AAAR 33rd Annual Conference
October 20 - October 24, 2014
Rosen Shingle Creek
Orlando, Florida, USA
Abstract View
An Analysis of Air Pollution Effects On Health In São Paulo City Through Health Impact Assessment Approach
SIMONE MIRAGLIA, Karina Abe, Ricardo Popescu-Junior, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Abstract Number: 128 Working Group: Health Related Aerosols
Abstract Air pollution is a problem of growing importance in urban centres all over the world, but it has a special concern in developing countries. Several epidemiological studies have consistently shown an association between particulate air pollution and not only exacerbations of illness in people with respiratory diseases but also increase in the numbers of deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
Sao Paulo is the world's third largest city and the largest in South America with over 10 million inhabitants. In this study, we investigated the population of Sao Paulo over 30 years old exposed to particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5microgram (PM2.5) from 2009 to 2011. The total of studied population was 6 millions people and the respiratory and cardiovascular mortality avoided in two scenarios of pollutants' decrease was conducted in terms of health impact assessment, through APHEKOM software. The period between 2009 and 2011 registered a mean of PM2.5 of 21.39 microgram /m$^3 + 10 SD. The maximum was 78 microgram/m$^3 and the minimum was 5 microgram/m$^3. The first scenario has considered the mortality avoided if the PM2.5 annual mean concentration could decrease 5 microgram/m$^3 and in the second scenario a decrease of 10 microgram/m$^3 was considered.
As a result, the first scenario has avoided 1,724.8 annual deaths or 28.7 deaths avoided per 100,000 inhabitants over 30. It represents a gain of 5.2 years in life expectancy. The second scenario revealed a better projection. The 10 microgram/m$^3 decrease in annual mean concentration of PM2.5 could avoid 3,856.6 annual deaths or 64.2 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, meaning a 12 years in life expectancy gain.
In conclusion, Health Impact Assessment approach is valuable for showing health gains concerning air pollution improvements in developing countries, orientating the public policies for diminishing air pollutants.