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de Oliveira Neves F, Salgado EG, de Figueiredo EC, Sampaio P, Marafão FP. Prediction of pollutant emission characteristics in ISO50001 energy management in the Americas: Uni and multivariate machine learning approach. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:174797. [PMID: 39038677 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
The American continent is experiencing significant economic and industrial development driven by sustainability principles. In this context, discussions on improving energy consumption have become increasingly frequent and dynamic across various sectors of civil society, including the implementation of energy efficiency measures as advocated by the ISO50001 energy management standard. However, there is a pressing need to investigate which socioeconomic aspects are responsible for the issuance of this certification in the Americas and how these factors relate to characteristic industrial emissions, especially particulate matter. This study aims to evaluate the socioeconomic factors influencing ISO50001 standard issuance and how these adjusted factors correlate with particulate matter of 2.5 μm and 10 μm dimensions. To achieve this, machine learning techniques were employed, considering the complex nature and risk of data overfitting. Model fitting was performed through multiple lasso regression, and the relationship between the adjusted factors was examined through cross-correlation analysis. The analyses indicate a strong correlation of adjusted macroeconomic indicators, especially with PM2.5, suggesting an association with cardiorespiratory problems and methane-related origins. This work is of great relevance to academia as it proposes new concepts regarding the interaction between energy efficiency standards and particulate matter. For the industrial sector, the adjusted factors provide guidance for standard implementation while also helping to mitigate health issues. Additionally, for the government, these results can assist in formulating policies to address specific health problems related to this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio de Oliveira Neves
- Exact Science Institute, Environmental Science Department, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.
| | - Eduardo Gomes Salgado
- Exact Science Institute, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais State, Brazil
| | | | - Paulo Sampaio
- Department of University of Minho, School of Engineering, ALGORITMI Research Centre, Portugal
| | - Fernando Pinhabel Marafão
- Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Sorocaba, São Paulo State, Brazil
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Kephart JL, Bilal U, Gouveia N, Sarmiento OL, Shingara E, Moreno KR, Bakhtsiyarava M, Rodriguez JP, Ayala S, Carrasco-Escobar G, Diez Roux AV. Social disparities in flood exposure and associations with the urban environment in 44,698 neighborhoods in 276 cities in eight Latin American countries. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.07.02.24309839. [PMID: 39006415 PMCID: PMC11245088 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.02.24309839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Background Climate change is expected to greatly increase exposure to flooding, particularly in urban populations in low- and middle-income countries. We examined within-city social disparities in exposure to flooding in 276 Latin American cities and associated features of the neighborhood urban environment. Methods We used a spatially granular dataset of historical flood events from 2000 to 2018 to describe neighborhood flooding within cities across eight Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, and Panama). We estimated the percentage of the population living in flooded neighborhoods, described social disparities in flooding based on neighborhood educational attainment, and compared the magnitude of disparities across and within cities. We used multilevel models to examine how city- and neighborhood-level factors are related to neighborhood flooding. Results We examined 44,698 neighborhoods in 276 cities from eight countries with a total of 223 million residents and 117 distinct flood events from 2000-2018. One in four residents in neighborhoods in the lowest education quintile lived in neighborhoods with flooding, compared to one in 20 residents of the highest neighborhood education quintile. Greater neighborhood flooding was associated with lower neighborhood-level educational attainment and with neighborhoods that were coastal, less dense (population or intersection), further from the city center, greener, and had steeper slopes. There was no association between city-level educational attainment and flooding. Conclusion There are large social disparities in neighborhood flooding within Latin American cities. Residents of areas with lower education attainment face substantially higher risks of flooding. Policymakers must prioritize flood adaptation and recovery efforts in neighborhoods with lower socioeconomic position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiah L. Kephart
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Usama Bilal
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Nelson Gouveia
- University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Emily Shingara
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
| | | | - Maryia Bakhtsiyarava
- Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
| | - Juan Pablo Rodriguez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Salvador Ayala
- Instituto de Salud Poblacional, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gabriel Carrasco-Escobar
- Health Innovation Laboratory, Alexander von Humboldt Institute of Tropical Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Ana V Diez Roux
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
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Marín D, Basagaña X, Amaya F, Aristizábal LM, Muñoz DA, Domínguez A, Molina F, Ramos CD, Morales-Betancourt R, Hincapié R, Rodríguez-Villamizar L, Rojas Y, Morales O, Cuellar M, Corredor A, Villamil-Osorio M, Bejarano MA, Vidal D, Narváez DM, Groot H, Builes JJ, López L, Henao EA, Lopera V, Hernández LJ, Bangdiwala SI, Marín-Ochoa B, Oviedo AI, Sánchez-García OE, Toro MV, Riaño W, Rueda ZV. Early-life external exposome in children 2-5 years old in Colombia. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118913. [PMID: 38643821 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Exposome studies are advancing in high-income countries to understand how multiple environmental exposures impact health. However, there is a significant research gap in low- and middle-income and tropical countries. We aimed to describe the spatiotemporal variation of the external exposome, its correlation structure between and within exposure groups, and its dimensionality. A one-year follow-up cohort study of 506 children under 5 in two cities in Colombia was conducted to evaluate asthma, acute respiratory infections, and DNA damage. We examined 48 environmental exposures during pregnancy and 168 during childhood in eight exposure groups, including atmospheric pollutants, natural spaces, meteorology, built environment, traffic, indoor exposure, and socioeconomic capital. The exposome was estimated using geographic information systems, remote sensing, spatiotemporal modeling, and questionnaires. The median age of children at study entry was 3.7 years (interquartile range: 2.9-4.3). Air pollution and natural spaces exposure decreased from pregnancy to childhood, while socioeconomic capital increased. The highest median correlations within exposure groups were observed in meteorology (r = 0.85), traffic (r = 0.83), and atmospheric pollutants (r = 0.64). Important correlations between variables from different exposure groups were found, such as atmospheric pollutants and meteorology (r = 0.76), natural spaces (r = -0.34), and the built environment (r = 0.53). Twenty principal components explained 70%, and 57 explained 95% of the total variance in the childhood exposome. Our findings show that there is an important spatiotemporal variation in the exposome of children under 5. This is the first characterization of the external exposome in urban areas of Latin America and highlights its complexity, but also the need to better characterize and understand the exposome in order to optimize its analysis and applications in local interventions aimed at improving the health conditions and well-being of the child population and contributing to environmental health decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Marín
- School of Medicine, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, 050034, Colombia.
