(1258) Representation of Environmental Factors in Patient Education for Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Allergic Rhinitis

Introduction: Environmental exposures, including air pollution, allergens, smoke, and occupational irritants, are contributors to upper airway inflammation in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and allergic rhinitis (AR), but the extent to which they are addressed in patient-facing educational materials remains unclear. This multi-institutional study assessed public patient education materials to evaluate how often these inflammation-inducing factors and exposure guidance are included.

Methods: A cross-sectional content analysis was conducted of CRS and AR patient material webpages across 16 academic institutions and 4 organizations. Each page was reviewed and systematically coded using a predefined binary framework for the presence or absence of environmental triggers (specifically air pollution, smoke/vaping, allergens, chemical/irritant and occupational exposures). Additional elements coded included recommendations for avoidance, actionable prevention, and indoor air guidance.

Results: Across 40 institutional and organizational webpages, 90% of CRS and AR materials referenced at least one environmental trigger. Allergens were most commonly mentioned (90%), followed by chemical exposures (57.5%), tobacco smoke or vaping (52.5%), air pollution (25%), and occupational exposures (17.5%). Guidance on avoidance or actionable prevention appeared on 70% of pages, while indoor air quality recommendations were included on 52.5% of pages. Compared to CRS materials, AR patient materials more often discussed avoidance advice (85% vs 55%) and chemical/occupational exposure (45% vs 30%).

Conclusions: While environmental triggers are acknowledged contributors of increased CRS and AR disease severity, patient education materials inconsistently address such factors. Furthermore, guidance on exposure reduction is limited, suggesting the potential need for improved evidence-based communication to improve patient awareness and mitigation strategies for environmental triggers of airway inflammation.