What is it about?
This study found that exposure to higher levels of PM2.5 when traveling abroad results in acute pulmonary health impacts. Importantly, these health impacts, although relatively small, were seen in healthy young adults at PM concentrations normally encountered in cities abroad. Therefore, the impact of varying PM, in travel abroad cities, on individuals with impaired respiratory function, or on individuals with existing cardiac diseases, can be expected to be more severe, particularly during air pollution episodes.
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Why is it important?
This study provides the first documentation that traveling to polluted cities abroad can adversely impact pulmonary health, resulting in acute measurable changes. Individuals who travel abroad should be advised of the potential effects of air pollution in the cities they are traveling to, especially if the city is experiencing or predicted to experience high air pollution levels or episodes during travel, taking into consideration the patient’s health condition.
Perspectives
Traveling, especially if it is your first time, is meant to be a positive experience - exploring new environments, cultures and activities. However, we rarely think of air pollution as a risk factor to our health and overall experience when planning such trips. Imagine having to walk through the Forbidden City on a polluted day in Beijing, wearing a mask, and not being able to see more than a few meters, or during fog in New Delhi - with red eyes, coughing and with a sore-throat. I doubt you will enjoy anything that you see, and most likely will develop flue-like symptoms until you return to your home city. These are important factors to consider - primarily the health impacts and how it affects your quality of life and experience in a travel abroad city. We need more studies exploring this, and have to influence governments of such cities to seriously invest on reducing their air pollution levels, and assuring the health and safety of tourists to their cities.
M J Ruzmyn Vilcassim
NYU School of Medicine
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Exposure to Greater Air Pollution when Traveling Abroad Is Associated with Decreased Lung Function, American Review of Respiratory Disease, June 2019, American Thoracic Society,
DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201811-2235le.
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