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Health
Effects of Bad Air back |
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What
are ozone’s health effects?
Ozone is an airway irritant that can cause inflammation, much like a sunburn. This irritation can cause wheezing, coughing, pain when breathing deeply, and breathing difficulties during exercise or outdoor activities. In healthy people, ozone can result in reduced lung capacity, permanent lung damage, and increased susceptibility to respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis. In people with asthma, ozone can trigger asthma attacks. Therefore children and others with asthma are at risk of attacks due to ozone pollution. Children are particularly susceptible to ozone-related health problems because children spend more time outside than adults, their respiratory systems are still developing, and they breathe in more air per pound than adults (who breathe 3000 gallons of air each day). A recent study found that active children in areas with poor air quality are more likely to develop asthma than children in areas with good air quality. Atlanta’s air has failed to meet the national standards for ozone since 1978. Therefore, children in Atlanta, particularly children with asthma, are at a higher risk of suffering breathing-related problems due to air pollution. What are ozone’s effects on Atlanta’s children with asthma? The correlation between Atlanta’s high ozone days and increased asthma attacks is clear: there is a 37% increase in asthma-related emergency department visits following smog alert days. It is also clear that when ozone levels decrease, so do asthma attacks. This was best demonstrated during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta when there was a 22% drop in automobile traffic and a resulting 28% drop in ozone. Simultaneously, there was a 40% reduction in acute care visits for asthma, an 11% reduction in asthma-related pediatric emergency room visits, and a 19% reduction in asthma-related hospitalizations. More on Children with Asthma Because children with asthma are so susceptible to ozone pollution, it is important to better understand asthma and the effects is has on children’s health in general. Here are some statistics that put asthma in perspective, both nationally and in Georgia.
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deaths What are the Health Effects of Particulate Matter? In addition to ozone, Atlanta’s air also contains levels of particular matter (PM) that are over the national standards. PM can also cause serious health problems, including decreased lung functioning and asthma symptoms. PM is also associated with an increase in mortality and an increased risk of cancer. Finally, PM can have acute health effects in the very young, elderly, asthmatics, and those with chronic cardiopulmonary disease. Sources: Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, American Lung Association, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Clean Air Campaign, Georgia Department of Human Resources, Morehouse School of Medicine, Surface Transportation Policy Project For more information on the health effects of air pollution, Visit the Mothers & Others for Clean Air Partners’ websites Additional Web Resources |
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