| | - Xavier Basagaña
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, 08003, España, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, 08003, Spain; CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Ferney Amaya
- School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, 050034, Colombia
| | | | - Diego Alejandro Muñoz
- Department of Mathematics, National University of Colombia, Medellín, 050034, Colombia
| | - Alan Domínguez
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, 08003, España, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, 08003, Spain; CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Francisco Molina
- Environmental School, School of Engineering, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellin, 050010, Colombia
| | - Carlos Daniel Ramos
- Environmental School, School of Engineering, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellin, 050010, Colombia
| | | | - Roberto Hincapié
- School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, 050034, Colombia
| | - Laura Rodríguez-Villamizar
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, 680002, Colombia
| | - Yurley Rojas
- School of Engineering, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, 680002, Colombia
| | - Olga Morales
- School of Medicine, Pediaciencias Group, Universidad de Antioquia, Noel Clinic Medellin, 050010, Colombia; Department of Pediatrics, Hospital San Vicente Fundación, Medellín, 050010, Colombia
| | - Martha Cuellar
- School of Medicine, Pediaciencias Group, Universidad de Antioquia, Noel Clinic Medellin, 050010, Colombia; Department of Pediatrics, SOMER Clinic, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Andrea Corredor
- Department of Pediatrics, ONIROS Centro Especializado en Medicina Integral del Sueño, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Milena Villamil-Osorio
- Department of Pediatrics, Fundación Hospital Pediátrico la Misericordia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Dolly Vidal
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario San José, Popayán, 190003, Colombia
| | - Diana M Narváez
- Human Genetics Laboratory, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia
| | - Helena Groot
- Human Genetics Laboratory, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia
| | - Juan José Builes
- Department of Paternity Testing. GENES Laboratory, Medellín, 050024, Colombia
| | - Lucelly López
- School of Medicine, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, 050034, Colombia
| | | | - Verónica Lopera
- Secretariat of Health, Medellin Mayor's Office, Medellin, 050015, Colombia
| | | | - Shrikant I Bangdiwala
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada; Statistics Department, Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8L 2X2, Canada
| | - Beatriz Marín-Ochoa
- School of Social Sciences, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, 050034, Colombia
| | - Ana Isabel Oviedo
- School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, 050034, Colombia
| | | | - María Victoria Toro
- School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, 050034, Colombia
| | - Will Riaño
- School of Medicine, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, 050034, Colombia; School of Medicine, Pediaciencias Group, Universidad de Antioquia, Noel Clinic Medellin, 050010, Colombia
| | - Zulma Vanessa Rueda
- School of Medicine, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, 050034, Colombia; Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0J9, Canada
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Slesinski SC, Indvik K, Barrientos-Gutierrez T, Bolinaga A, Caiaffa WT, Diez-Canseco F, Miranda JJ, Rodriguez DA, Sarmiento OL, Siri JG, Vergara AV, Roux AVD. Research Translation to Promote Urban Health in Latin America: The SALURBAL Experience. J Urban Health 2024:10.1007/s11524-024-00877-5. [PMID: 38935205 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-024-00877-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
In highly urbanized and unequal Latin America, urban health and health equity research are essential to effective policymaking. To ensure the application of relevant and context-specific evidence to efforts to reduce urban health inequities, urban health research in Latin America must incorporate strategic research translation efforts. Beginning in 2017, the Urban Health in Latin America (SALURBAL) project implemented policy-relevant research and engaged policymakers and the public to support the translation of research findings. Over 6 years, more than 200 researchers across eight countries contributed to SALURBAL's interdisciplinary network. This network allowed SALURBAL to adapt research and engagement activities to local contexts and priorities, thereby maximizing the policy relevance of research findings and their application to promote policy action, inform urban interventions, and drive societal change. SALURBAL achieved significant visibility and credibility among academic and nonacademic urban health stakeholders, resulting in the development of evidence and tools to support urban policymakers, planners, and policy development processes across the region. These efforts and their outcomes reveal important lessons regarding maintaining flexibility and accounting for local context in research, ensuring that resources are dedicated to policy engagement and dissemination activities, and recognizing that assessing policy impact requires a nuanced understanding of complex policymaking processes. These reflections are relevant for promoting urban health and health equity research translation across the global south and worldwide. This paper presents SALURBAL's strategy for dissemination and policy translation, highlights innovative initiatives and their outcomes, discusses lessons learned, and shares recommendations for future efforts to promote effective translation of research findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Claire Slesinski
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katherine Indvik
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Andrea Bolinaga
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Waleska Teixeira Caiaffa
- Belo Horizonte Observatory for Urban Health, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Francisco Diez-Canseco
- CRONICAS Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - J Jaime Miranda
- CRONICAS Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Daniel A Rodriguez
- Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of City and Regional Planning and Institute Transportation Studies, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Olga L Sarmiento
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - José G Siri
- Independent Consultant, Urban Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alejandra Vives Vergara
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable, CEDEUS, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ana V Diez Roux
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Madaniyazi L, Alpízar J, Cifuentes LA, Riojas-Rodríguez H, Hurtado Díaz M, de Sousa Zanotti Stagliorio Coelho M, Abrutzky R, Osorio S, Carrasco Escobar G, Valdés Ortega N, Colistro V, Roye D, Tobías A. Health and Economic Benefits of Complying With the World Health Organization Air Quality Guidelines for Particulate Matter in Nine Major Latin American Cities. Int J Public Health 2024; 69:1606909. [PMID: 38882560 PMCID: PMC11176932 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2024.1606909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study aims to estimate the short-term preventable mortality and associated economic costs of complying with the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines (AQGs) limit values for PM10 and PM2.5 in nine major Latin American cities. Methods We estimated city-specific PM-mortality associations using time-series regression models and calculated the attributable mortality fraction. Next, we used the value of statistical life to calculate the economic benefits of complying with the WHO AQGs limit values. Results In most cities, PM concentrations exceeded the WHO AQGs limit values more than 90% of the days. PM10 was found to be associated with an average excess mortality of 1.88% with concentrations above WHO AQGs limit values, while for PM2.5 it was 1.05%. The associated annual economic costs varied widely, between US$ 19.5 million to 3,386.9 million for PM10, and US$ 196.3 million to 2,209.6 million for PM2.5. Conclusion Our findings suggest that there is an urgent need for policymakers to develop interventions to achieve sustainable air quality improvements in Latin America. Complying with the WHO AQGs limit values for PM10 and PM2.5 in Latin American cities would substantially benefits for urban populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Madaniyazi
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Jefferson Alpízar
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Luis Abdón Cifuentes
- Departamento de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | | | | | - Rosana Abrutzky
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Instituto de Investigaciones Gino Germani, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Samuel Osorio
- National Institute of Public Health (Mexico), Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Carrasco Escobar
- Health Innovation Laboratory, Institute of Tropical Medicine "Alexander von Humboldt", Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Nicolás Valdés Ortega
- Departamento de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valentina Colistro
- Department of Quantitative Methods, School of Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Dominic Roye
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Aurelio Tobías
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
