A recent study using nationally representative data from Waves IV and V of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) examines the effects of long-term exposure to two widely cited pollutants, ozone (O₃) and particulate matter 2.5 (PM₂.₅), on allergy and asthma diagnoses in adolescents and young adults. Ozone and particulate matter were measured using annual average concentrations generated from the EPA’s Fused Air Quality Surface using Downscaling (FAQSD) data and assigned to participants based on their tract of residence in each wave. Health outcomes were measured using self-reported survey questions asking whether the participant’s child had ever been diagnosed with asthma or allergies, with relevant covariates included in the analysis.
The study focused on 6,860 children between the ages of 10 and 25 of the original Add Health participants from Waves IV and V. Findings showed that exposure to ozone and particulate matter was associated with a higher likelihood of asthma in females aged 10 to 12 and a higher likelihood of allergies in males aged 13 and above. This study shows that air pollution can have varying health impacts, dependent upon timing and demographics, which emphasizes that environmental regulations and interventions must account for both age and sex.
To read the full article click the link below. For more important findings using Add Health data, visit the Add Health publications page.
Amialchuk, Aliaksandr, and Onur Sapci. “The Effect of Long-Term Exposure to O3 and PM2.5 on Allergies and Asthma in Adolescents and Young Adults.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 22, no. 8, Aug. 2025, p. 1262. doi:10.3390/ijerph22081262.