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Francesca Dominici, Ph.D., Roger D. Peng, Ph.D., Scott Zeger, Ph.D., and Jonathan M. Samet, M.D., M.S. Particulate air pollution has been linked to cardiovascular mortality and has resulted in increasingly stringent air pollution regulations. Not surprisingly, policy makers and industry officials are eager to know if these tougher regulations are having the desired affect—protecting public health. NIEHS-supported researchers at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University conducted a statistical analysis of particulate matter air pollution and mortality trends from 1987 through 2000—a period during which the EPA set new air quality standards. They found a strong indication that exposures to particulate matter continue to be associate with increased mortality. Annual averages of ambient air concentrations of particulate matter less than 10 microns and less than 2.5 microns in diameter declined nationwide during the study period. The analysis shows a small decline in the short-term effects of particulate matter on mortality, and most of this decline occurred in counties in the eastern United States. This type of analysis called accountability research is relatively new and “is viewed as an emerging component of responsible governmental policy intervention and environmental health tracking and research.” While this study does not provide conclusive evidence of health benefits from more stringent regulation, it does have the potential to provide necessary data for regulatory agencies so that informed decisions can be made. Additional time and research is necessary to determine whether the regulations will have a positive effect on public health or whether the current standards need to be strengthened. Citation: Dominici F, Peng RD, Zeger SL, White RH, Samet JM. Particulate air pollution and mortality in the United States: did the risks change from 1987 to 2000? Am J Epidemiol. 2007 Oct 15;166(8):880-8.
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