Air pollution a threat to Canadians' heart health: report

(CBC) - Breathing dirty air is a threat to heart health, but few Canadians have made the connection, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Only 13 per cent of Canadians surveyed for this year's Report Card on Canadians' Health, which was released Monday, said air pollution affects heart health.

While nearly two-thirds of the 1,134 people surveyed said they believe air quality affects health, almost the same percentage, 61 per cent, do not let smog advisories affect what they do outdoors.

Additionally, only three per cent recognized pollution is a year-round problem.

"We can encourage Canadians to make lifestyle changes to reduce their risk," Stephen Samis, director of health policy for the foundation, said in a statement.

"Air pollution is a pervasive and unavoidable health risk for heart disease that all Canadians face - and most are unaware of its short and long-term impact."

The foundation says the problem may be that many Canadians do not see that air pollution affects their community.

The survey found 64 per cent of respondents believe their air quality to be good to excellent, with:

- 84 per cent of those surveyed in the Prairies saying their air quality was good

- 75 per cent in Atlantic Canada

- 71 per cent in British Columbia

- 59 per cent in Quebec

- 53 per cent in Ontario

However, when the Heart and Stroke Foundation measured the provinces' air quality from 2002 to 2005, most provinces received poor marks for air pollution's impact on heart health.

Ontario, Quebec and interior British Columbia all got failing grades while lower mainland B.C. and Alberta both got Ds. Manitoba got the best mark, with a B.

The foundation said almost a third of Canadians are exposed to higher-than-acceptable levels of fine particulate matter, the tiny particles in the air from pollution sources such as factories or wood stove smoke.

About 6,000 deaths every year in Canada are linked to short-term exposure to air pollution, with 69 per cent of these related to cardio and cerebrovascular disease, according to the foundation's 2008 report card.

To help improve the grades, and heart health, the foundation recommends rolling out the national Air Quality Health Index based on the Toronto, Nova Scotia and B.C. pilot programs, to give all Canadians access to daily air quality measures and recommendations on when and how to limit exposure.

It also called for incentives to reduce air pollution, investments in public transit and stronger legislation to ensure emission controls truly result in cleaner air.

"Environment Canada has made great strides by setting a Canada-wide standard for particulate matter pollution," Samis said, adding that it is "now essential for our governments to set policies that decrease emissions and reduce air pollution."

He said such investments "will not only address concerns about the environment, but may ultimately reduce the burden on our healthcare system."