Abstract

Background The San Joaquin Valley (SJV) in California ranks among the worst in the USA in terms of air quality, and its residents report some of the highest rates of asthma symptoms and asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalisations in California. Using California Health Interview Survey data, the authors examined associations between air pollution and asthma morbidity in this region.

Methods Eligible subjects were SJV residents (2001 California Health Interview Survey) who reported physician-diagnosed asthma (n=1502, 14.6%). The authors considered two outcomes indicative of uncontrolled asthma: (1) daily or weekly asthma symptoms and (2) asthma-related ED visits or hospitalisation in the past year. Based on residential zip code, subjects were assigned annual average concentrations of ozone, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 for the 1-year period prior to the interview date from their closest government air monitoring station within an 8 km (5 miles) radius.

Results Adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, poverty level and insurance status, the authors observed increased odds of experiencing daily or weekly asthma symptoms for ozone, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 (OR_ozone 1.23, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.60 per 10 ppb; OR_PM10 1.29, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.57 per 10 μg/m³; and OR_PM2.5 1.82; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.98 per 10 μg/m³). The authors also observed increased odds of asthma-related ED visits or hospitalisations for ozone (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.11 per 10 ppb) and a 29% increase in odds for PM₁₀ (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.69 per 10 μg/m³).

Conclusions Overall, these findings suggest that individuals with asthma living in areas of the SJV with high ozone and particulate pollution levels are more likely to have frequent asthma symptoms and asthma-related ED visits and hospitalisations.