The Epidemiologic Approach to Investigating Outdoor Air Pollution

Publisher Summary Epidemiology will remain an important research method for addressing the health effects of air pollution. It provides evidence directly from human population that is complementary to the findings of toxicologic studies. This chapter discusses epidemiologic approach for investigating the health effects of outdoor air pollution. Epidemiology comprises the scientific methods used to study disease occurrence in human populations, including description of the occurrence of disease and identification of the causes of disease. Epidemiologic studies address the effects of inhaled pollutants as exposure occurs in the community. Their results can document the occurrence of adverse effects of air pollution and describe the relationship between exposure and response, and characterize effects on susceptible groups within the population, for example, persons with asthma. In general, epidemiologic studies are carried out with several objectives: to determine if air pollution or a source of air pollution poses a hazard to human health; to characterize the relationship between the level of exposure and the response; and to examine responses of potentially susceptible populations to pollutant exposures. Although epidemiologic studies are subject to potentially limiting methodologic problems, new approaches for assessing exposure to pollutants and health outcomes should strengthen the epidemiologic approach for investigating the health effects of air pollution.

[1]  J D Hackney,et al.  Short-term effects of carbon monoxide exposure on the exercise performance of subjects with coronary artery disease. , 1989, The New England journal of medicine.

[2]  M Lippmann,et al.  Effects of ambient ozone on respiratory function in healthy adults exercising outdoors. , 1988, The American review of respiratory disease.

[3]  Buist As.  Standardization of spirometry. , 1987 .

[4]  J. Samet.  Definitions and methodology in COPD research , 1989 .

[5]  F. Massey,et al.  The UCLA population studies of chronic obstructive respiratory disease. IV. Respiratory effect of long-term exposure to photochemical oxidants, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfates on current and never smokers. , 1981, The American review of respiratory disease.

[6]  H Becher,et al.  A case-control study of lung cancer with special reference to the effect of air pollution in Poland. , 1990, Journal of epidemiology and community health.

[7]  N. Duan,et al.  Models for human exposure to air pollution , 1982 .

[8]  A. Monto,et al.  Acute respiratory illness in an American community. The Tecumseh study. , 1974, JAMA.

[9]  H. Morgenstern,et al.  The effect of misclassification of exposure status in epidemiological studies of air pollution health effects. , 1978, Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine.

[10]  J. Samet,et al.  A study of respiratory illnesses in infants and nitrogen dioxide exposure. , 1992, Archives of environmental health.

[11]  Inge F. Goldstein,et al.  Analysis of air pollution patterns in New York City—II. Can one aerometric station represent the area surrounding it? , 1977 .

[12]  Olli Seppänen,et al.  Mechanical Ventilation in Office Buildings and the Sick Building Syndrome. An Experimental and Epidemiological Study , 1991 .

[13]  F. Massey,et al.  The UCLA population studies of chronic obstructive respiratory disease. 9. Lung function changes associated with chronic exposure to photochemical oxidants; a cohort study among never-smokers. , 1987, Chest.

[14]  J. Mauderly.  Susceptibility of Young and Aging Lungs to Inhaled Pollutants , 1989 .

[15]  M. Lippmann.  Health effects of ozone. A critical review. , 1989, JAPCA.

[16]  M. Schenker,et al.  Health effects of residence in homes with urea formaldehyde foam insulation: a pilot study , 1982 .

[17]  K. Kilburn,et al.  Neurobehavioral and respiratory symptoms of formaldehyde and xylene exposure in histology technicians. , 1985, Archives of environmental health.

[18]  D. Dockery,et al.  Acute respiratory effects of particulate air pollution. , 1994, Annual review of public health.

[19]  Richard Letz,et al.  Use of computerized test batteries for quantifying neurobehavioral outcomes. , 1991, Environmental Health Perspectives.

[20]  H. Nelson,et al.  The role of the peak flow meter in the diagnosis and management of asthma. , 1991, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.

[21]  F. Speizer,et al.  The relationship between air pollution and emergency room visits in an industrial community. , 1981, Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association.

[22]  J. Ware,et al.  Respiratory and irritant health effects of ambient volatile organic compounds. The Kanawha County Health Study. , 1993, American journal of epidemiology.

[23]  F. Massey,et al.  The UCLA population studies of chronic obstructive respiratory disease. 3. Comparison of pulmonary function in three communities exposed to photochemical oxidants, multiple primary pollutants, or minimal pollutants. , 1980, Chest.

[24]  M. Wjst,et al.  Road traffic and adverse effects on respiratory health in children. , 1993, BMJ.

[25]  H. Morgenstern,et al.  Ecologic studies in epidemiology: concepts, principles, and methods. , 1995, Annual review of public health.

[26]  N. Graham,et al.  The epidemiology of acute respiratory infections in children and adults: a global perspective. , 1990, Epidemiologic reviews.

[27]  J. Samet.  A historical and epidemiologic perspective on respiratory symptoms questionnaires. , 1978, American journal of epidemiology.

[28]  J. Jaakkola,et al.  The effect of air humidification on symptoms and the perception of air quality in office workers.A six period cross-over trial. , 1992 .

[29]  B. Ferris,et al.  Chronic nonspecific respiratory disease, Berlin, New Hampshire, 1961-1967: a cross-sectional study. , 1971, The American review of respiratory disease.

[30]  J. Spengler,et al.  Evidence for improved ambient air quality and the need for personal exposure research , 1984 .

[31]  D Thomas,et al.  Design and analysis of multilevel analytic studies with applications to a study of air pollution. , 1994, Environmental health perspectives.

[32]  A. Monto,et al.  The Tecumseh study of respiratory illness. I. Plan of study and observations on syndromes of acute respiratory disease. , 1971, American journal of epidemiology.

[33]  History of residence and lung cancer risk in New Mexico. , 1987, American journal of epidemiology.

[34]  C. Pope,et al.  Respiratory disease associated with community air pollution and a steel mill, Utah Valley. , 1989, American journal of public health.

[35]  D A Savitz,et al.  Association of childhood cancer with residential traffic density. , 1989, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[36]  S. Zeger,et al.  Longitudinal data analysis using generalized linear models , 1986 .

[37]  J. Firket,et al.  Fog along the Meuse valley , 1936 .

[38]  B. Gladen,et al.  Misclassification and the design of environmental studies. , 1979, American journal of epidemiology.

[39]  D. Dockery,et al.  The association of ambient air pollution with twice daily peak expiratory flow rate measurements in children. , 1995, American journal of epidemiology.

[40]  L. Mølhave,et al.  Volatile Organic Compounds, Indoor Air Quality and Health , 1991 .

[41]  Lance Wallace,et al.  Personal Monitors: A State-of-the-Art Survey , 1982 .

[42]  M. Lebowitz,et al.  The normal range of diurnal changes in peak expiratory flow rates. Relationship to symptoms and respiratory disease. , 1991, The American review of respiratory disease.

[43]  J. Schwartz,et al.  Short term effects of air pollution on health: a European approach using epidemiologic time series data: the APHEA protocol. , 1996, Journal of epidemiology and community health.

[44]  S. Larssen,et al.  A model for car exhaust exposure calculations to investigate health effects of air pollution. , 1993, The Science of the total environment.

[45]  P. J. Lawther,et al.  Air pollution and exacerbations of bronchitis , 1970, Thorax.

[46]  P. Nafstad,et al.  Residential dampness problems and symptoms and signs of bronchial obstruction in young Norwegian children. , 1998, American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine.

[47]  Inge F. Goldstein,et al.  Analysis of air pollution patterns in New York City—I. Can one station represent the large metropolitan area? , 1977 .

[48]  T. Haahtela,et al.  The South Karelia Air Pollution Study. The effects of malodorous sulfur compounds from pulp mills on respiratory and other symptoms. , 1990, The American review of respiratory disease.

[49]  F. W. Denny,et al.  Acute lower respiratory tract infections in nonhospitalized children. , 1986, The Journal of pediatrics.

[50]  A. Handyside,et al.  Patterns of respiratory illness in Sheffield infant schoolchildren. , 1967, British journal of preventive & social medicine.

[51]  L. Taussig,et al.  THE TUCSON CHILDREN'S RESPIRATORY STUDY. II. LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT ILLNESS IN THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE , 1989, American journal of epidemiology.

