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Concern over health effects of air pollution is associated to NO2 in seven European cities
Dons, Evi Laeremans, Michelle Anaya-Boig, Esther Avila-Palencia, Ione Brand, Christian de Nazelle, Audrey Gaupp-Berghausen, Mailin Götschi, Thomas Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark Orjuela, Juan Pablo
Dons, Evi
Laeremans, Michelle
Anaya-Boig, Esther
Avila-Palencia, Ione
Brand, Christian
de Nazelle, Audrey
Gaupp-Berghausen, Mailin
Götschi, Thomas
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark
Orjuela, Juan Pablo
Abstract
Subjective perception of air pollution is important and can have impacts on health in its own rights, can lead to protective behaviour, or it can be leveraged to engage citizens and stakeholders in support of cleaner air policies. The aim of the current analysis was to examine associations between level of concern over health effects of air pollution and personal and environmental factors. In seven European cities, 7622 adult participants were recruited to complete an online questionnaire on travel and physical activity behaviour, perceptions and attitudes on active mobility and the environment, and sociodemographics. Air pollution at the home address was determined using Europe-wide PM2.5 and NO2 land use regression models. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to model concern over air pollution (worried versus not worried; city as random effect). Fifty-eight percent of participants were worried over health effects of air pollution with large differences across cities (Antwerp 78%, Barcelona 81%, London 64%, Orebro 11%, Rome 72%, Vienna 43%, Zurich 33%). Linking mean modelled air pollution to mean level of concern per city gave a good correlation for NO2 (r2 = 0.75), and a lower correlation for PM2.5 (r2 = 0.49). In the regression model, sex, having children in the household, levels of physical activity, and NO2 at the home address were significantly linked to individual concern over health effects of air pollution. We found that NO2 but not PM2.5 at the home address was associated with concern over health effects of air pollution.
Keywords
air pollution, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matte, r annoyance, risk perception
Date
2018
Type
Journal article
Journal
Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health
Book
Volume
11
Issue
5
Page Range
591-599
Article Number
ACU Department
Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled