Research released today from Propeller Health, the University of Wisconsin and the University of California shows an association between daily air pollution and rescue inhaler use using data obtained objectively from digital medicines.

According to a release, the first nationwide study was conducted from 2012-17 on more than 2,800 people with asthma and used nationwide data from Propeller’s digital medicine database to analyze the level of fine particulate matter at the exact time and location of a person’s rescue inhaler use.

The study also found that lower-income neighborhoods experienced higher pollution exposure and higher rescue medication use on average, compared to higher-income neighborhoods.

The study was published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.