A recent study shows that long term exposure to PM2.5 increases risk for being diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease in older adults in the U.S. The study notes that PM2.5 from traffic and fossil fuels has the strongest risk. Alzheimer’s Disease is a specific kind of dementia and makes up a bit more than half of all dementia diagnoses.
The study also notes that all kinds of PM2.5 had a linear effect on both dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease at low levels, “implying no safe level of air pollution for brain health.”
The study looked at all people who receive Medicare in the U.S. between 2000-2017 and compared air pollution levels for those who had a new diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease and those who who did not get dementia.
Dementia is the 7th-leading cause of death in the U.S. and affects more than 6 million people. It is a huge economic burden for the people who have dementia and for the country as a whole.
We already know that PM2.5 exposure is higher black people and other people of color because of our country’s environmental racism in deciding where to build highways, power plants, and industrial facilities.
This study shows that to be healthy, we need clean energy and clean transportation. Fossil fuels hurt our health and cause death, but we have solutions to clean up the air and thrive! #HealthyAirIsHealthCare
Read the scientific article here.
01/06/2023
