Exposure to air pollution as a risk factor for anaemia: a global scoping review

ABSTRACT

Anaemia is an important global health issue with various factors responsible for its occurrence. Though nutritional deficiency is one of the main causes of the disease, evidence suggests a potential link between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and an increased risk of developing anaemia. Our scoping review evaluates studies conducted across the world to examine possible associations between anaemia and ambient air pollution. Six databases were searched, 153 sources were identified, and 21 articles were included in the review. Apart from one article which showed no significant effect, studies reported positive associations between anaemia and air pollution. This was true for both indoor and outdoor air pollution, various types of particulate matter exposure, and across demographic groups. The review highlights the importance of recognizing exposure to air pollution as a potential risk factor for anaemia and emphasizes the imperative for focused interventions and policy measures to mitigate air pollution.

KEYWORDS:

• Anaemia
• ambient air pollution
• PM_2.5
• pregnant women
• children

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contribution

YK and RB conceptualized and designed the study, YK performed the review and conducted qualitative synthesis, YK and RB prepared and reviewed the final manuscript. Both authors gave final approval for the manuscript version submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.