Laying the Foundation for Building a Resilient KPNC Community in the Face of Worsening Air Quality Due to Wildfire Smoke

The overarching goal of this project is to conduct a pilot intervention in high-risk Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to mitigate their exposure to poor air quality and decrease exacerbations of lung disease.

Over the past decade, the frequency and impact of wildfires has steadily worsened across California, a trend that is expected to continue as climate change becomes an urgent, everyday reality. This means that the number of Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) members exposed to unhealthy air quality due to wildfire smoke will increase dramatically. Unsurprisingly, vulnerable patients are disproportionately impacted, such as those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this rigorous pilot, we will deploy a pilot in-home intervention to non-smoking, oxygen-dependent patients who have frequent exacerbations of COPD to mitigate their exposure to poor air quality and reduce exacerbations.