O3 Exposure and Respiratory Effects - School absenteeism, Asthma-related Symptoms, and Asthma-related Emergency Department (ED) visits and Hospitalizations

Contact

Principal Investigator/Author: Ninez Ponce, Michael Jerrett

Contractor: University of California, Los Angeles

Sub-contractor: Michael Kleeman, University of California, Davis

Contract number: 23RD019

Project Status: Active

Relevant CARB programs: Children’s Environmental Health Protection Program, Children’s Health, Community Health, Criteria Air Pollutants, Ozone Transport, People at Risk

Topic areas: Health, Environmental Justice, Air Pollution Exposure, People at Risk, Health Effects of Air Pollution, Health & Air Pollution, Health Risk Assessment

 

Research Summary:

Ozone (O3) is a secondary air pollutant that forms when solar radiation reacts with other chemicals such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and carbon monoxide (CO). In California, O3 levels often exceed safe levels during warm seasons. O3 exposure has been linked with cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, and metabolic dysfunction. While several health endpoints for ozone have been researched and used in EPA regulatory risk assessments, the underlying studies are dated. This study aims to develop updated effect estimates of ambient O3 using recent epidemiological data, California data, and refined O3 exposure modeling. The objectives of this project are to:

  • Review literature on the impacts of long-term and short-term O3 exposures, including school absenteeism, asthma symptoms, and asthma-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and how these vary by race/ethnicity, gender, and income.
  • Develop O3 exposure modeling.
  • Develop California-specific C-R functions between exposure to O3 and respiratory health effects, including school absenteeism, asthma-related symptoms, work loss days, and asthma-related ED visits and hospitalizations, in both children and adults in California.

The results will help CARB, the greater scientific community, and the public better understand the public health impacts of air pollution and help inform future health benefit analyses.

 

Keywords: environmental justice, criteria pollutants, ozone, priority communities, short term exposure, long term exposure, health outcome, cardiovascular, respiratory, pulmonary, racial/ethnic groups, school absenteeism, asthma, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, public health, health assessment, air quality modeling, dose-response, children’s health and development.