Pilot study of publicly available data to evaluate the relationship between forest fires and emergency department visits due to asthma in the state of California

Abstract

The focus of this study was to determine the relationship between asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits and fires in the state of California. Publicly available data of ED visits due to asthma, as well as occurrence of forest fires in California from 2005 to 2015 were obtained, where the California counties were grouped by region: North, Coastal, Motherload, Central, and South. There were no statistical differences with regards to acres of forest burned, but statistically significant differences were found (although small) with regards to ED visits due to asthma attacks by region (Motherload higher than South region). When evaluating the relationship of ED visits due to asthma and acres of forest burned, forest fires barely explained the variability of emergency department visits (r2 = f 0.05, p<0.01). With aims to establish a connection between natural disasters and respiratory distress, we faced obstacles in data limitations and confounding variables. This paper serves as a pilot study supporting the need for further exploration of environmental, health, and socio-demographic variables that interplay when evaluating relationships of natural disasters and incidence of chronic diseases, such as asthma.