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Schwarz L, Aguilera R, Aguilar-Dodier LC, Castillo Quiñones JE, García MEA, Benmarhnia T. Wildfire smoke knows no borders: Differential vulnerability to smoke effects on cardio-respiratory health in the San Diego-Tijuana region. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0001886. [PMID: 37347761 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to fine particles in wildfire smoke is deleterious for human health and can increase cases of cardio-respiratory illnesses and related hospitalizations. Neighborhood-level risk factors can increase susceptibility to environmental hazards, such as air pollution from smoke, and the same exposure can lead to different health effects across populations. While the San Diego-Tijuana border can be exposed to the same wildfire smoke event, socio-demographic differences may drive differential effects on population health. We used the October 2007 wildfires, one the most devastating wildfire events in Southern California that brought smoke to the entire region, as a natural experiment to understand the differential effect of wildfire smoke on both sides of the border. We applied synthetic control methods to evaluate the effects of wildfire smoke on cardio-respiratory hospitalizations in the Municipality of Tijuana and San Diego County separately. During the study period (October 11th- October 26th, 2007), 2009 hospital admissions for cardio-respiratory diseases occurred in San Diego County while 37 hospital admissions were reported in the Municipality of Tijuana. The number of cases in Tijuana was much lower than San Diego, and a precise effect of wildfire smoke was detected in San Diego but not in Tijuana. However, social drivers can increase susceptibility to environmental hazards; the poverty rate in Tijuana is more than three times that of San Diego. Socio-demographics are important in modulating the effects of wildfire smoke and can be potentially useful in developing a concerted regional effort to protect populations on both sides of the border from the adverse health effects of wildfire smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Schwarz
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Rosana Aguilera
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - L C Aguilar-Dodier
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Tijuana, México
| | | | | | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
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Ammons S, Aja H, Ghazarian AA, Lai GY, Ellison GL. Perception of worry of harm from air pollution: results from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1254. [PMID: 35752789 PMCID: PMC9233822 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13450-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Air pollution exposure has been associated with a multitude of diseases and poses a significant concern to public health. For targeted environmental risk communication and interventions to be effective, it is important to correctly identify characteristics associated with worry of harm from air pollution. Methods Using responses from 3,630 participants of the Health Information National Trends Survey 4 Cycle 2, we assessed worry of harm from exposure to indoor (IAP) and outdoor (OAP) air pollution separately. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results Hispanics were more likely to worry about harm from IAP and OAP compared to non-Hispanic whites. Participants who lived in metropolitan counties were more likely to worry about harm from IAP and OAP compared to those who lived in rural counties. Finally, those who believed their chance of getting cancer was high were more likely to worry about harm from IAP and OAP compared to those who thought their likelihood of getting cancer was low. Conclusions Worry of harm from IAP and OAP varied across sociodemographic and cancer-related characteristics. Public health professionals should consider these characteristics when developing targeted environmental risk communication and interventions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13450-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Ammons
- Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Department of Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, Bethesda, USA
| | - Hayley Aja
- Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Department of Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, Bethesda, USA.,Extramural Research Branch, Extramural Research and Partnerships Division, Office of Science Advisor, Policy, and Engagement, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Armen A Ghazarian
- Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Department of Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, Bethesda, USA
| | - Gabriel Y Lai
- Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Department of Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, Bethesda, USA
| | - Gary L Ellison
- Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Department of Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, Bethesda, USA.
