Dataset Information

A replicable strategy for mapping air pollution's community-level health impacts and catalyzing prevention.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Air pollution was responsible for an estimated 6.7 million deaths globally in 2019 and 197,000 deaths in the United States. Fossil fuel combustion is the major source.

Hypothesis

Mapping air pollution's health impacts at the community level using publicly available data and open-source software will provide a replicable strategy for catalyzing pollution prevention.

Methods

Using EPA's Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis (BenMAP-CE) software and state data, we quantified the effects of airborne fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) pollution on disease, death and children's cognitive function (IQ Loss) in each city and town in Massachusetts. To develop a first-order estimate of PM_2.5 pollution's impact on child IQ, we derived a concentration-response coefficient through literature review.

Findings

The annual mean PM_2.5 concentration in Massachusetts in 2019 was 6.3 μg/M³, a level below EPA's standard of 12 μg/M³ and above WHO's guideline of 5 μg/M³. In adults, PM_2.5 pollution was responsible for an estimated 2780 (Confidence Interval [CI] 2726 - 2853) deaths: 1677 (CI, 1346 - 1926) from cardiovascular disease, 2185 (CI, 941-3409) from lung cancer, 200 (CI, 66-316) from stroke, and 343 (CI, 222-458) from chronic respiratory disease. In children, PM_2.5 pollution was responsible for 308 (CI, 105-471) low-weight births, 15,386 (CJ, 5433-23,483) asthma cases, and a provisionally estimated loss of nearly 2 million Performance IQ points; IQ loss impairs children's school performance, reduces graduation rates and decreases lifetime earnings. Air-pollution-related disease, death and IQ loss were most severe in low-income, minority communities, but occurred in every city and town in Massachusetts regardless of location, demographics or median family income.

Conclusion

Disease, death and IQ loss occur at air pollution exposure levels below current EPA standards. Prevention of disease and premature death and preservation of children's cognitive function will require that EPA air quality standards be tightened. Enduring prevention will require government-incentivized transition to renewable energy coupled with phase-outs of subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuels. Highly localized information on air pollution's impacts on health and on children's cognitive function has potential to catalyze pollution prevention.

SUBMITTER: Landrigan PJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9288863 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

A replicable strategy for mapping air pollution's community-level health impacts and catalyzing prevention.

Landrigan Philip J PJ Fisher Samantha S Kenny Maureen E ME Gedeon Brittney B Bryan Luke L Mu Jenna J Bellinger David D

Environmental health : a global access science source 20220718 1

<h4>Background</h4>Air pollution was responsible for an estimated 6.7 million deaths globally in 2019 and 197,000 deaths in the United States. Fossil fuel combustion is the major source.<h4>Hypothesis</h4>Mapping air pollution's health impacts at the community level using publicly available data and open-source software will provide a replicable strategy for catalyzing pollution prevention.<h4>Methods</h4>Using EPA's Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis (BenMAP-CE) software and state data ...[more]

PMID: 35843932

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Project description:BackgroundSmoke exposure from wildfires or residential wood burning for heat is a public health problem for many communities. Do-It-Yourself (DIY) portable air cleaners (PACs) are promoted as affordable alternatives to commercial PACs, but evidence of their effect on health outcomes is limited.ObjectivePilot test an evaluation of the effect of DIY PAC usage on self-reported symptoms, and investigate barriers and facilitators of PAC use, among members of a tribal community that routinely experiences elevated concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from smoke.MethodsWe conducted studies in Fall 2021 ("wildfire study"; N = 10) and Winter 2022 ("wood stove study"; N = 17). Each study included four sequential one-to-two-week phases: 1) initial, 2) DIY PAC usage ≥8 h/day, 3) commercial PAC usage ≥8 h/day, and 4) air sensor with visual display and optional PAC use. We continuously monitored PAC usage and indoor/outdoor PM2.5 concentrations in homes. Concluding each phase, we conducted phone surveys about participants' symptoms, perceptions, and behaviors. We analyzed symptoms associated with PAC usage and conducted an analysis of indoor PM2.5 concentrations as a mediating pathway using mixed effects multivariate linear regression. We categorized perceptions related to PACs into barriers and facilitators of use.ResultsNo association was observed between PAC usage and symptoms, and the mediation analysis did not indicate that small observed trends were attributable to changes in indoor PM2.5 concentrations. Small sample sizes hindered the ability to draw conclusions regarding the presence or absence of causal associations. DIY PAC usage was low; loud operating noise was a barrier to use.DiscussionThis research is novel in studying health effects of DIY PACs during wildfire and wood smoke exposures. Such research is needed to inform public health guidance. Recommendations for future studies on PAC use during smoke exposure include building flexibility of intervention timing into the study design.

Dataset Information

A replicable strategy for mapping air pollution's community-level health impacts and catalyzing prevention.

Background

Hypothesis

Methods

Findings

Conclusion

Publications

A replicable strategy for mapping air pollution's community-level health impacts and catalyzing prevention.

Similar Datasets

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