Air pollution from bushfires and their association with hospital admissions in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, Australia 1994–2007
Abstract Objective : We examined the association between validated bushfire smoke pollution events and hospital admissions in three eastern Australian cities from 1994 to 2007. Methods : Smoke events were defined as days on which bushfire smoke caused the 24‐hour citywide average concentration of ai...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2013-06-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12065 |
| _version_ | 1797728757416460288 |
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| author | Kara L. Martin Ivan C. Hanigan Geoffrey G. Morgan Sarah B. Henderson Fay H. Johnston |
| author_facet | Kara L. Martin Ivan C. Hanigan Geoffrey G. Morgan Sarah B. Henderson Fay H. Johnston |
| author_sort | Kara L. Martin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective : We examined the association between validated bushfire smoke pollution events and hospital admissions in three eastern Australian cities from 1994 to 2007. Methods : Smoke events were defined as days on which bushfire smoke caused the 24‐hour citywide average concentration of airborne particles to exceed the 99th percentile of the daily distribution for the study period. We used a time‐stratified case‐crossover design to assess the association between smoke events and hospital admissions. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated for cardiovascular and respiratory conditions on event days compared with non‐event days. Models were adjusted for daily meteorology, influenza epidemics and holidays. Results : Smoke events occurred on 58 days in Sydney (population: 3,862,000), 33 days in Wollongong (population: 406,000) and 50 days in Newcastle (population: 278,000). In Sydney, events were associated with a 6% (ORequals;1.06, 95%CI=1.02–1.09) same day increase in respiratory hospital admissions. Same day chronic obstructive pulmonary disease admissions increased 13% (ORequals;1.13, 95%CI=1.05–1.22) and asthma admissions by 12% (ORequals;1.12, 95%CI=1.05–1.19). Events were also associated with increased admissions for respiratory conditions in Newcastle and Wollongong. Conclusions : Smoke events were associated with increased hospital admissions for respiratory but not cardiovascular conditions. Large populations are needed to assess the impacts of brief exposures. Implications : Public health impacts from bushfire pollution events are likely to increase in association with a warming climate and more frequent severe fire weather. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T11:18:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5305ba29b70245669172ae1f0ba14d73 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T11:18:42Z |
| publishDate | 2013-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-5305ba29b70245669172ae1f0ba14d732023-09-02T01:32:01ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052013-06-0137323824310.1111/1753-6405.12065Air pollution from bushfires and their association with hospital admissions in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, Australia 1994–2007Kara L. Martin0Ivan C. Hanigan1Geoffrey G. Morgan2Sarah B. Henderson3Fay H. Johnston4Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of TasmaniaSchool of Plant Science, University of Tasmania; National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Australian Capital TerritoryUniversity Centre for Rural Health – North Coast, University of Sydney, New South Wales; Northern New South Wales Local Health DistrictBritish Colombia Centre for Disease Control, CanadaMenzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of TasmaniaAbstract Objective : We examined the association between validated bushfire smoke pollution events and hospital admissions in three eastern Australian cities from 1994 to 2007. Methods : Smoke events were defined as days on which bushfire smoke caused the 24‐hour citywide average concentration of airborne particles to exceed the 99th percentile of the daily distribution for the study period. We used a time‐stratified case‐crossover design to assess the association between smoke events and hospital admissions. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated for cardiovascular and respiratory conditions on event days compared with non‐event days. Models were adjusted for daily meteorology, influenza epidemics and holidays. Results : Smoke events occurred on 58 days in Sydney (population: 3,862,000), 33 days in Wollongong (population: 406,000) and 50 days in Newcastle (population: 278,000). In Sydney, events were associated with a 6% (ORequals;1.06, 95%CI=1.02–1.09) same day increase in respiratory hospital admissions. Same day chronic obstructive pulmonary disease admissions increased 13% (ORequals;1.13, 95%CI=1.05–1.22) and asthma admissions by 12% (ORequals;1.12, 95%CI=1.05–1.19). Events were also associated with increased admissions for respiratory conditions in Newcastle and Wollongong. Conclusions : Smoke events were associated with increased hospital admissions for respiratory but not cardiovascular conditions. Large populations are needed to assess the impacts of brief exposures. Implications : Public health impacts from bushfire pollution events are likely to increase in association with a warming climate and more frequent severe fire weather.https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12065vegetation firesbushfire smokehospital admissionsparticulate air pollutionrespiratory diseasecardiovascular disease |
| spellingShingle | Kara L. Martin Ivan C. Hanigan Geoffrey G. Morgan Sarah B. Henderson Fay H. Johnston Air pollution from bushfires and their association with hospital admissions in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, Australia 1994–2007 Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health vegetation fires bushfire smoke hospital admissions particulate air pollution respiratory disease cardiovascular disease |
| title | Air pollution from bushfires and their association with hospital admissions in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, Australia 1994–2007 |
| title_full | Air pollution from bushfires and their association with hospital admissions in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, Australia 1994–2007 |
| title_fullStr | Air pollution from bushfires and their association with hospital admissions in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, Australia 1994–2007 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Air pollution from bushfires and their association with hospital admissions in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, Australia 1994–2007 |
| title_short | Air pollution from bushfires and their association with hospital admissions in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, Australia 1994–2007 |
| title_sort | air pollution from bushfires and their association with hospital admissions in sydney newcastle and wollongong australia 1994 2007 |
| topic | vegetation fires bushfire smoke hospital admissions particulate air pollution respiratory disease cardiovascular disease |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12065 |
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