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Mendoza Y, González RE. Objective and subjective measures of air pollution and self-rated health: the evidence from Chile. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2024; 97:413-433. [PMID: 38493267 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-024-02056-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The literature exploring individual differences in self-rated health has grown fast in recent years. Self-rated health (SRH) is a good indicator of general health status. This empirical study explores the association between outdoor air pollution and SRH in Chile. This type of analysis is infrequent in Latin America. METHODS We used objective and subjective air pollution measures. The first corresponds to PM2.5, and the latter to the perception of a high level of air pollution. Drawing on data from two independent and repeated nationwide surveys over the period 2006-2017 at the individual level in Chile, we performed repeated cross-sectional analyses for each year of survey application. Ordered Logit (OL) and Logit (L) multivariate models were used to investigate the association between SRH and air pollution measures, considering other socioeconomic and demographic covariates. RESULTS We found that the higher is the level of air pollution, the lower the SRH in Chile, regardless of whether air pollution is physically measured or perceived by respondents. The results were consistent over the years in the sign and significance of regression coefficients using two surveys and two forms of the outcome variable. CONCLUSIONS Our findings add evidence that air pollution is a relevant determinant of SRH. In addition, they show that subjective measures of air pollution can be as reliable as physical measures in the analysis of the association between air pollution and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yenniel Mendoza
- Department of Administration and Economics, Faculty of Law and Business, Universidad de la Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
| | - Ricardo E González
- Department of Forest Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, Universidad de la Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
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Gouveia N, Rodriguez-Hernandez JL, Kephart JL, Ortigoza A, Betancourt RM, Sangrador JLT, Rodriguez DA, Diez Roux AV, Sanchez B, Yamada G. Short-term associations between fine particulate air pollution and cardiovascular and respiratory mortality in 337 cities in Latin America. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 920:171073. [PMID: 38382618 PMCID: PMC10918459 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Ambient air pollution is a health concern in Latin America given its large urban population exposed to levels above recommended guidelines. Yet no studies have examined the mortality impact of air pollutants in the region across a wide range of cities. We assessed whether short-term levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from modeled estimates, are associated with cardiovascular and respiratory mortality among adults in 337 cities from 9 Latin American countries. We compiled mortality, PM2.5 and temperature data for the period 2009-2015. For each city, we evaluated the association between monthly changes in PM2.5 and cardiovascular and respiratory mortality for sex and age subgroups using Poisson models, adjusted for seasonality, long-term trend, and temperature. To accommodate possibly different associations of mortality with PM2.5 by age, we included interaction terms between changes in PM2.5 and age in the models. We combined the city-specific estimates using a random effects meta-regression to obtain mortality relative risks for each sex and age group. We analyzed 3,026,861 and 1,222,623 cardiovascular and respiratory deaths, respectively, from a study population that represents 41 % of the total population of Latin America. We observed that a 10 μg/m3 increase in monthly PM2.5 is associated with an increase of 1.3 % (95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.4 to 2.2) in cardiovascular mortality and a 0.9 % increase (95 % CI -0.6 to 2.4) in respiratory mortality. Increases in mortality risk ranged between -0.5 % to 3.0 % across 6 sex-age groups, were larger in men, and demonstrated stronger associations with cardiovascular mortality as age increased. Socioeconomic, environmental and health contexts in Latin America are different than those present in higher income cities from which most evidence on air pollution impacts is drawn. Locally generated evidence constitutes a powerful instrument to engage civil society and help drive actions to mitigate and control ambient air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson Gouveia
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
| | | | - Josiah L Kephart
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, USA; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Ana Ortigoza
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, USA; Department of Environmental and Social determinants for Health Equity, Pan American Health Organization, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel A Rodriguez
- Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA; Department of City and Regional Planning and Institute Transportation Studies, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Ana V Diez Roux
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Brisa Sanchez
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Goro Yamada
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, USA
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Ferreira SRG, Macotela Y, Velloso LA, Mori MA. Determinants of obesity in Latin America. Nat Metab 2024; 6:409-432. [PMID: 38438626 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-024-00977-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Obesity rates are increasing almost everywhere in the world, although the pace and timing for this increase differ when populations from developed and developing countries are compared. The sharp and more recent increase in obesity rates in many Latin American countries is an example of that and results from regional characteristics that emerge from interactions between multiple factors. Aware of the complexity of enumerating these factors, we highlight eight main determinants (the physical environment, food exposure, economic and political interest, social inequity, limited access to scientific knowledge, culture, contextual behaviour and genetics) and discuss how they impact obesity rates in Latin American countries. We propose that initiatives aimed at understanding obesity and hampering obesity growth in Latin America should involve multidisciplinary, global approaches that consider these determinants to build more effective public policy and strategies, accounting for regional differences and disease complexity at the individual and systemic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yazmín Macotela
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM Campus-Juriquilla, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Licio A Velloso
- Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Marcelo A Mori
- Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
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Kephart JL, Gouveia N, Rodríguez DA, Indvik K, Alfaro T, Texcalac-Sangrador JL, Miranda JJ, Bilal U, Diez Roux AV. Ambient nitrogen dioxide in 47 187 neighbourhoods across 326 cities in eight Latin American countries: population exposures and associations with urban features. Lancet Planet Health 2023; 7:e976-e984. [PMID: 38056968 PMCID: PMC10716820 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(23)00237-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health research on ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is sparse in Latin America, despite the high prevalence of NO2-associated respiratory diseases in the region. This study describes within-city distributions of ambient NO2 concentrations at high spatial resolution and urban characteristics associated with neighbourhood ambient NO2 in 326 Latin American cities. METHODS We aggregated estimates of annual surface NO2 at 1 km2 spatial resolution for 2019, population counts, and urban characteristics compiled by the SALURBAL project to the neighbourhood level (ie, census tracts). We described the percentage of the urban population living with ambient NO2 concentrations exceeding WHO air quality guidelines. We used multilevel models to describe associations of neighbourhood ambient NO2 concentrations with population and urban characteristics at the neighbourhood and city levels. FINDINGS We examined 47 187 neighbourhoods in 326 cities from eight Latin American countries. Of the roughly 236 million urban residents observed, 85% lived in neighbourhoods with ambient annual NO2 above WHO guidelines. In adjusted models, higher neighbourhood-level educational attainment, closer proximity to the city centre, and lower neighbourhood-level greenness were associated with higher ambient NO2. At the city level, higher vehicle congestion, population size, and population density were associated with higher ambient NO2. INTERPRETATION Almost nine out of every ten residents of Latin American cities live with ambient NO2 concentrations above WHO guidelines. Increasing neighbourhood greenness and reducing reliance on fossil fuel-powered vehicles warrant further attention as potential actionable urban environmental interventions to reduce population exposure to ambient NO2. FUNDING Wellcome Trust, National Institutes of Health, Cotswold Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiah L Kephart
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Nelson Gouveia
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel A Rodríguez
- Department of City and Regional Planning and Institute for Transportation Studies, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Indvik
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tania Alfaro
- Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - José Luis Texcalac-Sangrador
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - J Jaime Miranda
- CRONICAS Centre of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Usama Bilal
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ana V Diez Roux
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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10
