PM2.5 and survival among older adults: effect modification by particulate composition.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Fine particulate (PM2.5) air pollution has been consistently linked to survival, but reported effect estimates are geographically heterogeneous. Exposure to different types of particle mixtures may explain some of this variation.

Methods

We used k-means cluster analyses to identify cities with similar pollution profiles, (ie, PM2.5 composition) across the United States. We examined the impact of PM2.5 on survival, and its variation across clusters of cities with similar PM2.5 composition, among Medicare enrollees in 81 US cities (2000-2010). We used time-varying annual PM2.5 averages, measured at ambient central monitoring sites, as the exposure of interest. We ran by-city Cox models, adjusting for individual data on previous cardiopulmonary-related hospitalizatio

SUBMITTER: Kioumourtzoglou MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4675621 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature