Air Pollution Related Asthma Inpatient Hospital Admission in the Las Vegas Valley
Abstract
Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by inflammation in the lungs that causes airflow to be restricted. In Southern Nevada’s Las Vegas Valley, the natural basin geography causes air pollutants to accumulate. Research has linked air pollution with worsening asthma symptoms. The goal of this study was to determine the non-linear lagged relationship between Asthma Related Inpatient Hospital Admissions (ARIHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) criteria air pollutants in the Las Vegas Valley using hospital and pollution monitoring station data. Overall, a statistically significant increased RR of ARIHA between 7 and 13 days after exposure to PM2.5 24-hour average levels from 0-35 μg/m3, and from 9-10 days after exposure to PM2.5 24-hour average 75 μg/m3 was found. Finally, 17 ZIP codes exhibited a statistically significant increased RR of ARIHA after adjusting for all variables, revealing a heterogeneous distribution of ZIP codes at a higher risk of ARIHA.