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Gutiérrez-Avila I, Riojas-Rodríguez H, Colicino E, Rush J, Tamayo-Ortiz M, Borja-Aburto VH, Just AC. Short-term exposure to PM 2.5 and 1.5 million deaths: a time-stratified case-crossover analysis in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area. Environ Health 2023; 22:70. [PMID: 37848890 PMCID: PMC10580614 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-01024-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Satellite-based PM2.5 predictions are being used to advance exposure science and air-pollution epidemiology in developed countries; including emerging evidence about the impacts of PM2.5 on acute health outcomes beyond the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and the potential modifying effects from individual-level factors in these associations. Research on these topics is lacking in low and middle income countries. We aimed to explore the association between short-term exposure to PM2.5 with broad-category and cause-specific mortality outcomes in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA), and potential effect modification by age, sex, and SES characteristics in such associations. METHODS We used a time-stratified case-crossover study design with 1,479,950 non-accidental deaths from the MCMA for the period of 2004-2019. Daily 1 × 1 km PM2.5 (median = 23.4 μg/m3; IQR = 13.6 μg/m3) estimates from our satellite-based regional model were employed for exposure assessment at the sub-municipality level. Associations between PM2.5 with broad-category (organ-system) and cause-specific mortality outcomes were estimated with distributed lag conditional logistic models. We also fit models stratifying by potential individual-level effect modifiers including; age, sex, and individual SES-related characteristics namely: education, health insurance coverage, and job categories. Odds ratios were converted into percent increase for ease of interpretation. RESULTS PM2.5 exposure was associated with broad-category mortality outcomes, including all non-accidental, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, respiratory, and digestive mortality. A 10-μg/m3 PM2.5 higher cumulative exposure over one week (lag06) was associated with higher cause-specific mortality outcomes including hypertensive disease [2.28% (95%CI: 0.26%-4.33%)], acute ischemic heart disease [1.61% (95%CI: 0.59%-2.64%)], other forms of heart disease [2.39% (95%CI: -0.35%-5.20%)], hemorrhagic stroke [3.63% (95%CI: 0.79%-6.55%)], influenza and pneumonia [4.91% (95%CI: 2.84%-7.02%)], chronic respiratory disease [2.49% (95%CI: 0.71%-4.31%)], diseases of the liver [1.85% (95%CI: 0.31%-3.41%)], and renal failure [3.48% (95%CI: 0.79%-6.24%)]. No differences in effect size of associations were observed between age, sex and SES strata. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to PM2.5 was associated with non-accidental, broad-category and cause-specific mortality outcomes beyond the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, including specific death-causes from the digestive and genitourinary systems, with no indication of effect modification by individual-level characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Gutiérrez-Avila
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| | | | - Elena Colicino
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Johnathan Rush
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Marcela Tamayo-Ortiz
- Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Unidad de Investigación en Salud Ocupacional, México City, México
| | | | - Allan C Just
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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11
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Blanco E, Algranti E, Cifuentes LA, López-Carrillo L, Mora AM, Rodríguez-Guzmán J, Rodríguez-Villamizar LA, Veiga LHS, Canelo-Aybar C, Nieto-Gutierrez W, Feliu A, Espina C, Ferreccio C. Latin America and the Caribbean Code Against cancer 1st edition: Environment, occupation, and cancer. Cancer Epidemiol 2023; 86 Suppl 1:102381. [PMID: 37852723 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2023.102381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Within the framework of the Latin America and Caribbean region (LAC) Code Against Cancer 1st edition, the current work presents recommendations to reduce exposure to environmental and occupational carcinogenic agents relevant for LAC. Using the methodology established by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in the World Code Against Cancer Framework and experience from developing the European Code Against Cancer 4th edition, a working group of LAC cancer-prevention experts reviewed the list of Group I IARC carcinogenic agents, identified prevalent environmental and occupational exposures in the region, and proposed evidence-based cancer prevention recommendations suited to the epidemiological, socioeconomic, and cultural conditions of LAC countries. Two sets of recommendations were drafted: those targeting the general public and a second set for policymakers. Outdoor and indoor air pollution, ultra-violet radiation and occupational exposures to silica dust, asbestos, benzene, diesel, and welding fumes were identified as prevalent carcinogens in LAC and as agents that could be reduced or eliminated to prevent cancers. Recommendations for additional risk factors were not included due to insufficient data of their attributable burden in LAC (sunbeds, radon, aflatoxin), or lack of a clear preventive action to be taken by the individual (arsenic in drinking water, medical radiation), or lack of evidence of carcinogenicity effect (bisphenol A, phthalates, and pesticides). A broad consensus was reached on environmental and occupational carcinogenic exposures present throughout the LAC region and on individual-level and public policy-level recommendations to reduce or eliminate these exposures. Key educational content for the dissemination of these recommendations was also developed as part of LAC Code Against Cancer 1st Edition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estela Blanco
- Centro de Investigación en Sociedad y Salud y Nucleo Milenio SocioMed, Universidad Mayor, Badajoz 130, Oficina 1305, Las Condes, Santiago 7550000, Chile; Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Región Metropolitana, Postal/Zip Code: 8331150, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Luis Abdon Cifuentes
- Departamento de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Región Metropolitana, Postal/Zip Code: 8331150, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lizbeth López-Carrillo
- Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Avenida Universidad 655, Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62100, Mexico
| | - Ana M Mora
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA 94720-7392, USA
| | | | - Laura Andrea Rodríguez-Villamizar
- Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Salud, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Cra. 32 #29-31, Bucaramanga, Santander 680002, Colombia
| | - Lene H S Veiga
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, MSC 9776, Bethesda 20892, MD, USA
| | - Carlos Canelo-Aybar
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health, Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wendy Nieto-Gutierrez
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health, Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ariadna Feliu
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, 25 avenue Tony Garnier CS 90627, CEDEX 0769366, Lyon, France
| | - Carolina Espina
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, 25 avenue Tony Garnier CS 90627, CEDEX 0769366, Lyon, France
| | - Catterina Ferreccio
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Región Metropolitana, Postal/Zip Code: 8331150, Santiago, Chile; Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases ACCDIS, Santiago, Chile.
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12
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Espina C, Feliu A, Maza M, Almonte M, Ferreccio C, Finck C, Herrero R, Dommarco JR, de Almeida LM, Arrossi S, García PJ, Garmendia ML, Mohar A, Murillo R, Santamaría J, Tortolero-Luna G, Cazap E, Gabriel OO, Paonessa D, Zoss JW, Luciani S, Carvalho A, Schüz J. Latin America and the Caribbean Code Against Cancer 1st Edition: 17 cancer prevention recommendations to the public and to policy-makers (World Code Against Cancer Framework). Cancer Epidemiol 2023; 86 Suppl 1:102402. [PMID: 37852725 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2023.102402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Preventable risk factors are responsible of at least 40% of cases and almost 45% of all cancer deaths worldwide. Cancer is already the leading cause of death in almost half of the Latin American and the Caribbean countries constituting a public health problem. Cost-effective measures to reduce exposures through primary prevention and screening of certain types of cancers are critical in the fight against cancer but need to be tailored to the local needs and scenarios. The Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Code Against Cancer, 1st edition, consists of 17 evidence-based recommendations for the general public, based on the most recent solid evidence on lifestyle, environmental, occupational, and infectious risk factors, and medical interventions. Each recommendation is accompanied by recommendations for policymakers to guide governments establishing the infrastructure needed to enable the public adopting the recommendations. The LAC Code Against Cancer has been developed in a collaborative effort by a large number of experts from the region, under the umbrella strategy and authoritative methodology of the World Code Against Cancer Framework. The Code is a structured instrument ideal for cancer prevention and control that aims to raise awareness and educate the public, while building capacity and competencies to policymakers, health professionals, stakeholders, to contribute to reduce the burden of cancer in LAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Espina
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, 25 avenue Tony Garnier CS 90627, 69366 CEDEX 07 Lyon, France.
| | - Ariadna Feliu
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, 25 avenue Tony Garnier CS 90627, 69366 CEDEX 07 Lyon, France
| | - Mauricio Maza
- Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Cancer Prevention and Control, Washington, DC 20037, United States
| | - Maribel Almonte
- World Health Organization (WHO), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Catterina Ferreccio
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases ACCDIS, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolyn Finck
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Rolando Herrero
- Agencia Costarricense de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Fundación INCIENSA, Costa Rica
| | | | - Liz Maria de Almeida
- National Cancer Institute of Brazil (INCA), Prevention and Surveillance, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Silvina Arrossi
- Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad (CEDES), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Alejandro Mohar
- Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (UNAM), Tlalpan, Mexico
| | - Raúl Murillo
- Centro Javeriano de Oncología, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | | | - Eduardo Cazap
- Sociedad Latinoamercia y del Caribe de Oncología Médica (SLACOM), Red de Institutos e Instituciones Nacionales de Cáncer (RINC-SLACOM), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Owen O Gabriel
- Owen King EU Hospital, Department of Oncology, Saint Lucia
| | - Diego Paonessa
- Asociación Latina e Ibérica Contra el Cáncer (ALICC), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - J Walter Zoss
- Red de Institutos e Instituciones Nacionales de Cáncer (RINC-SLACOM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Silvana Luciani
- Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Cancer Prevention and Control, Washington, DC 20037, United States
| | - Andre Carvalho
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, 25 avenue Tony Garnier CS 90627, 69366 CEDEX 07 Lyon, France
| | - Joachim Schüz
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, 25 avenue Tony Garnier CS 90627, 69366 CEDEX 07 Lyon, France
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13
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Zhou J, Gladson L, Díaz Suárez V, Cromar K. Respiratory Health Impacts of Outdoor Air Pollution and the Efficacy of Local Risk Communication in Quito, Ecuador. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6326. [PMID: 37510559 PMCID: PMC10379231 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20146326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Relatively few studies on the adverse health impacts of outdoor air pollution have been conducted in Latin American cities, whose pollutant mixtures and baseline health risks are distinct from North America, Europe, and Asia. This study evaluates respiratory morbidity risk associated with ambient air pollution in Quito, Ecuador, and specifically evaluates if the local air quality index accurately reflects population-level health risks. Poisson generalized linear models using air pollution, meteorological, and hospital admission data from 2014 to 2015 were run to quantify the associations of air pollutants and index values with respiratory outcomes in single- and multi-pollutant models. Significant associations were observed for increased respiratory hospital admissions and ambient concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2), although some of these associations were attenuated in two-pollutant models. Significant associations were also observed for index values, but these values were driven almost entirely by daily O3 concentrations. Modifications to index formulation to more fully incorporate the health risks of multiple pollutants, particularly for NO2, have the potential to greatly improve risk communication in Quito. This work also increases the equity of the existing global epidemiological literature by adding new air pollution health risk values from a highly understudied region of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Zhou
- Marron Institute of Urban Management, New York University, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
| | - Laura Gladson
- Marron Institute of Urban Management, New York University, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Valeria Díaz Suárez
- Secretaría de Ambiente del Distrito Metropolitano de Quito, Quito 170138, Ecuador
| | - Kevin Cromar
- Marron Institute of Urban Management, New York University, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10010, USA
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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14
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Alli AS, Clark SN, Wang J, Bennett J, Hughes AF, Ezzati M, Brauer M, Nimo J, Bedford-Moses J, Baah S, Cavanaugh A, Agyei-Mensah S, Owusu G, Baumgartner J, Arku RE. High-resolution patterns and inequalities in ambient fine particle mass (PM 2.5) and black carbon (BC) in the Greater Accra Metropolis, Ghana. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 875:162582. [PMID: 36870487 PMCID: PMC10131145 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) experience high levels of ambient air pollution. However, sparse long-term city-wide air pollution exposure data limits policy mitigation efforts and assessment of the health and climate effects. In the first study of its kind in West Africa, we developed high resolution spatiotemporal land use regression (LUR) models to map fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC) concentrations in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), one of the fastest sprawling metropolises in SSA. We conducted a one-year measurement campaign covering 146 sites and combined these data with geospatial and meteorological predictors to develop separate Harmattan and non-Harmattan season PM2.5 and BC models at 100 m resolution. The final models were selected with a forward stepwise procedure and performance was evaluated with 10-fold cross-validation. Model predictions were overlayed with the most recent census data to estimate the population distribution of exposure and socioeconomic inequalities in exposure at the census enumeration area level. The fixed effects components of the models explained 48-69 % and 63-71 % of the variance in PM2.5 and BC concentrations, respectively. Spatial variables related to road traffic and vegetation explained the most variability in the non-Harmattan models, while temporal variables were dominant in the Harmattan models. The entire GAMA population is exposed to PM2.5 levels above the World Health Organization guideline, including even the Interim Target 3 (15 μg/m3), with the highest exposures in poorer neighborhoods. The models can be used to support air pollution mitigation policies, health, and climate impact assessments. The measurement and modelling approach used in this study can be adapted to other African cities to bridge the air pollution data gap in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abosede S Alli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA
| | - Sierra N Clark
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jiayuan Wang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA
| | - James Bennett
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Majid Ezzati
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; Regional Institute for Population Studies, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - James Nimo
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Solomon Baah
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Samuel Agyei-Mensah
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - George Owusu
- Institute of Statistical, Social & Economic Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Jill Baumgartner
- Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Raphael E Arku
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA.
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15
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Pereira GM, Kamigauti LY, Nogueira T, Gavidia-Calderón ME, Monteiro Dos Santos D, Evtyugina M, Alves C, Vasconcellos PDC, de Freitas ED, Andrade MDF. Emission factors for a biofuel impacted fleet in south America's largest metropolitan area. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023:121826. [PMID: 37196840 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (MASP) is among the largest urban areas in the Southern Hemisphere. Vehicular emissions are of great concern in metropolitan areas and MASP is unique due to the use of biofuels on a large scale (sugar-cane ethanol and biodiesel). In this work, tunnel measurements were employed to assess vehicle emissions and to calculate emission factors (EFs) for heavy-duty and light-duty vehicles (HDVs and LDVs). The EFs were determined for particulate matter (PM) and its chemical compounds. The EFs obtained for 2018 were compared with previous tunnel experiments performed in the same area. An overall trend of reduction of fine and coarse PM, organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC) EFs for both LDVs and HDVs was observed if compared to those observed in past years, suggesting the effectiveness of vehicular emissions control policies implemented in Brazil. A predominance of Fe, Cu, Al, and Ba metals emission was observed for the LDV fleet in the fine fraction. Cu presented higher emissions than two decades ago, which was associated with the increased use of ethanol fuel in the region. For HDVs, Zn and Pb were mostly emitted in the fine mode and were linked with lubricating oil emissions from diesel vehicles. A predominance in the emission of three- and four-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for HDVs and five-ring PAHs for LDVs agreed with what was observed in previous studies. The use of biofuels may explain the lower PAH emissions for LDVs (including carcinogenic BaP) compared to those observed in other countries. The tendency observed was that LDVs emit higher amounts of carcinogenic species. The use of these real EFs in air quality modeling resulted in more accurate simulations of PM concentrations, showing the importance of updating data with real-world measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Martins Pereira
- Departamento de Ciencias Atmosfericas, Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciencias Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil; Departamento de Química Fundamental, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil.
