Economics plays a vital role in health policy-making and investments to reduce air pollution; in helping to understand the costs of health care; an
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d in determining nations’ wealth and ability to invest in health and well-being..
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The first update of the ECDC ventilation guidance document contains:
key new findings that emphasise four bundles of NPIs to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in closed spaces;
updated references on the evidence of transmission in
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closed spaces;
recommendations based on the new evidence and on national and international guidance; and
an overview of national guidance ventilation documents in the context of COVID-19 based on an inquiry sent to ECDC’s National Focal Points (NFPs) for Preparedness and Response and NFPs for Influenza and other respiratory diseases.
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The Urban Health Initiative promotes tools and guidance to assess the health impacts of air pollution and the health benefits of sustainable development in energy, transportation, land-use and waste
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.
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Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancers, and other non-communicable diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries, and The Lancet Taskforce recently made the case for investing in non-
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communicable disease prevention. Now, in The Lancet Planetary Health, Benjamin Bowe and colleagues report that exposure to PM2·5 air pollution is indeed a risk factor for diabetes.
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For the past 10 years, the EU Ambient Air Quality Directives have been an essential tool to drive
action against air pollution.
Exposure to air pollution can affect everyone’s health. When we breathe in air pollutants, they can enter our bloodstream and contribute
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to coughing or itchy eyes and cause or worsen many breathing and lung diseases, leading to hospitalizations, cancer, or even premature death.
Minnesota’s air currently meets all federal air quality standards. However, even levels of air pollution below the standards can affect people’s health, including levels currently found in parts of Minnesota.
No matter where you live, you can be exposed to air pollution from vehicle exhaust, smoke, road dust, industrial emissions, pollen, gas-fueled yard equipment, chemicals we use in our homes, and other sources.
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Accessed on 06.03.2022
Air pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Household combustion devices, motor vehicles, in
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dustrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air pollution. Pollutants of major public health concern include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Outdoor and indoor air pollution cause respiratory and other diseases and is an important source of morbidity and mortality.
Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. WHO data shows that almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits containing high levels of pollutants, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures. WHO is supporting countries to address air pollution.
From smog hanging over cities to smoke inside the home, air pollution poses a major threat to health and climate. The combined effects of ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution cause millions of premature deaths every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Website
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The Urban Health Initiative (UHI) goes beyond improving access to health care and promoting healthy behaviours, and focuses on how to build cities that enable and encourage good health.
In 2019, WHO estimated that 6.7 million premature deaths could be attributed to ambient and household air pollution from particulate matter (particles with a diameter less than 2.5 μm, PM2.5. Of th
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e 4.2 million deaths attributed specifically to ambient air pollution exposures.
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The article "Air Pollution: The Emergence of a Major Global Health Risk Factor" discusses the significant health impacts of air pollution, a leading risk factor for global mortality. It highlights t
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he adverse effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and tropospheric ozone, linking them to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancer, and reduced life expectancy. While high-income countries have reduced air pollution levels, low- and middle-income countries face rising pollution, contributing to 4.9 million deaths in 2017. The article emphasizes the need for research to understand pollution’s health effects, identify key sources, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to improve air quality globally.
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India is the world’s second most polluted country. Air pollution shortens average Indian life expectancy by 5 years,
relative to what it would be if the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline
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fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) of 5 μg/m3 was met. Some areas of India fare much worse than average, with air pollution shortening lives by almost 10
years in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, the most polluted city in the world.
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In Central and West Africa, regions together comprising 27 countries and 605 million people, the average person is exposed to particulate pollution levels that are more than 4 times the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guideline of 5 μg/m³1. If
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these particulate pollution levels persist, average life expectancy in the regions would be 1.6 years lower, and a total of 971 million person-years would be lost, relative to if air quality met the WHO guideline. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi, are the top three most polluted countries in the region.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) fact sheet on ambient (outdoor) air quality and health highlights the significant health risks posed by outdoor air pollution. It reports that in 2019, ambient
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air pollution was responsible for approximately 4.2 million premature deaths globally, primarily due to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which leads to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as cancers. The fact sheet emphasizes that 99% of the global population lived in areas exceeding WHO air quality guidelines in 2019, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the highest burden. To mitigate these health impacts, WHO advocates for policies and investments that promote cleaner transportation, energy-efficient housing, improved waste management, and access to clean household energy.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) fact sheet on ambient (outdoor) air quality and health highlights the significant health risks posed by outdoor air pollution. It reports that in 2019, ambient
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air pollution was responsible for approximately 4.2 million premature deaths globally, primarily due to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which leads to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as cancers. The fact sheet emphasizes that 99% of the global population lived in areas exceeding WHO air quality guidelines in 2019, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the highest burden. To mitigate these health impacts, WHO advocates for policies and investments that promote cleaner transportation, energy-efficient housing, improved waste management, and access to clean household energy.
more
The World Health Organization (WHO) fact sheet on ambient (outdoor) air quality and health highlights the significant health risks posed by outdoor air pollution. It reports that in 2019, ambient
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air pollution was responsible for approximately 4.2 million premature deaths globally, primarily due to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which leads to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as cancers. The fact sheet emphasizes that 99% of the global population lived in areas exceeding WHO air quality guidelines in 2019, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the highest burden. To mitigate these health impacts, WHO advocates for policies and investments that promote cleaner transportation, energy-efficient housing, improved waste management, and access to clean household energy.
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This report describes the “Building health workers capacity on air pollution and health” pilot workshop held in Ghana in 2022 which aimed at testing the training material of the first WHO Air Po
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llution and Health Training toolkit (APHT) targeting health professionals. APHT aims at strengthening the knowledge of health workers on air pollution and health and to enable them to effectively communicate with patients and communities on how to reduce their risk, to advocate for population level interventions as well as to train other peers and colleagues using a train-the-trainer approach. This workshop report serves as a tool and example of a training that can be replicated and adapted to other contexts and settings based on country and regional priorities and needs.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) fact sheet on ambient (outdoor) air quality and health highlights the significant health risks posed by outdoor air pollution. It reports that in 2019, ambient
...
air pollution was responsible for approximately 4.2 million premature deaths globally, primarily due to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which leads to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as cancers. The fact sheet emphasizes that 99% of the global population lived in areas exceeding WHO air quality guidelines in 2019, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the highest burden. To mitigate these health impacts, WHO advocates for policies and investments that promote cleaner transportation, energy-efficient housing, improved waste management, and access to clean household energy.
more
Pakistan is the world’s fourth most polluted country. Air pollution shortens the average Pakistani’s life expectancy by 3.8 years, relative to what it would be if the World Health Organization (
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WHO) guideline of 5 μg/m3 was met.1 Some areas of Pakistan fare much worse than average, with air pollution shortening lives by almost 7 years in the country’s most polluted regions, like Lahore and Peshawar.
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Nepal is the world’s third most polluted country. Air pollution shortens average Nepalese life expectancy by 4.1 years, relative to what it would be if the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelin
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e of 5 μg/m3 was met.1 The highest concentrations of air pollution are observed in Nepal’s southwestern districts, which share their borders with the highly-polluted Indo-Gangetic Plain of India. Here, residents stand to lose nearly 7 years of life expectancy.
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Harmful particle pollution is one of our nation’s most common air pollutants. Use the chart below to help reduce your exposure and protect your health. For your local
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air quality forecast, visit www.airnow.gov
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