| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Relationships between chronic exposures to air pollution and respiratory health outcomes have yet to be clearly articulated for adults. Recent data from nationally representative surveys suggest increasing disparity by race/ethnicity regarding asthma-related morbidity and mortality. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the relationship between annual average ambient fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) concentrations and respiratory outcomes for adults using modeled air pollution and health outcome data and to examine PM<sub>2.5 </sub>sensitivity across race/ethnicity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Respondents from the 2002-2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were linked to annual kriged PM<sub>2.5 </sub>data from the USEPA AirData system. Logistic regression was employed to investigate increases in ambient PM<sub>2.5 </sub>concentrations and self-reported prevalence of respiratory outcomes including asthma, sinusitis and chronic bronchitis. Models included health, behavioral, demographic and resource-related covariates. Stratified analyses were conducted by race/ethnicity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of nearly 110,000 adult respondents, approximately 8,000 and 4,000 reported current asthma and recent attacks, respectively. Overall, odds ratios (OR) for current asthma (0.97 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.87-1.07)) and recent attacks (0.90 (0.78-1.03)) did not suggest an association with a 10 μg/m<sup>3 </sup>increase in PM<sub>2.5</sub>. Stratified analyses revealed significant associations for non-Hispanic blacks [OR = 1.73 (1.17-2.56) for current asthma and OR = 1.76 (1.07-2.91) for recent attacks] but not for Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. Significant associations were observed overall (1.18 (1.08-1.30)) and in non-Hispanic whites (1.31 (1.18-1.46)) for sinusitis, but not for chronic bronchitis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Non-Hispanic blacks may be at increased sensitivity of asthma outcomes from PM<sub>2.5 </sub>exposure. Increased chronic PM<sub>2.5 </sub>exposures in adults may contribute to population sinusitis burdens.</p>
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