Introduction
Poor air quality affects respiratory and cardiovascular health. Information about
health risks associated with outdoor air quality is communicated to the public using
air quality alerts. This study was conducted to assess associations of existing respiratory
and heart disease with three aspects of air quality awareness: awareness of air quality
alerts, discussing with a health professional strategies to reduce air pollution exposure,
and avoiding busy roads to reduce air pollution exposure when walking, biking, or
exercising outdoors.
Methods
During 2014–2016, a total of 12,599 U.S. adults participated in summer waves of the
ConsumerStyles surveys and self-reported asthma, emphysema/chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease, heart disease, and each aspect of air quality awareness. In 2017, associations
between each health condition and air quality awareness were estimated using log binomial
and multinomial regression.
Results
Overall, 49% of respondents were aware of air quality alerts, 3% discussed with a
health professional strategies to reduce air pollution exposure, and 27% always/usually
avoided busy roads to reduce air pollution exposure. Asthma was associated with increased
prevalence of awareness of air quality alerts (prevalence ratio=1.11, 95% CI=1.04,
1.20), discussing with a health professional (prevalence ratio=4.88, 95% CI=3.74,
6.37), and always/usually avoiding busy roads to reduce air pollution exposure (prevalence
ratio=1.13, 95% CI=1.01, 1.27). Heart disease was not associated with air quality
awareness.
Conclusions
Existing respiratory disease, but not heart disease, was associated with increased
air quality awareness. These findings reveal important opportunities to raise awareness
of air quality alerts and behavior changes aimed at reducing air pollution exposure
among adults at risk of exacerbating respiratory and heart diseases.
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: March 15, 2018
Identification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Journal of Preventive Medicine
