A 2014 Massachusetts state health study found that children living near Logan International Airport are up to four times more likely to show signs of undiagnosed asthma, while adults living nearby for three or more years are nearly twice as likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The $1.8 million study, commissioned by the state Legislature 14 years prior, confirmed statistically significant respiratory health effects even after accounting for vehicle traffic emissions, smoking rates, and poverty. No elevated rates of heart disease or hearing loss were found among airport-area residents.Open full document
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A Boston Globe article reporting on a Massachusetts Department of Public Health study finding elevated rates of childhood asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in communities near Logan International Airport. The $1.8 million study found children living near the airport were up to four times more likely to show signs of undiagnosed asthma, while adults living there for three or more years were nearly twice as likely to develop COPD. The study found no higher rates of heart disease or hearing loss among airport-adjacent residents.