeconomic factors, which, while small, adds up over time and with close proximity.

“Honestly, if people know that their kids are at higher risk of having worse asthma, and they just make a big deal out of it, they can prevent these factories from going into their neighborhoods, like that's why these factories don't exist in neighborhoods with more resources, because people complain about it. So, it's really as long as you have the advocacy, you can [do something about it],” Chambliss said.

 spoke with Chambliss to learn more about her research and other efforts she is engaged in to try and address issues with pollution sources in neighborhoods. She also stressed the importance of advocacy for these neighborhoods and discussed other research she is conducting to better understand the effects of pollution sources on children with asthma.

“We can get much more specific with the effects of air pollution on asthma morbidity like asthma exacerbations or symptom days, if we look at individuals instead of populations. So I'm currently working with a couple of groups that have cohorts of children, where they've measured, in some cases, their symptom load and their asthma control levels, and then in other cases, they've looked at them over time, and they've looked at their lung function growth. With both of those cohorts, we'll be able to really tease out these social factors much better from air pollution, because we'll know specifically what these each person is experiencing,” Chambliss said.

Chambliss's research is supported by an NIH grant.

Chambliss S, Zigler C, Warner A, et al. Understanding the Role of Pollution Sources in Intracity Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Proximity to Semiconductor Facilities, Neighborhood Demographic Characteristics, and Asthma-related Emergency Department Visits. Presented at: AAAAI/WAO Joint Congress, San Diego; 2/28-3/3. Abstract 865

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Understanding Effects on Asthma of Pollution Sources in Neighborhoods, with Sarah Chambliss, PhD

Chambliss and colleagues found a 1% increase in asthma-related emergency department visits per unit of distance to semiconductor fabrication plants.

Investigating Pollution Sources and Asthma Morbidity in Communities of Color, with Sarah Chambliss, PhD

New research has found that semiconductor fabrication plants (SFPs) are located disproportionately in census tracts with a greater proportion of Black and Latinx residents and higher indicators of social vulnerability, slightly increasing population-based incidence of asthma-related emergency department visits.

 annual meeting in San Diego from February 28 – March 3, by Sarah Chambliss, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at University of Texas at Austin.

 spoke with Chambliss to learn more about the background behind her research investigating pollution sources as a potential association with higher asthma morbidity in Black Americans and higher rates of emergency department visits for asthma in Latino Americans. She stressed the legacy of pollution sources and highways being built in neighborhoods that are predominantly communities of color, and how industry continues to build up in these areas. One growing pollution source is SFPs as microchip manufacturing grows in prevalence.

Chambliss and colleagues found that, after adjusting for other socioeconomic factors, there was around a 1% increase in asthma-related emergency department visits per unit of distance from the SFPS, which, while small, adds up over time and with close proximity. She also suggested some ways health care providers can keep relevant pollution sources in mind when treating their patients.

“At AAAAI, you know, we're not talking about land use, we're not talking about urban planning, but we can talk about partnerships between the health care community and these at risk more vulnerable communities. Maybe there could be more outreach in terms of preventative care for asthma. If you know that there are environmental exposures in these areas that could be contributing to worse asthma outcomes, I think that that should be on the radar of clinicians,” Chambliss said.

Sarah Chambliss, PhD

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