| | - Leonardo Yoshiaki Kamigauti
- Departamento de Ciencias Atmosfericas, Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciencias Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Thiago Nogueira
- Departamento de Ciencias Atmosfericas, Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciencias Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Mario Eduardo Gavidia-Calderón
- Departamento de Ciencias Atmosfericas, Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciencias Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil
| | | | - Margarita Evtyugina
- Department of Environment, Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Célia Alves
- Department of Environment, Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
| | | | - Edmilson Dias de Freitas
- Departamento de Ciencias Atmosfericas, Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciencias Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Maria de Fatima Andrade
- Departamento de Ciencias Atmosfericas, Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciencias Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil
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16
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Kephart JL, Gouveia N, Rodriguez DA, Indvik K, Alfaro T, Texcalac JL, Miranda JJ, Bilal U, Roux AVD. Ambient nitrogen dioxide in 47,187 neighborhoods across 326 cities in eight Latin American countries: population exposures and associations with urban features. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.05.02.23289390. [PMID: 37205591 PMCID: PMC10187449 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.02.23289390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Background Health research on ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is sparse in Latin America, despite the high prevalence of NO2-associated respiratory diseases in the region. This study describes within-city distributions of ambient NO2 concentrations at high spatial resolution and urban characteristics associated with neighborhood ambient NO2 in 326 Latin American cities. Methods We aggregated estimates of annual surface NO2 at 1 km2 spatial resolution for 2019, population counts, and urban characteristics compiled by the SALURBAL project to the neighborhood level (i.e., census tracts). We described the percent of the urban population living with ambient NO2 levels exceeding WHO Air Quality Guidelines. We used multilevel models to describe associations of neighborhood ambient NO2 concentrations with population and urban characteristics at the neighborhood and city levels. Findings We examined 47,187 neighborhoods in 326 cities from eight Latin American countries. Of the ≈236 million urban residents observed, 85% lived in neighborhoods with ambient annual NO2 above WHO guidelines. In adjusted models, higher neighborhood-level educational attainment, closer proximity to the city center, and lower neighborhood-level greenness were associated with higher ambient NO2. At the city level, higher vehicle congestion, population size, and population density were associated with higher ambient NO2. Interpretation Almost nine out of every 10 residents of Latin American cities live with ambient NO2 concentrations above WHO guidelines. Increasing neighborhood greenness and reducing reliance on fossil fuel-powered vehicles warrant further attention as potential actionable urban environmental interventions to reduce population exposure to ambient NO2. Funding Wellcome Trust, National Institutes of Health, Cotswold Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiah L. Kephart
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Nelson Gouveia
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel A. Rodriguez
- Department of City and Regional Planning and Institute for Transportation Studies, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Katy Indvik
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Tania Alfaro
- Escuela de Salud Pública, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - José Luis Texcalac
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - J. Jaime Miranda
- CRONICAS Centre of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Usama Bilal
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Ana V. Diez Roux
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
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Polezer G, Potgieter-Vermaak S, Oliveira A, Martins LD, Santos-Silva JC, Moreira CAB, Pauliquevis T, Godoi AFL, Tadano Y, Yamamoto CI, Godoi RHM. The new WHO air quality guidelines for PM 2.5: predicament for small/medium cities. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:1841-1860. [PMID: 35713838 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-022-01307-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The global burden of disease estimated that approximately 7.1 million deaths worldwide were related to air pollution in 2016. However, only a limited number of small- and middle-sized cities have air quality monitoring networks. To date, air quality in terms of particulate matter is still mainly focused on mass concentration, with limited compositional monitoring even in mega cities, despite evidence indicating differential toxicity of particulate matter. As this evidence is far from conclusive, we conducted PM2.5 bioaccessibility studies of potentially harmful elements in a medium-sized city, Londrina, Brazil. The data was interpreted in terms of source apportionment, the health risk evaluation and the bioaccessibility of inorganic contents in an artificial lysosomal fluid. The daily average concentration of PM2.5 was below the WHO guideline, however, the chemical health assessment indicated a considerable health risk. The in vitro evaluation showed different potential mobility when compared to previous studies in large-sized cities, those with 1 million inhabitants or more (Curitiba and Manaus). The new WHO guideline for PM2.5 mass concentration puts additional pressure on cities where air pollution monitoring is limited and/or neglected, because decision making is mainly revenue-driven and not socioeconomic-driven. Given the further emerging evidence that PM chemical composition is as, or even more, important than mass concentration levels, the research reported in the paper could pave the way for the necessary inter- and intra-city collaborations that are needed to address this global health challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Polezer
- Environmental Engineering Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
- Departament of Technology, State University of Maringá, Umuarama, Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Sanja Potgieter-Vermaak
- Ecology & Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK
- Molecular Science Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Andrea Oliveira
- Chemistry Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Leila D Martins
- Chemistry Department, Federal University of Technology-Paraná, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Jéssica C Santos-Silva
- Water Resources and Environmental Engineering Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Camila A B Moreira
- Environmental Engineering Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Theotonio Pauliquevis
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil
| | - Ana F L Godoi
- Environmental Engineering Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Yara Tadano
- Mathematics Department, Federal University of Technology - Paraná, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Carlos I Yamamoto
- Chemical Engineering Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Ricardo H M Godoi
- Environmental Engineering Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
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Morales-Betancourt R, Wilches-Mogollon MA, Sarmiento OL, Mendez Molano D, Angulo D, Filigrana P, Arellana J, Guzman LA, Garzon G, Gouveia N, Levy P, Diez-Roux AV. Commuter's personal exposure to air pollutants after the implementation of a cable car for public transport: Results of the natural experiment TrUST. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 865:160880. [PMID: 36516922 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Commuters in urban settlements are frequently exposed to high concentrations of air pollutants due to their proximity to mobile sources, making exposure to traffic-related air pollutants an important public health issue. Recent trends in urban transport towards zero- and low-tailpipe emission alternatives will likely result in decreased exposure to air pollutants. The TrUST (Urban transformations and health) study offers a unique opportunity to understand the impacts of a new cable car (TransMiCable) in underserved communities within Bogotá, Colombia. The aims of this study are to assess the personal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), equivalent Black Carbon (eBC), and Carbon Monoxide (CO) in transport micro-environments and to estimate the inhaled dose per trip during mandatory multimodal trips before and after the implementation of the TransMiCable. We collected personal exposure data for Bus-Rapid-Transit (BRT) feeder buses, regular buses, informal transport, pedestrians, and TransMiCable. TransMiCable showed lower exposure concentration compared to BRT feeder and regular buses (PM2.5: 23.6 vs. 87.0 μg m-3 (P ≤ 0.001) and eBC: 5.2 vs. 28.2 μg m-3 (P ≤ 0.001), respectively). The mean concentration of PM2.5 and eBC inside the TransMiCable cabins were 62 % and 82 % lower than the mean concentrations in buses. Furthermore, using a Monte Carlo simulation model, we found that including the TransMiCable as a feeder is related to a 54.4 μg/trip reduction in PM2.5 inhaled dose and 35.8 μg/trip in eBC per trip. Those changes represent a 27 % and 34 % reduction in an inhaled dose per trip, respectively. Our results show that PM2.5, eBC, and CO inhaled dose for TransMiCable users is reduced due to lower exposure concentration inside its cabins and shorter travel time. The implementation of a cable car in Bogotá is likely to reduce air pollution exposure in transport micro-environments used by vulnerable populations living in semi-informal settlements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Morales-Betancourt
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Maria A Wilches-Mogollon
- Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Olga L Sarmiento
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Daniela Mendez Molano
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia; Universidad Manuela Beltrán, Unidad de Ingenieria Ambiental, Cra. 1 #No. 60-00, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Daniela Angulo
- Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paola Filigrana
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Julian Arellana
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Luis A Guzman
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Gabriela Garzon
- Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Nelson Gouveia
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paul Levy
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Ana V Diez-Roux
