On course
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), every year worldwide about 7 million people prematurely die due to exposure to air pollution, mainly suspended particles. In Poland, this number reaches over 47 thousand! In children, living in a polluted environment can lead to stunted lung growth, more frequent respiratory tract infections, and exacerbated asthma symptoms. For adults, air pollution leads to the development of heart disease and stroke, as well as many other diseases such as diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. Despite air pollution being compared to other global health threats like unhealthy diet and smoking, knowledge about the health effects of air pollution is still insufficient - we often don't notice the problem or try to downplay it.
Issues
- What health hazards does poor quality air pose?
- Who is most susceptible to air pollution?
- Does exposure time to pollutants matter?
Authors
LIFE-MappingAir/PL Project Team