Hall, James, Zhong, Jian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1026-8695, Jowett, Sue, Mazzeo, Andrea, Thomas, G. Neil, Bryson, John R., Dewar, Steve, Inglis, Nadia, Wolstencroft, Mark, Muller, Catherine, Bloss, William James, Harrison, Roy M. and Bartington, Suzanne E. (2024) Regional impact assessment of air quality improvement: the air quality lifecourse assessment tool (AQ-LAT) for the West Midlands combined authority (WMCA) area. Environmental Pollution, 356:123871. ISSN 0269-7491 (Print), 1873-6424 (Online) (doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123871)

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Abstract

Abstract Poor air quality is the largest environmental health risk in England. In the West Midlands, UK, â-¼2.9 million people are affected by air pollution with an average loss in life expectancy of up to 6 months. The 2021 Environment Act established a legal framework for local authorities in England to develop regional air quality plans, generating a policy need for predictive environmental impact assessment tools. In this context, we developed a novel Air Quality Lifecourse Assessment Tool (AQ-LAT) to estimate electoral ward-level impacts of PM2.5 and NO2 exposure on outcomes of interest to local authorities, namely morbidity (asthma, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, lung cancer), mortality, and associated healthcare costs. We apply the Tool to assess the health economic burden of air pollutant exposure and estimate benefits that would be generated by meeting WHO 2021 Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) (annual average concentrations) for NO2 (10 μg/m3) and PM2.5 (5 μg/m3) in the West Midlands Combined Authority Area. All West Midlands residents live in areas which exceed WHO AQGs, with 2070 deaths, 2070 asthma diagnoses, 770 CHD diagnoses, 170 lung cancers and 650 strokes attributable to air pollution exposure annually. Reducing PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations to WHO AQGs would save 10,700 lives reducing regional mortality by 1.8, gaining 92,000 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and preventing 20,500 asthma, 7400 CHD, 1400 lung cancer, and 5700 stroke diagnoses, with economic benefits of £3.2 billion over 20 years. Significantly, we estimate 30 of QALY gains relate to reduced disease burden. The AQ-LAT has major potential to be replicated across local authorities in England and applied to inform regional investment decisions.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	air quality, particulate matter, Nitrogen dioxide, health impact assessment, costs, health economics, decision model
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences Q Science > Q Science (General) Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences (CMS)
Last Modified:	15 Jan 2025 09:30
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/49354

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