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Gutiérrez-Avila I, Riojas-Rodríguez H, Colicino E, Rush J, Tamayo-Ortiz M, Borja-Aburto VH, Just AC. Daily exposure to PM 2.5 and 1.5 million deaths: A time-stratified case-crossover analysis in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.01.15.23284576. [PMID: 36711599 PMCID: PMC9882435 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.15.23284576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Background Satellite-based PM2.5 predictions are being used to advance exposure science and air-pollution epidemiology in developed countries; including emerging evidence about the impacts of PM2.5 on acute health outcomes beyond the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and the potential modifying effects from individual-level factors in these associations. Research on these topics is lacking in Latin America. Methods We used a time-stratified case-crossover study design with 1,479,950 non-accidental deaths from Mexico City Metropolitan Area for the period of 2004-2019. Daily 1×1 km PM2.5 (median=23.4 μg/m3; IQR=13.6 μg/m3) estimates from our satellite-based regional model were employed for exposure assessment at the sub-municipality level. Associations between PM2.5 with broad-category (organ-system) and cause-specific mortality outcomes were estimated with distributed lag conditional logistic models. We also fit models stratifying by potential individual-level effect modifiers including; age, sex, and individual SES-related characteristics namely: education, health insurance coverage, and job categories. Results PM2.5 exposure was associated with higher total non-accidental, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, respiratory, and digestive mortality. A 10-μg/m3 PM2.5 higher cumulative exposure over one week (lag06) was associated with higher cause-specific mortality outcomes including hypertensive disease [2.28% (95%CI: 0.26%-4.33%)], acute ischemic heart disease [1.61% (95%CI: 0.59%-2.64%)], other forms of heart disease [2.39% (95%CI: -0.35%-5.20%)], hemorrhagic stroke [3.63% (95%CI: 0.79%-6.55%)], influenza and pneumonia [4.91% (95%CI: 2.84%-7.02%)], chronic respiratory disease [2.49% (95%CI: 0.71%-4.31%)], diseases of the liver [1.85% (95%CI: 0.31%-3.41%)], and renal failure [3.48% (95%CI: 0.79%-6.24%)]. No differences in effect size of associations were observed between SES strata. Conclusions Exposure to PM2.5 was associated with mortality outcomes beyond the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, including specific death-causes from the digestive and genitourinary systems, with no indications of effect modification by individual SES-related characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Gutiérrez-Avila
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Elena Colicino
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Johnathan Rush
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marcela Tamayo-Ortiz
- Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. Unidad de Investigación en Salud Ocupacional, México City, México
| | | | - Allan C. Just
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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de Moura FR, da Silva Júnior FMR. 2030 Agenda: discussion on Brazilian priorities facing air pollution and climate change challenges. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:8376-8390. [PMID: 36481854 PMCID: PMC9734578 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24601-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The advance of human activities in a disorderly way has accelerated in recent decades, intensifying the environmental impacts directly linked to these practices. The atmosphere, essential for the maintenance of life, is increasingly saturated with pollutants, offering risks to practically all the inhabitants of the planet, a process that, in addition to causing illness and early mortality, is related to serious financial losses (including in the production of goods), dangerous temperature increase and severe natural disasters. Although this perception is not recent, the global initiative to control the different mechanisms that trigger the commitment of biodiversity and irreversible climate changes arising from pollution is still very incipient, given that global initiatives on the subject emerged just over 50 years ago. Brazil is a territory that centralizes many of these discussions, as it still faces both political and economic obstacles in achieving a sustainable growth model as it was agreed through the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Even though there is little time left for the completion of these goals, much remains to be done, and despite the fulfillment of this deadline, the works will certainly need to be extended for much longer until an effective reorientation of consciousness occurs. Scientific researches and discussions are fundamental tools to the understanding of issues still little explored in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Rafael de Moura
- LEFT - Laboratório de Ensaios Farmacológicos e Toxicológicos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Av. Itália, Km 8, Campus Carreiros, Rio Grande, RS, CEP 96203-900, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Rua Visconde de Paranaguá, 102, Rio Grande, RS, CEP 96203-900, Brazil
| | - Flavio Manoel Rodrigues da Silva Júnior
- LEFT - Laboratório de Ensaios Farmacológicos e Toxicológicos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Av. Itália, Km 8, Campus Carreiros, Rio Grande, RS, CEP 96203-900, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Rua Visconde de Paranaguá, 102, Rio Grande, RS, CEP 96203-900, Brazil.
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Air pollution and public health in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC): a systematic review with meta-analysis. BENI-SUEF UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF BASIC AND APPLIED SCIENCES 2022; 11:122. [PMID: 36196224 PMCID: PMC9523187 DOI: 10.1186/s43088-022-00305-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Over the years, air pollution has garnered increased attention from researchers who continue to provide studies and suggestive data that prove there is an ever-increasing risk of air pollution on the health of humans, terrestrial, and aquatic animals. A measurement involved in the quantity of certain traceable particles within the air, namely: Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 and 10, ozone (O3), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions, all converted to Air Quality Index. Most studies are predominantly from developed nations with limited research conducted in developing nations such as those in Latin America and the Caribbean. Main body In this systematic review, we examined the impact of air pollution on public health. A database search produced 1,118 studies, of which four were selected for a quantitative meta-analysis that explored hazard ratios concerning exposure to elevated levels of PM2.5. The meta-analysis results show that exposure to PM2.5 increases the risk of an adverse health event by as much as 2% five days after exposure. Results also indicated a consensus on the negative impacts of air pollution on public health. The results also suggest that more can be done within the region to combat or at the very least minimize the impact of air pollution to public health. Conclusion The pooled data from the studies reviewed show that there is an increased risk of an adverse health event on the day of exposure to PM2.5 and every subsequent day after exposure. A pattern exists between hospitalization and air pollution due to increased susceptibility to respiratory infections and asthma development. Combating the harmful effects of air pollution should be a top priority in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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Steenland K, Vu B, Scovronick N. Effect modification by maximum temperature of the association between PM 2.5 and short-term cardiorespiratory mortality and emergency room visits in Lima, Peru, 2010-2016. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 32:590-595. [PMID: 34657126 PMCID: PMC9012782 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-021-00393-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The health effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) may be worse at higher temperatures. OBJECTIVE To investigate temperature's effect on PM2.5-mortality/morbidity associations in Lima, Peru. METHODS Time-series regressions relating PM2.5 and temperature to mortality and emergency room (ER) visits during 2010-2016. Daily PM2.5 levels (assigned to 40 Lima districts) and daily maximum temperature (Lima-wide) were estimated based on ground monitors, remote sensing, and modeling. We analyzed all-cause, cardiovascular (ICD codes I00-I99), and respiratory (ICD codes J00-J99) mortality, and cardiovascular and respiratory causes for ER visits. RESULTS The average PM2.5 concentration was 20.9 µg/m3 (IQR 17.5-23.5). The mean daily maximum temperature was 23.8 °C (IQR 20.8-26.9). PM2.5's effect on all-cause, respiratory, and circulatory disease mortality was significantly (p < 0.05) stronger at temperatures above the maximum temperature median. The rate ratios per increase of 10 µg/m3 of PM2.5 for all cause, respiratory, and circulatory mortality respectively were 1.03 (1.00-1.06), 1.04 (0.98-1.10), and 1.04 (0.98-1.10) at temperatures below the median, vs. 1.08 (1.04-1.12), 1.11 (1.03-1.19), and 1.14 (1.05-1.25) when temperatures were above the median. Results were analogous for ER visits for respiratory but not circulatory disease. SIGNIFICANCE Results strengthen the evidence that air pollution may be more dangerous when temperatures are higher. IMPACT Our data contribute to a growing body of literature which indicates that the damaging effects of PM2.5 may be worse at higher temperature, adding new evidence from Lima, Peru.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bryan Vu
- Corresponding author: Kyle Steenland,
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23
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City-level impact of extreme temperatures and mortality in Latin America. Nat Med 2022; 28:1700-1705. [PMID: 35760859 PMCID: PMC9388372 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-022-01872-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Climate change and urbanization are rapidly increasing human exposure to extreme ambient temperatures, yet few studies have examined temperature and mortality in Latin America. We conducted a nonlinear, distributed-lag, longitudinal analysis of daily ambient temperatures and mortality among 326 Latin American cities between 2002 and 2015. We observed 15,431,532 deaths among ≈2.9 billion person-years of risk. The excess death fraction of total deaths was 0.67% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-0.74%) for heat-related deaths and 5.09% (95% CI 4.64-5.47%) for cold-related deaths. The relative risk of death was 1.057 (95% CI 1.046-1.067%) per 1 °C higher temperature during extreme heat and 1.034 (95% CI 1.028-1.040%) per 1 °C lower temperature during extreme cold. In Latin American cities, a substantial proportion of deaths is attributable to nonoptimal ambient temperatures. Marginal increases in observed hot temperatures are associated with steep increases in mortality risk. These risks were strongest among older adults and for cardiovascular and respiratory deaths.
