Boomers Bear the Health Burden of Smog

Ontario's aging population will be hit the hardest by the health impact of smog.

Toronto, July 31, 2006 – Ontario Doctors are warning the baby boomer population about the dangers smog can have on their health. Alarming new data released today by the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) shows that almost 6,000 Ontarians will die prematurely due to smog.

“Our figures show that more and more people in Ontario are going to suffer from the effects of smog,” said Dr. David Bach, President of the OMA. “People should be aware of the potentially deadly effect of smog so that they can take the necessary action to protect their health.”

Since 2000, the OMA has been measuring the impact of smog with the Illness Cost of Air Pollution (ICAP) model. ICAP is a computer model that provides forecasts of health and economic damages for expected or desired future air quality conditions in Ontario.

New ICAP data shows that between 2006 and 2026:

• 85 per cent of the projected increase in hospital admissions due to smog will be in those over 65.
• Seniors will account for over 80 percent of the increases in smog-related emergency room visits and premature mortality.
• Annual smog-related premature mortality in those over the age of 65 is expected to increase by almost 4,000.

The ICAP report shows that smog is not just impacting those who are already ill, but also those who are functioning well and who, without the impact of smog pollution, do not have any expectation of early death. This includes those who are healthy, those who think they are (e.g. someone with an unknown heart condition) and those who are managing with known diseases.

Since the release of the OMA’s 2005 smog data, the number of emergency room visits, hospital admissions and premature mortality rates have increased. The following are the new 2006 ICAP estimates of smog’s annual health burden in Ontario (for all age-groups combined):

• Premature Mortality = 5,940
• Hospital Admissions = 17,070
• Emergency Room visits = 60,640

“There are few things as essential as the air we breathe. This is why we need the efforts of the provincial government, communities and individuals to clean up our air and reduce pollution,” said Dr. Bach. “As we work towards improving our air quality, doctors can help patients develop a plan to reduce the impact of smog on their health.”

The OMA’s Smog Wise Tips on how to reduce the health impacts of smog can be found at www.oma.org.

For more information about the OMA’s ICAP report, please call OMA Media Relations at (416) 340-2862 or toll-free at 1-800-268-7215.