《Fine-Particulate Air Pollution and Life Expectancy in the United States》.pdf

T h e n e w e ngl a nd j o u r na l o f m e dic i n e Special article Fine-Particulate Air Pollution and Life Expectancy in the United States C. Arden Pope III, Ph.D., Majid Ezzati, Ph.D., and Douglas W. Dockery, Sc.D. A BS TR AC T Background From the Department of Economics, Exposure to fine-particulate air pollution has been associated with increased mor- Brigham Young University, Provo, UT bidity and mortality, suggesting that sustained reductions in pollution exposure (C.A.P.); the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston (M.E., D.W.D.); and the should result in improved life expectancy. This study directly evaluated the changes Harvard Initiative for Global Health, Cam- in life expectancy associated with differential changes in fine particulate air pollu- bridge, MA (M.E.). Address reprint re- tion that occurred in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s. quests to Dr. Pope at 142 FOB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602-2363, or at cap3@. Methods We compiled data on life expectancy, socioeconomic status, and demographic char- N Engl J Med 2009;360:376-86. Copyright © 2009 Massachusetts Medical Society. acteristics for 211 county units in the 51 U.S. metropolitan areas with matching data on fine-particulate air pollution for the late 1970s and early 1980s and the late 1990s and early 2000s. Regression