The impact of environmental injustice and social determinants of health on the role of air pollution in asthma and allergic disease in the United States

There is clear evidence that exposure to environmental air pollution is associated with immune dysregulation, asthma, and other allergic diseases. However, the burden of air pollution exposure is not equally distributed across the United States. Many social and environmental factors place communities of color and people who are in poverty at increased risk of exposure to pollution and morbidity from asthma and allergies. Here, we review the evidence that supports the relationship between air pollution and asthma, while considering the social determinants of health that contribute to disparities in exposures and outcomes. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2021;148:1089-101.)

Automated summary

There is clear evidence that exposure to environmental air pollution is associated with immune dysregulation, asthma, and other allergic diseases. However, the burden of air pollution exposure is not equally distributed, with communities of color and people in poverty being at increased risk of exposure to pollution and morbidity from asthma and allergies due to social and environmental factors.