Cleaner air in Southern California is causing children's health to improve, a new study has found.
More specifically, children are showing fewer signs of respiratory diseases as a result of better air quality. The study, which monitored children's health for two decades, also reported positive progress in kids' lung health.
The researchers report that fewer kids are suffering from bronchitic symptoms, such as daily cough for three consecutive months, phlegm or congestion without cold, or swelling of the respiratory tract's lining.
The findings signal good news because it means a reduction in hospital trips for otherwise healthy kids who are only at risk of being sickened because of dirty air.
"The message that clean air leads to better health in children should be taken seriously because it has implications for how we live and how productive we become," said study lead author Kiros Berhane from the University of Southern California.
Improved Air, Improved Health
The research team discovered that particulate matter, the tiny particles in the air that can go deep into the lungs and initiate serious diseases, have declined by 47 percent from 1992 to 2011.
What's more, nitrogen oxide, which can decrease resistance to respiratory infections, plummeted by 49 percent in the same time period. Scientists think this paved the way for the 21 percent and 16 percent drop in bronchitic symptoms in asthmatic and non-asthmatic children, respectively.
Such discoveries are not only significant to health, but in policymaking and parent education as well.
The Study
The researchers monitored 4,602 children 5 to 18 years old. The participants and their parents answered questionnaires about the children's health from 1993 to 2012.
The researchers also continuously looked into the air quality in each of the eight Southern Californian communities where the participants reside. Because the locations showed wide differences in air quality, Berhane said the study results are applicable to other areas in the United States and maybe even across the world.
No Room For Complacency
Cities in California are consistent in leading the list of the American Lung Association's most polluted cities in terms of air quality. Even in the past, Southern California has been known to have a high extent of air pollution because of vehicular emissions, industrial wastes and having the country's two biggest ports.
Things have changed for the better in the past 20 years, especially since the year 2000. Berhane said the progress is most likely due to the implementation of policies.
Despite the good news, Berhane said there is still room for improvement, but not for complacency.
People should remember that there might be other areas in Southern California violating federal standards.
Vehicles will keep on passing roads, economic activities will continue and ships will not stop docking. So even if the air situation right now is maintained, pollution could begin to rise again. The key is to stay alert to not lose the current air quality and the linked improvements in the health of Southern California's children.
The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on April 12.
Photo: Eric Lewis | Flickr
