A Place-Based County-Level Study of Air Quality and Health in Urban Communities

This study investigates the relationships between air quality, social vulnerability, and health outcomes at the census tract-level in Harris County, Texas. Spatial and regression analyses were conducted using sociodemographic data, air quality indicators, including PM2.5, diesel particulate matter (DPM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone, and health metrics, such as coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and stroke prevalence. The results indicated variability in sociodemographic challenges, air pollution, and health outcomes. Social vulnerability strongly correlated with increased prevalence of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, notably COPD, asthma, and stroke. The air quality metrics showed significant geospatial variability: PM2.5 and NO2 were concentrated centrally near transportation corridors, DPM was elevated near eastern industrial regions, and ozone peaked in western parts of the county, potentially due to atmospheric transport and photochemical processes. PM2.5 exposure significantly correlated with increased cardiovascular and respiratory health outcomes, particularly at elevated concentrations. In contrast, ozone demonstrated a plateauing effect, increasing the health risks but with a diminishing impact at higher concentrations. The correlations between social vulnerability and air quality were modest, suggesting homogenous distributions of PM2.5, NO2, and DPM across socioeconomically diverse areas, whereas ozone exposure slightly increased with higher social vulnerability. The findings pointed to the complexity of spatial relationships between socioeconomic status, air pollution, and health, highlighting the need for additional monitoring and targeted interventions to improve health outcomes in socio-demographically and economically challenged communities.