Effects of Transportation Choices on Commuter Health
- Conditions
- Pollution; Exposure
- Registration Number
- NCT05758714
- Lead Sponsor
- UConn Health
- Brief Summary
The primary project objective is to investigate how an individual's choices influence personal exposures to traffic-related air pollutants (TRAPs) and the corresponding acute health effects. TRAPs are a complex mixture of particulate and gaseous pollutants that vary considerably spatially and temporally. There is increasing evidence that TRAPs inflict a broad range of deleterious health effects in both health-compromised and healthy individuals, and it has been reported that traffic pollutants may cause up to half of all air pollution-related mortalities. Despite the burden from such widespread, involuntary exposures, few studies have examined the magnitude of personal exposures due to commuting exposures. Most commuters travel to and from work during two peak travel periods, which occur during weekday mornings and evenings. Public transportation, bicycling, and walking have been promoted as ways to reduce air pollution by reducing the vehicle fleet, yet few studies have examined how exposures are modified due to an intentional change in the time of commute or the subsequent health effects.
- Detailed Description
65 participants will be asked to modify the time of day that they commute to work to examine if changes in their time of departure can reduce air pollution exposures and lead to meaningful health benefits. Participants will be asked to commute to work during the morning rush hour for two consecutive days and then outside peak traffic times during a separate sampling period. During the two 48-hour sampling periods, real-time PM2.5, CO, CO2, NO2, O3, temperature, relative humidity, location, and noise will be measured. Passive personal monitors that can sequester more than 1500 chemicals will also be incorporated. These measurements will be complemented with assessments of four urinary biomarkers, urinary benzene, blood pressure, lung function, and pulmonary inflammation of the lower airways. Since TRAPs tend to be most concentrated during two relatively short periods of time, the study goal is to assess if adjustments in personal behavior can result in reduced exposures to TRAPs and lead to health benefits.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 65
Not provided
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- OBSERVATIONAL
- Study Design
- Not specified
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Blood Pressure measurements before and after the sampling period Collected pre and post each 48-hour sampling period of each participant (4 measurements per participant). Participants will complete all measurements within one season. Systolic and Diastolic measured on the non-dominant arm
Changes in FVC (Spirometry) Collected pre and post each 48-hour sampling period; also collected after each commute (8 measurements per participant). Participants will complete all measurements within one season. Forced vital capacity (FVC) is the total amount of air exhaled during the FEV test. Forced expiratory volume and forced vital capacity are lung function tests that are measured during spirometry.
Exhaled Nitric Oxide before and after sampling period Collected pre and post each 48-hour sampling period (4 measurements per participant). Participants will complete all measurements within one season. Identifies airway inflammation
Presence of urinary biomarkers of exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs (nPAHs) in urine Collected after each 48-hour sampling period (2 measurements per participant). Participants will complete all measurements within one season. Urinary biomarkers of PAHs and nPAHs exposures can be utilized to evaluate systemic inflammation.
Changes in FEV1 (Spirometry) Collected pre and post each 48-hour sampling period; also collected after each commute (8 measurements per participant). Participants will complete all measurements within one season. FEV is short for forced expiratory volume. FEV1 is the amount of air you can force from your lungs in one second. It's measured during a spirometry test, also known as a pulmonary function test, which involves forcefully breathing out into a mouthpiece connected to a spirometer machine.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
UConn Health
🇺🇸Farmington, Connecticut, United States