Health Objectives for the Nation
Clean Air National Health Objective for the Year 2000
An important national health promotion and disease
prevention objective for the nation for 1990 was that "virtually
all communities should experience no more than one day per year
when air quality exceeds an individual ambient air quality
standard with respect to sulfur dioxide, nitrous dioxide, carbon
monoxide, lead, hydrocarbon and particulate matter" (1). However,
this objective was not achieved. In 1989, approximately 84
million U.S. residents lived in counties where one or more of the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency air quality standards had
not been met (2).
One of the national health objectives for the year 2000 is
to increase from 49.7% to 85.0% the proportion of persons who
live in counties that have not exceeded any air quality standard
during the previous 12 months (3). Collaboration of industries
and other employers, community groups, individuals, and all
levels of government are needed to achieve this objective.
Another objective for the year 2000 is a reduction in asthma
morbidity, as measured by a reduction in hospitalizations for
asthma, to no more than 160 per 100,000 persons (baseline: 188
per 100,000 in 1987) (3). Asthma affects approximately 10 million
U.S. residents, and the reported prevalence of asthma is
increasing. The report Healthy People 2000 suggests that
environmental factors (e.g., ozone and other air pollutants) may
have contributed to the increasing morbidity and mortality.
National progress in reducing air pollution should contribute to
reductions in hospitalizations for asthma (3).
Reported by: Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Activity, Div
of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, Center for
Environmental Health and Injury Control, CDC.
References
Public Health Service. Promoting health/preventing disease:
objectives for the nation. Washington, DC: US Department of
Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, 1980.
Environmental Protection Agency. National air quality and
emissions trends report, 1989. Research Triangle Park, North
Carolina: US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, Technical Support Division, 1991.
Public Health Service. Healthy people 2000: national health
promotion and disease prevention objectives. Washington, DC: US
Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service,
1990; DHHS publication no. (PHS)91-50212.
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