Study: Air Pollution Linked to Early Death
Posted on: Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 16:56 CDT
Those with diabetes, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk from air pollution, a U.S. study says.
The Harvard School of Public Health in Boston compared hospital discharges in 34 cities between 1985 and 1999 with 12-month averages of PM10, a type of particulate matter air pollution that includes particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less than 0.0004 inches or one-seventh the width of a human hair.
The study found that for an increase of 10 micrograms per cubic meter of PM10 over two years, the risk of dying was increased by about 32 percent for people with diabetes, 28 percent for people with COPD, 27 percent for people with congestive heart failure and 22 percent for people with inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
The study significantly strengthens evidence that breathing in particulate matter is associated with dying sooner, said Joel Schwartz of the Harvard School of Public Health. If air pollution levels decrease, people will start living longer right away -- we don't have to wait many years to see health improvements. That wasn't clear from previous air pollution studies.
The study was presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference in San Diego.
Source: United Press International
Related Articles
- University Study Claims Pollution Killing 25,000 Canadians a Year
- Depression More Pervasive Among Back Pain Sufferers, a Study By Spine-Health.Com Reveals
- AAPPO Survey Finds 95 Percent of Health Savings Account (HSA) Enrollees Receive Health Care Through Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)
- Landmark Study of Hispanic Health Launched
- More than 14 percent lack health insurance in US
- Peter B. Berger, M.D., Named Associate Chief Research Officer for Clinical Studies at Geisinger Health System
- Less Than 1 Percent of Health Plan Members Are Diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorders
- National Study on Children's Health to Provide Wealth of Information
- Study Skills in Health Care
- Nation's Largest Study Tracks Kids' Health
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds