Haneen Khreis1, Kees de Hoogh2, Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen3. 1. Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) and Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH), TX, United States of America; ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Institute for Transport Studies (ITS), University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom. Electronic address: H-Khreis@tti.tamu.edu. 2. Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: c.dehoogh@swisstph.ch. 3. ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: mark.nieuwenhuijsen@isglobal.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children. Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) may be an important exposure contributing to its development. In the UK, Bradford is a deprived city suffering from childhood asthma rates higher than national and regional averages and TRAP is of particular concern to the local communities. AIMS: We estimated the burden of childhood asthma attributable to air pollution and specifically TRAP in Bradford. Air pollution exposures were estimated using a newly developed full-chain exposure assessment model and an existing land-use regression model (LUR). METHODS: We estimated childhood population exposure to NOx and, by conversion, NO2 at the smallest census area level using a newly developed full-chain model knitting together distinct traffic (SATURN), vehicle emission (COPERT) and atmospheric dispersion (ADMS-Urban) models. We compared these estimates with measurements and estimates from ESCAPE's LUR model. Using the UK incidence rate for childhood asthma, meta-analytical exposure-response functions, and estimates from the two exposure models, we estimated annual number of asthma cases attributable to NO2 and NOx in Bradford, and annual number of asthma cases specifically attributable to traffic. RESULTS: The annual average census tract levels of NO2 and NOx estimated using the full-chain model were 15.41 and 25.68 μg/m3, respectively. On average, 2.75 μg/m3 NO2 and 4.59 μg/m3 NOx were specifically contributed by traffic, without minor roads and cold starts. The annual average census tract levels of NO2 and NOx estimated using the LUR model were 21.93 and 35.60 μg/m3, respectively. The results indicated that up to 687 (or 38% of all) annual childhood asthma cases in Bradford may be attributable to air pollution. Up to 109 cases (6%) and 219 cases (12%) may be specifically attributable to TRAP, with and without minor roads and cold starts, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study undertaking full-chain health impact assessment of TRAP and childhood asthma in a disadvantaged population with public concern about TRAP. It further adds to scarce literature exploring the impact of different exposure assessments. In conservative estimates, air pollution and TRAP are estimated to cause a large, but largely preventable, childhood asthma burden. Future progress with childhood asthma requires a move beyond the prevalent disease control-based approach toward asthma prevention.
BACKGROUND:Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children. Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) may be an important exposure contributing to its development. In the UK, Bradford is a deprived city suffering from childhood asthma rates higher than national and regional averages and TRAP is of particular concern to the local communities. AIMS: We estimated the burden of childhood asthma attributable to air pollution and specifically TRAP in Bradford. Air pollution exposures were estimated using a newly developed full-chain exposure assessment model and an existing land-use regression model (LUR). METHODS: We estimated childhood population exposure to NOx and, by conversion, NO2 at the smallest census area level using a newly developed full-chain model knitting together distinct traffic (SATURN), vehicle emission (COPERT) and atmospheric dispersion (ADMS-Urban) models. We compared these estimates with measurements and estimates from ESCAPE's LUR model. Using the UK incidence rate for childhood asthma, meta-analytical exposure-response functions, and estimates from the two exposure models, we estimated annual number of asthma cases attributable to NO2 and NOx in Bradford, and annual number of asthma cases specifically attributable to traffic. RESULTS: The annual average census tract levels of NO2 and NOx estimated using the full-chain model were 15.41 and 25.68 μg/m3, respectively. On average, 2.75 μg/m3 NO2 and 4.59 μg/m3 NOx were specifically contributed by traffic, without minor roads and cold starts. The annual average census tract levels of NO2 and NOx estimated using the LUR model were 21.93 and 35.60 μg/m3, respectively. The results indicated that up to 687 (or 38% of all) annual childhood asthma cases in Bradford may be attributable to air pollution. Up to 109 cases (6%) and 219 cases (12%) may be specifically attributable to TRAP, with and without minor roads and cold starts, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study undertaking full-chain health impact assessment of TRAP and childhood asthma in a disadvantaged population with public concern about TRAP. It further adds to scarce literature exploring the impact of different exposure assessments. In conservative estimates, air pollution and TRAP are estimated to cause a large, but largely preventable, childhood asthma burden. Future progress with childhood asthma requires a move beyond the prevalent disease control-based approach toward asthma prevention.
Authors: Erika Garcia; Robert Urman; Kiros Berhane; Rob McConnell; Frank Gilliland Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2019-07-22 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Nicholas J Nassikas; Elizabeth A W Chan; Christopher G Nolte; Henry A Roman; Niamh Micklewhite; Patrick L Kinney; E Jane Carter; Neal L Fann Journal: Air Qual Atmos Health Date: 2022-01-10 Impact factor: 3.763
Authors: Susan C Anenberg; Daven K Henze; Veronica Tinney; Patrick L Kinney; William Raich; Neal Fann; Chris S Malley; Henry Roman; Lok Lamsal; Bryan Duncan; Randall V Martin; Aaron van Donkelaar; Michael Brauer; Ruth Doherty; Jan Eiof Jonson; Yanko Davila; Kengo Sudo; Johan C I Kuylenstierna Journal: Environ Health Perspect Date: 2018-10 Impact factor: 9.031
Authors: Hamed Janbazacyabar; Jeroen van Bergenhenegouwen; Johan Garssen; Thea Leusink-Muis; Ingrid van Ark; Marthe T van Daal; Gert Folkerts; Saskia Braber Journal: Front Immunol Date: 2021-12-23 Impact factor: 7.561
Authors: Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen; Jose Barrera-Gómez; Xavier Basagaña; Marta Cirach; Carolyn Daher; Maria Foraster Pulido; Tamara Iungman; Antonio Gasparrini; Gerard Hoek; Kees de Hoogh; Sasha Khomenko; Haneen Khreis; Audrey de Nazelle; Ana Ramos; David Rojas-Rueda; Evelise Pereira Barboza; Marko Tainio; Meelan Thondoo; Cathryn Tonne; James Woodcock; N Mueller Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-01-20 Impact factor: 2.692