Emerging Evidence on the Health Effects of Air Pollution in Asia

Abstract:

This presentation will summarize emerging evidence on the health effects of air pollution in Asia, and include a discussion of the following:

o Highlights from Public Health and Air Pollution in Asia: Science Access on the Net (PAPA-SAN) - the world’s largest database of research reports on the health effects of air pollution in Asia. PAPA-SAN was created to help researchers studying the effects of air pollution in Asia and to provide policymakers, international lending organizations, and other stakeholders with routinely updated information to help them make better-informed decisions. PAPA-SAN currently includes 421 peer-reviewed reports published since 1980 on research conducted in 11 Asian countries. The presentation will highlight trends in the size, scope and geographical coverage of the Asian health effects literature between 1980 and 2007. Gaps in knowledge with regard to the effects of specific pollutants and health outcomes will be discussed. Available evidence from China, India, and Thailand will be emphasized.

o The contributions of recently completed coordinated set of studies on the short term effects of air pollution in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Wuhan, as well as a combined analysis of all four cities. These studies emphasize factors that may modify air pollution risk in Asia, including extreme temperatures and social class, and focus on evidence at the higher end of the concentration-response function.