RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Identifying and managing adverse environmental health effects: 2. Outdoor air pollution
JF Canadian Medical Association Journal
JO CMAJ
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP 1161
OP 1167
VO 166
IS 9
A1 Alan Abelsohn
A1 David Stieb
A1 Margaret D. Sanborn
A1 Erica Weir
YR 2002
UL http://www.cmaj.ca/content/166/9/1161.abstract
AB AIR POLLUTION CONTRIBUTES TO PREVENTABLE ILLNESS AND DEATH. Subgroups of patients who appear to be more sensitive to the effects of air pollution include young children, the elderly and people with existing chronic cardiac and respiratory disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. It is unclear whether air pollution contributes to the development of asthma, but it does trigger asthma episodes. Physicians are in a position to identify patients at particular risk of health effects from air pollution exposure and to suggest timely and appropriate actions that these patients can take to protect themselves. A simple tool that uses the CH2OPD2 mnemonic (Community, Home, Hobbies, Occupation, Personal habits, Diet and Drugs) can help physicians take patients' environmental exposure histories to assess those who may be at risk. As public health advocates, physicians contribute to the primary prevention of illness and death related to air pollution in the population. In this article we review the origins of air pollutants, the pathophysiology of health effects, the burden of illness and the clinical implications of smog exposure using the illustrative case of an adolescent patient with asthma.