Population Health
June 26, 2025
New UW research links early-life ozone exposure to asthma
New UW research has revealed a concerning association between early-life ozone exposure and childhood asthma.
The study, led by Logan Dearborn, a doctoral student in the University of Washington’s Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, found that children exposed to higher ozone levels in their first two years of life were at a 31% higher risk of developing asthma by ages 4-6.
This research underscores a potential regulatory gap, since current environmental standards do not consider long-term ozone exposure. Dearborn argues that this study stresses the need for both short- and long-term regulatory thresholds to better protect children from pollutants.