title: Near-roadway pollution and childhood asthma: implications for developing "win-win" compact urban development and clean vehicle strategies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The emerging consensus that exposure to near-roadway traffic-related pollution causes asthma has implications for compact urban development policies designed to reduce driving and greenhouse gases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We estimated the current burden of childhood asthma-related disease attributable to near-roadway and regional air pollution in Los Angeles County (LAC) and the potential health impact of regional pollution reduction associated with changes in population along major traffic corridors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The burden of asthma attributable to the dual effects of near-roadway and regional air pollution was estimated, using nitrogen dioxide and ozone as markers of urban combustion-related and secondary oxidant pollution, respectively. We also estimated the impact of alternative scenarios that assumed a 20% reduction in regional pollution in combination with a 3.6% reduction or 3.6% increase in the proportion of the total population living near major roads, a proxy for near-roadway exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We estimated that 27,100 cases of childhood asthma (8% of total) in LAC were at least partly attributable to pollution associated with residential location within 75 m of a major road. As a result, a substantial proportion of asthma-related morbidity is a consequence of near-roadway pollution, even if symptoms are triggered by other factors. Benefits resulting from a 20% regional pollution reduction varied markedly depending on the associated change in near-roadway proximity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that there are large and previously unappreciated public health consequences of air pollution in LAC and probably in other metropolitan areas with dense traffic corridors. To maximize health benefits, compact urban development strategies should be coupled with policies to reduce near-roadway pollution exposure.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lurmann
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pastor
authors.forename: Sylvia J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Nino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Künzli
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McConnell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D058735:Environmental Policy; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009017:Morbidity; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D014506:Urban Renewal; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D010126:Ozone; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide