Air Pollution Forecasting Offered To Those With Breathing Problems, European Union

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Also Included In: Allergy
Article Date: 20 Nov 2008 - 2:00 PST

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World COPD Day this year provides the occasion for the launch of a website for European citizens to check national and local air quality and to learn the steps they can take to minimise any adverse effects.(1)

Launched jointly by European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations (EFA) and Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), the website "Know Your Air for Health" (www.knowyourairforhealth.eu) is especially tailored to the needs of people suffering from conditions that affect their ability to breathe comfortably during periods of high air pollution. The website also provides information about the current action of the European Union to improve air quality.

"People with respiratory diseases such as asthma, allergies and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (2) suffer much more than others on days when pollution is high," says Susanna Palkonen of EFA. "We hope this website will help them avoid some of their suffering by helping them to plan their activities to minimise exposure to air pollution."

Up to one in 10 European adults suffers from COPD and many fear leaving their homes on a day of high pollution. COPD is a major cause of death (3) and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one person dies of asthma every hour in Western Europe.(4)

"Air quality within the European Union is still not good enough to protect health," says Christian Farrar-Hockley, Senior Policy Advisor at HEAL. "The WHO estimates that the average person within the EU is losing one year of life as a result of poor air quality. The website helps explain the different policies and provides individuals with the opportunity to become involved in the debate. "

Although the European Union has a "Thematic Strategy on Air Quality" (5), the new ambient air quality directive needs to be effectively implemented if it is to bring significant benefits to people with respiratory diseases.

EFA and its national members, who are partnering in the website project, are writing to health and environment ministers in all EU countries about the entry into force of the new ambient air quality directive (2008/50/EC), highlighting how patients' groups could significantly contribute to the implementation of this regulation.

By providing susceptible individuals with air pollution forecasts, EFA and HEAL hope to reduce unnecessary suffering, illness, exacerbations of respiratory diseases and hospital admissions due to air pollution.

"It is unacceptable that the most susceptible people cannot be guaranteed clean air at all times - but at least now they can plan their activities and even avoid going out in periods when air pollution is particularly high," EFA says.

1. The website can be found at http://www.knowyourairforhealth.eu Details of the events surrounding COPD day http://www.goldcopd.com.

2. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a mixture of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which is often associated with other long-term conditions, such as chronic heart failure, hypertension and diabetes. Chronic bronchitis causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways and emphysema leads to a weakening of the structure of the lung. The condition causes difficulty in breathing and, because of this, common symptoms include shortness of breath, cough and sputum production. Although these symptoms can be treated, the weakening of the lungs caused by COPD is not fully reversible.

3. European Lung White Book, European Lung Foundation and European Respiratory Society, 2003.

4. Between 4-10 percent of European adults are affected by COPD, the only leading cause of death that is growing. Worldwide, COPD is due to become the third most common cause of death worldwide by 2020. Asthma is the most frequent chronic disease in childhood and every hour at least one person dies of asthma in Western Europe, according to the World Health Report 2003. One in four Europeans has some form of respiratory allergy and experts estimate that by 2015, one in two Europeans are likely to suffer from at least one form of allergy.

5. More information about the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution and the Directive on Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe is available here.

The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations (EFA) is a European network of allergy, asthma and COPD patient organizations that was founded in 1991, prompted by the belief that an international organization formed by European patients associations that share the same aims would be a more effective way to serve the needs and safeguard the rights of patients and their carers.http://www.efanet.org

Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) aims to raise awareness of how environmental protection and sustainability improves health and to empower the health community to contribute their expertise to policy making. Since its inception, HEAL's membership has grown to include a diverse network of more than 50 citizens', patients', women's, health professionals' and environmental organizations across Europe which together have a strong track record in increasing public and expert engagement in both EU debates and the decision-making process. Website: http://www.env-health.org

Source
Susanna Palkonen
Executive Officer
European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations
and
Christian Farrar-Hockley
Senior Policy Advisor
Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL)

Health and Environment Alliance