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Carlsten C, Salvi S, Wong GWK, Chung KF. Personal strategies to minimise effects of air pollution on respiratory health: advice for providers, patients and the public. Eur Respir J 2020; 55:1902056. [PMID: 32241830 PMCID: PMC7270362 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.02056-2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
As global awareness of air pollution rises, so does the imperative to provide evidence-based recommendations for strategies to mitigate its impact. While public policy has a central role in reducing air pollution, exposure can also be reduced by personal choices. Qualified evidence supports limiting physical exertion outdoors on high air pollution days and near air pollution sources, reducing near-roadway exposure while commuting, utilising air quality alert systems to plan activities, and wearing facemasks in prescribed circumstances. Other strategies include avoiding cooking with solid fuels, ventilating and isolating cooking areas, and using portable air cleaners fitted with high-efficiency particulate air filters. We detail recommendations to assist providers and public health officials when advising patients and the public regarding personal-level strategies to mitigate risk imposed by air pollution, while recognising that well-designed prospective studies are urgently needed to better establish and validate interventions that benefit respiratory health in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Carlsten
- Air Pollution Exposure Laboratory, Dept of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Gary W K Wong
- Dept of Pediatrics and School of Public Health, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Kian Fan Chung
- Faculty of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Fu W, Liu Q, Konijnendijk van den Bosch C, Chen Z, Zhu Z, Qi J, Wang M, Dang E, Dong J. Long-Term Atmospheric Visibility Trends and Their Relations to Socioeconomic Factors in Xiamen City, China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15102239. [PMID: 30322076 PMCID: PMC6211101 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15102239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Atmospheric visibility (AV), one of the most concerning environmental issues, has shown a continuous decline in China’s urban areas, especially in Southeastern China. Existing studies have shown that AV is affected by air pollutants and climate change, which are always caused by human activities that are linked to socioeconomic factors, such as urban size, residents’ activities, industrial activities, and urban greening. However, the contribution of socioeconomic factors to AV is still not well understood, especially from a long-term perspective, which sometimes leads to ineffective policies. In this study, we used the structural equation model (SEM) in order to quantify the contribution of socioeconomic factors on AV change in Xiamen City, China, between 1987–2016. The results showed that the annual average AV of Xiamen between 1987–2016 was 12.00 km, with a change rate of −0.315 km/year. Urban size, industrial activities, and residents’ activities were found to have a negative impact on AV, while the impact of urban greening on the AV was modest. Among all of the indicators, the number of resident’s vehicles, total retail sales of consumer goods, and household electricity consumption were found to have the highest negative direct impact on the AV. The resident population, urban built-up area, and secondary industry gross domestic product (GDP) were the most important indirect impact factors. Based on our results, we evaluated the existing environmental regulations and policies of Xiamen City.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weicong Fu
- College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Urban Forestry Research in Action, Department of Forest Resources Management, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning, Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Qunyue Liu
- College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Urban Forestry Research in Action, Department of Forest Resources Management, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch
- Urban Forestry Research in Action, Department of Forest Resources Management, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Ziru Chen
- College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Urban Forestry Research in Action, Department of Forest Resources Management, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Zhipeng Zhu
- College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Jinda Qi
- College of Architecture & Urban Planning, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Mo Wang
- Faculty of built environment, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.
| | - Emily Dang
- Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Jianwen Dong
- College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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Long-Term Atmospheric Visibility Trends and Characteristics of 31 Provincial Capital Cities in China during 1957–2016. ATMOSPHERE 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos9080318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Millions of pulmonary diseases, respiratory diseases, and premature deaths are caused by poor ambient air quality in developing countries, especially in China. A proven indicator of ambient air quality, atmospheric visibility (AV), has displayed continuous decline in China’s urban areas. A better understanding of the characteristics and the factors affecting AV can help the public and policy makers manage their life and work. In this study, long-term AV trends (from 1957–2016, excluding 1965–1972) and spatial characteristics of 31 provincial capital cities (PCCs) of China (excluding Taipei, Hong Kong, and Macau) were investigated. Seasonal and annual mean values of AV, percentage of ‘good’ (≥20 km) and ‘bad’ AV (<10 km), cumulative percentiles and the correlation between AV, socioeconomic factors, air pollutants and meteorological factors were analyzed in this study. Results showed that annual mean AV of the 31 PCCs in China were 14.30 km, with a declining rate of −1.07 km/decade. The AV of the 31 PCCs declined dramatically between 1973–1986, then plateaued between 1987–2006, and rebounded slightly after 2007. Correlation analysis showed that impact factors (e.g., urban size, industrial activities, residents’ activities, urban greening, air quality, and meteorological factors) contributed to the variation of AV. We also reveal that residents’ activities are the primary direct socioeconomic factors on AV. This study hopes to help the public fully understand the characteristics of AV and make recommendations about improving the air environment in China’s urban areas.
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