Indoor Air Nicotine, Nitrogen Dioxide Exposure, and COVID-19 Outcomes in a Great Plains Tribal Community
Anna Tillery1,2, Rae O'Leary3, Nora Pisanic1
1Environmental Health and Engineering Department, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Introduction:
Indigenous communities in the United States have disproportionately high tobacco use and reliance on propane for heating and cooking fuel compared to other demographic groups. Of concern is exposure to air nicotine (AN) and NO2 in indoor environments and their potential impact on respiratory infections.
Objective:
The objective of this study is to assess indoor air pollution and COVID-19 infection outcomes in multigenerational households within the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST).
Methods:
The COVID-19 Wayakta He? ("Are you on guard against COVID-19?") Study recruited 290 multigenerational households with two adults at least 9 years apart. All participants responded to a questionnaire on COVID-19 outcomes, housing conditions, and environmental health factors. Households deployed passive AN and NO2 air monitors in their homes for 1 week. Each participant provided saliva samples for COVID-19 serological testing.
Results:
The geometric mean AN concentration was 0.052 μg/m3 (range: 0.017-5.35); 40.1% of households had AN detected. The geometric mean NO2 concentration was 10.5 ppb (range: 0.65-138). The odds of previous COVID-19 infection were 1.21 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.51) times higher for those exposed to AN; the odds of self-reported long COVID-19 disease were 3.69 (95% CI: 1.11, 16.6) times higher for those exposed to NO2.
Conclusion:
Indoor air exposures to AN and NO2 increased the odds of having COVID-19 infection and long COVID-19 outcomes. The combination of toxic chemical exposures, increased prevalence of existing chronic diseases, and structural social problems placed Indigenous communities at increased risk of having COVID-19 infections. High exposures to household AN and NO2 and the occurrence of COVID-19 disease highlight the importance of consistently including exposure assessments to design targeted interventions in Tribal communities.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Smoking is a primary risk factor for COPD, with over 80% of patients having a history of it. Patients typically experience progressive dyspnea or labored breathing, frequent coughing, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Many eventually succumb to respiratory failure, characterized by...
COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease I: Introduction
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease IV: Clinical Manifestations
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-I: Introduction
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-IV: Assessement and Diagnostic Studies
Medical History


