title: Beirut Air Pollution and Health Effects - BAPHE study protocol and objectives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies investigating the health effects of air pollution have proven an existing impact around and below international air quality guidelines and standards. These studies were based on accessible data from official registers managed by public authorities. The protocol followed in BAPHE project is described; its benefits and disadvantages are presented and discussed in this paper.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the review of several international studies we developed a custom made approach in BAPHE (Beirut Air Pollution and Health Effects) project in order to analyze the short term health effects of air pollution taking into consideration the lack of data availability from official sources.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were measured in Beirut for the period starting from the 1(st) of January 2012 to the 31(st) of December 2012. The annual average concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 exceeded WHO's annual average limits by 150 % and 200 %, respectively. Health data for 11,567 individuals were collected over 12 months. A variation of hospital admission causes was observed by age categories and gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article presents a simple protocol and the descriptive results of its application in the frame of an eco-epidemiological study in Lebanon. We believe that this work is not only important on a local scale, but it could be helpful for environmental epidemiological studies in other countries.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon ; Arcenciel, Environment Program, B.P. 165216 Beirut, Lebanon ; INSERM, UMR_S 1136, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Equipe EPAR, F-75013 Paris, France ; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR_S 1136, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Equipe EPAR, F-75013 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Myriam Mrad
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Nakhlé
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Wehbeh
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Department, Hôtel Dieu de France Hospital, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Nelly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ziade
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Maher
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abboud
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary and Critical Care, University medical center, Rizk hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Marie-Louise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Coussa-Koniski
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR_S 1136, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Equipe EPAR, F-75013 Paris, France ; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR_S 1136, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Equipe EPAR, F-75013 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Annesi-Maesano
keywords: Air quality; Environmental health; Public health; Suspended particulate matter; Time series