A global survey addressing sustainability of pollen monitoring
Background: Contemporary airborne pollen records underpin environmental health warnings, yet how pollen monitoring networks are sustained is poorly understood. This study investigated by whom and how pollen monitoring sites across the globe are managed and funded. Methods: Coordinators listed in the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-12-01
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| Series: | World Allergy Organization Journal |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1939455124001297 |
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| author | Divya Dwarakanath, BSc, MPhil Andelija Milic, BSc, PhD Paul J. Beggs, BSc, PhD Darren Wraith, BCom, GradDipHE, BMath, PhD Janet M. Davies, BSc, PhD |
| author_facet | Divya Dwarakanath, BSc, MPhil Andelija Milic, BSc, PhD Paul J. Beggs, BSc, PhD Darren Wraith, BCom, GradDipHE, BMath, PhD Janet M. Davies, BSc, PhD |
| author_sort | Divya Dwarakanath, BSc, MPhil |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Contemporary airborne pollen records underpin environmental health warnings, yet how pollen monitoring networks are sustained is poorly understood. This study investigated by whom and how pollen monitoring sites across the globe are managed and funded. Methods: Coordinators listed in the Worldwide Map of Pollen Monitoring Stations were invited to complete a digital questionnaire designed to survey the people and organisations involved, types, and duration of funding sources, as well as uses, purpose, and sharing of pollen information. Quantitative data were analysed by descriptive statistics and open text responses were examined by qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Eighty-four of 241 (35%) coordinators from 37 countries responded. Universities (42%) and hospitals/health services (29%) were most commonly responsible for monitoring. Most sites involved employees (87%) in pollen monitoring, of whom many were part-time (41%) or casual (11%), as well as students (29%) and volunteers (6%). Pollen monitoring was additional to core duties for over one-third of sites (35%), and 25% reported pollen monitoring was an in-kind contribution. Whilst funding for pollen monitoring was often sourced from government agencies (33%), government research grants (24%), or non-government grants (8%), 92% reported more than 1 funding source, and 99% reported dependence on “partnerships or grants requiring co-contributions”, indicating a complex resourcing structure, of short duration (median 3 years). Common reasons why airborne pollen was monitored included clinical allergy, population environmental health, aerobiology and forecasting. Climate change, research, and social duty were also referenced. Conclusions: Aerobiological monitoring is currently sustained by complex, insecure, and insufficient resourcing, as well as reliance on volunteerism. There are multiple direct, health-related, and other important uses of aerobiology data, that are aligned to multiple dimensions of sustainability. Evidence from this study can be used to inform the design of strategies to sustain the generation of aerobiology data. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5bfb6923e712442c85b8a8602a7fabc1 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1939-4551 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | World Allergy Organization Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-5bfb6923e712442c85b8a8602a7fabc12025-08-20T02:38:14ZengElsevierWorld Allergy Organization Journal1939-45512024-12-01171210099710.1016/j.waojou.2024.100997A global survey addressing sustainability of pollen monitoringDivya Dwarakanath, BSc, MPhil0Andelija Milic, BSc, PhD1Paul J. Beggs, BSc, PhD2Darren Wraith, BCom, GradDipHE, BMath, PhD3Janet M. Davies, BSc, PhD4School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4059, AustraliaSchool of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4059, AustraliaSchool of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, AustraliaSchool of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4059, AustraliaSchool of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4059, Australia; Corresponding author. School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Immunity and Infection Control, and Centre for Climate, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Level 5, KG-Q Block Research Facility, 60 Musk Avenue. Brisbane, Queensland 4059, Australia.Background: Contemporary airborne pollen records underpin environmental health warnings, yet how pollen monitoring networks are sustained is poorly understood. This study investigated by whom and how pollen monitoring sites across the globe are managed and funded. Methods: Coordinators listed in the Worldwide Map of Pollen Monitoring Stations were invited to complete a digital questionnaire designed to survey the people and organisations involved, types, and duration of funding sources, as well as uses, purpose, and sharing of pollen information. Quantitative data were analysed by descriptive statistics and open text responses were examined by qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Eighty-four of 241 (35%) coordinators from 37 countries responded. Universities (42%) and hospitals/health services (29%) were most commonly responsible for monitoring. Most sites involved employees (87%) in pollen monitoring, of whom many were part-time (41%) or casual (11%), as well as students (29%) and volunteers (6%). Pollen monitoring was additional to core duties for over one-third of sites (35%), and 25% reported pollen monitoring was an in-kind contribution. Whilst funding for pollen monitoring was often sourced from government agencies (33%), government research grants (24%), or non-government grants (8%), 92% reported more than 1 funding source, and 99% reported dependence on “partnerships or grants requiring co-contributions”, indicating a complex resourcing structure, of short duration (median 3 years). Common reasons why airborne pollen was monitored included clinical allergy, population environmental health, aerobiology and forecasting. Climate change, research, and social duty were also referenced. Conclusions: Aerobiological monitoring is currently sustained by complex, insecure, and insufficient resourcing, as well as reliance on volunteerism. There are multiple direct, health-related, and other important uses of aerobiology data, that are aligned to multiple dimensions of sustainability. Evidence from this study can be used to inform the design of strategies to sustain the generation of aerobiology data.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1939455124001297Pollen monitoringAerobiologyAllergySustainability |
| spellingShingle | Divya Dwarakanath, BSc, MPhil Andelija Milic, BSc, PhD Paul J. Beggs, BSc, PhD Darren Wraith, BCom, GradDipHE, BMath, PhD Janet M. Davies, BSc, PhD A global survey addressing sustainability of pollen monitoring World Allergy Organization Journal Pollen monitoring Aerobiology Allergy Sustainability |
| title | A global survey addressing sustainability of pollen monitoring |
| title_full | A global survey addressing sustainability of pollen monitoring |
| title_fullStr | A global survey addressing sustainability of pollen monitoring |
| title_full_unstemmed | A global survey addressing sustainability of pollen monitoring |
| title_short | A global survey addressing sustainability of pollen monitoring |
| title_sort | global survey addressing sustainability of pollen monitoring |
| topic | Pollen monitoring Aerobiology Allergy Sustainability |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1939455124001297 |
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