It has been found that the ED visits for breathing issues have been increased due to air pollution, according to the largest study of air pollution and respiratory ER visits of people of all ages.
The officials explained that the levels of ozone and fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) have increased. The study was published on the internet in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
In “Age-specific Associations of Ozone and PM2.5 with Respiratory Emergency Department Visits in the U.S.,” researchers found the associations between ground-level ozone and fine particulate pollution and emergency room visits for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and respiratory infections.
Dr. Strosnider, a health scientist at the CDC National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program, said the previous studies on ER visits due to respiratory problems have found that children are especially vulnerable to diseases caused by air pollution; however, those studies were confined to a single city. The researchers analyzed the data of the Tracking Program to evaluate the association between air pollution and ED visits for respiratory issues across the U.S. counties.
Ozone, one of the ingredients of smog, and fine particulates, or microscopic particles are the two vital forms of air pollution, which have the ability to penetrate deep into the lungs, causing respiratory distress.
The study looked at the levels of ozone and fine particulate pollution in 869 counties in the week before an ER visit for a respiratory problem. The study involved approximately 40 million ER visits for respiratory issues from the counties, which represent nearly 45 percent of the population in the U.S.
The experts divided patients into three groups – children below 19, adults under 65, and adults above 65. Here are the findings:
An association was found between ozone and respiratory ER visits among all age groups; strongest association in adults under 65. The rate of an ER visit for breathing difficulties increased by:
- 1.7 percent among children
- 5.1 percent among adults under 65
- 3.3 percent among adults above 65.
Augmented levels of ozone resulted in increased ER visits for asthma, pneumonia, acute respiratory infections, and COPD. The association was strongest for asthma among adults under 65.
An association was also found between fine particulate pollution and ER visits among all age groups, with the strongest association among children. The rate of an ER visit increased by:
- 2.4 percent in children
- 0.8 percent among adults under 65.
Increased levels of fine particulate pollution resulted in increased ED visits for asthma, acute respiratory infections, and pneumonia.
The researchers said the findings support the Environmental Protection Agency’s determination of a likely association between ozone and PM2.5 and respiratory effects. However, they further explained that their study has been successful in finding crucial variations in relationships that are based on the age of the individual, the pollutant, and the respiratory ailment.
Dr. Strosnider also explained that study findings should help in taking special efforts to protect people who are most vulnerable to air pollution. For instance, they observed a strong association between ozone and adults under 65 and between fine particulate pollution and children. These findings can help public health officials and the U.S. government to make vital decisions about air pollution and respiratory issues. There were a few limitations of this study, which include the fact that the measurements of county air pollution do not measure the personal exposure and counties in the Northwest and mid-Atlantic.
