Impact of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) Pollution on Asthma: The Case of Louisiana State (2005–2020)

Abstract

This study explores the connection between tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) vertical column density levels and asthma hospitalization cases in Louisiana from 2005 to 2020. Utilizing NO₂ data from NASA’s Ozone Measurement Instrument (OMI) aboard the Aura satellite, the research integrates these atmospheric measurements with socioeconomic data at the census tract level. This study employs a generalized linear mixed model (GLIMMIX) with a logit link and Beta distribution to analyze the relationship between seasonal NO₂ levels and asthma hospitalization cases during winter, fall, spring, and summer. By analyzing OMI data, this research quantifies seasonal variations in NO₂ levels and their corresponding impact on asthma hospitalizations. The findings reveal a relationship between NO₂ levels and asthma hospitalizations, particularly in communities with high Black and/or low-income populations, with the strongest effects observed during winter. Specifically, the analysis shows that, for each unit increase in NO₂ levels, the odds of asthma-related hospitalizations increase by approximately 26.3% (p < 0.0001), with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 23.3% to 29.5%. Assuming a causal link between NO₂ and asthma, these findings suggest that reducing NO₂ emissions could alleviate healthcare burdens associated with respiratory diseases such as asthma.