Title: Effects of air pollution and meteorological parameters on human health in the city of Athens, Greece

Authors: Emmanouil Mentzakis, Doriana Delfino

Addresses: Health Economics Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK. ' Environment Department, University of York, YO10 5DD, England, UK

Abstract: The impact of air pollution (CO, NO, NO₂, SO₂, O₃) and meteorological parameters (air temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure) on three indicators of human morbidity (circulatory, respiratory and skin diseases) is quantified, while the sensitivity of the results to different model specifications is tested. Findings indicate that higher SO₂ and CO levels significantly increase circulatory and skin diseases, respectively, while higher NO and O₃ concentrations increase respiratory diseases. Air temperature is significantly associated with all human health indicators. This work highlights the need for lower air pollution standards for the city of Athens and a wider climate change policy.

Keywords: air pollution; air temperature; GAM; generalised additive models; circulatory diseases; respiratory diseases; skin diseases; air quality; Athens; Greece; humidity; atmospheric pressure; human morbidity; human health indicators.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2010.030894

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2010 Vol.40 No.1/2/3, pp.210 - 225

Published online: 11 Jan 2010 *

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