New York, Jan 11
People who have limited access to air conditioning may be at higher risk of seeking emergency care for health problems following exposure to wildfire smoke, according to a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) in the US, as Los Angeles County battles the most destructive wildfires in its history.
The study suggested that US policies should prioritise equity and education regarding the measures people can take to protect themselves from the harmful pollutants in wildfire smoke.
Posted online ahead of publication in the journal Environmental Research: Health, the study found that exposure to fine particle matter (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke in California is associated with higher rates of emergency department visits for all causes, non-accidental causes, and respiratory disease.
This risk varied by age and race, but was especially high for individuals who lived in areas with lower availability of air conditioning.
“Depending on the type of system and filter used, air conditioning may modify the impact of smoke exposure on human health,” said study lead and corresponding author Dr. Jennifer Stowell, research scientist in climate and health at BUSPH.