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 (r = 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. Grover RS, Kumar R: Exhaled carbon monoxide levels: as a marker of clinical severity and control of asthma. J Asthma. 2008; 45(8): 677-680. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text 7. Burbank AJ, Sood AK, Kesic MJ, et al.: Environmental determinants of allergy and asthma in early life. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017; 140(1): 1-12. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text 8. Breysse PN, Diette GB, Matsui EC, et al.: Indoor air pollution and asthma in children. Proc Am Thorac Soc. 2010; 7(2): 102-106. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text 9. Tzivian L: Outdoor air pollution and asthma in children. J Asthma. 2011; 48(5): 470-481. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text 10. Cakmak S, Dales RE, Coates F: Does air pollution increase the effect of aeroallergens on hospitalization for asthma? J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012; 129(1): 228-231. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text

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

“…F1000Research Dataset 1: Forest fires acres burned and emergency department visits due to asthma for California, January-December 2005-2015. DOI, 10.5256/f1000research.15839.d213397 11 Data for emergency department visits due to asthma: http://www. cehtp.org/page/asthma/query Data for forest fires: http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/fire_ protection_fire_info_redbooks The full dataset is available as Dataset 1.…”