Chiesi Group: Climate Change Threatens Respiratory Patients' Quality of Life Stretching Beyond Physical Health

• A new survey unveils how people living with lung conditions experience the adverse effects of poor air quality.
• The report, the result of a scoping literature review and survey, recognises that climate-related factors have a significant impact on lung health and calls for holistic health policy solutions.
• Findings reveal poor air quality can act as a barrier to activities that improve patients' quality of life: more than half of patients living in areas with poor air quality avoid outdoor exercise and social engagement.  
• Work and job security concerns arise due to respiratory diseases, unaffected by income disparities.

MILAN, Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, a new report from Economist Impact titled "Cleaner air, clearer lungs, better lives: exploring the intersection of air quality, health inequalities and lung health^[i]" which was funded and developed in consultation with Chiesi unveils fresh insights into the interplay between air quality, lung health, and socioeconomic disparities.

Chiesi is gathering a panel of healthcare professionals, environmental scientists, and patients' associations to discuss the findings of the report at an event in Milan today, titled "Patient Perspectives on the Impact of Climate Change on Respiratory Wellbeing". By focusing on those suffering from the health impacts of the climate crisis, Chiesi wants to help prevent this major health threat and promote understanding and collaboration between sustainability and health experts.

Delving into the experiences of people with lung diseases in five key countries (UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France), the report suggests that climate-related factors have a significant impact on their quality of life, stretching beyond physical health. It also explores how this impact may interact with other social determinants such as education, income, and overall socio-economic status, and calls for holistic health policy solutions.

"The climate crisis is also a health crisis. The report reinforces the need to include patients' perspectives and real-life experiences when assessing the interconnected elements of patients' welfare and when developing solutions," said Carmen Dell' Anna, Head of Global Medical Affairs at Chiesi Group. "Policymakers must consider that both climate-related and socio-economic factors interplay and can have an impact on patients' health and quality of life. We, at Chiesi, are committed to fostering enhanced comprehension and clear actions on environmental determinants of respiratory diseases, beyond the treatment of their symptoms." 

Based on these findings, Chiesi puts forward the following policy recommendations:

• Recognise the impact of climate-related factors such as heatwaves and increased pollen load on the overall quality of life of respiratory patients, beyond lung health;
• Anticipate that climate change may further exacerbate these issues and therefore create holistic climate-related health policies;
• Address the unique needs of respiratory patients within broader climate adaptation and health equity strategies by: educating the public about the impact of climate change on respiratory health; improving equitable access to health care; and providing tailored support to people with respiratory diseases during extreme weather events;
• Encourage key players along the healthcare value chain to adopt sustainable practices that reduce their environmental impact and promote respiratory health;
• Facilitate collaboration and promote further dialogue to ensure that policies are informed by diverse perspectives, culturally sensitive, and effective in mitigating the effect of climate change on respiratory health;
• Prioritise research that examines the intersection of respiratory health and climate change, including specific risks, vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies for individuals with respiratory conditions. 

^[i] Economist Impact. Cleaner air, clearer lungs, better lives: exploring the intersection of air quality, health inequalities and lung health. London: Economist Impact, 2023. Available from: https://impact.economist.com/perspectives/health/cleaner-air-clearer-lungs-better-lives