Vegetation fires, particulate air pollution and asthma: A panel study in the Australian monsoon tropics

Fay H. Johnston; Rosalind J. Webby; Louis S. Pilotto; Ross S. Bailie; David L. Parry; Stephen J. Halpin

doi:10.1080/09603120601093642

Vegetation fires, particulate air pollution and asthma: A panel study in the Australian monsoon tropics

Fay H. Johnston^*, Rosalind J. Webby, Louis S. Pilotto, Ross S. Bailie, David L. Parry, Stephen J. Halpin

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

61 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We examined the relationship between particulate matter (PM) <10 and <2.5 microns in diameter (PM ₁₀ and PM _2.5) generated by vegetation fires and daily health outcomes in 251 adults and children with asthma over a 7-month period. Data were analysed using generalized estimating equations adjusted for potential environmental confounders, autocorrelation, weekends and holidays. PM ₁₀ ranged from 2.6 - 43.3 μg m ^-3and was significantly associated with onset of asthma symptoms, commencing oral steroid medication, the mean daily symptom count and the mean daily dose of reliever medication. Similar results were found for PM _2.5. No associations were found with the more severe outcomes of asthma attacks, increased health care attendances or missed school/work days. These results help fill a gap in the evidence about the population health impacts of lower levels of pollution characteristic of deliberate landscape burning to control fuel loads versus the better documented risks of more intense and severely polluting wildfires.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	391-404
Number of pages	14
Journal	International Journal of Environmental Health Research
Volume	16
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09603120601093642
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2006

Access to Document

10.1080/09603120601093642

Cite this

@article{e0a025be3a174eaa9c52830d3752674c,

title = "Vegetation fires, particulate air pollution and asthma: A panel study in the Australian monsoon tropics",

abstract = "We examined the relationship between particulate matter (PM) <10 and <2.5 microns in diameter (PM 10 and PM 2.5) generated by vegetation fires and daily health outcomes in 251 adults and children with asthma over a 7-month period. Data were analysed using generalized estimating equations adjusted for potential environmental confounders, autocorrelation, weekends and holidays. PM 10 ranged from 2.6 - 43.3 μg m -3and was significantly associated with onset of asthma symptoms, commencing oral steroid medication, the mean daily symptom count and the mean daily dose of reliever medication. Similar results were found for PM 2.5. No associations were found with the more severe outcomes of asthma attacks, increased health care attendances or missed school/work days. These results help fill a gap in the evidence about the population health impacts of lower levels of pollution characteristic of deliberate landscape burning to control fuel loads versus the better documented risks of more intense and severely polluting wildfires.",

keywords = "Air pollution, Asthma, Particulate matter, Prescribed burning, Vegetation fires",

author = "Johnston, {Fay H.} and Webby, {Rosalind J.} and Pilotto, {Louis S.} and Bailie, {Ross S.} and Parry, {David L.} and Halpin, {Stephen J.}",

year = "2006",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1080/09603120601093642",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

pages = "391--404",

journal = "International Journal of Environmental Health Research",

issn = "0960-3123",

publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",

number = "6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Vegetation fires, particulate air pollution and asthma

T2 - A panel study in the Australian monsoon tropics

AU - Johnston, Fay H.

AU - Webby, Rosalind J.

AU - Pilotto, Louis S.

AU - Bailie, Ross S.

AU - Parry, David L.

AU - Halpin, Stephen J.

PY - 2006/12/1

Y1 - 2006/12/1

N2 - We examined the relationship between particulate matter (PM) <10 and <2.5 microns in diameter (PM 10 and PM 2.5) generated by vegetation fires and daily health outcomes in 251 adults and children with asthma over a 7-month period. Data were analysed using generalized estimating equations adjusted for potential environmental confounders, autocorrelation, weekends and holidays. PM 10 ranged from 2.6 - 43.3 μg m -3and was significantly associated with onset of asthma symptoms, commencing oral steroid medication, the mean daily symptom count and the mean daily dose of reliever medication. Similar results were found for PM 2.5. No associations were found with the more severe outcomes of asthma attacks, increased health care attendances or missed school/work days. These results help fill a gap in the evidence about the population health impacts of lower levels of pollution characteristic of deliberate landscape burning to control fuel loads versus the better documented risks of more intense and severely polluting wildfires.

AB - We examined the relationship between particulate matter (PM) <10 and <2.5 microns in diameter (PM 10 and PM 2.5) generated by vegetation fires and daily health outcomes in 251 adults and children with asthma over a 7-month period. Data were analysed using generalized estimating equations adjusted for potential environmental confounders, autocorrelation, weekends and holidays. PM 10 ranged from 2.6 - 43.3 μg m -3and was significantly associated with onset of asthma symptoms, commencing oral steroid medication, the mean daily symptom count and the mean daily dose of reliever medication. Similar results were found for PM 2.5. No associations were found with the more severe outcomes of asthma attacks, increased health care attendances or missed school/work days. These results help fill a gap in the evidence about the population health impacts of lower levels of pollution characteristic of deliberate landscape burning to control fuel loads versus the better documented risks of more intense and severely polluting wildfires.

KW - Air pollution

KW - Asthma

KW - Particulate matter

KW - Prescribed burning

KW - Vegetation fires

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845693970&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/09603120601093642

DO - 10.1080/09603120601093642

M3 - Article

SN - 0960-3123

VL - 16

SP - 391

EP - 404

JO - International Journal of Environmental Health Research

JF - International Journal of Environmental Health Research

IS - 6

ER -

Vegetation fires, particulate air pollution and asthma: A panel study in the Australian monsoon tropics

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this