Background: Inconsistent associations between socioeconomic position (SEP) and air pollution have been reported in Europe, but methodological differences prevent any direct between-study comparison. Objectives: Assess and compare the association between SEP and air pollution exposure at residential address across 20 cities from eight European countries. Methods: Three SEP indicators, defined at individual-level (education and occupation) and area-level (unemployment rate) were assessed in three European multicenter cohorts. NO2 exposure was estimated at participants’ addresses with land use regression models developed within the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE). Pooled and cityspecific linear regressions were used to analyze associations between each SEP indicator and NO2. Heterogeneity across cities was assessed using a random-effects meta-analysis. Results: 8277 participants were included. Pooling the data, participants with lower individual-SEP indicators tended to be less exposed to NO2. Conversely, participants living in neighborhood characterized by higher unemployment rate were more exposed. However, in both cases, city-specific results exhibited heterogeneity across areas (I2>75%). When having individual- and area-SEP indicators in the same model, estimates were similar compared to the simple regression model (individual- and area-SEP in separate models), suggesting independent associations between individual-SEP and unemployment rate with NO2. Conclusions: At European level, associations between SEP and NO2 were heterogeneous and no geographical or urban pattern could be identified. Our results showed that individual- and area-SEP indicators capture different aspects of the SEP distribution regarding exposure to air pollution, stressing the importance of considering both in air pollution epidemiological studies.

Socioeconomic position and outdoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure in Western Europe: A multi-city analysis

BONO, Roberto;
2017-01-01

Abstract

Background: Inconsistent associations between socioeconomic position (SEP) and air pollution have been reported in Europe, but methodological differences prevent any direct between-study comparison. Objectives: Assess and compare the association between SEP and air pollution exposure at residential address across 20 cities from eight European countries. Methods: Three SEP indicators, defined at individual-level (education and occupation) and area-level (unemployment rate) were assessed in three European multicenter cohorts. NO2 exposure was estimated at participants’ addresses with land use regression models developed within the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE). Pooled and cityspecific linear regressions were used to analyze associations between each SEP indicator and NO2. Heterogeneity across cities was assessed using a random-effects meta-analysis. Results: 8277 participants were included. Pooling the data, participants with lower individual-SEP indicators tended to be less exposed to NO2. Conversely, participants living in neighborhood characterized by higher unemployment rate were more exposed. However, in both cases, city-specific results exhibited heterogeneity across areas (I2>75%). When having individual- and area-SEP indicators in the same model, estimates were similar compared to the simple regression model (individual- and area-SEP in separate models), suggesting independent associations between individual-SEP and unemployment rate with NO2. Conclusions: At European level, associations between SEP and NO2 were heterogeneous and no geographical or urban pattern could be identified. Our results showed that individual- and area-SEP indicators capture different aspects of the SEP distribution regarding exposure to air pollution, stressing the importance of considering both in air pollution epidemiological studies.
2017
101
aprile 2017
117
124
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412016303981
Air pollution; Environmental inequality; Europe; Socioeconomic position
Temam, Sofia; Burte, Emilie; Adam, Martin; Antó, Josep M.; Basagaña, Xavier; Bousquet, Jean; Carsin, Anne-Elie; Galobardes, Bruna; Keidel, Dirk; Künzli, Nino; Moual, Nicole Le; Sanchez, Margaux; Sunyer, Jordi; Bono, Roberto; Brunekreef, Bert; Heinrich, Joachim; Hoogh, Kees de; Jarvis, Debbie; Marcon, Alessandro; Modig, Lars; Nadif, Rachel; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark; Pin, Isabelle; Siroux, Valérie; Stempfelet, Morgane; Tsai, Ming-Yi; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Jacquemin, Bénédicte .
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Socioeconomic position and air pollution 2_4aperto.pdf

Open Access dal 02/03/2019

Descrizione: articolo principale
Tipo di file: POSTPRINT (VERSIONE FINALE DELL’AUTORE)
Dimensione 521.1 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
521.1 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
temam_SESAP1_supplementary_file_18jul16_4aperto.pdf

Open Access dal 02/03/2019

Descrizione: materiale supplementare
Tipo di file: POSTPRINT (VERSIONE FINALE DELL’AUTORE)
Dimensione 729.79 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
729.79 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2318/1621048
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 12
  • Scopus 47
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 41
social impact