Long-term exposure to pollution can lead to loss of independence later in life, research suggests

According to a study from the University of Michigan, long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to a loss of independence in older adults.

In research published in JAMA network openedair pollution from traffic appears to be a major risk factor for losing their ability to care for themselves without any or complete assistance. Traffic-related air pollution releases fine particles and gases such as nitrogen dioxide into the air that can damage the lungs, heart, brain and other parts of the body.

Researchers found that when people were exposed to high levels of pollution for long periods of time, such as the ten years studied in this study, they needed more help managing their daily activities.

The study suggests that reducing exposure to air pollution, especially from traffic sources, could help extend independent living in older adults, say senior author Sara Adar, associate professor of epidemiology and global public health at the UM School of Public Health, and Boya Zhang, first author of the study and research fellow at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

“This research indicates that long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to persistent health problems that make it more difficult for someone to care for themselves in old age, leading to a need for assistance for activities they once managed themselves,” Adar said.

“Our research also suggests that where you live can determine how well you age and indicates that even with our relatively clean air, nearly three-quarters of a million older adults in the United States continue to require assistance with their daily routine activities each year as a result of their exposure to air pollution. This loss of independence comes at a high emotional and financial cost to families and the healthcare system.”

The findings are based on data from the Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal study of middle-aged and older adults at UM’s Institute for Social Research.

Using data from 25,314 study participants or their survivors, Adar, Zhang and colleagues’ research documented participants’ need for assistance with routine life activities such as bathing or showering; Dressing; getting in and out of bed or a chair; to walk; shop; cleaning; use a telephone; use of the toilet; managing medicines, money or transportation; and moving to a nursing home as they grow older.

Survey participants’ responses were compared with where they lived and long-term air pollution levels estimated by a sophisticated exposure model built with information from air pollution monitors, nearby sources of pollution and other characteristics of a place. .

When comparing participants who remained independent, respondents who lost their independence were more likely to be white and have lower levels of formal education, have lower median levels of wealth, be more likely to have chronic diseases at baseline, and be exposed to higher median levels of most pollutants. In total, almost 40% of respondents experienced a new loss of independence during the average 10.2 years they were followed.

“We believe this study expands our understanding of the health consequences of air pollution beyond specific chronic diseases to better map the cumulative burden of air pollution in later life,” said Zhang. “These findings are quite important as the world’s population is aging faster than ever before.”

In addition to documenting the loss of independence, the study also estimated the financial costs of losing independence due to air pollution. Assuming annual costs of $16,028 per person requiring assistance with activities of daily living, the study estimated that loss of independence due to exposure to traffic-related air pollution nationwide would amount to $11.7 billion in healthcare costs per year .