Sensitive Groups
Children | AQI table for children | Older adults | AQI table for older adults | Pregnant womenEveryone can potentially be affected by air pollution when concentrations of pollutants are very high.
Different groups of people are sensitive to different types of air pollution. The types of air pollution that reach high concentrations in our region are most likely to affect people with:
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heart disease (cardiovascular disease ie. angina, partially blocked arteries, strokes)
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lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ie. emphysema, chronic bronchitis)
Different pollutants affect these groups differently. For example, several of the pollutants may trigger symptoms in people with asthma, whereas people with cardiovascular disease are most likely to be affected by particle pollution.
Some age and other groups of also appear to be more susceptible to air pollution than others:
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children
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older adults
- pregnant women
Children
Children are at risk from exposure to high levels of ozone and particles due to several factors:
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they often spend a large part of summer playing outdoors
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they tend to inhale relatively more air than adults on a per body weight basis and
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their elevated metabolic rate and young defence systems make them more susceptible to air pollution.
In New South Wales, an air pollution health alert is generally issued for ozone and particles only, as the other pollutants rarely exceed the guidelines.
You can reduce your child's risk and protect them by using the air quality index (AQI) chart below to help you plan outdoor activities.
Follow these simple steps to protect your kids from air pollution:
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Get to know how sensitive your children are to air pollution
Take note of the AQI and see whether they have symptoms on days when the AQI is high.
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Plan activities when and where air pollution levels are lower.
Regular exercise is important for staying healthy, especially for children. Aim to exercise outdoors in the mornings if the AQI for ozone is high. Try to exercise away from busy roads or industrial areas.
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Create a clean indoor air zone for your children.
Eliminate sources of air pollution from inside your home by:
Don't allow anyone to smoke inside
Use electric or flued gas heating (that pipes emissions to the outside)
Choose low emission paints, varnishes and cleaning products.
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Check the Air Quality Index (AQI) regularly.
AQI table for children
Use the AQI to plan your outdoor activities and reduce your risk of exposure to air pollution.
Avoid prolonged outdoor exertion. Levels will be lower indoors. If there are symptoms of asthama, shortness of breath or cough, the child should rest and use their reliever medicine. If symptoms persist, seek medical advice
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Older adults
Older people are more likely to be affected by air pollution, perhaps due to generally weaker defence systems, or undiagnosed respiratory or cardiovascular health conditions.
As people age, their bodies are less able to compensate for the effects of environmental hazards. Air pollution can aggravate heart disease and stroke, lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. This leads to increased medication use, more visits to health care providers, admissions to emergency rooms and hospitals, and even death.
Exposure to air pollution can pose a significant risk to older adults, especially those with lung disease.
Particulate matter and ozone have the greatest potential to affect the health of older adults. Particle pollution may aggravate heart and lung diseases (including COPD and asthma), and may be responsible for serious health effects, including hospitalization or premature death. Ozone, even at low levels, can exacerbate respiratory diseases.
You can reduce your risk and protect yourself by using the air quality index (AQI) chart below to help you plan outdoor activities.
Follow these steps to help protect your health from air pollution:
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Get to know how sensitive you are to air pollution
Notice your symptoms when you are physically active. Do they happen more often when the air is more polluted? If so, you may be sensitive to air pollution.
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Know when and where air pollution may be bad
Ozone is often worst on hot summer days, especially in the afternoons and early evenings. Particle pollution can be bad any time of year, even in winter. It can be especially bad when the weather is calm, allowing air pollution to build up. Particle levels can also be high: near busy roads, during rush hour, and when there is smoke in the air from wood heaters or during bush fires.
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Plan activities when and where pollution levels are lower
Regular exercise is important for staying healthy. In summer, plan your most vigorous activities for the morning. Try to exercise away from busy roads or industrial areas. On hot days, think about exercising indoors.
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Change your activity level
When the air is polluted, try to take it easier if you are active outdoors. This will reduce how much pollution you breathe.
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Listen to your body
If you get symptoms when the air is polluted, stop your activity. Find another, less intense activity.
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Create a clean indoor air zone
Eliminate sources of air pollution from inside your home:
Don't allow anyone to smoke inside
Use electric or flued gas heating (that pipes emissions to the outside)
Choose low emission paints, varnishes and cleaning products
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Talk with your doctor
If you have symptoms when the air is polluted, talk to your doctor.
AQI table for older adults
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Pregnant women
Overseas and Australian studies have found an association between higher exposure to air pollutants like carbon monoxide and particles during pregnancy and small reductions in birth weight.
Air pollution probably acts in a similar manner to active or passive smoking during pregnancy.
Pregnant women can further reduce their exposure to air pollution by reducing time spent in heavy traffic and congested roads where possible.