NEW YORK (Dispatches) -- Environmental factors such as air pollution are highly predictive of people’s chances of dying, according to new research.
Researchers at New York University Grossman School of Medicine and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai demonstrated that exposure to above average levels of outdoor air pollution increased risk of death by 20%, and risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 17%.
Also , using wood- or kerosene-burning stoves, not properly ventilated through a chimney, to cook food or heat the home increasd overall risk of death (by 23% and 9%) and cardiovascular death risk (by 36% and 19%). And living far from specialty medical clinics and near busy roads increased risk of death as well.
The data was collected from 50,045 mostly poor, rural villagers . All study participants were over age 40 and agreed to have their health monitored during annual visits with researchers dating as far back as 2004.
The study showed that not only environmental factors pose the greatest risk to heart and overall health, but also add much-needed scientific evidence from people in low- and middle-income countries. Traditional research on environmental risk factors, the researchers note, has favored urban populations in high-income countries with much greater access to modern health care services.