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Cited by 169Air Quality and Health ImpactsIndoor Air Quality and Microbial ExposureAsthma and respiratory diseases

Wildfire smoke exposure under climate change: impact on respiratory health of affected communities

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Reid, Colleen E., Maestas, Melissa May·2019·Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine
DOI 10.1097/mcp.0000000000000552PMC PMC6743728
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Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In this review, we describe the current status of the literature regarding respiratory health related to wildfire smoke exposure, anticipated future impacts under a changing climate, and strategies to reduce respiratory health impacts of wildfire smoke. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent findings confirm associations between wildfire smoke exposure and respiratory health outcomes, with the clearest evidence for exacerbations of asthma. Although previous evidence showed a clear association between wildfire smoke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, findings from recent studies are more mixed. Current evidence in support of an association between respiratory infections and wildfire smoke exposure is also mixed. Only one study has investigated long-term respiratory health impacts of wildfire smoke, and few studies have estimated future health impacts of wildfires under likely climate change scenarios. SUMMARY: Wildfire activity has been increasing over the past several decades and is likely to continue to do so as climate change progresses, which, combined with a growing population, means that population exposure to and respiratory health impacts of wildfire smoke is likely to grow in the future. More research is needed to understand which population subgroups are most vulnerable to wildfire smoke exposure and the long-term respiratory health impacts of these high pollution events.

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Crossref · 10.1097/mcp.0000000000000552

Cites

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  • Research has found strong positive associations of WFS exposure with exacerbated COPD, asthma, pneumonia, and bronchitis.

    “Research has also found strong positive associations of WFS exposure with exacerbated COPD, asthma, pneumonia, and bronchitis [2, 6].”

    From What can we do when the smoke rolls in? An exploratory qualitative analysis of the impacts of rural wildfire smoke on mental health and wellbeing, and opportunities for adaptation (2022) · cites this paper as [6]

    The Asthma section reports significant positive associations in nine of 12 analyses, and the COPD section says an earlier review found a consistent positive association. But the COPD and Respiratory Infections sections describe more recent findings as mixed, including null results for pneumonia and bronchitis; they do not support a uniformly strong positive association across all four conditions. Page numbers were not provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.90)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • In a major review by Reid et al., four of six studies focused on mental health that matched inclusion criteria were determined to have higher bias potential.

    “In a major review of the literature of health outcomes from wildfire smoke exposure by Reid et al., four of six studies focused on mental health that matched inclusion criteria were determined to have higher bias potential [6].”

    From What can we do when the smoke rolls in? An exploratory qualitative analysis of the impacts of rural wildfire smoke on mental health and wellbeing, and opportunities for adaptation (2022) · cites this paper as [6]

    The Respiratory health effects section reviews respiratory outcomes and notes methodological concerns, while the References section mentions one study with mental-health findings. Neither reports six eligible mental-health studies or judges four to have higher bias potential. Searches for “mental health,” “four of six,” and “risk of bias” found no such assessment in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.76)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • One of the two remaining studies in Reid et al.'s review found no increase in mental health hospitalizations during a 1987 California smoke event.

    “In the two remaining studies, one found no increase in mental health hospitalizations during a 1987 California smoke event”

    From What can we do when the smoke rolls in? An exploratory qualitative analysis of the impacts of rural wildfire smoke on mental health and wellbeing, and opportunities for adaptation (2022) · cites this paper as [6]

    The References section mentions mental-health findings from interviews about a wildfire season in Canada, but does not report mental-health hospitalizations. Searches for the 1987 California event and mental-health hospitalizations found no passage in our copy addressing the claimed result. (LLM, conf=0.76)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Only a small number of studies have explored the impacts of extreme WFS events on mental health and wellbeing.

    “Yet only a small number of studies have explored the impacts of extreme WFS events on mental health and wellbeing.”

    From What can we do when the smoke rolls in? An exploratory qualitative analysis of the impacts of rural wildfire smoke on mental health and wellbeing, and opportunities for adaptation (2022) · cites this paper as [6]

    The Respiratory health effects and Vulnerable Populations sections discuss respiratory outcomes and gaps in research on population subgroups, not mental health or wellbeing. Searches for mental health and psychological impacts found no passage assessing how many studies examined those outcomes after extreme wildfire-smoke events; the cited claim cannot be verified from our copy. (LLM, conf=0.74)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The other remaining study in Reid et al.'s review found no increase in mental illness-related physician visits during the 2003 wildfire season in British Columbia.

    “and the other found no increase in mental illness-related physician visits during the 2003 wildfire season in British Columbia [6].”

    From What can we do when the smoke rolls in? An exploratory qualitative analysis of the impacts of rural wildfire smoke on mental health and wellbeing, and opportunities for adaptation (2022) · cites this paper as [6]

    The Respiratory Infections section discusses null findings for respiratory conditions, including bronchitis, but not mental illness-related physician visits in British Columbia. Searches for the 2003 British Columbia wildfire season and mental-health physician visits found no passage in our copy addressing that result. (LLM, conf=0.70)

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 50

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Authors
Reid, C. E., & Maestas, M. M.
Affiliations
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (US)
Corresponding author
Reid, Colleen E.
ORCID
Venue
Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published
2019-03
Volume
25
Issue
2
Pages
179-187
ISSN
1070-5287 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1097/mcp.0000000000000552
PMC
PMC6743728
OpenAlex
W2900727030
Cited by
169
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 35 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 4
FWCI
0.79
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P2CHD066613)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
Keywords
wildfire smoke, climate change, respiratory health, asthma exacerbations, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, respiratory infections, air pollution exposure, health impact assessment, vulnerable populations, long-term health effects
MeSH terms
Wildfires, Environmental Exposure, Humans, Public Health, Respiratory Tract Diseases, Smoke, Climate Change

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