Excess mortality as an indicator of health effects of air pollution

Conference · Mon Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1966 · Am. J. Public Health; (United States)

OSTI ID:6424650

McCarroll, J; Bradley, W

Examination of total deaths in New York City by day of occurrence shows periodic peaks in mortality which are associated with periods of high air pollution. These peaks are usually associated with periods of low wind speed and temperature inversion conditions which permit air pollution to build up to high levels. Unlike the experience of London, fog is not a necessary part of this picture, and therefore the presence of these episodes is often not apparent at the time to most inhabitants. A characteristic feature of these episodes is the immediate rise in mortality occurring on the same day as the peaks of pollution. A second characteristic is their frequent influence on death rates in the 45- to 64-year age group as well as in those over 65. These characteristics suggest that if these excess deaths are related to air pollution, the mechanism is probably protean and pervasive, affecting the course of a variety of different diseases through a basic physiologic effect. 5 figures.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ. Medical College, New York, NY
• OSTI ID: 6424650
• Journal Information: Am. J. Public Health; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Public Health; (United States) Vol. 56:11; ISSN AJHEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
DATA
DISEASES
EPIDEMIOLOGY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION II
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INFORMATION
MORTALITY
NEW YORK
NEW YORK CITY
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
POLLUTION
POPULATIONS
SURVEYS
TEMPERATURE INVERSIONS
USA
WIND