“I have to stay inside …”: Experiences of air pollution for people with asthma

Citation

McCarron A, Semple S, Swanson V, Braban CF, Gillespie C & Price HD (2024) “I have to stay inside …”: Experiences of air pollution for people with asthma. Health & Place, 85, Art. No.: 103150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103150

Abstract
Asthma, characterized by airway inflammation, sensitization and constriction, and leading to symptoms including cough and dyspnoea, affects millions of people globally. Air pollution is a known asthma trigger, yet how it is experienced is understudied and how individuals with asthma interact with air quality information and manage exacerbation risks is unclear. This study aimed to explore how people living with asthma in Scotland, UK, experienced and managed their asthma in relation to air pollution. We explored these issues with 36 participants using semi-structured interviews. We found that self-protection measures were influenced by place and sense of control (with the home being a “safe space”), and that the perception of clean(er) air had a liberating effect on outdoor activities. We discuss how these insights could shape air quality-related health advice in future.

Keywords
Asthma; Air pollution; Qualitative methods; Lived experience

Journal
Health & Place: Volume 85