Health risks and air pollution--error analysis for a cross-sectional mortality study

Journal Article · Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Risk Anal.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-6924.1986.tb00208.x· OSTI ID:6121271

Pickles, J H

An attempt is made to analyze in quantitative terms the uncertainties in multiple regression estimates of the effects of air pollution on death rates. A range of factors--statistical fluctuations in numbers of deaths, differences in local age distribution, differences in smoking habits, errors in estimated pollution levels, migration, and variability of the characterization of socioeconomic effects--are assessed as potential sources of error. Both the precision and the robustness of the regression calculation are shown to be poor. Examples and illustrative calculations are given based on a study of U. K. death rates around the 1971 Census.

• Research Organization: Central Electricity Research Laboratories, Leatherhead, Surrey, England
• OSTI ID: 6121271
• Journal Information: Risk Anal.; (United States), Vol. 6:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
HEALTH HAZARDS
BRONCHITIS
ERRORS
MORTALITY
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
UNITED KINGDOM
DISEASES
EUROPE
HAZARDS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MATHEMATICS
POLLUTION
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
STATISTICS
WESTERN EUROPE
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology