Long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to a loss of independence for older adults, according to a University of Michigan study. In research published in JAMA Network Open , air pollution from traffic emerges as a key risk factor for older adults losing their ability to care for themselves without some or total assistance. Traffic-related air pollution releases fine particulate matter and gases like nitrogen dioxide into the air that can harm the lungs, heart, brain, and other parts of the body.
Researchers found that when people were exposed to high levels of pollution over long periods, like the 10 years studied in this research, they needed more help to manage their everyday activities. The study suggests that reducing exposure to air pollution, particularly from traffic sources, could help prolong independent living for older adults, say senior author Sara Adar, associate professor of epidemiology and global public health at the U-M School of Public Health, and Boya Zhang, first author of the study and research fellow at the Harvard T.H.
Chan School of Public Health. "This research indicates that long-term air pollution exposures can lead to persistent health issues that make it harder for a person to take care of themselves at older ages, leading to a need for help for activities that they once managed on their own," Adar said. "Our research also suggests that where you live can dictate how well you age and indicates that even with our relatively clean air, nearly t.
