by Sarah Mason
Health and our environment are connected. There is impact from seasonal changes on our habits and routines with increased changes in appetite and sleep related to the amount of daylight. There are more deep and physical connections with our surroundings that affect health. These issues include chemical pollution, air pollution, climate change, disease-causing microbes, and poor water quality. These are five top concerns for environmental impact on health. Air quality is impacted by several of these five conditions.
An example of air pollution impacting wellness is the proven causation and increase of severity of asthma. Research shows that air pollution can worsen asthma symptoms. A study of young campers with moderate to severe asthma showed they were 40 percent more likely to have acute asthma episodes on high pollution summer days than on days with average pollution levels.
Another study found that older adults were more likely to visit the emergency room for breathing problems when summer air pollution was high.
Climate change (an extended change in weather patterns) affects health. With hotter temperatures and more severe weather, people with asthma are at higher risk of weather triggering asthma flares. Studies suggest climate change can actually cause asthma as well.
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Sarah Mason is a Healthcare Data Analyst and Founder Sarah Mason Consulting LLC.
References
https://www.aafa.org/air-pollution-smog-asthma/
https://www.aafa.org/weather-triggers-asthma/
