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Critical Review of Health Impacts of Wildfire Smoke Exposure
Citation
Reid, CE and Brauer, M and Johnston, FH and Jerrett, M and Balmes, JR and Elliott, CT, Critical Review of Health Impacts of Wildfire Smoke Exposure, Environmental Health Perspectives, 124, (9) pp. 1334-1343. ISSN 0091-6765 (2016) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Public domain 'Reproduced with permission from Environmental Health Perspectives'
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the evidence of health effects from exposure to wildfire smoke and to identify susceptible populations.
METHODS: We reviewed the scientific literature for studies of wildfire smoke exposure on mortality and on respiratory, cardiovascular, mental, and perinatal health. Within those reviewed papers deemed to have minimal risk of bias, we assessed the coherence and consistency of findings.
DISCUSSION: Consistent evidence documents associations between wildfire smoke exposure and general respiratory health effects, specifically exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Growing evidence suggests associations with increased risk of respiratory infections and all-cause mortality. Evidence for cardiovascular effects is mixed, but a few recent studies have reported associations for specific cardiovascular endpoints. Insufficient research exists to identify specific population subgroups that are more susceptible to wildfire smoke exposure.
CONCLUSIONS: Consistent evidence from a large number of studies indicates that wildfire smoke exposure is associated with respiratory morbidity with growing evidence supporting an association with all-cause mortality. More research is needed to clarify which causes of mortality may be associated with wildfire smoke, whether cardiovascular outcomes are associated with wildfire smoke, and if certain populations are more susceptible.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | wildfire, smoke, health |
Research Division: | Health Sciences |
Research Group: | Epidemiology |
Research Field: | Environmental epidemiology |
Objective Division: | Health |
Objective Group: | Public health (excl. specific population health) |
Objective Field: | Public health (excl. specific population health) not elsewhere classified |
UTAS Author: | Johnston, FH (Professor Fay Johnston) |
ID Code: | 109409 |
Year Published: | 2016 |
Funding Support: | Australian Research Council (LP130100146) |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 408 |
Deposited By: | Menzies Institute for Medical Research |
Deposited On: | 2016-06-14 |
Last Modified: | 2017-11-06 |
Downloads: | 262 View Download Statistics |
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