Effects on COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) include diseases such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and some forms of asthma.^[18]

A study conducted in 1960-1961 in the wake of the Great Smog of 1952 compared 293 London residents with 477 from towns reporting low death rates from chronic bronchitis (Gloucester, Peterborough, and Norwich). All subjects were male postal workers aged 40 to 59. Compared to the subjects from the outlying towns, the London subjects exhibited more severe respiratory symptoms (including cough, phlegm, and dyspnea), reduced lung function (FEV₁ and peak flow rate), and increased sputum production and purulence. The differences were more pronounced for subjects aged 50 to 59. The study controlled for age and smoking habits, and so concluded that local air pollution was the most likely cause of the observed differences.^[19]

It is believed that much like cystic fibrosis, by living in a more urban environment serious health hazards become more apparent. Studies have shown that in urban areas patients suffer mucus hypersecretion, lower levels of lung function, and more self diagnosis of chronic bronchitis and emphysema