title: Environmental Asthma Reduction Potential Estimates for Selected Mitigation Actions in Finland Using a Life Table Approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the reduction potential of asthma in Finland achievable by adjusting exposures to selected environmental factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A life table model for the Finnish population for 1986-2040 was developed and Years Lived with Disability caused by asthma and attributable to the following selected exposures were estimated: tobacco smoke (smoking and second hand tobacco smoke), ambient fine particles, indoor dampness and mould, and pets.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline (2011) about 25% of the total asthma burden was attributable to the selected exposures. Banning tobacco was the most efficient mitigation action, leading to 6% reduction of the asthma burden. A 50% reduction in exposure to dampness and mould as well as a doubling in exposure to pets lead each to a 2% reduction. Ban of urban small scale wood combustion, chosen as a mitigation action to reduce exposure to fine particles, leads to a reduction of less than 1% of the total asthma burden. Combination of the most efficient mitigation actions reduces the total asthma burden by 10%. A more feasible combination of mitigation actions leads to 6% reduction of the asthma burden.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The adjustment of environmental exposures can reduce the asthma burden in Finland by up to 10%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Protection, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio 70210 Finland. Isabell.Rumrich@thl.fi.
authors.forename: Isabell Katharina
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Rumrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Protection, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio 70210 Finland. nninen@thl.fi.
authors.forename: Otto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hänninen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015993:Life Tables; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Burden of Disease; asthma; dampness; particulate matter; pets; prevalence; protective factor; risk factor; tobacco