Cardio-respiratory outcomes associated with exposure to wildfire smoke are modified by measures of community health.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Characterizing factors which determine susceptibility to air pollution is an important step in understanding the distribution of risk in a population and is critical for setting appropriate policies. We evaluate general and specific measures of community health as modifiers of risk for asthma and congestive heart failure following an episode of acute exposure to wildfire smoke.

Methods

A population-based study of emergency department visits and daily concentrations of fine particulate matter during a wildfire in North Carolina was performed. Determinants of community health defined by County Health Rankings were evaluated as modifiers of the relative risk. A total of 40 mostly rural counties were included in the study. These rankings measure factors influencing he

SUBMITTER: Rappold AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3506568 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature