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Short-Term Sentinel Air Events in Relation to Health Care Utilization for Specific Health Conditions in Reno, Nevada
Description
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A2815 - Short-Term Sentinel Air Events in Relation to Health Care Utilization for Specific Health Conditions in Reno, Nevada
Author Block: C. Rowan1, W. J. Metcalf2, G. Elhanan2, A. N. Joros2, J. J. Grzymski2; 1Renown Institute for Health Innovation, Renown Health, Reno, NV, United States, 2Renown Institute for Health Innovation, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV, United States.
Rationale
The association between morbidity and long term exposure to air pollution is well established. However, short-term exposure to air quality variation for specific health conditions and their effect on a health system is less well established. We investigated utilization of healthcare resources in relation to sentinel bad air day events and specific disease groups in the unique environmental setting of Reno, Nevada.
We hypothesize that health care encounters (e.g. admissions, office and emergency room visits, as well as other health care utilization encounters) increased during sentinel bad air events.
Reno, NV is located in a geographic valley and is subject to short-term temperature inversions which trap particulate matter and forest-fire smoke that elevate particulate matter concentrations of sizes less than 2.5 microns in width (PM2.5). We utilized an electronic healthcare record dataset that covers 75% of the population in the area for patients older than 40.
Methods
Date and time stamped healthcare encounters (office, emergency department, and ancillary encounters as well as hospitalizations) for related diagnosis groups, e.g. atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), bronchitis, and other upper and lower respiratory tract conditions, were tabulated for ten days prior and ten days after an event.
Atmospheric data were used from an Environmental Protection Agency monitoring station. PM2.5, ozone and other gas concentrations were measured hourly. The study cohort was geocoded and restricted to within 20 miles of the monitoring station and elevation between 4,500’ to 5,200’.
Results
Ten sentinel bad air events were evaluated (6 temperature inversions and 4 forest fires). The study population included 13,435 patients during those events.
We observed an increase in utilization of healthcare services related to specific condition groups in association with sentinel events. Specifically, for supra-ventricular and ventricular arrhythmias we observed increased utilization of up to 49% and 103%, respectively. For respiratory conditions such as acute bronchitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, asthma and COPD, we observed increases of up to 100%. Not all events exhibited the same magnitude and distribution of increased consumption. We describe three such events: two inversions and a fire event, and the associated increase in resource consumption related to condition groups.
Conclusion
We observed increased healthcare resource utilization in relation to sentinel air events involving increased particulate matter (PM2.5). We propose that short-term air events impact the frequency of specific health conditions in our catchment area.
Author Block: C. Rowan1, W. J. Metcalf2, G. Elhanan2, A. N. Joros2, J. J. Grzymski2; 1Renown Institute for Health Innovation, Renown Health, Reno, NV, United States, 2Renown Institute for Health Innovation, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV, United States.
Rationale
The association between morbidity and long term exposure to air pollution is well established. However, short-term exposure to air quality variation for specific health conditions and their effect on a health system is less well established. We investigated utilization of healthcare resources in relation to sentinel bad air day events and specific disease groups in the unique environmental setting of Reno, Nevada.
We hypothesize that health care encounters (e.g. admissions, office and emergency room visits, as well as other health care utilization encounters) increased during sentinel bad air events.
Reno, NV is located in a geographic valley and is subject to short-term temperature inversions which trap particulate matter and forest-fire smoke that elevate particulate matter concentrations of sizes less than 2.5 microns in width (PM2.5). We utilized an electronic healthcare record dataset that covers 75% of the population in the area for patients older than 40.
Methods
Date and time stamped healthcare encounters (office, emergency department, and ancillary encounters as well as hospitalizations) for related diagnosis groups, e.g. atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), bronchitis, and other upper and lower respiratory tract conditions, were tabulated for ten days prior and ten days after an event.
Atmospheric data were used from an Environmental Protection Agency monitoring station. PM2.5, ozone and other gas concentrations were measured hourly. The study cohort was geocoded and restricted to within 20 miles of the monitoring station and elevation between 4,500’ to 5,200’.
Results
Ten sentinel bad air events were evaluated (6 temperature inversions and 4 forest fires). The study population included 13,435 patients during those events.
We observed an increase in utilization of healthcare services related to specific condition groups in association with sentinel events. Specifically, for supra-ventricular and ventricular arrhythmias we observed increased utilization of up to 49% and 103%, respectively. For respiratory conditions such as acute bronchitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, asthma and COPD, we observed increases of up to 100%. Not all events exhibited the same magnitude and distribution of increased consumption. We describe three such events: two inversions and a fire event, and the associated increase in resource consumption related to condition groups.
Conclusion
We observed increased healthcare resource utilization in relation to sentinel air events involving increased particulate matter (PM2.5). We propose that short-term air events impact the frequency of specific health conditions in our catchment area.
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