title: Long-term exposure to traffic pollution and hospital admissions in London.
abstract: Evidence on the effects of long-term exposure to traffic pollution on health is inconsistent. In Greater London we examined associations between traffic pollution and emergency hospital admissions for cardio-respiratory diseases by applying linear and piecewise linear Poisson regression models in a small-area analysis. For both models the results for children and adults were close to unity. In the elderly, linear models found negative associations whereas piecewise models found non-linear associations characterized by positive risks in the lowest and negative risks in the highest exposure category. An increased risk was observed among those living in areas with the highest socioeconomic deprivation. Estimates were not affected by adjustment for traffic noise. The lack of convincing positive linear associations between primary traffic pollution and hospital admissions agrees with a number of other reports, but may reflect residual confounding. The relatively greater vulnerability of the most deprived populations has important implications for public health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: jaana.halonen@ttl.fi.
authors.forename: Jaana I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Halonen
authors.affiliation: Small Area Health Statistics Unit, MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blangiardo
authors.affiliation: Small Area Health Statistics Unit, MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mireille B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Toledano
authors.affiliation: Small Area Health Statistics Unit, MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fecht
authors.affiliation: Small Area Health Statistics Unit, MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gulliver
authors.affiliation: MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: H Ross
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sean D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Beevers
authors.affiliation: MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dajnak
authors.affiliation: MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, King's College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Cathryn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tonne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016014:Linear Models; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013997:Time Factors; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
keywords: Epidemiology; Hospital admission; Small-area; Traffic pollution