Turner Mallory W, Prathibha Pradeep, Holder Amara, Rappold Ana G, Hassett-Sipple Beth, McCaughey Brian, Wei Linda, Davis Andrea, Vinsonhaler Kathryn, Batchelder Amber, Carlstad Julia, Chelminski Ann N
Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA.
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Fellow, USA.
Heliyon. 2024 Jan 29;10(4):e25225. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25225. eCollection 2024 Feb 29.
Smoke exposure from wildfires or residential wood burning for heat is a public health problem for many communities. Do-It-Yourself (DIY) portable air cleaners (PACs) are promoted as affordable alternatives to commercial PACs, but evidence of their effect on health outcomes is limited.
Pilot test an evaluation of the effect of DIY PAC usage on self-reported symptoms, and investigate barriers and facilitators of PAC use, among members of a tribal community that routinely experiences elevated concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM) from smoke.
We conducted studies in Fall 2021 ("wildfire study"; N = 10) and Winter 2022 ("wood stove study"; N = 17). Each study included four sequential one-to-two-week phases: 1) initial, 2) DIY PAC usage ≥8 h/day, 3) commercial PAC usage ≥8 h/day, and 4) air sensor with visual display and optional PAC use. We continuously monitored PAC usage and indoor/outdoor PM concentrations in homes. Concluding each phase, we conducted phone surveys about participants' symptoms, perceptions, and behaviors. We analyzed symptoms associated with PAC usage and conducted an analysis of indoor PM concentrations as a mediating pathway using mixed effects multivariate linear regression. We categorized perceptions related to PACs into barriers and facilitators of use.
No association was observed between PAC usage and symptoms, and the mediation analysis did not indicate that small observed trends were attributable to changes in indoor PM concentrations. Small sample sizes hindered the ability to draw conclusions regarding the presence or absence of causal associations. DIY PAC usage was low; loud operating noise was a barrier to use.
This research is novel in studying health effects of DIY PACs during wildfire and wood smoke exposures. Such research is needed to inform public health guidance. Recommendations for future studies on PAC use during smoke exposure include building flexibility of intervention timing into the study design.
野火产生的烟雾或用于取暖的住宅木柴燃烧所造成的烟雾暴露，对许多社区来说都是一个公共卫生问题。自制（DIY）便携式空气净化器（PAC）被宣传为商业PAC的经济实惠替代品，但关于其对健康结果影响的证据有限。
对部落社区成员中使用DIY PAC对自我报告症状的影响进行试点评估，并调查使用PAC的障碍和促进因素，该部落社区经常经历来自烟雾的细颗粒物（PM）浓度升高。
我们在2021年秋季（“野火研究”；N = 10）和2022年冬季（“木炉研究”；N = 17）进行了研究。每项研究包括四个连续的一到两周阶段：1）初始阶段，2）每天使用DIY PAC≥8小时，3）每天使用商业PAC≥8小时，4）使用带有视觉显示的空气传感器并可选择使用PAC。我们持续监测家庭中PAC的使用情况以及室内/室外PM浓度。在每个阶段结束时，我们就参与者的症状、认知和行为进行电话调查。我们分析了与PAC使用相关的症状，并使用混合效应多元线性回归对室内PM浓度作为中介途径进行了分析。我们将与PAC相关的认知分为使用的障碍和促进因素。
未观察到PAC使用与症状之间的关联，中介分析也未表明观察到的小趋势可归因于室内PM浓度的变化。小样本量阻碍了就因果关联的存在与否得出结论的能力。DIY PAC的使用率较低；运行噪音大是使用的障碍。
这项研究在研究野火和木柴烟雾暴露期间DIY PAC对健康的影响方面具有创新性。需要此类研究为公共卫生指导提供信息。关于烟雾暴露期间PAC使用的未来研究建议包括在研究设计中增加干预时间的灵活性。
