Association Between Increased Air Pollution and Mortality from Respiratory and Cardiac Diseases in Tehran: Application of the GLARMA Model

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Cardiac diseases are a major cause of death in Iran. The number of deaths from cardiac diseases can be reduced through controlling air pollution. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between increased air pollution and mortality from respiratory and cardiac diseases in Tehran. Methods: The average daily concentrations of five pollutants, including carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter less than 10 microns (PM10) were collected from 8 stations in Tehran, Iran. Then, their effects on the number of daily deaths due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases were calculated using time series and Poisson GLARMA model (generalized linear autoregressive moving average). The climatic elements such as mean, maximum, and minimum temperature and daily humidity were considered as confounding factors. Results: After adjustment for potential confounding variables of the final model of the pollutants, the mean daily ozone level (P = 0.02) and particulate matters less than 10 microns (P <0.001) had a significant correlation with the number of daily deaths. Conclusion: According to the results of this study that addressed the relationship between air pollutants and death using new statistical methods, it is necessary to take more effective measures to control ozone and particulate matters less than 10 microns to reduce the mortality of heart and respiratory diseases in Tehran.

Keywords

• time series
• poisson model
• air pollution
• tehran