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‘Breathing Fire’: Impact of Prolonged Bushfire Smoke Exposure in People with Severe Asthma

Author

Listed:
  • Tesfalidet Beyene

    (School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Erin S. Harvey

    (School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
    Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Joseph Van Buskirk

    (Sydney School of Public Health and University Centre for Rural Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia)

  • Vanessa M. McDonald

    (Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia
    School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia)

  • Megan E. Jensen

    (School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia)

  • Jay C. Horvat

    (School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia)

  • Geoffrey G. Morgan

    (Sydney School of Public Health and University Centre for Rural Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia)

  • Graeme R. Zosky

    (Tasmanian School of Medicine, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia)

  • Edward Jegasothy

    (Sydney School of Public Health and University Centre for Rural Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia)

  • Ivan Hanigan

    (Sydney School of Public Health and University Centre for Rural Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia)

  • Vanessa E. Murphy

    (School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia)

  • Elizabeth G. Holliday

    (School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia)

  • Anne E. Vertigan

    (School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
    Department of Speech Pathology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia)

  • Matthew Peters

    (Department of Thoracic Medicine, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia)

  • Claude S. Farah

    (Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Concord, NSW 2006, Australia)

  • Christine R. Jenkins

    (Department of Thoracic Medicine, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia
    Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Concord, NSW 2006, Australia)

  • Constance H. Katelaris

    (School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown Hospital, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia)

  • John Harrington

    (Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia)

  • David Langton

    (Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
    Department of Thoracic Medicine, Frankston Hospital, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia)

  • Philip Bardin

    (Lung and Sleep Medicine, Monash University and Medical Centre, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia)

  • Gregory P. Katsoulotos

    (St George Specialist Centre, Kogarah, NSW 2217, Australia
    St George and Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
    Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Glebe, NSW 2037, Australia)

  • John W. Upham

    (Department of Respiratory Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
    Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia)

  • Jimmy Chien

    (Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
    School of Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia)

  • Jeffrey J. Bowden

    (Respiratory and Sleep Services, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia)

  • Janet Rimmer

    (Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Glebe, NSW 2037, Australia
    St Vincent’s Clinic, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia)

  • Rose Bell

    (Asthma Australia, Melbourne, VIC 3003, Australia)

  • Peter G. Gibson

    (School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
    Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia)

Abstract

Wildfires are increasing and cause health effects. The immediate and ongoing health impacts of prolonged wildfire smoke exposure in severe asthma are unknown. This longitudinal study examined the experiences and health impacts of prolonged wildfire (bushfire) smoke exposure in adults with severe asthma during the 2019/2020 Australian bushfire period. Participants from Eastern/Southern Australia who had previously enrolled in an asthma registry completed a questionnaire survey regarding symptoms, asthma attacks, quality of life and smoke exposure mitigation during the bushfires and in the months following exposure. Daily individualized exposure to bushfire particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) was estimated by geolocation and validated modelling. Respondents ( n = 240) had a median age of 63 years, 60% were female and 92% had severe asthma. They experienced prolonged intense PM 2.5 exposure (mean PM 2.5 32.5 μg/m 3 on 55 bushfire days). Most (83%) of the participants experienced symptoms during the bushfire period, including: breathlessness (57%); wheeze/whistling chest (53%); and cough (50%). A total of 44% required oral corticosteroid treatment for an asthma attack and 65% reported reduced capacity to participate in usual activities. About half of the participants received information/advice regarding asthma management (45%) and smoke exposure minimization strategies (52%). Most of the participants stayed indoors (88%) and kept the windows/doors shut when inside (93%), but this did not clearly mitigate the symptoms. Following the bushfire period, 65% of the participants reported persistent asthma symptoms. Monoclonal antibody use for asthma was associated with a reduced risk of persistent symptoms. Intense and prolonged PM 2.5 exposure during the 2019/2020 bushfires was associated with acute and persistent symptoms among people with severe asthma. There are opportunities to improve the exposure mitigation strategies and communicate these to people with severe asthma.

Suggested Citation

  • Tesfalidet Beyene & Erin S. Harvey & Joseph Van Buskirk & Vanessa M. McDonald & Megan E. Jensen & Jay C. Horvat & Geoffrey G. Morgan & Graeme R. Zosky & Edward Jegasothy & Ivan Hanigan & Vanessa E. Mu, 2022. "‘Breathing Fire’: Impact of Prolonged Bushfire Smoke Exposure in People with Severe Asthma," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-15, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:12:p:7419-:d:840689
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rosana Aguilera & Thomas Corringham & Alexander Gershunov & Tarik Benmarhnia, 2021. "Wildfire smoke impacts respiratory health more than fine particles from other sources: observational evidence from Southern California," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Hiep Duc Nguyen & Merched Azzi & Stephen White & David Salter & Toan Trieu & Geoffrey Morgan & Mahmudur Rahman & Sean Watt & Matthew Riley & Lisa Tzu-Chi Chang & Xavier Barthelemy & David Fuchs & Kait, 2021. "The Summer 2019–2020 Wildfires in East Coast Australia and Their Impacts on Air Quality and Health in New South Wales, Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-27, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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