Wildfires Increase the Risk of Respiratory Illnesses in Brazil by 23%

The environmental impact of pollution has raised serious concerns in countries around the world. Beyond ecological, economic, and social consequences, pollution also poses a significant health risk, as shown by a scientific study from the School of Public Policy and Government at Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV EPPG), based in Brasília, Federal District. Titled Health impacts of wildfire-related air pollution in Brazil: a nationwide study of more than 2 million hospital admissions between 2008 and 2018, the study is part of a broader project examining the interrelationship between air pollution, climate, and health.

The results, published in the journal Nature Communications, estimate that wildfires are associated with a 23% increase in hospitalizations for respiratory diseases in Brazil, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma. Additionally, wildfires are linked to a 21% increase in circulatory diseases, including arterial disease, stroke, and heart conditions.

The study also found that this association is even stronger in Brazil’s North region, which includes a large portion of the Amazon Rainforest. Northern states recorded a 38% increase in hospitalizations for respiratory diseases and a 27% increase for circulatory diseases. In total, over 2 million hospitalization cases were analyzed across the country from 2008 to 2018.

According to researcher Weeberb Réquia, who led the study and the broader project on pollution, climate, and health, the North is undoubtedly a region where the health impact of pollution is particularly severe. He noted that while the proportions are similar across other regions, the urgency to address the North is greater.

At-Risk Groups

“It’s important to understand that when a person inhales an air pollutant, the compound can behave differently depending on the individual’s health condition. These pollutants can interact with the human body in various ways and cause a range of effects. The health impacts of air pollution exposure can be more severe in people with pre-existing conditions or in specific risk groups. For example, individuals with respiratory diseases like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may experience worsened symptoms or acute episodes due to exposure,” said Réquia.

The study identified potential risk groups, noting that while wildfire pollution affects everyone, it has a more severe impact on children under five and adults over 64.

“During the study, we filtered the data by age for all individuals hospitalized due to cardiorespiratory diseases and found that children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. Up to age 10, a child’s nervous, respiratory, and circulatory systems are still developing, making them more susceptible to environmental influences that can trigger disease,” he explained.

Réquia added that the effect on the elderly works in the opposite way: while children’s systems are still forming, older adults may have weakened systems.

“Seniors may have a reduced ability to cope with oxidative stress caused by pollutants, making them more vulnerable to cellular damage and systemic inflammation. We estimated this vulnerability using a tool called the Odds Ratio (OR), which allows us to calculate the increased likelihood of hospitalization due to wildfire exposure,” he said.

Data Sources and Public Policy

To obtain the results, the researcher used satellite monitoring data linked to health records. “We used data from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), which maps wildfire outbreaks in Brazil daily, along with hospital admission data from DATASUS.”

Réquia also emphasized the importance of technological tools in generating health insights. “We live in the Data Age, and increasingly, we see the market adapting to this reality. Those who have data have better tools for action. The volume of information today is far greater than in the past, and that’s why we have tools like Big Data—to better analyze the potential of the evidence found in the data,” he said.

He added that public authorities have also recognized the importance of this factor, as today, public policy decisions must be evidence-based, often relying on scientific research. However, Réquia noted that not all information is readily available when and where researchers need it.

“Often, a database doesn’t contain the specific information a researcher needs for a given time or event. That’s why the scientific community has found alternative ways to fill these temporal and spatial data gaps. One solution is to use satellite monitoring data, which is continuous and rarely fails,” he explained.

He added that satellite data monitors numerous factors in Brazil. “Using this data is not only viable for studying health and environmental issues, as we did in this research, but also for areas like security, transportation, and the economy. These findings can serve as a foundation for public policy development and contribute to socioeconomic progress in Brazil and globally,” the researcher concluded.

Other Studies

In total, the project exploring the relationship between pollution and health includes around 20 published studies, covering not only wildfires and air pollution but also climate variability. Funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the project began in 2020 and is expected to conclude in 2023.

Among the studies, one investigated the impact of pollution on newborn health. The data showed a 31% increased risk of premature birth in the Southeast region if the mother was exposed to wildfire outbreaks. Another article found that an increase of 100 wildfire outbreaks was associated with an 18.55% higher chance of a child being born with low birth weight in southern Brazil. This study was published in the scientific journal The Lancet.

All of this research led to the creation of the Center for Environmental and Public Health Studies – FGVcemasp. The newest center at FGV EPPG aims to assess environmental factors that affect human health and produce scientific evidence to support the development of environmental and health policies.

To learn more about the project and the new center, coordinated by Professor Weeberb Réquia, visit the website.