Assessing the Risk of Respiratory-Related Healthcare Visits Associated with Wildfire Smoke Exposure in Children 0–18 Years Old: A Systematic Review

Shelby Henry, Maria B. Ospina, Liz Dennett and Anne Hicks
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Shelby Henry: Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
Maria B. Ospina: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alberta, 220 B Heritage Medical Research Centre, Edmonton, AB T6G 2S2, Canada
Liz Dennett: Scott Health Sciences Library, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R7, Canada
Anne Hicks: Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, 4-590 ECHA 11405 87 Ave, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-37

Abstract: Wildfires are increasing in frequency, size, and intensity, and increasingly affect highly populated areas. Wildfire smoke impacts cardiorespiratory health; children are at increased risk due to smaller airways, a higher metabolic rate and ongoing development. The objective of this systematic review was to describe the risk of pediatric respiratory symptoms and healthcare visits following exposure to wildfire smoke. Medical and scientific databases and the grey literature were searched from inception until December 2020. Included studies evaluated pediatric respiratory-related healthcare visits or symptoms associated with wildfire smoke exposure. Prescribed burns, non-respiratory symptoms and non-pediatric studies were excluded. Risk of bias was evaluated using the National Toxicology Program’s Office of Health Assessment and Translation Risk of Bias Rating Tool. Data are presented narratively due to study heterogeneity. Of 2138 results, 1167 titles and abstracts were screened after duplicate removal; 65 full text screens identified 5 pre-post and 11 cross-sectional studies of rural, urban and mixed sites from the USA, Australia, Canada and Spain. There is a significant increase in respiratory emergency department visits and asthma hospitalizations within the first 3 days of exposure to wildfire smoke, particularly in children < 5 years old.

Keywords: wildfire; pediatric; respiratory disease (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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