Public-health impact of outdoor and traffic-related air pollution: a European assessment.
BACKGROUND
Air 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.


METHODS
Epidemiology-based exposure-response functions for a 10 microg/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 > or = 30 years), respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions (all ages), incidence of chronic bronchitis (adults > or = 25 years), bronchitis episodes in children (< 15 years), restricted activity days (adults > or = 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.


RESULTS
Air 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 person-days of restricted activities.


CONCLUSIONS
This 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.
Künzli
N
N
Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine, University Basel, Switzerland. Nino.Kuenzli@unibas.ch
Kaiser
R
R
Medina
S
S
Studnicka
M
M
Chanel
O
O
Filliger
P
P
Herry
M
M
Horak
F
F
Puybonnieux-Texier
V
V
Quénel
P
P
Schneider
J
J
Seethaler
R
R
Vergnaud
J C
JC
Sommer
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011634:Public Health; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000009:adverse effects*
D001335:Vehicle Emissions