Monday, June 20, 2011

How Does Proximity to Heavy Traffic Affect Asthma Sufferers?

Use of a total traffic count metric to investigate the impact of roadways on asthma severity: a case-control study (20 page pdf, Angus G Cook, Annemarie JBM de Vos, Gavin Pereira, Andrew Jardine, Phil Weinstein, Environmental Health, Jun. 2, 2011)

Today’s review article from Australia found a statistical link between distance from heavy traffic for up to 150 m. away with asthma suffering, serious enough to require a visit to hospital emergency facilities.



Key Quotes:

“Two recent reviews have concluded that there was a consistent association between asthma and reduced lung function and living near highly trafficked roads”

“We examined the spatial relationship between emergency department contacts for asthma at three different buffer sizes: 50 metres, 100 metres and 150 metres.”

“Australia has one of the highest prevalence rates of asthma in the world ..asthma comprised 1.4% of the national total health expenditure”

“road density - a proxy measure for exposure – within the 50- and 100-metre buffers around homes was associated with reduced lung function and increased exhaled NO in children with asthma”

“Our study revealed a statistically significant 24% increase in the risk of experiencing multiple emergency contacts for asthma for every log-unit of traffic exposure.”
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