Graduate student honored for research on respiratory health near dairy farms

November 11, 2016
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Amy Schultz, a graduate student working at the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), received a student achievement award at the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting.

Her poster, about the effects of industrial dairy operations on respiratory health, was a top-10 submission for student abstracts in the Environmental Health section. The meeting was held Oct. 29-Nov. 2 in Denver.

Schultz, who is pursuing a PhD in epidemiology, presented her poster and received the award on Oct. 31.

Her research poster focused on respiratory health outcomes among rural SHOW participants living near industrial dairy operations in Wisconsin. The Survey of the Health of Wisconsin found a significant increase of self-reported wheezing and a decrease in lung function among those living within 3 miles of industrial dairy operations, and the association strengthened among those living within 1.5 miles of the operations.

Schultz has focused on the rich environmental measurements and linkages in the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin’s work, and has also looked at a variety of other important environment measures, including groundwater testing.

About the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin

SHOW is a statewide public health survey designed to help improve health in Wisconsin and throughout the world. The program has been in operation at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health since 2008. The SHOW cohort includes more than 5,000 adults and children.