title: A direct approach to control short term population dynamics in time series studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Short term population dynamics is an important issue in several epidemiological studies. Usually, calendar time or dummy variables are used to control indirectly for this confounding. This study tested a direct method.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study compared as proxy variables of population dynamics the summer 2003 data of cooking gas consumptions, solid urban waste production, and television access for the municipality of Bologna (Italy).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Solid urban waste production and television access data showed similar trends. Considerably different were the >65 year olds estimates with respect to total population based on television access.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Television access data are probably the best indicator in the estimates of population dynamics in large or densely populated areas, especially because of the possibility of stratifications with respect to age.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Epidemiology Unit, ARPA Emilia Romagna, Viale Fontanelli 23, 41100 Modena, Italy. szauli@epam.arpa.emr.it
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zauli Sajani
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scotto
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lauriola
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005579:Fossil Fuels / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011157:Population Dynamics; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014866:Waste Products / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D005579:Fossil Fuels; D014866:Waste Products