Gaps Exist in Clinician Communications About Wildfire Smoke Risk

MONDAY, June 29, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Many people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are not receiving health information about wildfire smoke risk, according to a study published in the May issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases.

Jimmy Yao, M.D., from Kaiser Permanente Northern California in Pleasanton, and colleagues performed semistructured, virtual interviews to understand how patients 65 years of age and older with COPD use mitigation strategies to limit exposure to wildfire smoke. Analysis included 31 interviews.

The researchers identified three major themes: (1) patients tended to get wildfire and air quality information from internet and smartphone apps, not clinical encounters, but expressed openness to receiving information from clinicians; (2) barriers to uptake of mitigation strategies may be modifiable through education and supplying equipment (e.g., masks, air cleaners); and (3) patients had a preference for real-time alerts to be sent to their phones from trusted sources, such as health care entities, to change their behavior during periods of poor air quality.

“Some patients are already monitoring air quality but not all,” senior author Laura C. Myers, M.D., also from Kaiser Permanente Northern California, said in a statement. “Patient-centered approaches to wildfire preparedness can help the most vulnerable people prepare for and respond to air quality events before their symptoms get worse.”

Abstract/Full Text