A study has shown a link between woodsmoke pollution and acute respiratory infections.
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The study, by Public Health South senior analyst Dr Vanessa Hammond, examined more than 800 GP visits from 2014 to 2018 between the months of May and August in a mid-sized Otago town.
It found the risk of acute respiratory infection rose with increasing woodsmoke pollution.
Areas with a higher density of wood burners per hectare had higher rates of GP visits.
The town was not identified, but Dr Hammond said its wood smoke pollution was comparable to all the region's mid-sized towns such Alexandra, Arrowtown, Clyde, Cromwell and Milton.
"We believe that the results are highly generalisable to each of these towns. Residents of all of them will benefit from cleaner air. Given the findings of our study and decades of previous research, our advice to anyone, regardless of where they live, is to try to reduce their exposure to woodsmoke.
"The research was conducted to support ORC [Otago Regional Council] in their air quality planning and policy. The study town and those with comparable pollution issues will benefit from the work ORC are doing on their Air Plan and from their winter campaign to improve domestic wood burning practices."
The study showed women, girls and Māori were most affected by the pollution.
"Stronger effects for women than men and Māori than non-Māori have been previously reported in air pollution studies," Hammon said.
"However, it is important to understand that these groups are unlikely to have an inherent vulnerability to woodsmoke.
"Any increased susceptibility of Māori is almost certainly due to underlying imbalances in the social determinants of health and burden of diseases caused and perpetuated by systemic factors. We know that racism in the healthcare system affects access, experience, and outcomes for Māori.
"Similarly, gender inequality and restrictive norms shape women and girls' environmental exposures and access to care."
The Otago Regional Council welcomed the study and its findings.
Woodsmoke pollution could be reduced when residents burnt dry wood and keep their fire hot and not smouldering. Further reductions in woodsmoke pollution could potentially be made through thermally efficient homes with good insulation, the council said.
While impacts of air pollution on health had been well researched globally, this was the first such study of an Otago town.
The council's policy and science general manager Anita Dawe said it would enable the council to improve its policies.
"We welcome the findings of this study as it fills a data gap we have had in Otago for some time," she said.
"The research will also give us good, and importantly local, data as we begin work on our Air Plan review later this year."
Otago Regional Council chair Andrew Noone said air quality could vary immensely throughout Otago, depending on location and time of year.
"We generally accept we're able to enjoy good air quality most of the time. However, it's vital we focus on improving air quality, where required, so it enables us to live in a healthier region."
During winter conditions people wanted to keep warm and be able to keep burning fuel, but everyone had responsibilities whether at home or as landowners, industry, or businesses to play their part to improving air quality, he said.