[52]  M. Lebowitz,et al.  Respiratory symptoms and peak flow associated with indoor and outdoor air pollutants in the southwest. , 1985, Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association.

[53]  D. Dockery,et al.  Daily diaries of respiratory symptoms and air pollution: methodological issues and results. , 1991, Environmental health perspectives.

[54]  S Greenland,et al.  Ecological bias, confounding, and effect modification. , 1989, International journal of epidemiology.

[55]  J. Samet,et al.  Health effects and sources of indoor air pollution. Part I. , 1987, The American review of respiratory disease.

[56]  O Seppänen,et al.  Air recirculation and sick building syndrome: a blinded crossover trial. , 1994, American journal of public health.

[57]  F. Speizer,et al.  Surveillance techniques for respiratory illness. , 1976, Archives of environmental health.

[58]  Rebecca Bascom,et al.  Health effects of outdoor air pollution , 1996 .

[59]  L. Mølhave,et al.  Human reactions to low concentrations of volatile organic compounds , 1986 .

[60]  G Carelli,et al.  Charcoal sampling and gas chromatographic determination of N,N-dimethylformamide in air samples from a polyurethane plant. , 1982, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[61]  J. Jaakkola,et al.  The effect of air humidification on symptoms and perception of indoor air quality in office workers: a six-period cross-over trial. , 1992, Archives of environmental health.

[62]  A S Whittemore,et al.  Asthma and air pollution in the Los Angeles area. , 1980, American journal of public health.

[63]  R. E. Anderson,et al.  Cause of death. Proper completion of the death certificate. , 1987, JAMA.

[64]  D. Oakes,et al.  Effects of approximation in exposure assessments on estimates of exposure- response relationships. , 1982, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[65]  D. Dockery,et al.  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality in six U.S. cities. , 1989, The American review of respiratory disease.

[66]  A. Watson,et al.  Asthma and Automotive Emissions , 1988 .

[67]  T. Haahtela,et al.  The South Karelia Air Pollution Study: effects of low-level exposure to malodorous sulfur compounds on symptoms. , 1996, Archives of environmental health.

[68]  F. Massey,et al.  The UCLA population studies of chronic obstructive respiratory disease. I. Methodology and comparison of lung function in areas of high and low pollution. , 1979, American journal of epidemiology.

[69]  N Poisson,et al.  Validity and repeatability of the IUATLD (1984) Bronchial Symptoms Questionnaire: an international comparison. , 1989, The European respiratory journal.

[70]  D. Dockery,et al.  An association between air pollution and mortality in six U.S. cities. , 1993, The New England journal of medicine.

[71]  W W Holland,et al.  Health effects of particulate pollution: reappraising the evidence. , 1979, American journal of epidemiology.

[72]  F. Speizer.  Studies of acid aerosols in six cities and in a new multi-city investigation: design issues. , 1989, Environmental health perspectives.

[73]  F. Speizer,et al.  The relationship between respiratory illness in childhood and chronic air-flow obstruction in adulthood. , 2015, The American review of respiratory disease.

[74]  H. Morgenstern.  Uses of ecologic analysis in epidemiologic research. , 1982, American journal of public health.

[75]  J D Spengler,et al.  Effects of sulfur oxides and respirable particles on human health. Methodology and demography of populations in study. , 1979, The American review of respiratory disease.

[76]  Joel Schwartz,et al.  REVIEW OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF HEALTH EFFECTS OF PARTICULATE AIR POLLUTION , 1995 .

[77]  L. Folinsbee,et al.  Effects of steady-state and variable ozone concentration profiles on pulmonary function. , 1992, American Review of Respiratory Disease.

[78]  Sly Rm,et al.  Mortality from asthma , 1989 .

[79]  Lester B. Lave,et al.  An Analysis of the Association Between U.S. Mortality and Air Pollution , 1973 .

[80]  J. Carlin,et al.  Validation of questionnaire and bronchial hyperresponsiveness against respiratory physician assessment in the diagnosis of asthma. , 1996, International journal of epidemiology.

[81]  C. Percy,et al.  Accuracy of cancer death certificates and its effect on cancer mortality statistics. , 1981, American journal of public health.