Widening of Disparities in Pollution-Attributed Health Burden Observed

THURSDAY, March 14, 2024 (HealthDay News) — There has been a widening of racial and ethnic relative disparities in the pollution-attributable health burden within the United States, according to a study published online March 6 in Environmental Health Perspectives.

Gaige Hunter Kerr, Ph.D., from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and colleagues quantified census tract-level variations in health outcomes attributable to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5μm (PM_2.5) through a health impact assessment.

The researchers found that the public health damages associated with NO₂ and PM_2.5 decreased overall, but during the last decade, there was a widening of racial and ethnic relative disparities in NO₂-attributable pediatric asthma and PM_2.5-attributable premature mortality. Between 2010 and 2019, the racial relative disparities in PM_2.5-attributable premature mortality and NO₂-attributable pediatric asthma increased by 16 and 19 percent, respectively. Similarly, there were increases of 40 percent in ethnic relative disparities in PM_2.5-attributable premature mortality and 10 percent in NO₂-attributable pediatric asthma.

“The study also shows that the Environmental Protection Agency air quality standards are not adequately protecting Americans, especially the most marginalized communities,” Kerr said in a statement. “The adverse health effects linked to fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide pollution in our study occurred even though EPA air quality standards were largely met.”

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