disease and the impact on healthcare systems (Million Hearts, 2023). These collaborations have reinforced the critical benefits oered by providing clinicians with easily accessible tools and accredited training resources to communicate patient health risks. The key, too, is the provision of easy-to-use tools to healthcare providers that can be shared with patients at higher health risk to specific environmental exposures, like airborne partic- ulate matter. These tools can help individuals monitor their environments and know when they might be at higher risk. Applications like the AirNow.gov website and its mobile app, as well as participatory science projects like the Smoke Sense App, are interactive tools that enable an individual to personalize their envi- ronmental search and geographic locations to learn what and how much of an air pollutant they are being exposed to (AirNow, 2023a, 2023b; U.S. EPA, 2023c). Tailored fact sheets and DIY infographics are other tools healthcare professionals use to convey information to patients about expo- sures and strategies to promote health and prevent disease. The U.S. EPA Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Ocials oers stand- alone fact sheets on protecting at-risk popula- tions, such as children, from wildfire smoke and ash, along with guidance on the cor- rect use of face masks to prevent inhalation of smoke particles (U.S. EPA, 2021; Figure 2). Providing physicians with easy and cost- conscious DIY solutions can increase accessi- bility for at-risk populations to take action to reduce their exposure. For instance, U.S. EPA has developed DIY air cleaner information to help individuals reduce their indoor exposure to wildfire smoke (U.S. EPA, 2023d). Connecting Environmental Emerging Events to a Healthcare Setting: Wildfires From April 30–August 4, 2023, smoke origi- nating from wildfires in Canada aected some U.S. states unaccustomed to exposure to wild- fire smoke. CDC analyzed daily numbers and percentages of emergency department visits associated with asthma on days with and without wildfire smoke to estimate the extent of wildfire smoke on increased asthma-asso- ciated visits. Emergency department visits for asthma were 17% higher than expected dur- ing 19 days of wildfire smoke (McArdle et al., 2023; Figure 3).
FIGURE 1
Collaborative Course for Clinicians on Particle Pollution and Patient Health From the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Learn more about the course at www.epa.gov/pmcourse/learn-about-particle-pollution-and-your-patients-health-course.
FIGURE 2
Stand-Alone Fact Sheets for Protecting Populations and At-Risk Individuals From Wildfire and Wildfire Smoke
You can find these fact sheets and more at www.airnow.gov/wildfire-guide-factsheets/.
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December 2023 • Journal of Environmental Health
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