THE IMPACT OF AIR POLLUTION ON OUR HEALTH

Abstract

Air pollution remains one of the most pressing environmental and public health challenges of our time, affecting billions of people worldwide and contributing significantly to premature mortality and disease burden. It involves a complex mixture of harmful gases and particulate matter that, when inhaled, trigger oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and direct cellular damage across multiple organ systems. According to the State of Global Air 2025 report, air pollution contributed to 7.9 million deaths globally in 2023 and 232 million healthy years of life lost. Of these deaths, 6.8 million (86%) were attributed to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, diabetes, and dementia. This positions air pollution as the second leading risk factor for death worldwide, after high blood pressure, with particularly severe impacts in low- and middle-income countries. In 2023 alone, dementia linked to air pollution accounted for over 626,000 deaths and nearly 12 million healthy years of life lost. Ambient PM2.5 alone was responsible for 4.9 million deaths.

This paper offers a comprehensive overview of the major air pollutants and their primary sources, the detailed biological mechanisms driving health harm, and the broad spectrum of effects on respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, reproductive, metabolic, and other systems. It addresses vulnerable populations, regional challenges in Uzbekistan and Central Asia (including Samarkand), and the absence of any truly safe exposure threshold. The study is based on a literature review and presents key results from global and regional data. Finally, it highlights evidence-based strategies for reduction and the critical role of healthcare professionals in integrating environmental considerations into patient care. Reducing air pollution represents one of the most cost-effective investments in public health.