Deanna Kay

Ms. Deanna Kay


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
15 January 2021 in Cureus
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
PLPolliana Mihaela Leru
Polliana Mihaela Leru
DKDeanna Kay
Deanna Kay
JKJessica Kelly
Jessica Kelly
TTTam Tuong
Tam Tuong
TSTobias Schaeffer
Tobias Schaeffer
RNRodica Neamtu
Rodica Neamtu
Respiratory allergies represent an important public health problem, with increasing prevalence and severity in Europe during the last decades. The rise of pollen allergies is an issue that continues to negatively impact people’s daily lives across the globe and has become more important in the light of global warming and increasing air pollution. The aim of our paper is to evaluate the prevalence of declared atopy and the influence of lifestyle on allergic diseases, particularly on pollen allergies, in the urban environment from Romania. The study is based on the cooperation Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) called “Pollen Allergies in Romania: Optimizing Data Analysis in Raising Awareness”, agreed and carried on between a group of North-American students and teachers from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a hospital-based allergy team from Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy and Colentina Clinical Hospital from Bucharest. The project aimed to evaluate the prevalence of atopy and lifestyle practices of allergic patients and to develop a data analysis tool to determine correlations between pollen counts and other environmental factors in the city of Bucharest. The lifestyle survey revealed that about one-third of allergic patients declared history of atopy. Some of the declared lifestyle practices can be considered environmental risk factors for allergies. This IQP can be considered a model of international, interdisciplinary and intercultural collaboration. We concluded that Romania is facing an increasing pollen allergies trend and some actual lifestyle aspects can significantly influence the risk of pollen allergies in the big city environment.