An acute effect is an adverse effect on any living organism when severe symptoms develop rapidly. Symptoms often disappear or diminish after exposure stops. The term ‘acute’ may also refer to exposure and toxicity.

Age groupings permit displaying age-related trends in the data. Agencies or researchers can use their own or standard age categories.

A rate that accounts for age differences between populations. Adjusting for age allows overall rates to be compared between populations. See also Rate.

A rate calculated for a specific age category.

A general description of how much pollution is in the air. See also Toxic Pollutants, Particulate Matter.

Outside Air.

A network of stations in Kansas that monitor air pollutants. See also Ambient air, Contaminant, Criteria Pollutant, and Toxic Pollutants.

A major birth defect where part of the brain, skull or scalp is missing.

A naturally-occuring element that can be poisonous in some forms. Arsenic is combined with other elements such as oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur to form inorganic arsenic compounds. Exposure to higher-than-average levels of arsenic occurs mainly in workplaces, near or in hazardous waste sites, and areas with high levels naturally occurring in soil, rocks, and water.

A disease where the airways of the lungs tighten up and cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and/or shortness of breath.

A measure indicating that somebody visited the hospital because of asthma.

The average (calculated as the arithmetic mean), over a multi-year period, of the rates or proportions seen each year during that period.