This paper focuses on the use of results of epidemiological studies to quantify the effects on health, particularly on mortality, of long-term exposure to air pollutants. It introduces health impact assessment methods, used to predict the benefits that can be expected from implementation of interventions to reduce emissions of pollutants. It also explains the estimation of annual mortality burdens attributable to current levels of pollution. Burden estimates are intended to meet the need to communicate the size of the effect of air pollution on public health to policy makers and others. The implications, for the interpretation of the estimates, of the assumptions and approximations underlying the methods are discussed. The paper starts with quantification based on results obtained from studies of the association of mortality risk with long-term average concentrations of particulate air pollution. It then tackles the additional methodological considerations that need to be addressed when also considering the mortality effects of other pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Finally, approaches that could be used to integrate morbidity and mortality endpoints in the same assessment are touched upon. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Air quality, past present and future’.

中文翻译：

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使用流行病学估计暴露于空气污染物的影响和负担

本文侧重于利用流行病学研究结果来量化长期暴露于空气污染物对健康的影响，特别是对死亡率的影响。它介绍了健康影响评估方法，用于预测实施干预措施以减少污染物排放的预期收益。它还解释了可归因于当前污染水平的年度死亡率负担的估计。负担估算旨在满足向政策制定者和其他人传达空气污染对公共卫生影响程度的需要。讨论了这些方法所依据的假设和近似值对解释估计的影响。本文首先根据死亡风险与颗粒物空气污染长期平均浓度的关联研究结果进行量化。然后，它解决了在考虑其他污染物如二氧化氮 (NO2) 的死亡率影响时需要解决的其他方法学考虑。最后，涉及可用于在同一评估中整合发病率和死亡率终点的方法。这篇文章是讨论会议问题“空气质量，过去现在和未来”的一部分。涉及可用于将发病率和死亡率终点纳入同一评估的方法。这篇文章是讨论会议问题“空气质量，过去现在和未来”的一部分。涉及可用于将发病率和死亡率终点纳入同一评估的方法。这篇文章是讨论会议问题“空气质量，过去现在和未来”的一部分。