Environmental Hazards Raise Risk of Early Death
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Air pollution and other environmental hazards raise the risk of premature death, particularly from cardiovascular disease, a large study suggests. Researchers collected data on individual and environmental risk factors for 50,045 individuals over age 40 years living in a rural, low-income region of Iran. Several environmental factors were associated with mortality after adjusting for individual risk factors, they report in PLoS ONE. Exposure to above-average levels of outdoor air pollution increased risk of all-cause mortality 20% and cardiovascular mortality by 17%. Use of wood- or kerosene-burning stoves, not properly ventilated through a chimney, increased all-cause mortality by 23% and 9%, respectively, and cardiovascular death 36% and 19%, respectively.
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@plaban These results illustrate a new opportunity for health policymakers to reduce the burden of disease in their communities by mitigating the impact of environmental risk factors like air pollution on cardiovascular health.