title: [Uncertainty in estimating short-term health effects of air pollution in small- and medium-size cities].
abstract: Over the years, a growing number of small- and medium-size cities have been included in meta-analytic studies on short-term health effects of air pollution in order to increase the statistical power of these studies. This has produced an increase in the precision of meta-analytic estimates, but also a growing interest in city-specific results. As a consequence, relevant differences in the estimates have been frequently found, even for nearby cities with similar environmental and sociodemographic characteristics. This article aims at showing the variability of effect estimates for small- to medium-size cities in relation to the extent of the considered time frame, highlighting quantitatively the caution that must be taken in interpreting and communicating the results derived from short time series of data. The study was based on the analysis of the data from two cities in Emilia-Romagna Region (Northern Italy): Ravenna and Reggio Emilia.
authors.affiliation: Centro tematico regionale ambiente e salute, Direzione tecnica, Agenzia regionale prevenzione, l'ambiente e l'energia dell'Emilia-Romagna, Modena. simone.giannini.7@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.affiliation: Centro tematico regionale ambiente e salute, Direzione tecnica, Agenzia regionale prevenzione, l'ambiente e l'energia dell'Emilia-Romagna, Modena.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zauli Sajani
authors.affiliation: Servizio di epidemiologia e comunicazione del rischio, Dipartimento di sanità pubblica, Azienda unità sanitaria locale di Modena.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Girolamo
authors.affiliation: Servizio di epidemiologia e comunicazione del rischio, Dipartimento di sanità pubblica, Azienda unità sanitaria locale di Modena.
authors.forename: Carlo Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Goldoni
authors.affiliation: Centro tematico regionale ambiente e salute, Direzione tecnica, Agenzia regionale prevenzione, l'ambiente e l'energia dell'Emilia-Romagna, Modena.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lauriola
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002423:Cause of Death; D002947:Cities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009026:Mortality; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014504:Urban Health / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter