We focus on four complex health issues more prevalent in urban areas
With the Social Progress Imperative, we've developed the first neighbourhood level, health-focused social progress index of its kind.
With Wellcome Trust
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Health effects of air pollution
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In inner cities everyone is exposed to air pollution – but the health of some, including older people, is more affected than others.
Around 53,000 people aged 65 and over live in our inner-city boroughs, with a higher concentration in the south. To understand exposure we need to learn more about where older people spend their time and how polluted those environments are.
While more work is needed, we investigated where some older people spend some of their time: local care homes.
The entire footprint of our boroughs exceeds the guidelines set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for air pollutants PM2.5 and PM10. And 11 local care homes (16% of the total) are in areas where PM2.5 levels are 40% higher than the WHO guidelines.
This type of insight helps us understand where we may target our efforts.
“ Discussions about air pollution understandably tend to focus on the damaging impact on children and young people, but it's less well known that there are real threats to older people too, many of whom are already living with cardiovascular diseases, COPD and other breathing problems. Caroline Abrahams Charity Director, Age UK
Discussions about air pollution understandably tend to focus on the damaging impact on children and young people, but it's less well known that there are real threats to older people too, many of whom are already living with cardiovascular diseases, COPD and other breathing problems.
John is 72 and lives in Southwark. He loves the hustle and bustle of the area, but is not very mobile and doesn’t get out as much as he’d like to.
Marilyn is a retired art teacher who lives in Brixton with her husband and three grown-up children. As a teenager she was treated for TB and, following the recent death of her brother, has become even more concerned about her health.
As part of the groundwork for our programme, we researched air pollution awareness among people living in our inner-city area. Together with partners including Global Action Plan, Opinium and BMG Research we did:
This insight will help us develop more effective projects to address poor air quality and improve the health of local residents – particularly the vulnerable groups who are the focus of our programme.
“ I don't see how I can get hay fever in December when there's hardly any pollen around and I've put it down to pollution... there must be something in the air. Participant in older people focus group
I don't see how I can get hay fever in December when there's hardly any pollen around and I've put it down to pollution... there must be something in the air.
Older people (all groups over 65) were less likely to select the environment and air quality as an important issue facing Lambeth and Southwark, compared with younger people (18-24).
Safety is the biggest concern of people aged 55 or over – a view shared with parents of young children. Crime, anti-social behaviour and the nuisance caused by heavy traffic are all more likely to be an issue than air pollution.
Older people (as well as businesses we surveyed) in particular feel the government is solely responsible for improving air quality.
However, among those aged 75 and over, only 55% support further measures to improve air pollution.
“ We don't notice it – we can't see it. If pollution was like snowflakes, then we'd be worried. John, 72
We don't notice it – we can't see it. If pollution was like snowflakes, then we'd be worried.
Air pollution can affect children’s organ development from pregnancy through to early adolescence, with children living near busy roads four times more likely than adults to have reduced lung function. Yet, our local parents are more likely than other groups to think the dangers of air pollution have been exaggerated.
People with lung or heart conditions experience worsened symptoms from spikes in air pollution, with high levels of NO2 associated with increases in hospital admissions for asthma. In our inner-city area, those with health conditions are more likely to say that air quality has got worse.
The more we know about air pollution in urban areas, the more we will be able to design effective solutions.