Air Pollution Epidemiological Studies in South Africa: Need for Freshening Up (original) (raw)

Association between ambient air pollution and cause-specific mortality in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg, South Africa: any susceptible groups?

Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 2021

Studies have confirmed that adverse human health effects that are associated with exposure to air pollution may differ depending on other factors such as age, gender, environmental conditions, and socio-economic factors. This study was conducted to assess the association between ambient air pollution and cause-specific mortality in the three big cities in South Africa and to determine the susceptible groups thereof. Cause-specific mortality data for all ages and PM10, NO2, and SO2 in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg for the period from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010 were obtained. Statistical analyses were done to estimate the associations between air pollutants and cause-specific mortality. Susceptibility was therefore investigated in stratified analyses by sex and age (≥60 years) and environmental conditions (heat and cold) followed by models with interaction terms. Our estimates showed independent associations between these air pollutants, environmental conditions, and sus...

Estimating the burden of disease attributable to urban outdoor air pollution in South Africa in 2000

2007

To quantify the mortality burden attributed to urban outdoor air pollution in South Africa in 2000. The study followed comparative risk assessment (CRA) methodology developed by the World Heath Organization (WHO). In most urban areas, annual mean concentrations of particulate matter (PM) with diameters less than 10 microm (PM10) from monitoring network data and PM with diameters less than 2.5 microm (PM2.5) derived using a ratio method were weighted according to population size. PM(10) and PM(2.5) data from air-quality assessment studies in areas not covered by the network were also included. Population-attributable fractions calculated using risk coefficients presented in the WHO study were weighted by the proportion of the total population (33%) in urban environments, and applied to revised estimates of deaths and years of life lost (YLLs) for South Africa in 2000. South Africa. Children under 5 years and adults 30 years and older. Mortality and YLLs from lung cancer and cardiopul...

Changes in health risk associated with air pollution and policy response effectiveness, Richards Bay, South Africa

Clean Air Journal

Lung and bronchus cancer, asthma, acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI), ischemic heart diseases (IHD), cerebrovascular diseases (CEV) are disorders that have been widely associated with air pollution. More so, research shows that more than 5.5 million people die prematurely every year due to household and outdoor air pollution placing it as the fourth highest-ranking risk factor for death globally (Forouzanfar et al., 2015). Setting a minimum emission standard for industrial sources is a way to control air pollution and to minimize adverse impacts on people. With an aim to ascertain pollution policy intervention effectiveness, this study uses the case of Richards Bay to determine changes in health risk associated with air quality pollution exposure and the benefits of policy intervention. The study looks at trends of mortality in the last 20 years, the change in the ranking of 6 air-related mortality causes and Year of Life Lost (YLL) as a result of pollution. Results indicate ...

Air Pollution in Dense, Low-Income Settlements in South Africa

 Abstract This research is carried out on behalf of the Royal Danish Embassy as part of the Urban Environmental Management Programme in cooperation with the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. In the call for proposals the rationale for this project is expressed as follows: "Although air pollution in dense, low-income communities is acknowledged as a major threat to the health and well-being of the people living and working in these communities, research into the problem, cause and effect relationships, possible solutions, impact of interventions, etc. has been, in the main, sporadic, uncoordinated, piece-meal, narrowly focused, etc. As such, and with a view to developing an Integrated Strategy and Action Plan to address this problem, there is a need to synthesise the findings of the various research and pilot projects done over the years and to draw out useful conclusions and recommendations." This paper synthesises the findings of the major re...