November 26, 2024
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Wildfire smoke linked to increased risk of dementia
Particles that make up wildfire smoke may increase risk of dementia even more than similar airborne pollutants from other sources
Firefighters are surrounded by thick smoke as they battle the Silverado Fire, driven by Santa Ana winds, at I-241 Toll Road and Portola Parkway on October 26, 2020, in Irvine, California.
Allen J. Scherben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Climate Wire | Wildfire smoke can worsen a variety of medical conditions, from asthma to heart disease.
Now, new research has added new concerns. Your risk of dementia may increase.
Research published Monday in the journal Science JAMA Neurologyfound that long-term exposure to high concentrations of smoke increased the risk of a dementia diagnosis over time. For every microgram of wildfire pollution per cubic meter of air over three years, the odds of being diagnosed with dementia increase by about 18 percent, the study found.
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This is compared to each person’s baseline risk of a dementia diagnosis, and the risk of a dementia diagnosis remains relatively low among the general population. Still, the increased risk is large enough to raise public health concerns.
The study focuses on a form of air pollution known as particulate matter: small, respirable particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less. This type of air pollution can come from a variety of sources, including motor vehicles, industrial sources, and fire.
Previous research has already suggested that particulate matter may increase the risk of dementia, among other health problems. The new study focuses specifically on particles produced by wildfire smoke. These particles can have different chemical and physical properties than particles produced by other sources.
The study examined the medical records of more than 1 million people participating in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Medical Consortium in Southern California from 2008 to 2019. They also analyzed air quality records from the same period to estimate long-term pollution concentrations, including particles directly produced by wildfire smoke.
The study found that wildfire smoke significantly increased the risk of dementia than particulate matter from other sources. There are several possible reasons, researchers say.
Wildfire smoke particles tend to contain high concentrations of molecules known for their toxic or inflammatory properties. Additionally, compared to other types of air pollution, wildfire smoke tends to spike at certain times of the year, intermittently exposing communities to very high concentrations of pollution, with significant health impacts. may give.
The study also found that certain demographics are at higher risk than others, including low-income people and people of color, including Black, Hispanic and Asian communities.
Low-income areas are often at higher risk of exposure to air pollution, the researchers say. The poor quality of housing in these areas can make it easier for particulate matter to enter homes and make it harder for residents to use air filtration systems.
Marginalized groups may also face more health problems due to systemic discrimination, increasing their risk of developing dementia later in life.
“We know that climate change impacts the most vulnerable communities first and worst, and similar signs appear to be present in our data,” says the environmental epidemiologist and author of the new study. co-author Joanne Casey said in an email to POLITICO’s E&E News. .
She added that policymakers can take certain steps to protect these vulnerable communities. You can ensure that all public health communications are published in multiple languages. And through science-based strategies like controlled burns, we can fight climate change, reduce other sources of air pollution, and advance policies aimed at reducing wildfires.
Meanwhile, there are other questions that scientists can consider in future research.
The new study looked at all types of dementia. However, future research could investigate whether certain types of conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, have a stronger association with wildfire smoke than other diseases.
The research team is also “very interested” in the joint effects of multiple climate changes, Casey added. For example, if a wildfire occurs at the same time as a power outage, many homes may be limited in their use of air filtration systems, potentially exacerbating health risks.
These types of questions are becoming more urgent as the effects of climate change worsen. A recent study found that about a quarter of particulate matter pollution in the United States comes from wildfire smoke. And in parts of the western United States, smoke accounts for half of that.
Reprinted from E&E News Published with permission of POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2024. E&E News provides news that matters to energy and environment professionals.
