Study objective: To assess the short term relationship between daily air pollution indicators black smoke and sulphur dioxide SO2 and mortality in Valencia. Design: This was an ecological study using time series data with application of Poisson regression. Daily variations in four selected outcome variables total mortality, mortality in those over 70 years of age, and cardiovascular and respiratory mortality were considered in relation to daily variations in air pollution levels for the period Setting: The city of Valencia, Spain.
Main results: The mean daily mortality was A significant positive association between black smoke and three of the four outcomes in the study was found. For mortality in the group aged more than 70 years and for cardiovascular mortality, the RRs were 1. The association with SO2 was less clear: it was only evident during the warm season. The estimated RRs in this case were 1. No significant association was found between mortality from respiratory diseases and either of the two pollutants.
Conclusions: A positive relationship between air pollution and mortality was found in the short term, as has been shown in an important number of studies carried out elsewhere. Although the current levels of particulate air pollution in Valencia are not very high, they could have an effect on the number of premature deaths. Despite the fact that the association is weak, it is important at the public health level both because of the numbers of population exposed and the possibility of establishing control measures.
Abstract Study objective: To assess the short term relationship between daily air pollution indicators black smoke and sulphur dioxide SO2 and mortality in Valencia.
