Also discussed here: The Economic Affliction of Asthma and Risks of Blocking Air Pollution Safeguards (Environmental Health News, Apr. 6, 2011)
And here: Report: Asthma Prevalence, High Related Costs Likely to Worsen in U.S. if Congress Blocks Clean Air (PR-USA.NET)
Today’s review article assesses the economic impact of asthma in the USA, both the direct costs from medical treatment and the indirect costs from absence from school for children which has life-long consequences. More than 10% of the population (24 million Americans) is affected and the prime cause is air pollution from cars, factories and power plants, as reflected in the map below, showing visits by state to pediatricians by children with asthma.
Key Quotes:
“More than 24 million Americans — including 7 million children -- suffer from asthma, with direct and indirect costs of treating the nation’s worsening asthma epidemic already exceeding $53 billion”
"Science has established that air pollution from cars, factories, and power plants is among the major causes of asthma episodes. Air pollutants that can contribute to asthma include ground-level ozone smog, sulfur dioxide, particle pollution, and nitrogen oxides”
“Carbon dioxide pollution can also worsen asthma in several ways, such as by driving climate change (rising temperatures increase ozone smog concentrations) and by increasing production of airborne allergens like ragweed pollen (which is another trigger for asthma episodes”
“30 percent of childhood asthma is due to environmental exposures…air pollution may contribute to the development of asthma in previously healthy people. Key air pollutants that trigger asthma include ground-level ozone, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxide”
Related articles
- The Link Between Air Pollution and Asthma (everydayhealth.com)
- Asthma and Indoor Air Pollution (everydayhealth.com)
- Summer smog exists inside and out, read EPA findings (ees2001.wordpress.com)
- U.S. asthma rates continue to rise (yubanet.com)
- Parental Stress Increases Kids' Risk of Asthma (time.com)
- Air Pollution, Asthma, and Heart Disease (everydayhealth.com)
- Moving Away From Asthma? (everydayhealth.com)
- Asthma Rates on the Rise in U.S. (webmd.com)
- Deadliest Air Pollution In U.S.: 10 Worst Cities (PHOTOS) (huffingtonpost.com)
- CDC: Asthma Rates on the Rise (foxnews.com)
- What Causes Asthma? (everydayhealth.com)
- 1 in 12 Americans have Asthma and the numbers are growing (nextbigfuture.com)
- Exercising With Asthma (everydayhealth.com)
- You: World Asthma Day observed with new call to end asthma (nation.com.pk)
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