La pollution de l’air touche davantage les enfants les plus pauvres

A study published by Drees on Thursday, January 4, suggests that 10% of children bear the brunt of the effects of increased pollution, mainly the poorest. The cause: greater exposure, as well as health and access to care inequalities.

Air pollution prematurely kills at least 1,200 children and adolescents each year in Europe. But the air above their heads does not affect them all equally. And, beyond individual causes, the poorest are also the most affected. The study published on Thursday, January 4th by Dreesthe statistical department linked to the Ministry of Health, can attest to this in the case of France: whether it’s their place of residence or their access to care, the poorest children accumulate risk factors. And from there, health inequalities are further exacerbated.

Social differences are first found in exposure to pollution, linked to their place of residence. And on this point, Drees data shows that the richest and the poorest children are the most exposed to fine particles – responsible for around 40,000 deaths each year. The richest because they often live in large cities, above which these pollutants related to domestic heating and road traffic are most concentrated. The poorest, because they live in the most polluted areas of these