Bradford air pollution linked to nearly half of A&E respiratory attendances

New research funded by the National Institute for Health Research has revealed that almost half of all visits to A&E for breathing difficulties in Bradford are linked to breaches in daily air pollution limits. 

In one of the biggest studies of its kind globally, the data-driven study, analysed more than 120,000 patients over four years. Researchers discovered a worrying trend when the daily levels of nitrogen dioxide, which forms part of the discharge from car exhausts, soared above recommended levels set by the World Health Organisation. Air quality tracking revealed that pollution levels were exceeded on an average of 157 days per year, equating to 43 percent of the time. 

The team found that up to 35 percent of patients with respiratory problems seeing their GP, and 49 percent of those attending A&E, was linked to days with excessive air pollution. The combined cost of these pollution related healthcare visits during the Bradford study is estimated to be £2m, a financial burden higher than previously thought.

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