Abstract
This study aims to investigate the association of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 μm (PM10) and greenness with cause-specific mortality and their interactions in seven Korean metropolitan cities. We obtained the annual standardized cause-specific mortality rates, annual mean concentration of PM10, and annual Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for 73 districts for the period 2008–2016. We used negative binomial regression with city-specific random effects to estimate the association of PM10 and greenness with mortality. The models were adjusted for potential confounders and spatial autocorrelation. We also conducted stratified analyses to investigate whether the association between PM10 and mortality differs by the level of greenness. Our findings suggest an increased risk of all causes examined, except respiratory disease mortality, with high levels of PM10 and decreased risk of cardiovascular-related mortality with a high level of greenness. In the stratified analyses, we found interactions between PM10 and greenness, but these interactions in the opposite direction depend on the cause of death. The effects of PM10 on cardiovascular-related mortality were attenuated in greener areas, whereas the effects of PM10 on non-accidental mortality were attenuated in less green areas. Further studies are needed to explore the underlying mechanisms.
Highlights
Residential environments have significant impacts on health
This study investigated the effects of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 μm (PM10 ) and greenness on cause-specific mortality in seven metropolitan cities (Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, and Ulsan) in Korea during the period 2008–2016
There is a total of 74 districts in seven metropolitan cities, and exclusion was made for the district with missing information on air pollution (Ongjin-gun in Incheon City)
Summary
Residential environments have significant impacts on health. Air pollution has been associated with an increased risk of cardiopulmonary health, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and lung cancer [1,2,3,4]. Green space has been recently suggested to benefit health, especially cardiovascular disease, mental health, and levels of overweight and obesity [5,6,7]. The health effects of these environmental factors may not appear to be independent of one another. Green space has been suggested to promote health by encouraging physical activity [8,9], facilitating social contacts [10], and decreasing psychological stress [11,12], which may affect the response to air pollution. When people are simultaneously exposed to air pollution and greenness, the detrimental effects of air pollution may, to some degree, be mitigated by the beneficial effects of greenness
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