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Gouveia N, Slovic AD, Kanai CM, Soriano L. Air Pollution and Environmental Justice in Latin America: Where Are We and How Can We Move Forward? Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:152-164. [PMID: 35146705 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00341-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Air pollution in Latin America is a major environmental threat, yet few studies have focused on aspects of environmental justice with regard to air pollution in the region. We examined the scientific literature and described whether and how this issue has been addressed, identify possible gaps in knowledge, and offer suggestions for future research to contribute to policies that seek greater equity concerning air pollution impacts in Latin America. RECENT FINDINGS There is a limited literature that has addressed issues of environmental justice or environmental health inequalities about air pollution in Latin America, with studies concentrated in Brazil, Mexico, and Chile. Studies that examined disparities in exposure to air pollution found a clear pattern of higher exposure in socially deprived areas. Studies that examined disparities in health impacts associated with air pollution have mixed results, but many found a clear modification of effect with those in the lower socioeconomic groups presenting greater effects. Despite Latin America's colonial and slavery history, no studies have considered ethnicity or minority populations. The literature shows that health risks (exposure and susceptibility) associated with air pollution are unevenly distributed among Latin American populations. Methodological approaches varied and can be improved in future studies, especially for exposure assessment to air pollution, as well as for assigning socioeconomic position to individuals. Using smaller geographic units and spatial regression techniques will allow a reduction in measurement error. Attempts should be made to include both individual and contextual socioeconomic indicators in the analysis. Better quality information will help understand these differential exposures and effects and provide inputs to policies to tackle these inequalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson Gouveia
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455, Sao Paulo, SP, 01246-903, Brazil.
| | - Anne Dorothée Slovic
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Sao Paulo School of Public Health, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, Sao Paulo, SP, 715, Brazil
| | - Claudio Makoto Kanai
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455, Sao Paulo, SP, 01246-903, Brazil
| | - Lucas Soriano
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455, Sao Paulo, SP, 01246-903, Brazil
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Bilal U, de Castro CP, Alfaro T, Barrientos-Gutierrez T, Barreto ML, Leveau CM, Martinez-Folgar K, Miranda JJ, Montes F, Mullachery P, Pina MF, Rodriguez DA, dos Santos GF, Andrade RFS, Diez Roux AV. Scaling of mortality in 742 metropolitan areas of the Americas. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabl6325. [PMID: 34878846 PMCID: PMC8654292 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl6325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We explored how mortality scales with city population size using vital registration and population data from 742 cities in 10 Latin American countries and the United States. We found that more populated cities had lower mortality (sublinear scaling), driven by a sublinear pattern in U.S. cities, while Latin American cities had similar mortality across city sizes. Sexually transmitted infections and homicides showed higher rates in larger cities (superlinear scaling). Tuberculosis mortality behaved sublinearly in U.S. and Mexican cities and superlinearly in other Latin American cities. Other communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional deaths, and deaths due to noncommunicable diseases were generally sublinear in the United States and linear or superlinear in Latin America. Our findings reveal distinct patterns across the Americas, suggesting no universal relation between city size and mortality, pointing to the importance of understanding the processes that explain heterogeneity in scaling behavior or mortality to further advance urban health policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usama Bilal
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Caio P. de Castro
- Center for Data and Knowledge Integration for Health (CIDACS), Fiocruz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Institute of Physics, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Tania Alfaro
- Escuela de Salud Pública, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | | | - Mauricio L. Barreto
- Center for Data and Knowledge Integration for Health (CIDACS), Fiocruz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Carlos M. Leveau
- Instituto de Producción, Economía y Trabajo, Universidad Nacional de Lanús, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Kevin Martinez-Folgar
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - J. Jaime Miranda
- CRONICAS Centre of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Felipe Montes
- Department of Industrial Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Pricila Mullachery
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maria Fatima Pina
- Institute for Information and Communication on Health—ICICT/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Porto, Portugal
| | - Daniel A. Rodriguez
- Department of City and Regional Planning, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Gervasio F. dos Santos
- Center for Data and Knowledge Integration for Health (CIDACS), Fiocruz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Economics Faculty, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Roberto F. S. Andrade
- Center for Data and Knowledge Integration for Health (CIDACS), Fiocruz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Institute of Physics, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Ana V. Diez Roux
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Sarmiento OL, Useche AF, Rodriguez DA, Dronova I, Guaje O, Montes F, Stankov I, Wilches MA, Bilal U, Wang X, Guzmán LA, Peña F, Quistberg DA, Guerra-Gomez JA, Diez Roux AV. Built environment profiles for Latin American urban settings: The SALURBAL study. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257528. [PMID: 34699532 PMCID: PMC8547632 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The built environment of cities is complex and influences social and environmental determinants of health. In this study we, 1) identified city profiles based on the built landscape and street design characteristics of cities in Latin America and 2) evaluated the associations of city profiles with social determinants of health and air pollution. Landscape and street design profiles of 370 cities were identified using finite mixture modeling. For landscape, we measured fragmentation, isolation, and shape. For street design, we measured street connectivity, street length, and directness. We fitted a two-level linear mixed model to assess the association of social and environmental determinants of health with the profiles. We identified four profiles for landscape and four for the street design domain. The most common landscape profile was the "proximate stones" characterized by moderate fragmentation, isolation and patch size, and irregular shape. The most common street design profile was the "semi-hyperbolic grid" characterized by moderate connectivity, street length, and directness. The "semi-hyperbolic grid", "spiderweb" and "hyperbolic grid" profiles were positively associated with higher access to piped water and less overcrowding. The "semi-hyperbolic grid" and "spiderweb" profiles were associated with higher air pollution. The "proximate stones" and "proximate inkblots" profiles were associated with higher congestion. In conclusion, there is substantial heterogeneity in the urban landscape and street design profiles of Latin American cities. While we did not find a specific built environment profile that was consistently associated with lower air pollution and better social conditions, the different configurations of the built environments of cities should be considered when planning healthy and sustainable cities in Latin America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga L. Sarmiento
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Andrés F. Useche
- Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Daniel A. Rodriguez
- College of Environmental Design and Institute for Transportation Studies, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Iryna Dronova
- Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Oscar Guaje
- Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Felipe Montes
- Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Ivana Stankov
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Maria Alejandra Wilches
- Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Usama Bilal
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Xize Wang
- Department of Real Estate, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Luis A. Guzmán
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Fabian Peña
- Department of Computer Science, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - D. Alex Quistberg
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - John A. Guerra-Gomez
- Department of Computer Science, School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
- Khoury School of Computer Science, Northeastern University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Ana V. Diez Roux
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
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27
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Dos Santos NV, Yariwake VY, Marques KDV, Veras MM, Fajersztajn L. Air Pollution: A Neglected Risk Factor for Dementia in Latin America and the Caribbean. Front Neurol 2021; 12:684524. [PMID: 34367051 PMCID: PMC8339300 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.684524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) rises with increasing age and polluted air. Currently, at least 172 million people breathe unhealthy levels of air pollution in LAC countries. Several cohort studies have indicated that air pollution increases the risk of developing dementia and neurodegenerative diseases, but the mechanisms underlying the association are still not clear. Air pollution causes and aggravates five established risk factors for dementia (obesity, hypertension, stroke, diabetes mellitus, and heart diseases) and is linked to three other risk factors (physical inactivity, cognitive inactivity, and depression). Some of these risk factors could be mediating the association between air pollution and dementia. Reducing the risks for dementia is crucial and urgently needed in LAC countries. There is room for improving air quality in many urban areas in the LAC region and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), a routealready explored by many urban areas in developing regions. Moreover, reducing air pollution has proved to improve health outcomes before. In this article, we propose that despite the ongoing and valid scientific discussion, if air pollution can or cannot directly affect the brain and cause or aggravate dementia, we are ready to consider air pollution as a potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia in LAC and possibly in other LMICs. We suggest that controlling and reducing current air pollution levels in LAC and other LMIC regions now could strongly contribute.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathália Villa Dos Santos
- Laboratório de Poluição Ambiental, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Departamento de Saude Ambiental, Faculdade de Saude Publica, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Victor Yuji Yariwake
- Laboratório de Poluição Ambiental, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Mariana Matera Veras
- Laboratório de Poluição Ambiental, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Laís Fajersztajn
- Laboratório de Poluição Ambiental, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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