Public health Impact of Outdoor and Traffic related Air Pollution

N. Künzli, R. Kaiser (robin.kaiser@inphyni.cnrs.fr), S. Medina, M. Studnicka, Olivier Chanel, P. Filliger, M. Herry, F. Horak, V. Puybonnieux-Texier, Philippe Quénel (pquenel@hotmail.com), Jodi Schneider, R. Seethaler, Jean-Christophe Vergnaud and H. Sommer
Additional contact information
N. Künzli: Institute for Social and Preventive Medecine - Unibas - Université de Bâle = University of Basel = Basel Universität
R. Kaiser: INVS - Département Santé Travail - Institut national de veille sanitaire
S. Medina: INVS - Département Santé Travail - Institut national de veille sanitaire
M. Studnicka: Center for Pulmonary Disease - Center for Pulmonary Disease
P. Filliger: Swiss Agency for the Environment - BUWAL
M. Herry: Consultancy Dr Max Herry - Consultancy Dr Max Herry
F. Horak: University Children's Hospital Vienna - University Children's Hospital Vienna
V. Puybonnieux-Texier: UPD7 - Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7
Philippe Quénel: INVS - Institut de Veille Sanitaire
Jodi Schneider: Department of Air Quality Control - Department of Air Quality Control
R. Seethaler: Institute for Transport Studies - The University of Sydney
H. Sommer: ECOPLAN - ECOPLAN

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Abstract: BackgroundAir pollution contributes to mortality and morbidity. We estimated the impact of outdoor (total) and traffic-related air pollution on public health in Austria, France, and Switzerland. Attributable cases of morbidity and mortality were estimated.MethodsEpidemiology-based exposure-response func-tions for a 10 μg/m3 increase in particulate matter (PM10) were used to quantify the effects of air pollution. Cases attributable to air pollution were estimated for mortality (adults ≥30 years), respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions (all ages), incidence of chronic ronchitis (adults ≥25 years), bronchitis episodes in children (>15 years), restricted activity days (adults ≥20 years), and asthma attacks in adults and children. Population exposure (PM10) was modelled for each km2. The traffic-related fraction was estimated based on PM10 emission inventories.FindingsAir pollution caused 6% of total mortality or more than 40 000 attributable cases per year. About half of all mortality caused by air pollution was attributed to motorised traffic, accounting also for: more than 25 000 new cases of chronic bronchitis (adults); more than 290 000 episodes of bronchitis (children); more than 0·5 million asthma attacks; and more than 16 million persondays of restricted activities.InterpretationThis assessment estimates the public-health impacts of current patterns of air pollution. Although individual health risks of air pollution are relatively small, the public-health consequences are considerable. Traffic-related air pollution remains a key target for public-health action in Europe. Our results, which have also been used for economic valuation, should guide decisions on the assessment of environmental health-policy options.

Keywords: Air pollution; health impact (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2000-09-02
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (89)

Published in The Lancet, 2000, 356 (9232), pp.795-301. ⟨10.1016/S0140-6736(00)02653-2⟩

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Working Paper: Public health Impact of Outdoor and Traffic related Air Pollution (2000)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00150955

DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(00)02653-2

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