Health Effects of Ozone
Breathless: Estimated Number of ER Admissions
Source: BREATHLESS: Ambient Ozone Exposure and Emergency Hospital Admissions and Emergency Room Visits for Respiratory Problems in 13 US Cities, Harvard School of Public Health, June 1996
In this study, St. Louis was one of 13 cities that ER visits were compared to ozone levels. The study concluded that there is a significant increase of respiratory related ER visitations on days of high air pollution in St. Louis. A 7.3% increase on average. However, this is not the entire story. For every ER visit there are many more people affected in terms of breathing problems, asthma attacks, doctor visits ect. (See Summary)
