The Health Effects Institute
Public Health and Air Pollution in Asia—
Science Access on the Net (PAPA-SAN)Summary of Results by Country
Mainland
Between 1980 and June 2006, 69 publications were identified that described studies on outdoor air pollution and its health effects in mainland China. Among these, two-thirds estimated the health effects of exposure to both PM and gaseous pollutants. The rest estimated the effects of exposure to PM only or gaseous pollutants only. Some studies estimated the effects of exposure on the basis of residential proximity to industrial facilities and/or mobile sources. Most of the studies were conducted in metropolitan areas, such as Beijing or Shanghai, as well as in industrial cities, such as Guangzhou, Wuhan, Lanzhou, Chongqing, or Shenyang.
The principal health outcomes studies in China have examined mortality and respiratory-related symptoms and diseases. Other studies examined other outcomes, including biomarkers, birth outcomes, hospital admissions, lung cancer incidence, and economic assessments. In the 1980s, cross-sectional design was used predominantly to investigate the relationship between ambient pollution and lung cancer morbidity and the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and diseases. As routine and reliable air-quality-monitoring data became available in more large cities in early 1990s, more time-series studies were conducted, addressing the changes in all-cause and cause-specific mortality and morbidity in relation to air pollution variations in the cities. Additionally, some health-impact-assessment studies emerged, estimating the health and economic benefits of reductions in air pollution.
Table 2. China Studies
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Sixteen publications describing pertinent Hong Kong studies were identified. Most of them examined the relationship between ambient pollution and respiratory-related symptoms and diseases as well as mortality and hospital admissions, principally using time-series and cross-sectional designs. Most studies also examined the health effects of exposure to PM, SO2, and nitrogen oxides. Eight publications described the effect of exposure to O3. A few health-impact-assessment studies assessed the effect of restriction of sulfur in fuel oil and industrial air pollution.
Table 2. China Studies
Fifty-six publications of Taipei,China studies were identified. Half were conducted in the south, where petrochemical and heavy industrial complexes are located. More than half estimated the health effects of exposure to both PM and gaseous pollutants. The rest estimated health effects on the basis of residential proximity to petrochemical and industrial facilities and mobiles sources. Respiratory-related symptoms and diseases and birth outcomes were primarily studied in this area. Mortality, biomarkers, hospital admissions, lung cancer incidence, and school absences were also studied.
To learn more about air pollution in China, please visit the China page on the CAI-Asia website. It includes information on air quality monitoring and modeling, emission inventories, measuring impacts, climate change, policies and instruments, education, and socioeconomic contexts. Various sources of air pollution are covered as well, including stationary, mobile, indoor, and area sources.
Table 2. China Studies
Among the 8 publications of Indonesia studies that were identified, three evaluated the health consequences and economic effects of exposure to haze resulting from southeast Asian forest fires in 1997, three assessed the effect of exposure to ambient lead, and the rest estimated the effects of exposure to ambient pollution.
To learn more about air pollution in Indonesia, please visit the Indonesia page on the CAI-Asia website.It includes information on air quality monitoring and modeling, emission inventories, measuring impacts, climate change, policies and instruments, education, and socioeconomic contexts. Various sources of air pollution are covered as well, including stationary, mobile, indoor, and area sources.
Table 3. Southeast Asia Studies
Two publications of studies in Malaysia were identified; both estimated the health effects of exposure to the haze resulting from southeast Asian forest fires in 1997, including mortality and respiratory hospitalizations.
To learn more about air pollution in Malaysia, please visit the Malaysia page on the CAI-Asia website. It includes information on air quality monitoring and modeling, emission inventories, measuring impacts, climate change, policies and instruments, education, and socioeconomic contexts. Various sources of air pollution are covered as well, including stationary, mobile, indoor, and area sources.
Table 3. Southeast Asia Studies
Among the 6 publications of Singapore studies that were identified, most focused on assessing children’s respiratory symptoms and diseases, such as asthma. One study estimated bone marrow response to acute air pollution resulted from southeast Asian forest fires.
To learn more about air pollution in Singapore, please visit the Singapore page on the CAI-Asia website. It includes information on air quality monitoring and modeling, emission inventories, measuring impacts, climate change, policies and instruments, education, and socioeconomic contexts. Various sources of air pollution are covered as well, including stationary, mobile, indoor, and area sources.
Table 3. Southeast Asia Studies
Thirteen publications describing Thailand studies were identified. Most were conducted in Bangkok and nearby areas. One-third of the studies estimated the health effects of exposure to PM and gaseous pollutants. Another third estimated the effects of exposure to PM only. The remainder estimated the effects of exposure on the basis of residential proximity to traffic emission sources and power plant facilities. Respiratory symptoms, respiratory diseases, and mortality were the major health outcomes studied, using panel, cross-sectional, and time-series designs.
To learn more about air pollution in Thailand, please visit the Thailand page on the CAI-Asia website. It includes information on air quality monitoring and modeling, emission inventories, measuring impacts, climate change, policies and instruments, education, and socioeconomic contexts. Various sources of air pollution are covered as well, including stationary, mobile, indoor, and area sources.
Table 3. Southeast Asia Studies
Thirty publications of India studies were identified. Most were conducted in the northwestern areas of the country, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad. They evaluated respiratory-related symptoms and diseases using cross-sectional study designs. Half of the studies estimated the effects of exposure to both PM and gaseous pollutants. The other half estimated the effects of exposure on the basis of residential proximity to air pollution sources and haze.
To learn more about air pollution in India, please visit the India page on the CAI-Asia website. It includes information on air quality monitoring and modeling, emission inventories, measuring impacts, climate change, policies and instruments, education, and socioeconomic contexts. Various sources of air pollution are covered as well, including stationary, mobile, indoor, and area sources.
Table 4. India Studies
Among the 46 publications of Japan studies that were identified, the majority focused on respiratory-related symptoms and diseases. The rest focused on mortality, hospital admissions, lung cancer incidence, birth outcomes, scho ol absences, ocular symptoms, atopic dermatitis, and biomarkers. The principal designs used in most of the studies were cross sectional and time series. About two-thirds of the studies estimated the health effects of exposure to PM and/or gaseous pollutants. The rest assessed the effects of exposure using residential proximity to industrial facilities and mobile sources as well as exposure to volcanic ash and acid fog.
To learn more about air pollution in Japan, please visit the Japan page on the CAI-Asia website. It includes information on air quality monitoring and modeling, emission inventories, measuring impacts, climate change, policies and instruments, education, and socioeconomic contexts. Various sources of air pollution are covered as well, including stationary, mobile, indoor, and area sources.
Table 5. Japan Studies
Thirty-three publications of Korea studies were identified. Most were conducted in the Seoul and Inchon areas and focused on mortality, hospital admissions, and respiratory-related symptoms and diseases. The principal study design was time series.
To learn more about air pollution in South Korea, please visit the South Korea page on the CAI-Asia website. It includes information on air quality monitoring and modeling, emission inventories, measuring impacts, climate change, policies and instruments, education, and socioeconomic contexts. Various sources of air pollution are covered as well, including stationary, mobile, indoor, and area sources.
Table 6. South Korea Studies
Other Asian Countries
Note: No information was available for the following countries—Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. However, you can learn more about air pollution in these countries at the CAI-Asia website.
If you have information on the health effects of air pollution in Asian countries not included here, please send it to PAPA@healtheffects.org and we will update our records.
Literature Abstracts
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