THE LINK BETWEEN AIR QUALITY AND ASTHMA SEVERITY: A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
This research presents a proposal to investigate the link between air quality and the severity of asthmatic and allergic reactions. This proposal is presented within the contexts of (1) a problem statement, (2) a literature review, (3) the research methodology, and (4) expected outcomes.
Asthma and allergies, the relationship between the two health problems, and the relationships between the two health problems and a whole host of environmental, genetic, and person- specific factors have been studied extensively (Snadden, 1992, pp. 1351-1361). In the face of all of this research, however, individual experiences with both asthma and allergies are frequently at variance with research findings reported in the literature, and individual experiences with both of the health problems are frequently inconsistent over time. These individual experiences with asthma and allergies demand further investigation (Weiss, 1990, pp. 179S-184S). One fruitful area of such research appears to be the link between environmental air quality and the severity of asthmatic and allergic reactions (McFadden and Gilbert, 1992, pp. 1928-1937; Newman-Taylor, 1990, pp. 209S-211s; Weiss, 1992, pp. 362S-367S).
It is proposed that a research study be conducted to investigate the link between environmental air quality and the severity of asthmatic and allergic reactions. The research question that will be investigated in the proposed study is as follows: Does the presence of specific substances in environmental air affect the severity of respiratory reactions in persons afflicted with asthma? With respect to this research question, the hypothesis that will be tested in the proposed research study is as follows: It is hypothesized that environmental air containing tobacco smoke, acidic aerosols, pollens, animal dander, household dust, and some chemical substan...