Environmental inequality: Air pollution and asthma in children

Data de publicação:

Autores da FMUP

  • André Miguel Afonso De Sousa Moreira

    Autor

Participantes de fora da FMUP

  • Paciência, I
  • Rufo, JC

Unidades de investigação

Abstract

Introduction Whether you benefit from high-quality urban environments, such as those rich in green and blue spaces, that may offer benefits to allergic and respiratory health depends on where you live and work. Environmental inequality, therefore, results from the unequal distribution of the risks and benefits that stem from interactions with our environment. Methods Within this perspective, this article reviews the evidence for an association between air pollution caused by industrial activities, traffic, disinfection-by-products, and tobacco/e-cigarettes, and asthma in children. We also discuss the proposed mechanisms by which air pollution increases asthma risk, including environmental epigenetic regulations, oxidative stress, and damage, disrupted barrier integrity, inflammatory pathways, and enhancement of respiratory sensitization to aeroallergens. Results and conclusions Environmental air pollution is a major determinant of childhood asthma, but the magnitude of effect is not shared equally across the population, regions, and settings where people live, work, and spend their time. Improvement of the exposure assessment, a better understanding of critical exposure time windows, underlying mechanisms, and drivers of heterogeneity may improve the risk estimates. Urban conditions and air quality are not only important features for national and local authorities to shape healthy cities and protect their citizens from environmental and health risks, but they also provide opportunities to mitigate inequalities in the most deprived areas where the environmental burden is highest. Actions to avoid exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollutants should be complementary at different levels-individual, local, and national levels-to take effective measures to protect children who have little or no control over the air they breathe.

Dados da publicação

ISSN/ISSNe:
1399-3038, 0905-6157

Pediatric Allergy and Immunology  Blackwell Munksgaard

Tipo:
Review
Páginas:
-
Link para outro recurso:
www.scopus.com

Citações Recebidas na Web of Science: 13

Citações Recebidas na Scopus: 26

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Keywords

  • air pollution; asthma; children; environmental inequality; industrial activities; tobacco; traffic-related air pollution

Proyectos asociados

Airborne food and aeroallergens levels in healthcare settings. An unaccounted but potentially relevant source of exposure?

Investigador Principal: André Miguel Afonso de Sousa Moreira

Estudo Clínico Académico (Aeroallergens) . 2020

Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) correlates with eosinophil cell counts in the induced sputum of elite swimmers

Investigador Principal: André Miguel Afonso de Sousa Moreira

Estudo Clínico Académico (ECP) . 2021

How exercise, physical activity and diet modulate immune and stress responses

Investigador Principal: André Miguel Afonso de Sousa Moreira

Estudo Clínico Académico . 2020

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