UT study highlights asthma disparities in Austin neighborhoods

A study from Dell Medical School and UT College of Natural Science researchers shows the connection between asthma-related emergency room trips and air pollution in certain Austin neighborhoods—specifically areas with higher populations of Black and Latinx people.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new study from the University of Texas at Austin shows a link between higher air pollution levels and health disparities in Austin.

The study from Dell Medical School and UT College of Natural Science researchers shows the connection between asthma-related emergency room trips and air pollution in certain Austin neighborhoods — specifically areas with higher populations of Black and Latinx people, according to a UT release.

Air particles like dust, dirt, soot and smoke can cause increased hospital visits, worsened asthma symptoms, breathing problems and other symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study found higher air pollution areas had a higher proportion of residents of color, which indicates environmental inequities, according to a UT release. The study looked at data in the five-county Austin metro area.

“These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to mitigate pollution in neighborhoods with higher asthma burdens, especially where Black and Latinx people live,” Elizabeth Matsui, M.D., a co-author of the study, said in a release.

The study was accepted in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in February. The findings could help public health decision-making and show the importance of addressing environmental disparities, the UT release said.

Air quality information can be found by ZIP code, city or state on airnow.gov.