The Biochar Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Increased’

A recent U.S. study published by the New England Journal of Medicine has found significant links between small particle air pollution and heart disease and strokes in women. The researchers were based at the University of Washington and used data provided from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Observational Study involving 65,893 women in and around 36 U.S. cities. Of major importance in the WHI study was the establishment of a stronger statistical association between fine particulate air pollution and death from coronary heart disease than that found in previous studies.

The average particulate levels in the study ranged from about 4 micrograms to almost 20 micrograms per cubic meter. The researchers found that each 10 microgram rise was matched by a 76% increase in the chances of death from heart disease or stroke. Many of these particles are so tiny that it would take over 2 dozen to equal the thickness of a human hair.

It has long been known that particulates can contribute to lung and heart disease, with women perhaps more susceptible than men to heart problems because of their smaller blood vessels and other biological differences. Researchers believe that when dirty air is inhaled, invisible pollutants can become embedded in the lungs or travel through the bloodstream. They may then harden arteries or cause inflammation leading to cardiac disease or stroke. Unlike earlier studies, this one looked not just at deaths, but also at heart attacks, coronary disease, strokes and clogged arteries. In their calculations, the researchers tried to adjust for lower income and other health problems that have been blamed for the higher rates of disease in past studies.

Indoor air quality professionals have known for years that fine particulate air pollution can cause respiratory problems, especially in infants, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. The Environmental Protection Agency tightened its daily limit on exposure to fine particulates in September 2006, but left the annual limit at a concentration of 15 millionths of a gram for every cubic meter of air. Many health professionals and air quality experts felt that the new EPA rules didn’t go far enough to protect the public. Several environmental groups and individual states sued the EPA last year for disregarding advice from its own scientists regarding tighter rules on fine particulate matter. The EPA’s Air Quality Index provides daily updates, including fine particle pollution and can be found at http://airnow.gov/

Although there isn’t much you can do about outdoor air pollution, indoor air quality is something you can have control over. Commercial air cleaners are not just for businesses, they have residential applications as well. For example, the SE-400 can remove large quantities of airborne particles that enter your home. The unit features a tightly woven aluminum mesh pre-filter that first removes large particles. Next, the smaller particles are trapped by the collector cells, which collect the particles like strong magnets. Help reduce the threat to your health from fine particulate matter by using superior commercial air cleaners.

A new study has demonstrated the strong correlation between air pollution and air quality and the level of costs incurred in by elderly patients seeking medical attention. The study took in millions of Medicare records of both in- and out-patients between 1989 and 1991 all the patients were white and aged between 65 and 84 years.

The study was conducted by Professor Victor Fuchs, professor emeritus at Stanford University and assisted by Sarah Franks, a doctoral student at Berkeley, University of California. The study results were published in the November/December issue of Health Affairs, and the conclusive results demonstrate a direct linkage between air pollution and the level of health, particularly respiratory health in elderly patients. More than this, the study demonstrates that investment in improving air quality and reducing pollution leads to direct cost savings which are substantial.

At a time when there is a great debate centered around healthcare, and especially who will be footing the bill, the report clearly demonstrates that pollution control provides an excellent opportunity for improving the nation’s health, reducing the cost of healthcare and provides opportunities to improve the quality of life for the elderly.

Factors taken into consideration in the study, which took in 183 metropolitan areas, included regional geographical variations, per capita income, educational achievement, ethnic breakdown of the sample location, weight levels (particularly obesity levels) and cigarette usage.

There are clear differences between urban and rural areas within the study samples; metropolitan areas also varied widely in the quality of the air and pollution levels the study demonstrates that there is only a small difference in rates of surgery between high and low pollution sample locations, however this picture radically changes when medical intervention short of surgery is assessed.

Outpatient care has a 7% difference between high and low air pollution locations, but when we look at inpatient care the difference increases dramatically to 19% more people seeking treatment in the more highly polluted sample locations.

Population size and density has a very significant impact on air quality Florida and Blue Sky country (centered upon Montana) has the cleanest air but Florida had twice the outpatient treatment rate (this being a factor of the higher population size and density). Hospital admissions were found to be at their highest in the Deep South and South Western areas of the country.

Overall, differences in admissions to hospital for respiratory conditions between low and high air pollution locations are relatively low; the data must be interpreted with care because of the small difference. Nevertheless, there is a clear relationship between air pollution and the need for increased medical intervention for the elderly. As the authors state in the conclusion of the report, the results do not provide, “absolute proof” that high pollution areas result in higher spending on medical care, however the data results are highly persuasive.

Irrespective of whether the study constitutes “absolute proof” or not, there is a clear need for greater outpatient medical treatment for those living in highly populated and highly polluted areas. The correlation between high pollution levels and population levels also demonstrates just who is actually responsible for creating the problem with air quality in the first instance.