Outdoor Air Pollution vs. Indoor Hospital Air Quality

Virtually everyone spends some portion of their day thinking about how they can either stay healthy or improve their health. We try to make choices about how we spend our time and what we eat based on what will be best for our bodies. But one thing that can have a huge impact on our health is something we have no direct control over and that's the quality of the air we breathe.

Although the government issues national air quality standards, not all geographic locations are actually up to those standards. Studies continue to show that poor air quality can cause a variety of public health concerns, including increased instances of hospitalization and even premature death.

Air Pollution is a Public Health Hazard

A recent study from the RAND Corporation indicated that over a three year period in California, poor air quality led to nearly 30,000 hospital admissions and ER visits. Approximately 75% of those visits were a result of high levels of fine particulate matter.  In developing countries, problems are even more severe with 88% of more than 3.7 million premature deaths from air pollution occurring in middle and low-income countries. These deaths can be from ischaemic heart disease, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute lower respiratory infections or lung cancer.

There are a range of causes for excessive pollution, from transportation to agriculture, and where you are in the world will change to what the pollution is attributable.  

Hospitals Must Account for Air Pollution to Protect Patients

The best healthcare facilities are already vigilant about protecting patients from potential air quality hazards within the walls of the hospital. For instance, when ceiling access maintenance needs to be done, portable dust containment carts are often used to keep that above ceiling debris from impacting patients. Similarly, when one area of a hospital needs to be contained, either for construction/renovation purposes or the control of infectious diseases, the facility may implement an AnteRoom that keeps particulate matter in a single room or wing.

Air containment solutions for hospitals cannot, of course, impact the outdoor air quality. However, the dust containment policies of a hospital or healthcare facility are paramount in ensuring that current patients are not exposed to excessive pollutants during their hospitalization.

Adhering to ICRA guidelines for patients is an essential part of protecting particularly vulnerable patients from outdoor air pollution. The Infection Control Risk Assessment Matrix indicates in which areas of a hospital special dust containment and infection control precautions should be taken. For instance, the Cardiology department is noted to be “Medium Risk” in the ICRA matrix, whereas the Emergency Room is indicated as “High Risk.” Some heart conditions may be agitated by outdoor air pollution. When that pollution makes its way inside, it is important that those heart patients (or other patients who may also be sensitive to pollution) be moved to areas where the infection control level matches their medical needs. Further, utilizing equipment that will offer the best possible levels of dust containment for all levels of risk, can help to prevent the spread of infection and the exacerbation of existing ailments.

Solving the problem of outdoor air pollution will take cooperation from many disparate people and organizations. However, keeping the air inside of hospitals and healthcare facilities as free from pollutants as possible can help those who are harmed by the air outdoors.