Long-Term Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Mortality among Four Million COVID-19 Cases in Italy: The EpiCovAir Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The role of chronic exposure to ambient air pollutants in increasing COVID-19 fatality is still unclear.

Objectives

The study aimed to investigate the association between long-term exposure to air pollutants and mortality among 4 million COVID-19 cases in Italy.

Methods

We obtained individual records of all COVID-19 cases identified in Italy from February 2020 to June 2021. We assigned 2016-2019 mean concentrations of particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameter ≤10μm (PM10), PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5μm (PM2.5), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to each municipality (n=7,800) as estimates of chronic exposures. We applied a principal component analysis (PCA) and a generalized propensity score (GPS) approach to an extensive list of area-level covariates

SUBMITTER: Stafoggia M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10174641 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature