Black and Latinx residents in Austin face higher rates of asthma-related emergency room visits due to increased air pollution in their neighborhoods, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin found that areas with higher levels of air pollution were associated with a higher proportion of Black and Latinx residents compared to White residents. The study suggests that pollution exposure may account for the higher number of asthma-related emergency visits in these communities.
“We are exploring the connections between the neighborhood environment and lung health so that people can understand the risks they face when they live in places with consistently poor air quality,” said lead author Sarah Chambliss, a research associate at Dell Medical School.
The study analyzed over 16,000 asthma-related emergency visits in the Austin metro area from 2016 to 2017. It found that fine and coarse particulate matter, as well as sulfur dioxide, were associated with these visits.
Elizabeth Matsui, a coauthor and professor at Dell Medical School, emphasized the need for targeted interventions, stating, “These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to mitigate pollution in neighborhoods with higher asthma burdens, especially where Black and Latinx people live.”
The research comes as the Environmental Protection Agency recently announced stricter air quality standards, with Austin showing higher-than-acceptable levels of fine particulate matter.
See “Air Pollution Linked to Asthma Disparities in Austin Neighborhoods” (March 22, 2024)
