A new study from Duke University found that people in North Carolina living in areas with the highest amount of fine particle (PM2.5) air pollution were more likely to be hospitalized or die from dementia than people living in areas with the lowest amount of PM2.5. The link is strongest for Alzheimer’s disease, but other non-Alzheimer dementias and Parkinson’s disease are also linked to PM2.5.
People living in areas with the highest PM2.5 were 35% more likely to die from Alzheimer’s disease than people living in areas with the lowest air pollution, 5% more likely to die from non-Alzheimers dementia, and 6% more likely to die from Parkinson’s disease. People living in areas with the highest PM2.5 were 54% more likely to be hospitalized with Alzheimer’s disease, 36% more likely to be hospitalized with non-Alzheimer’s dementia, and 33% more likely to be hospitalized with Parkinson’s disease.
In the study, the areas with the highest PM2.5 had an average annual PM2.5 of 10.27μg/m3, and the areas with the lowest PM2.5 had an average annual PM2.5 of 6.92μg/m3. The current EPA standard is 12μg/m3. All the regions in the study were below the current EPA standard, and yet a very clear link to health problems and death was found.
Even at levels below the current EPA standard, there are links between pm2.5 and hospitalization or death from dementia. Clearly, our standard needs to be strengthened. If we reduce air pollution, we will have so much less suffering and death. When people get dementia, it affects the whole family — if we had healthier air with less air pollution, there would be so much less suffering. And we would save a lot on health care expenditures. #HealthyAirIsHealthCare
Read a news story about the study here.
Read the scientific study in PLOS One here.
08/30/2021
