Air pollution burden of disease over highly populated states in the Middle East

BackgroundRecent epidemiological research has proven that air pollution triggers the risk of morbidity and mortality due to respiratory and cardiovascular-related diseases. More specifically, fine particulate matter with a diameter of <2.5 μm (PM2.5) can penetrate deeply into the lung and blo...

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Main Author: Rima J. Isaifan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1002707/full
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author Rima J. Isaifan
author_facet Rima J. Isaifan
author_sort Rima J. Isaifan
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundRecent epidemiological research has proven that air pollution triggers the risk of morbidity and mortality due to respiratory and cardiovascular-related diseases. More specifically, fine particulate matter with a diameter of <2.5 μm (PM2.5) can penetrate deeply into the lung and bloodstream, causing critical adverse effects on human health.ObjectiveIt is found that there is inadequate published research related to the health impact of ambient air pollution in the Middle East region. Some states are well studied, while others are not. This work aims to evaluate the health impact of long-term exposure to PM2.5 in the nine most populated countries in the Middle East region, with a total population of about 363 million (in 2012).MethodsIn this study, the human health impacts in terms of total mortality and the estimated attributable proportion (AP) due to long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 were estimated using the World Health Organization method and software (AirQ+).ResultsIn 2012, the annual median PM2.5 concentrations ranged from 34 μg/m3 in Turkey and Syria to 108 μg/m3 in Saudi Arabia. The total estimated mortalities in the nine most populated countries in the Middle East due to long-term exposure to fine particulate matter was about 152,925 (half of which were residents in Egypt). Moreover, the relative risk (RR) was the highest for Saudi Arabia at 1.8031 and the lowest for Turkey and Syria at a value of 1.1553. The highest AP (central value) was 44.5% in Saudi Arabia, while the lowest was 13.4% in Turkey and Syria.ConclusionsThe results indicate a significant impact of air pollution due to long-term exposure to fine particles resulting in early mortality. This urges the collaboration between the governments and different sectors to adopt stringent regulations to control the anthropogenic sources related to traffic and industrial emissions in the Middle East in order to reduce the health burden of air pollution.
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spelling doaj.art-603833f4b3ab454085b3cc8a60471ee12023-01-06T18:57:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652023-01-011010.3389/fpubh.2022.10027071002707Air pollution burden of disease over highly populated states in the Middle EastRima J. IsaifanBackgroundRecent epidemiological research has proven that air pollution triggers the risk of morbidity and mortality due to respiratory and cardiovascular-related diseases. More specifically, fine particulate matter with a diameter of <2.5 μm (PM2.5) can penetrate deeply into the lung and bloodstream, causing critical adverse effects on human health.ObjectiveIt is found that there is inadequate published research related to the health impact of ambient air pollution in the Middle East region. Some states are well studied, while others are not. This work aims to evaluate the health impact of long-term exposure to PM2.5 in the nine most populated countries in the Middle East region, with a total population of about 363 million (in 2012).MethodsIn this study, the human health impacts in terms of total mortality and the estimated attributable proportion (AP) due to long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 were estimated using the World Health Organization method and software (AirQ+).ResultsIn 2012, the annual median PM2.5 concentrations ranged from 34 μg/m3 in Turkey and Syria to 108 μg/m3 in Saudi Arabia. The total estimated mortalities in the nine most populated countries in the Middle East due to long-term exposure to fine particulate matter was about 152,925 (half of which were residents in Egypt). Moreover, the relative risk (RR) was the highest for Saudi Arabia at 1.8031 and the lowest for Turkey and Syria at a value of 1.1553. The highest AP (central value) was 44.5% in Saudi Arabia, while the lowest was 13.4% in Turkey and Syria.ConclusionsThe results indicate a significant impact of air pollution due to long-term exposure to fine particles resulting in early mortality. This urges the collaboration between the governments and different sectors to adopt stringent regulations to control the anthropogenic sources related to traffic and industrial emissions in the Middle East in order to reduce the health burden of air pollution.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1002707/fullair pollutionAirQ+WHOhealth impactburden of diseasemortality
spellingShingle Rima J. Isaifan
Air pollution burden of disease over highly populated states in the Middle East
Frontiers in Public Health
air pollution
AirQ+
WHO
health impact
burden of disease
mortality
title Air pollution burden of disease over highly populated states in the Middle East
title_full Air pollution burden of disease over highly populated states in the Middle East
title_fullStr Air pollution burden of disease over highly populated states in the Middle East
title_full_unstemmed Air pollution burden of disease over highly populated states in the Middle East
title_short Air pollution burden of disease over highly populated states in the Middle East
title_sort air pollution burden of disease over highly populated states in the middle east
topic air pollution
AirQ+
WHO
health impact
burden of disease
mortality
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1002707/full
work_keys_str_mv AT rimajisaifan airpollutionburdenofdiseaseoverhighlypopulatedstatesinthemiddleeast