Estimating the Causal Effect of Low Levels of Fine Particulate Matter on Hospitalization.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In 2012, the EPA enacted more stringent National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Few studies have characterized the health effects of air pollution levels lower than the most recent NAAQS for long-term exposure to PM2.5 (now 12 μg/m).

Methods

We constructed a cohort of 32,119 Medicare beneficiaries residing in 5138 US ZIP codes who were interviewed as part of the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) between 2002 and 2010 and had 1 year of follow-up. We considered four outcomes: all-cause hospitalizations, hospitalizations for circulatory diseases and respiratory diseases, and death.

Results

We found that increasing exposure to PM2.5 from levels lower than 12 μg/m to levels higher than 12 μg/m is associated wi

SUBMITTER: Makar M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5624531 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature