Air Pollution and Your Health

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American Thoracic Society

PATIENT EDUCATION | INFORMATION SERIES Outdoor Air Pollution and Your Health

Outdoor air pollution consists of a mixture of particles and gases that can affect the health of children and adults. Everyone is exposed to pollution when breathing the outdoor air. Certain groups of people, including children and adults with lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at higher risk of experiencing health problems from outdoor air pollution.

Where Does Outdoor Air Pollution Come From? including: Air pollution is the name for the mixture of harmful ■■ worse lung function particles and gases in the air around us that we ■■ cough, mucous production, shortness of breath, breathe. Air pollution is produced by both human and wheeze activity and naturally occurring events. Burning ■■ asthma attacks of fossil fuels by motor vehicles (including cars, ■■ buses and trucks) and power plants (including doctor visits for respiratory infection in young children

CLIP AND COPY AND CLIP coal-fired and natural gas plants) releases a mixture of pollutants, such as tiny particles (particulate ■■ hospitalization for pneumonia in infants and the matter, PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile elderly organic compounds (VOCs). Chemical reactions in ■■ hospitalization for chronic obstructive pulmonary the atmosphere between NOx and VOCs produce disease (COPD) ground-level ozone, a component of smog. ■■ heart attacks Naturally-occurring sources of pollutants include ■■ stroke forest fires, volcanoes, and dust storms. Forest ■■ respiratory, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality fires release a range of pollutants, from particulate (death rates) matter and acrolein (a respiratory irritant) to Whether or not you are at risk for any of these carcinogens (causing cancer) such as formaldehyde health effects depends on your general health and and benzene. Dust particles from roads or desert the level of air pollution where you live. environments also pollute the air. Tiny airborne particles from power plant emissions or forest Who is Most Vulnerable to Health Effects of burning can travel thousands of miles and affect Air Pollution? the air quality in distant places. In general, pollution A number of groups are at higher risk of levels are highest closest to the source of emission. experiencing certain health effects of outdoor air Is Outdoor Air Pollution Bad for my Health? pollution. These include: Studies have found that higher levels of outdoor air ■■ Infants and young children pollution are linked to a number of health effects, ■■ Children and adults with lung diseases including

PATIENT EDUCATION | INFORMATION SERIES

asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary ■■ Eat a healthy diet that contains fresh fruits and disease (COPD) vegetables ■■ Adults with heart disease ■■ Avoid indoor sources of air pollution, such as ■■ Elderly adults woodstoves and open fireplaces How Can I Find Out About Air Quality in My ■■ Use your asthma and heart medications as Neighborhood? directed to treat any symptoms on polluted days Air quality has been improving in United States for ■■ Be aware of the health effects of air pollution. If all the past several decades and this has lowered the of us reduced our energy consumption a little bit, health risks of breathing the outdoor air. However, we would make a difference. studies have found that there continue to be health While the health risks of air pollution exposure can risks, particularly for those living close to major be serious, it is also important to exercise and enjoy roadways, power plants and other sources of air the outdoors. Talk to your healthcare provider about pollution. The following resources allow you to look whether air pollution is a particular health concern up the air quality in your neighborhood: for you.

Air Quality Description Authors: Mary Rice MD MPH, John Balmes MD, Resources Atul Malhotra MD Airnow.gov Color-coded air quality index Reviewers: Marianna Sockrider MD, DrPH (Environmental system. The higher the index Protection Agency) value, the greater the health concern. For people with R Action Steps lung disease, an air quality ✔✔ Find out how to get air quality alerts. If you or a loved one color index of yellow may be has lung disease or higher risk of problems from expo- unhealthy. sure to air pollution, stay indoors when there are AQI air www.stateoftheair.org Annual air quality “report quality alerts (American Lung card” for each U.S. county ✔✔ Talk to your child’s school about staying indoors on days Association) for two widespread types of with AQI alert days. pollution—ozone (smog) and ✔✔ Support efforts to control air pollution in your community

particle pollution (PM2.5, also known as soot). The report grades counties and ranks Additional Resources: cities and counties based on American Thoracic Society pollution levels. www.thoracic.org/patients www.healthoftheair.org Provides city- and county- American Lung Association (American Thoracic level estimates of excess http://www.lung.org Society; NYU Marron human illness and death due World Health Organization—Air Pollution and Health

Institute) to PM2.5 and ozone levels http://www.who.int/phe/health_topics/outdoorair/en/ above EPA standards and ATS- recommended standards. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov What Can I Do to Reduce My Risk of Air Pollution Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/air Health Effects? ■■ Stay indoors on polluted days (you can use the air This information is a public service of the American Thoracic Society. quality index as a guide) The content is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for the medical advice of one’s health care provider. ■■ Keep windows closed and use air conditioning on hot, smoggy days ■■ Exercise often, but minimize exercise along busy roadways