Air pollution effects for veterans with chronic lung disease
Official title: Air Pollution and Mortality Risk in Veterans with Chronic Respiratory Disease: Assessing the Role of Individual and Place-Based Risk Factors
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11163215 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether short-term rises in fine particles (PM2.5) and ozone increase the risk of death for veterans with chronic lung diseases and which personal or neighborhood factors make that risk higher.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | August 7, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $323,320 |
| NIH project number | 5R01ES036225-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11163215 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are U.S. veterans with diagnosed chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma or COPD, particularly those living in areas with higher air pollution.
✕Less likely to help
People without chronic respiratory disease or those who are not veterans are less likely to directly benefit from the findings.
What this research studies
You will learn whether short-term spikes in fine particle and ozone pollution are linked to higher death rates among veterans with asthma or COPD. The team will combine veterans' health records with daily air pollution estimates to measure each person's exposure. They will then examine how age, sex, body measures, and neighborhood features combine to raise or lower risk, with attention to environmental justice. Large-scale statistical analyses across many places and years will identify where protections may be inadequate.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to targeted warnings, policy changes, or protective measures to reduce harmful exposures for vulnerable veterans with chronic lung disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked air pollution to higher mortality, but this project focuses specifically on veterans with chronic respiratory disease and the combined role of individual and neighborhood risk factors, which is less explored.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Berman, Jesse David — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Berman, Jesse David
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.