Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Exposure to air pollution increases the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization, according to a new study.
Published this month in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the peer-reviewed study found that exposure to common air pollutants increased the risk of hospitalization by up to 30 per cent for fully-vaccinated patients.
"Among vaccinated people, the detrimental effect of air pollution exposure is a little smaller, compared to people who were not vaccinated," co-author Zhanghua Chen, an assistant professor of population and public health sciences at the University of Southern California, explained in a news release. "But that difference is not statistically significant."
The study analyzed data from more than 50,000 COVID-19 patients in Southern California. Estimated air pollution exposure was calculated for every residential address using publicly-available data on fine particle (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) levels in the one month and year prior to each patients' diagnosis.
“We investigated both long-term and short-term air pollution exposure, which may influence COVID-19 severity through different mechanisms,” Chen said.
Long-term exposure to air pollution is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular and lung disease, both of which can lead to more severe COVID-19 symptoms, the researchers noted, while short-term air pollution exposure may intensify lung inflammation, and even affect patients' immune responses. Since COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, it was no surprise to find that air quality impacted patient outcomes.
For the unvaccinated COVID-19 patients, short-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide and fine particles increased the risk of hospitalization by 13 to 14 per cent, while long-term exposure increased the risk by 22 to 24 per cent. For the partially and fully-vaccinated, the risks were slightly lower, but not statistically significant, according to the study. Ozone levels did not impact hospitalization rates.
The study was also able to further establish that COVID-19 vaccination leads to fewer hospitalizations.
"Fully vaccinated people had almost 90 per cent reduced risk of COVID hospitalization, and even partially vaccinated people had about 50 per cent less risk," Chen said.
"These findings are important because they show that, while COVID-19 vaccines are successful at reducing the risk of hospitalization, people who are vaccinated and exposed to polluted air are still at increased risk for worse outcomes than vaccinated people not exposed to air pollution," added co-author Anny Xiang, a senior research scientist at Kaiser Permanente, an American healthcare consortium, in the news release.
Since the findings suggest improving air quality could reduce severe cases of COVID-19, the researchers are now studying the impacts of indoor air purifiers on patients.
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.