INER helps develop new version of Mexico City air quality app

Mexico City residents have a new tool to help manage their health amidst air pollution. The National Institute of Respiratory Diseases (INER) announced its participation in developing the latest version of the Aire CDMX mobile application. This digital tool is designed to bolster prevention and self-care strategies for individuals affected by environmental pollution.

According to INER, the app represents over a decade of collaborative effort between health, environment, and atmospheric monitoring institutions. Patricia Segura Medina, head of INER's Bronchial Hyperreactivity Research Department, explained that the application offers a personalized, interactive system. It assesses a user's vulnerability based on factors like age, weight, existing respiratory, cardiovascular, or metabolic conditions, and habits such as smoking or vaping.

"Unlike other applications that only report air quality, this tool sends personalized recommendations according to each person's health conditions and exposure level," Segura Medina stated. The development builds upon INER's previous work with the Secretariat of Environment of Mexico City on the Aura application, which stemmed from clinical research involving asthma and COPD patients.