The TTI thermal map shows the relationship between traffic-related air pollution and asthma in children

April 5, 2019 (College Station, TX) – A team of researchers on air quality and health, led by the Texas A & M Transportation Institute (TTI), created an interactive thermal map, the first of its kind. gender, by county, and town by city chart detailing the distribution of childhood asthma due to air pollution related to road traffic in the United States. One of the main conclusions is that asthma cases attributable to traffic-related air pollution have declined sharply in 10 years.

A research paper titled "Air Pollution Related to Traffic and Asthmatic Load in Children in the United States Bordering in 2000 and 2010", detailing the results, was accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed journal. International environment.

"This is the first time that a study has evaluated children's asthma incidents attributable to different pollutants in the air," says lead researcher Haneen Khreis, an badociate researcher at the Center for the Advancement of Cancer Research. transport, energy and health (CARTEEH) emissions. "According to our modeling estimates, cases of childhood asthma attributable to traffic-related air pollution (nitrogen dioxide or NO2) decreased by an average of 33% between 2000 and 2010. It's a victory for public health. "

Khreis and her team created an interactive thermal map showing the impact of NO2 on childhood asthma across the country between 2000 and 2010. Each US county is represented, and users can fly over a county to view the results. from this county. In addition, a chart of the 498 largest cities in the country with detailed information for each year is presented. | Access the heat map and the table

For example, for Harris County (where Houston, Texas is located), the map details the county's child population, the number and percentage of cases of childhood asthma attributable to NO2, and the average NO2 concentration for children. year. In 2000, 2,682 asthma cases were attributable to traffic-related pollution, accounting for 25% of all cases of asthma in the county. In 2010, there were four hundred fewer cases related to air pollution, accounting for 18% of all cases of asthma in the county for that year and a decrease of 23.7% from 2000. (Texas, Houston and Dallas rank among the top 10 cities in air pollution [TRAP] case of asthma.)

"The decrease in the number of NO2-related asthma cases is due to multiple factors, including more fuel-efficient vehicles," said Raed Alotaibi, TTI, graduate research badistant and doctor at CARTEEH. . "Whatever the reason (s) for the decline, this is good news because asthma is one of the major chronic respiratory diseases in children."

TTI estimates that there were more than 140,000 cases of asthma due to TRAP in the United States in 2010. More than 80% of TRAP-induced asthma children live in urban areas. Low-income households are particularly vulnerable.

The heat map can help better inform air quality decision makers, transportation agencies, medical badociations and anyone else interested in learning more about the burden of childhood asthma related to the pollution of the air. The research team is refining this badysis using state-specific health data from surveys conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"This study highlights the problem of TRAP-related asthma and identifies cities where air quality and asthma continue to be a major problem," says Khreis. "Despite the encouraging decrease in asthma cases related to air pollution, among the remaining cases, many could and should be avoided."

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TTI develops solutions to the problems and challenges facing all modes of transport. The Institute conducts more than 700 research projects each year with more than 200 sponsors, at all levels of government and in the private sector. Recognized as one of the leading transportation research organizations affiliated with higher education around the world, TTI's research and development program has led to significant advances in all aspects of the transportation system. For more information, visit: tti.tamu.edu.

Funded by the United States Department of Transportation's University Transportation Center Program, CARTEEH is a Tier 1 Center focused on the impact of transportation emissions on human health. TTI leads the CARTEEH consortium, which includes four partner universities: Johns Hopkins University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Texas at El Paso, and the University of California at Riverside. For more information, visit: https: //www.carteéh.org /.