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Cited by 134Air Quality and Health ImpactsEnvironmental Justice and Health DisparitiesClimate Change and Health Impacts

Who among the elderly is most vulnerable to exposure to and health risks of fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke?

Open access
Liu, Jia Coco, Wilson, Ander, Mickley, Loretta J., Ebisu, Keita, Sulprizio, Melissa P., Wang, Yun, Peng, Roger D., Yue, Xu +2 more·2017·American Journal of Epidemiology
DOI 10.1093/aje/kwx141PMC PMC5860049
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Abstract

Wildfires burn more than 7 million acres in the United States annually, according to the US Forest Service. Little is known about which subpopulations are more vulnerable to health risks from wildfire smoke, including those associated with fine particulate matter. We estimated exposure to fine particles specifically from wildfires, as well as the associations between the presence of wildfire-specific fine particles and the amount of hospital admissions for respiratory causes among subpopulations older than 65 years of age in the western United States (2004-2009). Compared with other populations, higher fractions of persons who were black, lived in urban counties, and lived in California were exposed to more than 1 smoke wave (high-pollution episodes from wildfire smoke). The risks of respiratory admissions on smoke-wave days compared with non-smoke-wave days increased 10.4% (95% confidence interval: 1.9, 19.6) for women and 21.7% (95% confidence interval: 0.4, 47.3) for blacks. Our findings suggest that increased risks of respiratory admissions from wildfire smoke was significantly higher for women than for men (10.4% vs. 3.7%), blacks than whites (21.7% vs. 6.9%), and, although associations were not statistically different, people in lower-education counties than higher-educated counties (12.7% vs. 6.1%). Our study raised important environmental justice issues that can inform public health programs and wildfire management. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of wildfires, evidence on vulnerable subpopulations can inform disaster preparedness and the understanding of climate change consequences.

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  • In a study involving Medicare enrollees, people of color, especially persons who are Black, had a higher risk for respiratory hospitalization than people who are White.

    “For example, in a study involving Medicare enrollees, people of color, especially persons who are Black, had a higher risk for respiratory hospitalization than people who are White.57”

    From Effects of Extreme Weather on Health in Underserved Communities (2024) · cites this paper as [57]

    The Results report a higher estimated risk of respiratory hospitalization associated with smoke waves for Black than for White Medicare enrollees. But Table 2 shows a lower estimate for the “other race” group than for White enrollees, and the Results say no subgroup’s risk differed significantly from its counterpart’s. The claim overgeneralizes this finding to people of color and omits the smoke-wave condition. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • A greater percentage of Blacks were exposed to more than 1 smoke wave than those who are White.

    “The study also found that a greater percentage of Blacks were exposed to more than 1 smoke wave (incidences of high-pollution from wildfire smoke) than those who are White.57”

    From Effects of Extreme Weather on Health in Underserved Communities (2024) · cites this paper as [57]

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [39]39. Bell ML, Son JY, Peng RD, et al. Ambient PM2.5 and risk of hospital admissions: do risks differ for men and women? Epidemiology. 2015;26(4):575-579.

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Authors
Liu, J. C., Wilson, A., Mickley, L. J., Ebisu, K., Sulprizio, M. P., Wang, Y., Peng, R. D., Yue, X., Dominici, F., & Bell, M. L.
Affiliations
Johns Hopkins University (US)
Corresponding author
Liu, Jia Coco
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Epidemiology
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2017-08-10
Volume
186
Issue
6
Pages
730-735
ISSN
  • 0002-9262 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-6256
DOI
10.1093/aje/kwx141
PMC
PMC5860049
OpenAlex
W2615441313
Cited by
134
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1
FWCI
2.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (83479801, 83587501)
  • US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Climate Change and Health Impacts
Keywords
wildfire smoke, PM2.5, older adults, respiratory hospital admissions, vulnerable subpopulations, environmental justice, racial disparities, sex differences, educational inequality, climate change, wildfire management, disaster preparedness, American West
MeSH terms
Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Black or African American, California, Disasters, Environmental Exposure, Female, Fires, Hospitalization, Humans, Male, Risk Factors, Sex Factors, Smoke, United States, Smoke Inhalation Injury, Particulate Matter, Wilderness, Climate Change

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