Impact of short-term exposure to air pollution on natural mortality and vulnerable populations: a multi-city case-crossover analysis in Belgium
Abstract Background The adverse effect of air pollution on mortality is well documented worldwide but the identification of more vulnerable populations at higher risk of death is still limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between natural mortality (overall and cause-specifi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01050-w |
| _version_ | 1827328947768000512 |
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| author | Claire Demoury Raf Aerts Finaba Berete Wouter Lefebvre Arno Pauwels Charlotte Vanpoucke Johan Van der Heyden Eva M. De Clercq |
| author_facet | Claire Demoury Raf Aerts Finaba Berete Wouter Lefebvre Arno Pauwels Charlotte Vanpoucke Johan Van der Heyden Eva M. De Clercq |
| author_sort | Claire Demoury |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The adverse effect of air pollution on mortality is well documented worldwide but the identification of more vulnerable populations at higher risk of death is still limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between natural mortality (overall and cause-specific) and short-term exposure to five air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NO2, O3 and black carbon) and identify potential vulnerable populations in Belgium. Methods We used a time-stratified case-crossover design with conditional logistic regressions to assess the relationship between mortality and air pollution in the nine largest Belgian agglomerations. Then, we performed a random-effect meta-analysis of the pooled results and described the global air pollution-mortality association. We carried out stratified analyses by individual characteristics (sex, age, employment, hospitalization days and chronic preexisting health conditions), living environment (levels of population density, built-up areas) and season of death to identify effect modifiers of the association. Results The study included 304,754 natural deaths registered between 2010 and 2015. We found percentage increases for overall natural mortality associated with 10 μg/m3 increases of air pollution levels of 0.6% (95% CI: 0.2%, 1.0%) for PM2.5, 0.4% (0.1%, 0.8%) for PM10, 0.5% (-0.2%, 1.1%) for O3, 1.0% (0.3%, 1.7%) for NO2 and 7.1% (-0.1%, 14.8%) for black carbon. There was also evidence for increases of cardiovascular and respiratory mortality. We did not find effect modification by individual characteristics (sex, age, employment, hospitalization days). However, this study suggested differences in risk of death for people with preexisting conditions (thrombosis, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, diabetes and thyroid affections), season of death (May–September vs October–April) and levels of built-up area in the neighborhood (for NO2). Conclusions This work provided evidence for the adverse health effects of air pollution and contributed to the identification of specific population groups. These findings can help to better define public-health interventions and prevention strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:26:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7949867f95094e6ea78c9afa77c0861f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1476-069X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:26:49Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-7949867f95094e6ea78c9afa77c0861f2024-03-05T16:41:26ZengBMCEnvironmental Health1476-069X2024-01-0123111010.1186/s12940-024-01050-wImpact of short-term exposure to air pollution on natural mortality and vulnerable populations: a multi-city case-crossover analysis in BelgiumClaire Demoury0Raf Aerts1Finaba Berete2Wouter Lefebvre3Arno Pauwels4Charlotte Vanpoucke5Johan Van der Heyden6Eva M. De Clercq7Risk and Health Impact Assessment, SciensanoRisk and Health Impact Assessment, SciensanoHealth InformationFlemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO)Risk and Health Impact Assessment, SciensanoBelgian Interregional Environment Agency (IRCELINE)Health InformationRisk and Health Impact Assessment, SciensanoAbstract Background The adverse effect of air pollution on mortality is well documented worldwide but the identification of more vulnerable populations at higher risk of death is still limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between natural mortality (overall and cause-specific) and short-term exposure to five air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NO2, O3 and black carbon) and identify potential vulnerable populations in Belgium. Methods We used a time-stratified case-crossover design with conditional logistic regressions to assess the relationship between mortality and air pollution in the nine largest Belgian agglomerations. Then, we performed a random-effect meta-analysis of the pooled results and described the global air pollution-mortality association. We carried out stratified analyses by individual characteristics (sex, age, employment, hospitalization days and chronic preexisting health conditions), living environment (levels of population density, built-up areas) and season of death to identify effect modifiers of the association. Results The study included 304,754 natural deaths registered between 2010 and 2015. We found percentage increases for overall natural mortality associated with 10 μg/m3 increases of air pollution levels of 0.6% (95% CI: 0.2%, 1.0%) for PM2.5, 0.4% (0.1%, 0.8%) for PM10, 0.5% (-0.2%, 1.1%) for O3, 1.0% (0.3%, 1.7%) for NO2 and 7.1% (-0.1%, 14.8%) for black carbon. There was also evidence for increases of cardiovascular and respiratory mortality. We did not find effect modification by individual characteristics (sex, age, employment, hospitalization days). However, this study suggested differences in risk of death for people with preexisting conditions (thrombosis, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, diabetes and thyroid affections), season of death (May–September vs October–April) and levels of built-up area in the neighborhood (for NO2). Conclusions This work provided evidence for the adverse health effects of air pollution and contributed to the identification of specific population groups. These findings can help to better define public-health interventions and prevention strategies.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01050-wAir pollutionNatural mortalityCause-specific mortalityVulnerabilityEffect modificationPreexisting conditions |
| spellingShingle | Claire Demoury Raf Aerts Finaba Berete Wouter Lefebvre Arno Pauwels Charlotte Vanpoucke Johan Van der Heyden Eva M. De Clercq Impact of short-term exposure to air pollution on natural mortality and vulnerable populations: a multi-city case-crossover analysis in Belgium Environmental Health Air pollution Natural mortality Cause-specific mortality Vulnerability Effect modification Preexisting conditions |
| title | Impact of short-term exposure to air pollution on natural mortality and vulnerable populations: a multi-city case-crossover analysis in Belgium |
| title_full | Impact of short-term exposure to air pollution on natural mortality and vulnerable populations: a multi-city case-crossover analysis in Belgium |
| title_fullStr | Impact of short-term exposure to air pollution on natural mortality and vulnerable populations: a multi-city case-crossover analysis in Belgium |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of short-term exposure to air pollution on natural mortality and vulnerable populations: a multi-city case-crossover analysis in Belgium |
| title_short | Impact of short-term exposure to air pollution on natural mortality and vulnerable populations: a multi-city case-crossover analysis in Belgium |
| title_sort | impact of short term exposure to air pollution on natural mortality and vulnerable populations a multi city case crossover analysis in belgium |
| topic | Air pollution Natural mortality Cause-specific mortality Vulnerability Effect modification Preexisting conditions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01050-w |
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