Chronic Exposure to Fine Particles (PM2.5) and Mortality: Evidence from Chile

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Cities in the center-south of Chile have a high atmospheric pollution derived from sources coming from industries, mobile and residential wood burning. Several studies, outside of Chile, have linked PM2.5 air pollution exposure to higher mortality risk due to cardiovascular, pulmonary and lung cancer diseases. On recent years Chile has develop an extensive network of air pollution monitoring, along with multiple public access databases for characteristics of the population, such as death certificates and socioeconomic conditions, which allows this relationship to be studied. METHODS: An ecological cross-sectional study with national data at commune level from Chile to address the impact of long term PM2.5 exposures on age-adjusted mortality rates, controlling by multiple explanatory variables. We study different endpoints associated with all causes, cardiopulmonary, cardiovascular, pulmonary, cancer and lung cancer. RESULTS:We found statistical evidence of a higher age-adjusted mortality risk associated with chronic exposure to PM2.5 air pollution (per 10 μg/m3 increase) cardiopulmonary (6%) and respiratory (11%) causes. For all causes, cardiovascular, cancer and lung cancer a positive effect was found, but without statistical significance. The positive associations remain even by controlling with multiple cofounding factors and by considering multiple cases. CONCLUSIONS:PM2.5 air pollution exposure, among other demographic and socioeconomic factors, have a major influence on the mortality risk in Chile for cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Further air pollution reduction measures should be directed at the center-south of Chile, where PM2.5 air pollution is highest. Future research is needed to better understand the mortality and morbidity effects in Chile related to air pollution conditions. KEYWORDS: PM2.5 air pollution, LAC, Cardiopulmonary disease, Age-adjusted mortality rates, Ecological study