< Back to all evidence

General
|
Last updated
May 20, 2026

Senior Citizens

Air pollution and senior health research shows that older adults are especially vulnerable to poor air quality due to age-related health conditions and weaker immune responses. Studies link long-term exposure to air pollution with increased risks of respiratory disease, heart problems, cognitive decline, and reduced overall wellbeing.

Senior Citizens 

  • As populations enter “super-aged” status, with more than ⅕ of the population being over the age of 65, the overall health and underlying economic burden of respiratory illness, that are concertation in the senior citizen population, will rise (Abisheganaden et al., 2026).
  • People aged 70 and above with influenza-related lower respiratory infections face a nine-fold higher death rate than the global average (Abisheganaden et al., 2026).
  • COPD is the third leading cause of death globally; its prevalence rises with age, especially in severe cases due to long term exposure to smoking and air pollution (Abisheganaden et al., 2026).

ON THIS PAGE

    Stay Connected with Air Aware Labs

    Stay connected with Air Aware Labs and follow our journey toward cleaner air. If this article sparked your interest, feel free to reach out!

    Send us mail on

    Get in touch with Air Aware Labs to help transform the impact of air quality on human health.

    Company registered in England, registration number 15435500.

    Icons courtesy of Icons8