Peat bog wildfire smoke exposure in rural North Carolina is associated with cardiopulmonary emergency department visits assessed through syndromic surveillance.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In June 2008, burning peat deposits produced haze and air pollution far in excess of National Ambient Air Quality Standards, encroaching on rural communities of eastern North Carolina. Although the association of mortality and morbidity with exposure to urban air pollution is well established, the health effects associated with exposure to wildfire emissions are less well understood.

Objective

We investigated the effects of exposure on cardiorespiratory outcomes in the population affected by the fire.

Methods

We performed a population-based study using emergency department (ED) visits reported through the syndromic surveillance program NC DETECT (North Carolina Disease Event Tracking and Epidemiologic Collection Tool). We used aerosol optical depth measured

SUBMITTER: Rappold AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3230437 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature