Study reveals air pollution may lead to a loss of independence in later life

We know that air pollution can affect your health but now experts believe it may impact your ability to care for yourself later in life, a major concern for many of us as we head into our golden years.

Researchers from the University of Michigan collected data from the Health and Retirement Study and analysed health outcomes for people aged 50 years and over. The team then cross referenced these health outcomes with the estimated pollution levels of where people lived.

The study found that the longer a person was exposed to high levels of traffic-related air pollution, the more likely they would need help to manage their day-to-day life as they got older.

Senior author Sara Adar said the results suggested that reducing exposure to air pollution, particularly from traffic sources, could help prolong independent living for older adults.

“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 three-quarters of a million older adults in the United States newly require help with their routine daily activities each year due to their exposures to air pollution. This loss of independence has high emotional and financial costs for families and the health care system.”

Adar, Boya Zhang and colleagues interviewed over 25,000 participants over a ten year period and documented their need for help with routine activities of life such as bathing; dressing; getting in and out of bed or chair; walking; shopping; cleaning; using a phone; using the toilet; managing medications, money or transportation; and moving to a nursing home as they aged.

The researchers then used computer modeling to check each participant’s health status against where they lived and what level of pollution they were exposed to. Information from air pollution monitors, nearby pollution sources and other features of a place were built into the computer modeling program.

The study found that nearly 40 per cent of participants lost some form of their independence after the survey ended ten years later.

“We believe this research extends our understanding of air pollution’s health impacts beyond specific chronic diseases to better capture the cumulative burden of air pollution in late life,” Zhang said.

“These findings are quite important given the global population is aging faster than ever before.”