Why is Air Quality Important • Poor air quality reduces the life expectancy of everyone in the UK by an average of seven to eight months and up to 50,000 people a year may die prematurely because of it 1 . • New evidence on the longer-term impacts shows that greater gains in life expectancy could be achieved by tackling air quality than are currently being realised by efforts to eliminate road deaths and passive smoking combined 1 . 1 House of Commons, Environmental Audit Committee, Air Quality, Fifth Report of Session 2009–10
Why is Air Quality Important. Poor air quality reduces the life expectancy of everyone in the UK by an average of seven to eight months and up to 50,000 people a year may die prematurely because of it 1 . - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Why is Air Quality Important• Poor air quality reduces the life expectancy of
everyone in the UK by an average of seven to eight months and up to 50,000 people a year may die prematurely because of it1.
• New evidence on the longer-term impacts shows that greater gains in life expectancy could be achieved by tackling air quality than are currently being realised by efforts to eliminate road deaths and passive smoking combined1.
1 House of Commons, Environmental Audit Committee, Air Quality, Fifth Report of Session 2009–10
Background in Sefton• Residents regularly express concerns about
health• 10 year difference in life expectancy between
areas of Sefton• Widespread belief this is linked to air pollution• Uncertainty of relationship between monitored
levels and health impacts • Need to investigate this and either
– Reassure residents– Identify necessary action
Projects with Health Agencies• Worked with ‘Health Authority’,
Chest Physicians from local hospitals and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) to investigate impacts of coal dust on local school children
• In 1999 launched Airwatch Alert System in conjunction with the PCT
Projects with Health Agencies• Commissioned LSTM to carry out study exploring
links between pollutant emissions and health impacts
• Supported MSc dissertation by Helen Casstles ‘Understanding the potential health impact from particulate matter within an air quality management area close to the port of Liverpool.’
• Commissioned further study by LSTM exploring links between pollutant concentrations and health in AQMAs
LSTM AQ and Health Study • Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
commissioned to undertake study examining links between pollutant emissions and health
• Study used Emissions data rather than concentrations– Adequate sample size for initial work required whole Sefton data– Monitoring network not comprehensive enough to supply this– Modelling dependant on to many variables– If link could be established with emissions provides more stable
relationship that can be more generally applied
Health and AQ in an AQMA• Department supported an MSc Dissertation*
examining potential health impact of PM10 levels within an AQMA– Department provided data on PM10 Concentrations – Used Middle Super Output Area data on health and depravation to
develop a health profile of the area– Estimated the potential effect on all cause mortality from localised
particulate pollution published dose response coefficients. • Complimented LSTM work• Looking at problem from ‘both ends’ develop
an holistic understanding of the issues
*Author Helen Casstles
Results• Both studies have shown that air
pollution and deprivation are linked• People in the most deprived areas
suffer other health impacts– Smoking prevalence higher– Poorer housing conditions
• Air pollution can add to these impacts
Benefits of this Approach• Develops holistic understanding of