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Environment and the development of severe asthma in inner city population
Julia X Lee1, Wanda Phipatanakul2,3, Jonathan M Gaffin1,3
1Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital.
Insights
Inner-city children face severe asthma due to environmental exposures like smoke, allergens, and pollutants. Addressing these urban factors is crucial for reducing asthma burden and improving health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Respiratory Medicine
- Urban Public Health
Background:
- Inner-city populations, particularly low-income families in substandard housing, exhibit higher asthma prevalence and morbidity.
- Children in these communities experience severe asthma, characterized by frequent exacerbations, emergency visits, and hospitalizations.
Approach:
- This review synthesizes recent scientific literature on indoor and outdoor environmental exposures linked to asthma development and exacerbation.
- The focus is on identifying key risk factors within urban settings that contribute to asthma burden.
Key Points:
- Urban environmental exposures implicated in asthma include tobacco/e-cigarette smoke, pest allergens, molds, synthetic chemicals (phthalates, BPA), radon, and volatile organic compounds.
- Higher levels of air pollutants and ambient heat in inner-city areas exacerbate asthma incidence and severity.
- Substandard housing conditions are a significant factor contributing to increased childhood asthma morbidity.
Conclusions:
- Urgent research and policy interventions are needed to mitigate the impact of urban environmental exposures on asthma.
- Future research should focus on effective interventions and public policies to alleviate the asthma burden in urban environments.
Purpose Of Review:
Higher asthma prevalence and morbidity are seen in inner-city areas, disproportionately affecting low-income families living in substandard housing. Children within these families experience more frequent asthma exacerbations, acute care and emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, thus characterizing severe asthma. In this review, we assess recent published literature focused on indoor and outdoor exposures that contribute to the development and morbidity of asthma.
Recent Findings:
Many urban environmental exposures contribute to asthma burden, including tobacco/e-cigarette smoke, pest allergens, molds, and possibly synthetic chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenol A, radon, and volatile organic compounds. Individuals living in inner-city areas also experience higher levels of air pollutants and ambient heat, further perpetuating asthma incidence and severity.
Summary:
This article summarizes the latest advances and provides direction for future research on risk factors, interventions, and public policy to help alleviate the burden of asthma due to urban environment exposures.
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