Urban Air Quality
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dioxide causes inflammation of the airways, coughing, wheezing, reduced
lung function, and increased asthma attacks, according to the American
Lung Association and the US EPA. Also, elemental carbon in PM2.5 may be a
causal factor in the development of lung cancer (Erickson et al., 2017).
The impact of air pollution on the likelihood of people having strokes is
significant, with 29.2% of the DALYs from stroke being due to air pollution,
where both ambient and household pollution are included. For ambient air
pollution, the value is 22% of DALYs in China and India, compared to 10.2%
for higher- income countries. More than 80% of 102 million DALYs in 2013
were from countries that were included in low- and middle- income categories (Erickson et al., 2017; Feigin et al., 2016).
Diabetes is also impacted by air pollution, according to a report by Bowe
et al. (2018) where a cohort of 1,729,108 participants was followed for a median
time of 8.5 years. The results showed that the risk of diabetes increased with
an increase in PM2.5 concentration, with about 8.2 million DALYs caused
by diabetes and 206,105 deaths from diabetes associated with air pollution.
The effects of PM2.5 on diabetes were greater in lower- income countries
(Bowe et al., 2018). In Table 3 of Bowe et al.’s study (2018), values of agestandardized DALYs per 100,000 people associated with PM2.5 exposure are
reported, with the largest values being for Pakistan (221.7), Indonesia (189.4),
and India (165.5). The smaller values are for Japan (46.9), Russia (46.8), and
Nigeria (73.6). The value for the USA is 80.7.
One can also look at the inverse of additional injuries, illnesses, and deaths
associated with air pollution; other research shows that children mature and
have better health when the air quality is improved (Gilliland et al., 2017).
For instance, research in Southern California has reported on the impact of
improved air quality on the respiratory health of children there. This report
shows that, as the concentrations of nitrogen oxides, PM2.5, and reactive
organic gases have been decreasing in Southern California, the respiratory health in children has been improving because of the better air quality.
The results of 20 years of research show that the greatest decreases in air
pollution in Southern California are in nitrogen oxides, PM2.5, and reactive
organic gases, with some decrease in ozone concentration. Three cohorts of
children (1992– 1993, Cohort C; 1995– 1996, Cohort D; and 2002– 2003, Cohort
E) participated in this research, and forced expiratory volume (FEV) and
forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured annually or every other year and
compared to expected values for children of each age. Annual questionnaires
were also used to obtain additional information. The results indicate that
improvements in lung function in children were related to decreases in air
pollutants, especially nitrogen oxides and PM2.5. In the latest study with
Cohort E, fewer children exhibited clinical deficits in the measured lung
functions, FEV and FVC. In addition, symptoms of respiratory conditions in
children were fewer, especially in children with asthma (Gilliland et al., 2017).
The continuing efforts to improve air quality in Southern California are
having positive impacts on health. Because the efforts have included a
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31
dioxide causes inflammation of the airways, coughing, wheezing, reduced
lung function, and increased asthma attacks, according to the American
Lung Association and the US EPA. Also, elemental carbon in PM2.5 may be a
causal factor in the development of lung cancer (Erickson et al., 2017).
The impact of air pollution on the likelihood of people having strokes is
significant, with 29.2% of the DALYs from stroke being due to air pollution,
where both ambient and household pollution are included. For ambient air
pollution, the value is 22% of DALYs in China and India, compared to 10.2%
for higher- income countries. More than 80% of 102 million DALYs in 2013
were from countries that were included in low- and middle- income categories (Erickson et al., 2017; Feigin et al., 2016).
Diabetes is also impacted by air pollution, according to a report by Bowe
et al. (2018) where a cohort of 1,729,108 participants was followed for a median
time of 8.5 years. The results showed that the risk of diabetes increased with
an increase in PM2.5 concentration, with about 8.2 million DALYs caused
by diabetes and 206,105 deaths from diabetes associated with air pollution.
The effects of PM2.5 on diabetes were greater in lower- income countries
(Bowe et al., 2018). In Table 3 of Bowe et al.’s study (2018), values of agestandardized DALYs per 100,000 people associated with PM2.5 exposure are
reported, with the largest values being for Pakistan (221.7), Indonesia (189.4),
and India (165.5). The smaller values are for Japan (46.9), Russia (46.8), and
Nigeria (73.6). The value for the USA is 80.7.
One can also look at the inverse of additional injuries, illnesses, and deaths
associated with air pollution; other research shows that children mature and
have better health when the air quality is improved (Gilliland et al., 2017).
For instance, research in Southern California has reported on the impact of
improved air quality on the respiratory health of children there. This report
shows that, as the concentrations of nitrogen oxides, PM2.5, and reactive
organic gases have been decreasing in Southern California, the respiratory health in children has been improving because of the better air quality.
The results of 20 years of research show that the greatest decreases in air
pollution in Southern California are in nitrogen oxides, PM2.5, and reactive
organic gases, with some decrease in ozone concentration. Three cohorts of
children (1992– 1993, Cohort C; 1995– 1996, Cohort D; and 2002– 2003, Cohort
E) participated in this research, and forced expiratory volume (FEV) and
forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured annually or every other year and
compared to expected values for children of each age. Annual questionnaires
were also used to obtain additional information. The results indicate that
improvements in lung function in children were related to decreases in air
pollutants, especially nitrogen oxides and PM2.5. In the latest study with
Cohort E, fewer children exhibited clinical deficits in the measured lung
functions, FEV and FVC. In addition, symptoms of respiratory conditions in
children were fewer, especially in children with asthma (Gilliland et al., 2017).
The continuing efforts to improve air quality in Southern California are
having positive impacts on health. Because the efforts have included a