Study reveals why Eastbourne residents may suffer more from seasonal allergies

The study, titled "A Comparison of Experience-Sampled Hay Fever Symptom Severity Across Rural and Urban Areas of the UK," analysed over 36,000 symptom reports from 700 UK residents over five years.

The findings reveal that urban areas consistently experience more severe hay fever symptoms, particularly in places with poor air quality due to pollution.

"Our analysis suggests urban areas record significantly higher symptom severity for all years except 2017," the study noted. "Rural areas do not record significantly higher symptom severity in any year."

The study is one of the first to combine atmospheric sensor data with real-time, geo-positioned hay fever reports, exploring the link between air pollution and seasonal allergies.

Similar to other groundbreaking studies, the results suggest that urban pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ground-level ozone, and others can damage the respiratory tract, making town and city residents more vulnerable to allergens.

This connection between pollution and allergies is particularly relevant for Eastbourne, which is primarily classified as an "urban city and town" by the East Sussex Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

The town has historically struggled with air pollution.

In 2016, a World Health Organization (WHO) report ranked Eastbourne third in the UK for PM2.5 pollution—tiny particulates that can penetrate deep into the lungs—and seventh for PM10 pollution.

Although recent efforts have improved Eastbourne's air quality to levels deemed "good" and "moderate" by WHO standards, the town's proximity to shipping routes, road traffic pollution, domestic heating, industry, agriculture, bonfires and pollution sources from other cities and Europe continues to pose challenges.

As a hay fever sufferer, I've noticed the stark difference in my symptoms when moving between rural areas, like East Devon, and returning to Eastbourne.

While it might seem logical that rural areas, with their abundance of plant life, would trigger more severe allergies, the reality appears to be the opposite.

This study underscores the need for continued focus on improving urban air quality, particularly in towns like Eastbourne, to help reduce carbon and non-carbon emissions and alleviate the burden of seasonal allergies.