Environmental health perspectives
-
Environ. Health Perspect. · Aug 2008
Children are likely to suffer most from our fossil fuel addiction.
The periods of fetal and child development arguably represent the stages of greatest vulnerability to the dual impacts of fossil fuel combustion: the multiple toxic effects of emitted pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, particles, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, metals) and the broad health impacts of global climate change attributable in large part to carbon dioxide released by fossil fuel burning. ⋯ Consideration of the full spectrum of health risks to children from fossil fuel combustion underscores the urgent need for environmental and energy policies to reduce fossil fuel dependence and maximize the health benefits to this susceptible population. We do not have to leave our children a double legacy of ill health and ecologic disaster.
-
Environ. Health Perspect. · Jul 2008
Chronic traffic-related air pollution and stress interact to predict biologic and clinical outcomes in asthma.
Previous research has documented effects of both physical and social environmental exposures on childhood asthma. However, few studies have considered how these two environments might interact to affect asthma. ⋯ The physical and social environments interacted in predicting both biologic and clinical outcomes in children with asthma, suggesting that when pollution exposure is more modest, vulnerability to asthma exacerbations may be heightened in children with higher chronic stress.
-
Environ. Health Perspect. · May 2008
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and airborne fine particulate matter: a case-crossover analysis of emergency medical services data in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Previous studies have found particulate matter (PM) < 2.5 microm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) associated with heart disease mortality. Although rapid effects of PM2.5 exposure on the cardiovascular system have been proposed, few studies have investigated the effect of short-term exposures on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). ⋯ The results suggest an acute effect of short-term PM2.5 exposure in precipitating OHCAs, and a need to investigate further the role of subject factors in the effects of PM on the risk of OHCA.
-
Environ. Health Perspect. · May 2008
A cohort study of traffic-related air pollution impacts on birth outcomes.
Evidence suggests that air pollution exposure adversely affects pregnancy outcomes. Few studies have examined individual-level intraurban exposure contrasts. ⋯ Associations between traffic-related air pollution and birth outcomes were observed in a population-based cohort with relatively low ambient air pollution exposure.